Romney Warren Country Park
Encyclopedia
Romney Warren Country Park is near New Romney
, in Kent
, England. A former farm converted into a landscaped park and open-space area.
This park is set on 11 hectares (27.181 acres (109,997.7 m²)) of converted farm land. A newly designated Local Nature Reserve harbours unspoiled dune grassland, willow scrub and ponds rich in wildlife.
Later, the reclaimed land of the Romney Marsh
es was used for grazing large numbers of sheep from many centuries. These wool fleeces paid for the large churches in the villages across the marshes.
In 1931 to 1945, sand and gravel was extracted from the land within the country park. These later were made into wildlife ponds.
Later the land was then used as a transport depot.
The Romney Warren Project was then established in 1995 with the aims of promoting awareness of the Romney Marsh as an historic landscape while providing training and employment for disabled and unemployed people. It is a partnership between Shepway District Council, Romney Warren Charitable Trust
, Nelson Park Gardens (local care home) and Shepway Volunteer Centre , Romney Marsh Countryside Project and Kent Wildlife Trust
.
The main visitor centre was designed by the Baker-Brown McKay Partnership. The techniques and materials used mean the building has a life span of at least 100 years.
The foundations are steel gabion
s filled with cobblestone
s from Lydd
, these have been handpicked and filled.
The main framework of the building is made of larch
, from the West Country
. This part was built first so that the roof could be added next, and so a cover was provided for the straw during the next building process. 350 straw bales were placed to form the walls, held together with chestnut
poles.
Even the roof has been designed with wildlife in mind, as it's covered in sedum
(as a green roof
. The roof covers the building's entire footprint, replacing the habitat
which would have otherwise been lost.
with some parts also being designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
As a Site of Special Scientific Interest, it is a nationally important site for great crested newts. Species of special interest include great diving beetles, Small Red-eyed Damselfly
and tree sparrow
, along with a number of acid grassland plants.
The Romney Warren Project then granted a lease to the Kent Wildlife Trust
(KWT) to manage the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre.
It opened in 2004 and provides facilities for visitors to the Country Park including exhibitions, local information, a shop, toilets and refreshments.
Three walking trails - dragonfly, rabbit and sheep - start from the Visitor Centre. There are regular family events held at the park and booked groups are welcome to use the visitor centre.
The Romney Marsh Countryside Project has done a great deal to improve the landscape of Romney Marsh and Dungeness for wildlife and people.
Part of the site is used by Nelson Park Gardens and Shepway Volunteer Centre as a horticultural and landscaping training scheme for adults from local care homes and the unemployed; their produce is then sold at the Visitor Centre. Romney Marsh Countryside Project also assist with the conservation management and events on site.
Volunteers work at New Romney Warren Country Park to maintain footpaths and a pond created by the Romney Marsh Countryside Project.
New Romney
New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to be silted up. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea...
, 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 farm converted into a landscaped park and open-space area.
This park is set on 11 hectares (27.181 acres (109,997.7 m²)) of converted farm land. A newly designated Local Nature Reserve harbours unspoiled dune grassland, willow scrub and ponds rich in wildlife.
History
The history of Romney Warren begins over two thousand years ago, when sand dunes were formed along the coast. As new sand dunes were formed, sea retreated. Plants then recolonised, the former sand dunes to make a unique plantlife environment.Later, the reclaimed land of the Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 mi ² .-Quotations:*“As Egypt was the gift of the Nile, this level tract .....
es was used for grazing large numbers of sheep from many centuries. These wool fleeces paid for the large churches in the villages across the marshes.
In 1931 to 1945, sand and gravel was extracted from the land within the country park. These later were made into wildlife ponds.
Later the land was then used as a transport depot.
The Romney Warren Project was then established in 1995 with the aims of promoting awareness of the Romney Marsh as an historic landscape while providing training and employment for disabled and unemployed people. It is a partnership between Shepway District Council, Romney Warren Charitable Trust
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
, Nelson Park Gardens (local care home) and Shepway Volunteer Centre , Romney Marsh Countryside Project and Kent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust covers the county of Kent, England, and is one of the largest of the 47 Wildlife Trust organisations in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and Alderney...
.
The main visitor centre was designed by the Baker-Brown McKay Partnership. The techniques and materials used mean the building has a life span of at least 100 years.
The foundations are steel gabion
Gabion
Gabions are cages, cylinders, or boxes filled with soil or sand that are used in civil engineering, road building, and military applications. For erosion control caged riprap is used. For dams or foundation construction, cylindrical metal structures are used...
s filled with cobblestone
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
s from Lydd
Lydd
Lydd is a town in Kent, England, lying on the Romney Marsh. It is one of the larger towns on the Marsh, and the most southerly town in Kent. Actually located on Denge Marsh, Lydd was one of the first sandy islands to form as the bay evolved into what is now called the Romney Marsh...
, these have been handpicked and filled.
The main framework of the building is made of larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
, from the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
. This part was built first so that the roof could be added next, and so a cover was provided for the straw during the next building process. 350 straw bales were placed to form the walls, held together with chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
poles.
Even the roof has been designed with wildlife in mind, as it's covered in sedum
Sedum
Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, members of which are commonly known as stonecrops. It contains around 400 species of leaf succulents that are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, varying from annual and creeping herbs to shrubs. The plants have...
(as a green roof
Green roof
A green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems...
. The roof covers the building's entire footprint, replacing the habitat
which would have otherwise been lost.
Facilities
The Park has been designated a Local Nature ReserveLocal 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...
with some parts also being designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
As a Site of Special Scientific Interest, it is a nationally important site for great crested newts. Species of special interest include great diving beetles, Small Red-eyed Damselfly
Small Red-eyed Damselfly
The Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum is a member of the damselfly family Coenagrionidae. It is very similar to the Red-eyed Damselfly.-Appearance:...
and tree sparrow
Tree Sparrow
The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape, and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult...
, along with a number of acid grassland plants.
The Romney Warren Project then granted a lease to the Kent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust covers the county of Kent, England, and is one of the largest of the 47 Wildlife Trust organisations in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and Alderney...
(KWT) to manage the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre.
It opened in 2004 and provides facilities for visitors to the Country Park including exhibitions, local information, a shop, toilets and refreshments.
Three walking trails - dragonfly, rabbit and sheep - start from the Visitor Centre. There are regular family events held at the park and booked groups are welcome to use the visitor centre.
The Romney Marsh Countryside Project has done a great deal to improve the landscape of Romney Marsh and Dungeness for wildlife and people.
Part of the site is used by Nelson Park Gardens and Shepway Volunteer Centre as a horticultural and landscaping training scheme for adults from local care homes and the unemployed; their produce is then sold at the Visitor Centre. Romney Marsh Countryside Project also assist with the conservation management and events on site.
Volunteers work at New Romney Warren Country Park to maintain footpaths and a pond created by the Romney Marsh Countryside Project.