Ashford Green Corridor
Encyclopedia
Ashford Green Corridor is a green space that runs through the town of Ashford
in Kent
, England
. The Green Corridor is made up of parks, recreation grounds and other green spaces alongside the rivers that flow through Ashford.
The town has been growing steadily since the early 19th century. As the town has expanded, land close to the rivers has not usually been built on, due to the risk of flooding because the Ashford Borough Council
has protected it as green space.
s, Damselflies and possibly Water Voles can all be seen. Ponds like the one at Bowen's Field attract amphibians. Singleton Lake is a habitat for wetland birds and Buxford Meadow is a wet grassland with an enormous range of plants, insects and other species. It is because these habitats are so close to where people live that the Green Corridor has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve
.
Aylesford Green is an attractive area for informal recreation. The site has a variety of habitats including a wide margin of long vegetation by the Aylesford Stream
that forms an important habitat for invertebrates. A small wooded area dominated by ash and alder borders Boys Hall Road. Wood mice
have been recorded in this area and Long-tailed Tit
s are often seen perching in ash trees
, particularly in winter. Pollarded willows by the Aylesford Stream provide an attractive area adjacent to Bentley Road. The site is linked to South Willesborough
by a pedestrian bridge over High Speed 1 onto Newtown Road. Banded Demoiselle
and Common Blue Damselfly
have been recorded at the site.
Bowen's Field is an informal recreation area, adjacent to the Great Stour
. It is thought that this site was one of the last areas to be farmed in Ashford, it belonged to a local livestock trader called Mr Sidney Herbert Bowen,died 1971 and he is commemorated on a plaque at the entrance to the site from Victoria Park. This area was also adjacent to the town’s lido (outdoor swimming pool) which was built in 1867 and was at the time the largest in Britain. The site is now a flood storage area consisting of damp grassland, with a large pond where Banded Demoiselle
, Blue-tailed Damselfly
, Azure Damselfly
, Smooth Newt
, and Common frog
have been recorded.
in one direction and the town of Ashford in the other as well as Boys Hall, the house that gives the site its name. The site is characterised by Oak
and Hazel
as well as other mature tree species. A variety of dragonflies and damselflies have been seen at the site including Emperor Dragonfly
, Ruddy Darter
and Blue-tailed Damselfly
. There is a pedestrian bridge over High Speed 1, linking this site with Boys Hall Moat. Adjacent to the bridge is an area of reedbed. On the Church Road side of Boys Hall, the site is more formal with mature trees such as Turkey Oak
, providing a pleasant buffer zone between housing and the Southern Orbital road.
dating from the 13th century. The area consists of a moat
ed island that would have been the site of a dwelling in the past. Mature trees are present on the island that form roost sites for common bird species. The topography of the ground is complex, suggesting extensive earthworks have taken place in the past. The site essentially has an open character although there are areas of scrub.
Buxford Meadow is adjacent to the Great Stour and a millstream for Buxford Mill flows through it. The site consists of a wet meadow with White Willow
, Crack Willow
and Goat Willow
. In the middle of the meadow there is a pond whose margins consist predominantly of reedmace, the pond supports a diverse array of wildlife including common frog
s, toads
and smooth newts
. Twelve species of dragonfly have been recorded at the site (25% of all UK species) and 54 moth species including the nationally notable Webbs Wainscot
, whose caterpillars develop in reedmace. The site is also ideal for small mammals - Field Vole
and Pygmy Shrew
have been recorded in the grassland and woodmouse
and Bank Vole
in the woodland. There is an area of wet woodland incorporating Ash
, Alder
, English oak
and grey willow trees. The wet glades support large areas of Water mint
. The Stour Valley Walk
passes through the wood leading to Great Chart
and beyond.
and Sevington
. It is a peaceful park with a play area.
is at Pledge’s Mill
which stands at the northern end of the park. It is thought that there has been a mill on this part of the river from 1086 (a mill was recorded on this site at the time of the Domesday Book
). The main features of the park are the pollarded willows, an important habitat for a range of invertebrate
species.
