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Constable’s
Rood
Rood Awakening!
Update October 2007
Many thanks to the usual band of
helpers who turned out one Saturday morning to dig holes, mix concrete and fix
the entrance way in place. Thanks also to Luke Bogle for his craftsmanship and
to the Bethel Baptist Church for their financial support.
(May 2007)
Winner of the Natural Heritage Awards 2006/07
More...
This plot of land, known as CONSTABLES ROOD, is owned by Swavesey Parish. It comprises approximately one quarter of an acre (hence rood) and was allocated to the Village Constable to grow vegetables or keep livestock from around 1734 up to 1937. For the past several years it has been an eyesore in this part of the village but has now been transformed into an award winning nature area where you can sit, enjoy the wild flowers, and listen to the bird song and watch the bees and butterflies.
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What have we done to date?
Mixed hedging has been planted around the site and has taken well. The central area has been planted with a wild flower meadow mixture. A range of tree species – rowans, white barked silver birch, pear and crab apple have been planted and several buddleias have been planted in the far right butterfly corner. Weeds on the outer area of the plot should die off in the next few days. Two seats have been installed and several bird boxes have been fitted to the trees.
If you want to input your ideas or offer help please get in touch with either Glyn Jones 230650 or Geoff Green 231000 directly or via Swavesey Parish Council.
Click Here to see the provisional site plan
(January 2006)
The major ground work is under way thanks to Dawson Plant Hire Limited who are kindly doing all the work free of charge. Fresh topsoil has been added and the path around the site is being laid.
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Click Here.. to see more images
If you want to input your ideas to the project or offer help please get in touch with either Glyn Jones 230650 or Geoff Green 231000 directly or via Swavesey Parish Council.
(December 2005)
Click Here to see images of the hedge planting on 29th December 2005
We had a very good turnout - Peter Fuller, Nev Tate, John Pook, Jim Davis, Jonathan Kinns, Jessica and Christopher, Lawrence & Hailey Green, Don Hutchinson plus Geoff and myself. Coffee, tea, mince pies and mulled wine provided by Carol Pook, Sue Jones and Jackie Fuller.
Thanks to all Glyn Jones.
(November 2005)
Good news! South Cambs District
Council’s Conservation Advisory Group have agreed to
providing funding for our project under the Village
Green Space scheme.
More good news! Waitrose have
offered to purchase two bench seats for the site.
In case you didn’t have the
chance to read the previous notices the intention is
create a wildflower meadow planted with fruit trees
on this site called Constable’s Rood. There will be
a path through the site to allow disabled and pushchair
access, seating, a Butterfly Corner and bird nesting
boxes placed. New hedges will be planted.
Daffodil
bulbs were planted on the verges on Sunday 27 November 2005
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Thank you to the volunteers who came and helped to plant the bulbs in the grass verges surrounding the site. Click here for more pictures.
The next few weeks should see some site work continuing with the replacement of the blocked drain pipe under the entrance and the laying of the gravel paths.
If you want to input your ideas
or offer help please get in touch with either Glyn Jones
230650 or Geoff Green 231000 directly or via Swavesey
Parish Council.
(September
2005)
We wish to thank the volunteers who turned up to help clear out the ditches on Saturday 24th September. Very good progress was made and most of the ditches are now cleared of vegetation and the hedges tidied up.
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Click Here to see more pictures of the clear up.
If anyone has any pictures of the site showing its previous use please get in touch as we would like to create an illustrated record of use. We believe that donkeys were kept on it followed by a large assortment of motor vehicles.
If you want to input your ideas or offer help for future sessions please get in touch with either Glyn Jones 230650 or Geoff Green 231000 directly or via Swavesey Parish Council
(August 2005)
Getting permissions from various authorities takes forever!
The good news is that we are now working closely with South Cambs District Council's Conservation group and hope to access funding for our Rood Awakening project.
In case you didn't have the chance to read the previous notice the intention is create a wildflower meadow planted with historic fruit trees on this site called Constable's Rood. There will be a path through the site to allow
disabled and pushchair access, seating, a Butterfly Corner and bird nesting boxes placed. New hedges will be planted.
What's happening next?
Clearing out the ditches on Saturday 24th September!
We plan to clear out all the vegetation, wood and rubbish from the ditches. All help much appreciated; please bring gloves and any tools you may have suitable for cutting grass, briars and wood. Meet 10am unless it is raining heavily.
If you want to input your ideas or offer help please get in touch with either Glyn Jones 230650 or Geoff Green 231000 directly or via Swavesey Parish Council.
(November 2004)
The first stage of site clearence took place over the weekend of the 13th and 14th of November and the site now looks like this:
(June 2004)
It's been said that the parish council are doing "nothing" to get this site at junction of Mow Fen Drove and Taylors Lane cleared of rubbish. Well we set the wheels in motion originally by ending the existing tenancy and asking for ideas from the community which resulted in Glyn, Geoff and friends launching a project to restore it for community use. However, currently all our hands are tied by the County Council who visited the site and said
words to the effect of "All this rubbish, particularly the sheets of corrugated metal and the piles of rubble, could be providing ideal breeding conditions for Great Crested Newts so please don't touch this site until we've carried out a full survey over the summer..."
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