| 
|
Notes on Millennium Flora
As the millennium approached, Dick and I
wondered what would be suitable to mark the occasion for the village. Dick
decided to photograph all the houses in the village with their occupants. This
he almost completed before he died, and a few declined to be included. For my
part, I thought a complete list of all the vascular plants within the parish
boundary and note on the habitat. This may prove of interest in the future when
no doubt changes will have occurred.
A few years before these projects, soon
after we arrived in the village we organised walks round the parish boundary..
This was done in two parts as the extent of the boundary was so long, rather
like an elongated sausage and measured 14 miles was longer than most of us wanted
to do in a single walk.. Several villagers participated. The boundary was no
longer clearly defined and in some places crossed arable fields, in others was
lost in the meanders on the river. Ancient boundary stones marked on the maps
had long since vanished so it was quite an undertaking and exploration to
locate and follow the line. The first walk starting, from Berwick, went
north-westwards and ten of us set out. We left the B3083 before reaching the
A303,which was crossed. We walked westwards on th enorth side of the trunk
road, along the edge of the National Nature Reserve of Parsonage Down, reaching
the track alongside Yarnbury Castle. We continued westwards.for about a mile to
Deptford Down, then turned back almost parallel, returning to the centre of Yarnbury
Castle, a segment of which is withinj
the parish of Berwick St. James. And used in medieval times for the sheep
fair.. At this point we were met by George
Street in his landrover bearing refreshment in the
form of a bottle of cherry brandy, a welcome restorative.. Lyanne was among the
walkers.
|
|