The Local Nature Reserve
includes the riverside area at Civic Centre Park South. Although this is a busy thoroughfare and close to the skate
park, a survey has shown that Water Voles are present in this part of the East Stour. The bridge over the river is a good viewpoint where Moorhen
s and Grey Wagtail
s can be spotted.
and Newtown, includes some good riverside habitats and an area of woodland called 'The Spinney', with public access.
On the outskirts of Ashford, this historic parkland can be enjoyed by following the Greensand Way
or the Stour Valley Walk. Godinton House
also has its own trail around its fabulous grounds. The parkland contains a huge variety of unspoilt habitats all supporting a diversity of wildlife. It is because of this that Godinton Park has been designated an SNCI.
The old parkland trees and pockets of woodland throughout the grounds provide good habitat for nesting birds such as the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
. The river is home to the White Clawed Crayfish and Kingfishers
are known to fly along this stretch of water.
This is a new 23,000 square metre woodland, planted and managed by the Woodland Trust
. The land at Great Chart
was purchased in 2000 as one of the Woodland Trust's "Woods on your Doorstep project", to create a new community woodland close to Ashford.
The wood was planted using native species, to provide a valuable area for public recreation and wildlife. The land was given to The Woodland Trust by Ashford Borough Council
and the woodland was planted in November 2000 with help from local people. Species of trees and shrubs planted included oak
, ash
, rowan
and hornbeam
.
Prior to planting, an archaeological survey revealed a number of earthworks of historical interest, which have been left as found and incorporated into the ride network as unplanted land .
.
Woodland has been planted near the estate, and a large pond created. There is also an interesting wetland area near the railway. Access is good, via a network of paths.
As recently as 1992 , this land was farmed - there was a large orchard
where the houses now stand.
.jpg)
Newtown
Green consists of open areas of green space for informal recreation and organised sports. Mature trees form the perimeter of the site and the Aylesford Stream
runs along the edge. Ruddy Darter
, Banded Demoiselle
, Blue-tailed Damselfly
and Common Blue Damselfly
have been recorded at the site.
to the town centre and also beyond to the rest of the Green Corridor. The banks of the Great Stour here have wide margins of riverside vegetation and in places blocks of mature native trees. There is a small woodland garden at the northern end, where European Green Woodpeckers can be heard. In the past this land was probably sheep pasture - an 1876 Ordnance Survey
map shows sheepfolds on the site.
A darker side to the site’s history is illustrated at its entrance off the Hythe Road where a plaque commemorates the Martyr
s of the 16th century that were persecuted for their religious beliefs.
Site of Nature Conservation Interest
(SNCI).
was cut off from its church by the building of the Southern Orbital road. Despite this, the church and Court Lodge Farm present quite a rural scene, and the fields nearby make for pleasant walking on public footpaths, with some wildlife interest in the form of ditches and hedgerows. Heading east, the charming village of Mersham
is only a mile away.
and alder
around its perimeter as well as small areas of reedbed. At night Daubenton's bat
can be seen flying over the water. There are 2 sculptures by Antony Gormley
(creator of the Angel of the North
sculpture) and a stretch of boardwalk. Singleton Lake supports a variety of common bird species, as well as birds that are unlikely to be seen elsewhere in the Green Corridor including Great Crested Grebe
and Reed Warbler
. Two damselfly species have been recorded at the site, Common Blue Damselfly
and Blue-tailed Damselfly
. Singleton Lake has parking, picnic areas and good links to the rest of the Green Corridor and wider countryside in the Great Chart
area.
There is a good network of footpaths in this area, allowing you to explore an interesting area with many ditches, wet fields and some damp pasture. At Swanton Court, the mediaeval moat
can be seen from public footpaths. Swanton Mill used to be open to the public, but unfortunately has now closed. It can still be viewed from footpaths passing close-by.
The bird life of this area reflects the abundance of water and includes teal
and heron
.
Estate at Wye. There is a small pond at the bottom of the park surrounded by a rocky garden.
.jpg)
The woodlands, with their coppice and old oaks, screen the site from man-made intrusions, making it a green haven for the community. The Warren is also important for wildlife. The acid grasslands are unimproved, and contain plants such as sheep's sorrel
and bird's foot
. They are mown to maintain their value and keep birch scrub at bay. The ponds are home to amphibians, aquatic insects and the uncommon water violet. A wide variety of birds also inhabit the site.
