Beacon Wood Country Park
Encyclopedia
Beacon Wood Country Park is in Bean
near Gravesend
, in Kent
, England. A former industrial claypit then re-claimed as woodland park.
trees.
A beacon
was placed at the of the rounded hill (approx 300 feet high) during the Elizabethan times. It was one of the chain of beacons lit to warn of the approach of the Spanish Armada
(circa 1580). Later, some of the ancient woods were cleared and orchards were planted in the 19th century.
In 1885, John J. Allchin leased a section of the site, for the yearly rent of £4-10 shillings to the E.C.Powder Company Limited, who began manufacturing smokeless gunpowder.
In 1900, some 27 small, predominantly Kent-based, cement manufacturers and their subsidiaries merged to form the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers (1900) Ltd., or APCM for short, but also known locally as "The Combine". In 1928 the famous Blue Circle brand name was introduced.
In the 1930s Beacon Wood was taken over for its Clay Reserves, by APCM Ltd. From 1935 to 1964, four million tonnes of clay were excavated, mixed to a slurry and pumped along a 3 km pipeline, from the Bean Clay Pit, to Johnsons Cement Works (between Greenhithe
and Stone
). The clay was mixed with crushed chalk and burnt in kiln
s to produce cement
.
Although clay extraction ceased in 1964, the land remained in APCM ownership, without public access.
In 1991 Blue Circle Industries leased the 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) disused Clay Pit for 15 years to Kent County Council
, who created the Beacon Wood Country Park and an Advisory Group was set up by Groundwork UK
(Kent Thames-side) who managed the creation and operation of the park.
Beacon Wood Country Park was created by Groundwork Trust and local Bean residents and then opened to the Public. Who made paths and planted trees within the site.
The Official Opening was on Wednesday 10 July 1991, by Sir Derek Barber, Chairman of the then Countryside Commission
(now called Natural England
).
Groundwork Trust then set-up a volunteer group maintaining the woodlands.
In 2001, Blue Circle Industries was taken over and the land passed to the Lafarge
Group. Lafarge Cement UK, like its predecessor Blue Circle Industries, is the largest cement manufacturer in the United Kingdom, producing cement products under the old Blue Circle brand.
On the 1st April 2001, Kent County Council and Dartford Borough Council took over park management from Groundwork Kent Thames-side. KCC/DBC did not continue the meetings of the Beacon Wood Advisory Group.
In 2004, Kent Thameside Green Grid Design Strategy and Guidelines was produced by Kent County Council. It proposed to extend both Beacon Wood and Darenth Country Park to
create a ‘joined’ Darenth and Beacon Country Park.
In October 2005, a feasibility study and proposed action plan, for the creation of an Dartford Ancient Woodlands Country Park (DAWCP), was published. The report was funded by the ODPM and carried out by Gillespies. It proposed linking Beacon Wood Country Park, Darenth Wood (a local SSSI), Darenth Country Park, Lords Wood and Ladies Wood (two other local Gravesham woods). The DAWCP was to cater for increased use, both from large scale development in the area and from further afield. The status of the DAWCP is unclear, as the public consultation phase ended many years ago. No more mentions of the ancient woodland park can be found.
Lafarge granted Kent County Council a 10 year extension to the lease in 2006, making the lease end date 2016.
Although currently closed as of April 2011.
Bean
Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed....
near Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, 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. A former industrial claypit then re-claimed as woodland park.
History
The park has had a mixed history. For over 400 years, it was a rounded hill and ancient woodland. The trees have been used to supply timber for various uses. Including building, fencing and within ship construction. Especially the oakOak
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...
trees.
A beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
was placed at the of the rounded hill (approx 300 feet high) during the Elizabethan times. It was one of the chain of beacons lit to warn of the approach of the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
(circa 1580). Later, some of the ancient woods were cleared and orchards were planted in the 19th century.
In 1885, John J. Allchin leased a section of the site, for the yearly rent of £4-10 shillings to the E.C.Powder Company Limited, who began manufacturing smokeless gunpowder.
