Bampton Millennium Green
In 1998
Bampton Town Council purchased a piece of overgrown woodland adjacent to the
school, with the object of creating a multipurpose amenity site. With the formation
of a charitable trust to over see its management, lottery money was obtained
for the transformation of this site into a Millennium Green.
To ensure that
it is a community project for the community, the Trustees represent the many
active groups in Bampton including the Over 60’s, Football Team, Guides, Bampton
Society, the School and the Church.
Work
finally began on the site in March 2000. This included the building of footpaths
around the site, and a bridge over the stream. Although contractors were employed,
volunteers carried out much of the work, particularly the clearance of shrubby
growth and brambles.
Once the infrastructure was in place, a group of local primary school children
helped to plant native woodland plants, such as bluebells, primroses and foxgloves
under the remaining trees.
Thanks
from The Countryside Agency
A clearing in the centre of the woodland will
be left as a flowering field. This has been improved following the laying
of the overhead power cables underground. Work was delayed here
because of a family of badgers in the area! The official opening took
place on midsummer’s day, 2000. Many residents came and partook of cream
teas, and listened to live music while exploring the woodland.
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More than 30 trees were planted early in the
new year 2001 in Lower Luke's Field - pupils from Bampton School and Pre-School
helped with the planting - here Peter and Matthew help to plant the Bampton
Cubs tree, but we would like to stress that it was not a requirement to
eat worms (however delicious)!
Historical records show that Bampton once had fine
orchards, but very few trees have survived to this day - this millennium
project to plant a new orchard is therefore very special to the people
of Bampton.
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A steep hillside to the east of the wood has
now been planted with local Devon varieties of orchard fruits, mainly
apples, both desert and cider, and also cherries, walnut, medlar*,
and pears as well. |
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Local groups and residents have sponsored all
these trees. Shown here are just a few of the people who came to help
with the planting. And it wasn't just a case of leaning on the spade all
afternoon! Millennium green is next to Bampton School, and it is hoped
that local children will continue to be involved in monitoring the trees,
and enjoying the wild plants and animals. |
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Adjacent to the Millennium Green
is the ancient lime kiln and its associated building - many such kilns used
to be in this area of limestone quarries, and this one is being worked on in
order to preserve this part of Bampton's history. We plan to give more details
of the restoration here in the near future.
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The last of the 40 trees were planted on a
fine afternoon in mid-February 2001.
You might be forgiven, looking at these pictures, for
believing that the ladies did nearly all the work!
Note that Joan, on the left, has kept a careful eye on
the list of varieties, and the location where each was planted.
The photographs also show the correct gear to be worn
for these tree-planting occasions.
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Much
work still remains to be done, but this is an interesting and accessible place
to come for everyone. The progress of the trees will be followed with enthusiasm
- and of course this progress will be reported here on the web site.
*
A 'medlar' is a small tree, related to the apple.
A
complete list of all the varieties
of trees planted and their sponsors is available.
A
database is being set up concerning native plants which grow in every area of
the country by the National History Museum. It is still under construction,
and operates from the postcode of the area concerned. Bampton (EX16) has now been added - see here.
Bampton
Natural History
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