Watercress Fields has formal football pitches and a play area as well as areas for informal recreation. It is an important site linking areas in the south of Ashford to the town centre and other parts of the Green Corridor. The river has a natural profile with many meanders, and wide margins of vegetation that support riverside species such as cuckoo flower and alder
(some of the alders have succumbed to a disease – however dead wood is a good habitat for invertebrates). The river itself supports Water Voles, having sufficient food resources and bankside cover. The rest of the park has an open character that is interspersed with woodland gardens and areas of long grass that are important habitats for bird species and invertebrates. In the past it is thought that watercress
may have been grown on the site. Further along the river at Leacon Road there are some riverside sculptures of aquatic wildlife and an old fording point that once linked this area with Beaver Lane.
, pasture
, rough grassland
, scrub and woodland
, covering nearly 100 acre (0.404686 km²) near Willesborough
, and is a rich area for wildlife. Scarce plants that can be found include white sedge
, recorded at only two other sites in Kent
. The area is also good for moss
es and liverwort
s. Grassland here is also of interest, but in places is becoming invaded with scrub. Uncommon shrubs include alder buckthorn
and eared willow
.
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Green Corridor is made up of parks, recreation grounds and other green spaces alongside the rivers that flow through Ashford.
The town has been growing steadily since the early 19th century. As the town has expanded, land close to the rivers has not usually been built on, due to the risk of flooding because the Ashford Borough Council
Ashford (borough)
Ashford is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. Its council is based in the town of Ashford.The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tenterden with Ashford urban district, and the East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden Rural Districts...
has protected it as green space.
Flood protection
Because the Green Corridor areas are right next to Ashford's rivers, many of them hold floodwater, protecting homes and businesses. This is particularly important now because floods seem to be occurring more frequently.Wildlife
The Green Corridor brings wildlife to the town. Ashford's rivers are surprisingly natural considering their urban surroundings, and are home for many wild plants and animals. Kingfishers, Grass SnakeGrass Snake
The grass snake , sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake is a European non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.-Etymology:...
s, Damselflies and possibly Water Voles can all be seen. Ponds like the one at Bowen's Field attract amphibians. Singleton Lake is a habitat for wetland birds and Buxford Meadow is a wet grassland with an enormous range of plants, insects and other species. It is because these habitats are so close to where people live that the Green Corridor has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
.
Heritage
From the manors of Singleton and Buxford in the west, to Boys Hall Moat (a scheduled ancient monument) in the east, the Green Corridor is rich in heritage. Victoria Park, with its fountain and commemorative trees, the intriguingly named 'Watercress Fields', and Martyr's Field with its macabre past - all have stories to tell. Many areas were farmed until relatively recently and are living links to Ashford's past as an agricultural market town.The Green Corridor
The Ashford Green Corridor web site map shows the various parts of Ashford that make up the corridor.Aylesford Green
Aylesford Stream
Aylesford Stream is a 5.4 kilometre long tributary of the Great Stour, joining at Pledge’s Mill at the bottom of East Hill in Ashford, Kent, England...
that forms an important habitat for invertebrates. A small wooded area dominated by ash and alder borders Boys Hall Road. Wood mice
Wood mouse
The wood mouse is a common murid rodent from Europe and northwestern Africa. It is closely related to the yellow-necked mouse but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, has slightly smaller ears, and is usually slightly smaller overall: around 90 mm in length...
have been recorded in this area and Long-tailed Tit
Long-tailed Tit
The Long-tailed Tit or Long-tailed Bushtit is a common bird found throughout Europe and Asia. There are several extensive accounts of this species, most notably Cramp and Perrins, 1993; Gaston, 1973; and Harrap and Quinn, 1996...
s are often seen perching in ash trees
European Ash
Fraxinus excelsior , is a species of Fraxinus native to most of Europe with the exception of northern Scandinavia and southern Iberia, and also southwestern Asia from northern Turkey east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains...