In 1900, some 27 small, predominantly Kent-based, cement manufacturers and their subsidiaries merged to form the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers (1900) Ltd., or APCM for short, but also known locally as "The Combine". In 1928 the famous Blue Circle brand name was introduced.
In the 1930s Beacon Wood was taken over for its Clay Reserves, by APCM Ltd. From 1935 to 1964, four million tonnes of clay were excavated, mixed to a slurry and pumped along a 3 km pipeline, from the Bean Clay Pit, to Johnsons Cement Works (between Greenhithe
Greenhithe
Greenhithe is a town in Dartford District of Kent, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.Greenhithe, as it is spelled today, is located where it was possible to build wharves for transshipping corn, wood and other commodities; its largest cargoes were of chalk and...
and Stone
STONe
is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Sin-Ichi Hiromoto. Kodansha released the two bound volumes of the manga on April 23, 2002 and August 23, 2002, respectively.The manga is licensed for an English-languague released in North America be Tokyopop...
). The clay was mixed with crushed chalk and burnt in kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
s to produce cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
.
Although clay extraction ceased in 1964, the land remained in APCM ownership, without public access.
In 1991 Blue Circle Industries leased the 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) disused Clay Pit for 15 years to Kent County Council
Kent County Council
Kent County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors...
, who created the Beacon Wood Country Park and an Advisory Group was set up by Groundwork UK
Groundwork UK
Groundwork UK is an environmental organisation in the United Kingdom.-History:In 1980, the Countryside Commission launched an initiative known as UFEX80. This was re-branded as "Operation Groundwork" in 1981, and the first Groundwork Trust came into being at St. Helens and Knowsley that year...
(Kent Thames-side) who managed the creation and operation of the park.
Beacon Wood Country Park was created by Groundwork Trust and local Bean residents and then opened to the Public. Who made paths and planted trees within the site.
The Official Opening was on Wednesday 10 July 1991, by Sir Derek Barber, Chairman of the then Countryside Commission
Countryside Commission
The Countryside Commission was a statutory body in England and Wales, and later in England only...
(now called Natural England
Natural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
).
Groundwork Trust then set-up a volunteer group maintaining the woodlands.
In 2001, Blue Circle Industries was taken over and the land passed to the Lafarge
Lafarge
Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.-History:...
Group. Lafarge Cement UK, like its predecessor Blue Circle Industries, is the largest cement manufacturer in the United Kingdom, producing cement products under the old Blue Circle brand.
On the 1st April 2001, Kent County Council and Dartford Borough Council took over park management from Groundwork Kent Thames-side. KCC/DBC did not continue the meetings of the Beacon Wood Advisory Group.
In 2004, Kent Thameside Green Grid Design Strategy and Guidelines was produced by Kent County Council. It proposed to extend both Beacon Wood and Darenth Country Park to
create a ‘joined’ Darenth and Beacon Country Park.
In October 2005, a feasibility study and proposed action plan, for the creation of an Dartford Ancient Woodlands Country Park (DAWCP), was published. The report was funded by the ODPM and carried out by Gillespies. It proposed linking Beacon Wood Country Park, Darenth Wood (a local SSSI), Darenth Country Park, Lords Wood and Ladies Wood (two other local Gravesham woods). The DAWCP was to cater for increased use, both from large scale development in the area and from further afield. The status of the DAWCP is unclear, as the public consultation phase ended many years ago. No more mentions of the ancient woodland park can be found.
Lafarge granted Kent County Council a 10 year extension to the lease in 2006, making the lease end date 2016.
Current Use
Recently, the country park has been closed due to budget cuts within Kent County Council. There has also been a change in the lease agreement between Lafarge and the council, so the site has been returned back to the ownership of LaFarge, who are looking for other owners. Nearby Bean residents are worried that this may also include property developers.How to get there
Situated off the A2 (dual carriageway near Dartford. Take the B255 Bean Road, through Bean. It then becomes Southfleet Road. The car park is on the left.Although currently closed as of April 2011.