Kingsdown Churchyard

To my discredit I rarely post about Kingsdown these days, so I should rectify that. In truth, I rarely blog at all, so that should change too, albeit it is mostly shouting into the ether.

We visited Kingsdown Church - the one on the east coast, not the Pugin one by the M2 - one evening recently, for the first time in many years.... and were astonished by the botanical marvels displayed there.  

We'll revisit to carry out a full survey, but many of the expected chalk grassland species were there, even Fairy Flax and Dwarf Thistle, with good quality habitat throughout as just narrow paths had been mown. Somehow, presumably due to an existing good sward and plenty of hard work, it has come together perfectly, with few rank grasses and large areas of herbage.

 Clearly the invertebrates appreciate it.

We often visit churchyards, frequently as a place to sit, rest and have a snack, and when we do we sometimes rate their habitat management on a scale of 1 to 10.  We have not seen a 10 before, so Kingsdown is special and this is confirmed by the plaque at the gate - Best Churchyard 2019. And perhaps would be again if KWT still gave out the awards.

The Lynch Revisited

 Back in 2011, I did some half-hearted grassland management on a small piece of relict chalk grassland above The Lynch between Kingsdown and Ringwould. An old post reminds me what it looked like then.

The bank is by an old track to the nearby farm, which now has a better road and so has no need for the track. The scrub quickly encroached and overwhelmed the track and some of the grassland. My work in 2011 and more by the parish council and other local volunteers since then tried to hold back the tide of Blackthorn, Bramble and Sycamore, but now it's only a shadow of its former self.

There is, however, hope, and some herbs remain, even under scrub. And the parish council have agreed to put some more effort in to recover what it can. A couple of hours with a small team of locals showed what can be done, with before and after photos below.

It doesn't help that this year has been a good Sycamore year, when the ground is covered with seedlings.

The chalk bank had been covered completely by Traveller's Joy, Sycamore and other brutes, and when these were pulled away we could see some stalwart species underneath, well worth saving.

The next event is Saturday 4 July 10-12 , and the plan is to meet on the first Saturday each month till the end of the year.