, particularly in winter. Pollarded willows by the Aylesford Stream provide an attractive area adjacent to Bentley Road. The site is linked to South Willesborough
Willesborough
Willesborough is a residential suburb on the eastern side of Ashford, Kent, England.-The area:The South Willesborough Dykes area, on the west bank of the East Stour river, is an area of sheep fields drained by dykes. The area is designated as the South Willesborough Dykes Site of Nature...
by a pedestrian bridge over High Speed 1 onto Newtown Road. Banded Demoiselle
Banded Demoiselle
The Banded Demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers...
and Common Blue Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
The Common Blue Damselfly or Northern Bluet is a European damselfly.The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm...
have been recorded at the site.
Bowen's Field
River Stour, Kent
The River Stour is the river in Kent, England that flows into the English Channel at Pegwell Bay. Above Plucks Gutter, where the Little Stour joins it, the river is normally known as the Great Stour. The upper section of the river, above its confluence with the East Stour at Ashford is sometimes...
. It is thought that this site was one of the last areas to be farmed in Ashford, it belonged to a local livestock trader called Mr Sidney Herbert Bowen,died 1971 and he is commemorated on a plaque at the entrance to the site from Victoria Park. This area was also adjacent to the town’s lido (outdoor swimming pool) which was built in 1867 and was at the time the largest in Britain. The site is now a flood storage area consisting of damp grassland, with a large pond where Banded Demoiselle
Banded Demoiselle
The Banded Demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers...
, Blue-tailed Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
The Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, is a European damselfly.Adult male Blue-tailed Damselflies have a head and thorax patterned with blue and black. They have a largely black abdomen with very narrow pale markings where each segment joins the next...
, Azure Damselfly
Azure Damselfly
The Azure Damselfly is a species of damselfly found in most of Europe. It is notable for its distinctive black and blue colouring.-Males:...
, Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
, and Common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
have been recorded.
Boys Hall
The site has good views of the North DownsNorth Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
in one direction and the town of Ashford in the other as well as Boys Hall, the house that gives the site its name. The site is characterised by Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and Hazel
Common Hazel
Corylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
as well as other mature tree species. A variety of dragonflies and damselflies have been seen at the site including Emperor Dragonfly
Emperor (dragonfly)
The Emperor Dragonfly or Blue Emperor, Anax imperator, is a large and powerful species of hawker dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, averaging in length. It is found mainly in Europe and nearby Africa and Asia...
, Ruddy Darter
Ruddy Darter
The Ruddy Darter is a European species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae.-Description:The Ruddy Darter attains a wingspan of up to 6 cm. The head, thorax and abdomen of the male are vivid red, while the female is slightly smaller, and is a golden-yellow colour with black markings...
and Blue-tailed Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
The Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, is a European damselfly.Adult male Blue-tailed Damselflies have a head and thorax patterned with blue and black. They have a largely black abdomen with very narrow pale markings where each segment joins the next...
. There is a pedestrian bridge over High Speed 1, linking this site with Boys Hall Moat. Adjacent to the bridge is an area of reedbed. On the Church Road side of Boys Hall, the site is more formal with mature trees such as Turkey Oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris, the Turkey oak is an oak native to southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of Quercus sect. Cerris, a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and acorns that usually mature in 18...
, providing a pleasant buffer zone between housing and the Southern Orbital road.
Boys Hall Moat
A Scheduled Ancient MonumentScheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
dating from the 13th century. The area consists of a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed island that would have been the site of a dwelling in the past. Mature trees are present on the island that form roost sites for common bird species. The topography of the ground is complex, suggesting extensive earthworks have taken place in the past. The site essentially has an open character although there are areas of scrub.
Buxford Meadow
White Willow
Salix alba is a species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia. The name derives from the white tone to the undersides of the leaves....
, Crack Willow
Crack Willow
Salix fragilis is a species of willow native to Europe and western Asia, usually growing beside rivers.It is a medium-sized to large deciduous tree, which grows rapidly to 10–20 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter and an irregular, often leaning crown. The bark is grey-brown, coarsely...
and Goat Willow
Goat Willow
Salix caprea , is a common species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia....
. In the middle of the meadow there is a pond whose margins consist predominantly of reedmace, the pond supports a diverse array of wildlife including common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
s, toads
Common Toad
The common toad or European toad is an amphibian widespread throughout Europe, with the exception of Iceland, Ireland and some Mediterranean islands...
and smooth newts
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
. Twelve species of dragonfly have been recorded at the site (25% of all UK species) and 54 moth species including the nationally notable Webbs Wainscot
Common Wainscot
The Common Wainscot is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.As with other "wainscots", this species has buffish-yellow forewings with prominent venation. The Common Wainscot, as the specific name suggests, is very pale, lacking the darker markings shown by most of...
, whose caterpillars develop in reedmace. The site is also ideal for small mammals - Field Vole
Field Vole
The field vole or short-tailed vole, Microtus agrestis, is a grey-brown vole, around 110mm in length, with only a short tail. They are one of the most common mammals in Europe, ranging from the Atlantic coast to Lake Baikal. They are found in moist grassy habitats, such as woodland, marsh, or...
and Pygmy Shrew
Eurasian pygmy shrew
The Eurasian Pygmy Shrew , often known simply as the Pygmy Shrew, is a widespread shrew of northern Eurasia. It is the only shrew native to Ireland....
have been recorded in the grassland and woodmouse
Wood mouse
The wood mouse is a common murid rodent from Europe and northwestern Africa. It is closely related to the yellow-necked mouse but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, has slightly smaller ears, and is usually slightly smaller overall: around 90 mm in length...
and Bank Vole
Bank Vole
The bank vole is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around in length. The bank vole is found in western Europe and northern Asia...
in the woodland. There is an area of wet woodland incorporating Ash
European Ash
Fraxinus excelsior , is a species of Fraxinus native to most of Europe with the exception of northern Scandinavia and southern Iberia, and also southwestern Asia from northern Turkey east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains...
, Alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, English oak
Pedunculate Oak
Quercus robur is commonly known as the Pedunculate Oak or English oak. It is native to most of Europe, and to Anatolia to the Caucasus, and also to parts of North Africa.-Taxonomy:Q...
and grey willow trees. The wet glades support large areas of Water mint
Water mint
Mentha aquatica is a perennial plant in the genus Mentha native throughout Europe except for the extreme north, and also northwest Africa and southwest Asia....
. The Stour Valley Walk
Stour Valley Walk
The Stour Valley Walk is a recreational walking route that follows the River Stour, through the Low Weald and Kent Downs, from its source at Lenham to its estuary at Pegwell Bay....
passes through the wood leading to Great Chart
Great Chart
Great Chart is a village in civil parish of Great Chart with Singleton in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The parish is split between the ancient village of Great Chart and the modern Singleton housing development, which is part of the western outskirts of Ashford...
and beyond.
Bybrook Cemetery
Contains many mature trees and a plantation of memorial trees called 'Cherry Garden Wood'.Church Road Playing Field
Church Road playing field is a very self-contained site on the borders of WillesboroughWillesborough
Willesborough is a residential suburb on the eastern side of Ashford, Kent, England.-The area:The South Willesborough Dykes area, on the west bank of the East Stour river, is an area of sheep fields drained by dykes. The area is designated as the South Willesborough Dykes Site of Nature...
and Sevington
Sevington
Sevington is a small village and civil parish to the south-east of Ashford, Kent in England, with a population of about 113 in 1872, currently 354....
. It is a peaceful park with a play area.
Civic Centre North Park
The confluence of the East Stour and Great StourRiver Stour, Kent
The River Stour is the river in Kent, England that flows into the English Channel at Pegwell Bay. Above Plucks Gutter, where the Little Stour joins it, the river is normally known as the Great Stour. The upper section of the river, above its confluence with the East Stour at Ashford is sometimes...
is at Pledge’s Mill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
which stands at the northern end of the park. It is thought that there has been a mill on this part of the river from 1086 (a mill was recorded on this site at the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
). The main features of the park are the pollarded willows, an important habitat for a range of invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species.
Civic Centre South Park
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
includes the riverside area at Civic Centre Park South. Although this is a busy thoroughfare and close to the skate
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
park, a survey has shown that Water Voles are present in this part of the East Stour. The bridge over the river is a good viewpoint where Moorhen
Moorhen
Moorhens, sometimes called marsh hens, are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Gallinula....
s and Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
The Grey Wagtail is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae. The species looks similar to the Yellow Wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat...
s can be spotted.
Gashouse Fields
This area, positioned between South WillesboroughWillesborough
Willesborough is a residential suburb on the eastern side of Ashford, Kent, England.-The area:The South Willesborough Dykes area, on the west bank of the East Stour river, is an area of sheep fields drained by dykes. The area is designated as the South Willesborough Dykes Site of Nature...
and Newtown, includes some good riverside habitats and an area of woodland called 'The Spinney', with public access.
Godinton
Greensand Way
The Greensand Way is long distance walk of in southeast England, from Haslemere in Surrey to Hamstreet in Kent. It follows the Greensand Ridge along the Surrey Hills and Chart Hills. The route is mostly rural, passing through woods, and alongside fruit orchards and hop farms in Kent and links...
or the Stour Valley Walk. Godinton House
Godinton House
Godinton House is one of the most important houses in the Kentish parish of Great Chart. It is 2 miles north-west of the center of the town of Ashford, Kent, UK..- Description :...
also has its own trail around its fabulous grounds. The parkland contains a huge variety of unspoilt habitats all supporting a diversity of wildlife. It is because of this that Godinton Park has been designated an SNCI.
The old parkland trees and pockets of woodland throughout the grounds provide good habitat for nesting birds such as the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is assigned to the genus Dendrocopos ....
. The river is home to the White Clawed Crayfish and Kingfishers
European Kingfisher
The Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, also known as Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa...
are known to fly along this stretch of water.
Great Chart
Great Chart is a village on the eastern outskirts of Ashford. Great Chart north is a small parcel of land adjacent to the Ashford Rifle Club and the East Stour.Great Chart Wood
Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is a conservation charity in the United Kingdom concerned with the protection and sympathetic management of native woodland heritage.-History:...
. The land at Great Chart
Great Chart
Great Chart is a village in civil parish of Great Chart with Singleton in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The parish is split between the ancient village of Great Chart and the modern Singleton housing development, which is part of the western outskirts of Ashford...
was purchased in 2000 as one of the Woodland Trust's "Woods on your Doorstep project", to create a new community woodland close to Ashford.
The wood was planted using native species, to provide a valuable area for public recreation and wildlife. The land was given to The Woodland Trust by Ashford Borough Council
Ashford (borough)
Ashford is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. Its council is based in the town of Ashford.The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tenterden with Ashford urban district, and the East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden Rural Districts...
and the woodland was planted in November 2000 with help from local people. Species of trees and shrubs planted included oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, ash
European Ash
Fraxinus excelsior , is a species of Fraxinus native to most of Europe with the exception of northern Scandinavia and southern Iberia, and also southwestern Asia from northern Turkey east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains...
, rowan
Rowan
The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies...
and hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
.
Prior to planting, an archaeological survey revealed a number of earthworks of historical interest, which have been left as found and incorporated into the ride network as unplanted land .
Little Burton
There is access here alongside the river and into an open space next to the Little Burton housing estate. River habitats are good and there are many mature trees, including the species of willow used for making cricket bats, which is sometimes called the cricket bat willowWhite Willow
Salix alba is a species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia. The name derives from the white tone to the undersides of the leaves....
.
Woodland has been planted near the estate, and a large pond created. There is also an interesting wetland area near the railway. Access is good, via a network of paths.
As recently as 1992 , this land was farmed - there was a large orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
where the houses now stand.
Newtown Green
Newtown, Kent
Newtown is a suburb of Ashford in Kent, South East England, it was originally built by the South Eastern Railway company, adjacent to the railway station, and includes extensive workshops known as Ashford railway works, High Speed 1 runs past the area....
Green consists of open areas of green space for informal recreation and organised sports. Mature trees form the perimeter of the site and the Aylesford Stream
Aylesford Stream
Aylesford Stream is a 5.4 kilometre long tributary of the Great Stour, joining at Pledge’s Mill at the bottom of East Hill in Ashford, Kent, England...
runs along the edge. Ruddy Darter
Ruddy Darter
The Ruddy Darter is a European species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae.-Description:The Ruddy Darter attains a wingspan of up to 6 cm. The head, thorax and abdomen of the male are vivid red, while the female is slightly smaller, and is a golden-yellow colour with black markings...
, Banded Demoiselle
Banded Demoiselle
The Banded Demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers...
, Blue-tailed Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
The Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, is a European damselfly.Adult male Blue-tailed Damselflies have a head and thorax patterned with blue and black. They have a largely black abdomen with very narrow pale markings where each segment joins the next...
and Common Blue Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
The Common Blue Damselfly or Northern Bluet is a European damselfly.The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm...
have been recorded at the site.
Queen Mother's Park
It is a useful link for both pedestrians and cyclists from Bybrook and KenningtonKennington, Kent
Kennington is a suburb of Ashford in Kent, England. It is about a mile northeast of the town centre and north of the M20 motorway, and contains the 12th century church, St Mary's. The main A28 Canterbury Road and A251 Faversham Road run through the village...
to the town centre and also beyond to the rest of the Green Corridor. The banks of the Great Stour here have wide margins of riverside vegetation and in places blocks of mature native trees. There is a small woodland garden at the northern end, where European Green Woodpeckers can be heard. In the past this land was probably sheep pasture - an 1876 Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map shows sheepfolds on the site.
A darker side to the site’s history is illustrated at its entrance off the Hythe Road where a plaque commemorates the Martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s of the 16th century that were persecuted for their religious beliefs.
South Willesborough Dykes
On the west bank of the East Stour river is an area of sheep fields drained by dykes, the area is designated as the South Willesborough DykesWillesborough Dykes
-The Area:Willesborough is a suburb of Ashford, Kent, UK. The area has schools, post offices, shops and other local resources, it is mainly residential but as Ashford expands there is more and more commercial activity around Willesborough...
Site of Nature Conservation Interest
Site of Nature Conservation Interest
Site of Nature Conservation Interest is a designation used in many parts of the United Kingdom to protect areas of importance for wildlife and geology at a county scale...
(SNCI).
Sevington
The community of SevingtonSevington
Sevington is a small village and civil parish to the south-east of Ashford, Kent in England, with a population of about 113 in 1872, currently 354....
was cut off from its church by the building of the Southern Orbital road. Despite this, the church and Court Lodge Farm present quite a rural scene, and the fields nearby make for pleasant walking on public footpaths, with some wildlife interest in the form of ditches and hedgerows. Heading east, the charming village of Mersham
Mersham
Mersham is a small village and civil parish, three miles east of Willesborough and the town of Ashford in the county of Kent.-History:Historically Mersham has been a farming community with close ties to the local market town of Ashford. The small village dates back to Saxon times and is mentioned...
is only a mile away.
Singleton Lake
Singleton Lake is a man–made fishing lake, it has areas of willowWillow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
and alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
around its perimeter as well as small areas of reedbed. At night Daubenton's bat
Daubenton's bat
Daubenton's Bat, Myotis daubentonii, is a Eurasian bat with quite short ears. It ranges from Britain to Japan and is considered to be increasing its numbers in many areas.The name commemorates the French naturalist Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton....
can be seen flying over the water. There are 2 sculptures by Antony Gormley
Antony Gormley
Antony Mark David Gormley OBE RA is a British sculptor. His best known works include the Angel of the North, a public sculpture in the North of England, commissioned in 1995 and erected in February 1998, Another Place on Crosby Beach near Liverpool, and Event Horizon, a multi-part site...
(creator of the Angel of the North
Angel of the North
The Angel of the North is a contemporary sculpture, designed by Antony Gormley, which is located in Gateshead,formerly County Durham, England.It is a steel sculpture of an angel, standing tall, with wings measuring across...
sculpture) and a stretch of boardwalk. Singleton Lake supports a variety of common bird species, as well as birds that are unlikely to be seen elsewhere in the Green Corridor including Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
and Reed Warbler
Reed Warbler
The Eurasian Reed Warbler, or just Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds across Europe into temperate western Asia. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa....
. Two damselfly species have been recorded at the site, Common Blue Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
The Common Blue Damselfly or Northern Bluet is a European damselfly.The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm...
and Blue-tailed Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
The Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, is a European damselfly.Adult male Blue-tailed Damselflies have a head and thorax patterned with blue and black. They have a largely black abdomen with very narrow pale markings where each segment joins the next...
. Singleton Lake has parking, picnic areas and good links to the rest of the Green Corridor and wider countryside in the Great Chart
Great Chart
Great Chart is a village in civil parish of Great Chart with Singleton in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The parish is split between the ancient village of Great Chart and the modern Singleton housing development, which is part of the western outskirts of Ashford...
area.
Swanton
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
can be seen from public footpaths. Swanton Mill used to be open to the public, but unfortunately has now closed. It can still be viewed from footpaths passing close-by.
The bird life of this area reflects the abundance of water and includes teal
Teal
Teal may mean:* Teal , a medium greenish-blue color* Various ducks:** Baikal Teal, Anas formosa** Black Teal, Aythya novaeseelandiae** Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors** Brown Teal, Anas aucklandica** Campbell Teal Anas nesiotis...
and heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
.
Victoria Park
Victoria Park is a formal park with mature ornamental trees, and a small area of woodland. Some of the trees were planted in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate local townspeople and members of the royal family. A local art dealer donated the large fountain in one corner of the park to the town of Ashford. It was originally designed for the Great Exhibition and resided on the OlantighOlantigh
Olantigh is a property one mile north of Wye in Kent, southeast England. It includes a garden of 20 acres . The hamlet in which the property stands is Little Olantigh....
Estate at Wye. There is a small pond at the bottom of the park surrounded by a rocky garden.
The Warren
Rumex acetosella
Rumex acetosella is a species of sorrel, also known as Acetosella vulgaris Fourr, bearing the common names sheep's sorrel, red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel. The plant and its subspecies are common perennial weeds. It has green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinted deeply ridged stems, and...
and bird's foot
Lotus corniculatus
Lotus corniculatus is a common flowering plant native to grassland temperate Eurasia and North Africa. The common name is Bird's-foot Trefoil , though the common name is often also applied to other members of the genus...
. They are mown to maintain their value and keep birch scrub at bay. The ponds are home to amphibians, aquatic insects and the uncommon water violet. A wide variety of birds also inhabit the site.
Watercress Fields & Leacon Road
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
(some of the alders have succumbed to a disease – however dead wood is a good habitat for invertebrates). The river itself supports Water Voles, having sufficient food resources and bankside cover. The rest of the park has an open character that is interspersed with woodland gardens and areas of long grass that are important habitats for bird species and invertebrates. In the past it is thought that watercress
Watercress
Watercresses are fast-growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plants native from Europe to central Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings...
may have been grown on the site. Further along the river at Leacon Road there are some riverside sculptures of aquatic wildlife and an old fording point that once linked this area with Beaver Lane.
Willesborough Lees
The Willesborough Lees is an area of wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
, pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
, rough grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, scrub and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
, covering nearly 100 acre (0.404686 km²) near Willesborough
Willesborough
Willesborough is a residential suburb on the eastern side of Ashford, Kent, England.-The area:The South Willesborough Dykes area, on the west bank of the East Stour river, is an area of sheep fields drained by dykes. The area is designated as the South Willesborough Dykes Site of Nature...
, and is a rich area for wildlife. Scarce plants that can be found include white sedge
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
, recorded at only two other sites in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The area is also good for moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and liverwort
Marchantiophyta
The Marchantiophyta are a division of bryophyte plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like other bryophytes, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of genetic information....
s. Grassland here is also of interest, but in places is becoming invaded with scrub. Uncommon shrubs include alder buckthorn
Buckthorn
The Buckthorns are a genus of about 100 species of shrubs or small trees from 1-10 m tall , in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae...
and eared willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
.