TUNBRI F DG O E S D W N E E L I L

R S

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A N S D N O R U M ST M HALL CO COMMON GROUND cg Registered Charity No. 1013975

Warden’s Report with Steve Budden part from a few bits of in a condition where it can growth is very heavy this year getting quite large now. The Atidying up, we have now easily be maintained in after all the rain we had over goslings have attracted a lot finished all of our winter future with a flail tractor. the winter. Work with the of attention (they do look work schedule. We made We will be starting on our small flail will now continue very cute) and it has been some useful progress with bench renovation works throughout June and then remarkable how relaxed the the removal of the two big soon too and there will be I suspect that we will have parents have been about stumps left in the Victoria some bracken treatment to get the big collector flail people getting very close to Grove by the trees brought taking place as well. in early as well. We will take photos. They are still down last Christmas Eve. It be cutting the epicormic just big bundles of fluff at took some heavy duty lifting We also made a start with growth on the row of Lime the moment but I imagine power in the end but I was the small flail at the end of trees on the other side of the they will be shedding that pleased with the result. We May, cutting sight lines and road from Brighton Lake very soon and their plumage have started grinding out the edges of some of the too, another job that has will be showing. the stumps along very popular paths where had to be brought forward. Road and the whole area the vegetation is already The effects of the Winter will be getting a tidy up encroaching badly. We don’t The family of Canada Geese storms is still being felt very soon. Our intention normally have to start this that are being raised on on the Common, we lost is to leave the road verge work until mid-June but the Brighton Lake this year are another of the group of continued on back page... No.63 The Society founded for ‘... the conservation, maintenance, preservation and peaceful enjoyment for the benefit of the Spring 2014 public of the Commons by such means as the Society in consultation with the Conservators for the Commons thinks fit’. from the Notes Chairman with John Barber WALKING TRAILS re-print will be needed already. were being developed that I Ground, TWBC have ap- The planting of the poppies as The funding for these leaflets first became alert to the desir- proved the Friends’ Right part of the commemoration came predominantly from a ability of pedestrian crossings to Bid application and have of the start of World War I Member’s Fund Grant (Coun- to link up the Commons more nominated the Commons in August 1914 has been suc- cillor James Scholes) and also safely, and to facilitate wider as a community asset. This cessful on the area in front of a smaller portion from the access. You may have seen means that if Targetfollow, Vale Royal Methodist Church! grant we received from the from the supportive Courier the present owners of the The recent clearance work, “Awards for All” part of the article (April 18th 2014) the commons, decide to sell the such as that below the Mount National Lottery. We need to launch of the campaign to Commons at any time in the Edgcumbe Hotel, is now really think about how to fund a re- secure crossings across Major next five years (until 17th showing up to full advantage print. In the meantime with York’s Road, in the area of the April 2019) they have to give and generating many favour- this Common Ground a copy car park, and across the A264 notice of that intention to able comments. I am recently of each trail is provided for Langton Road, in the area of TWBC. TWBC would notify returned from walking part of your use or to pass on so that the road leading to St Paul’s us and we would have to decide the challenging and beautiful others can share in the trails, Church. I am going before the whether or not we wanted to Camino de Santiago. It is as you choose. Downloadable, Joint Transportation Board on make a bid within 6 weeks of wonderful that, for me at least, printable versions of these July 21st to present the case for TWBC having received the the fullness of the landscapes are available on our website these, hopefully then backed owner’s notification. I believe provided by the two Commons - friendsofthecommons.co.uk. by support from over 1000 in- that as things currently stand is as fine and remarkable as If you have any feedback on dividuals who have given their we would definitely want the those seen in Northern Spain. them then please do not hes- support either online or on opportunity to make an open Since the last Newsletter, we itate to contact me. A good paper. At the time of writing market bid, which would go have published, as part of number of Friends have been we have over 650 supporters via TWBC to the owners. If Common Vision, details of our involved in producing these along with strong backing there was support for the view own minor Caminos, in the and I would thank them all from important individual or- at the time that a bid should be form of “Walking Trails” – one and especially, Neill Buchanan, ganisations and groups. Please made, then the bid would have for each Common. These are Julia Woodgate, Ian Beavis and contact me if you have not ex- to be made within six months being distributed at key loca- Saul Fajerman. pressed your support and want of the original notification date tions, such as the libraries and to give it. to TWBC. We are already the Tourist Information Office starting to investigate: how to on . They are being PEDESTRIAN secure the funding to support well received and if the reaction CROSSINGS RIGHT TO BID such a bid: any ideas would be at Rusthall library is typical As I mentioned in my last APPLICATION TO TWBC welcome. The recent charging – its allocation has gone! - a “Note”, it was while the trails Since the last Common controversy for parking at Fir Tree Car Park, in my view, the context. The Common GPS mapping that under- Donor (£500); the Friends are demonstrates clearly the case Vision funding is two-legged. pinned the trails – the leaflets giving £2,320. The total of for community ownership that The first leg is the funding themselves were funded almost these gives a figure of £9,130 would not be driven by the, for the Interpretation aspect entirely from the Member’s for the Education aspect of understandable, commercial (communicating with users of Fund money. The rest of the Common Vision. The money imperative to secure a return the Commons) and the sec- Interpretation money is being is being spent on giving curric- on the asset that is the Com- ond is the Education part. In applied to the work required ulum related lessons to classes mons. summary, I am pleased to say to develop an overall Inter- from two primary schools (St that, for both, we are operating pretation Plan. This also has Paul’s Rusthall and Broadwater so that we know we do not involved developing detailed Down), providing the rele- COMMON VISION exceed our budget and we are ideas to support funding appli- vant teachers with training so PROJECT on schedule to complete our cations for what the next gen- they can continue the Vision As I am writing this I am short- work on this stage of Common eration of Interpretation Panels through their delivering future ly due to host a meeting to Vision around the end of June. on the Commons would look teaching on the Commons, finalise the first stage of Com- The schedule has to have par- like and of what they would be and developing maps for the mon Vision. The Friends ticular regard to the individual made. We are also working on children’s use. alone have not undertaken the reporting requirements of the a website that integrates with significant work that this proj- donors: donors all want to the Common Vision project The expenditure is incurred ect has entailed: I am grateful know that the money has ac- and brings together in a us- via our partners for Common for the help and backing given tually been spent and also how er-friendly way all the sources Vision, KHWP ( High by the Warden, Steve Budden, the expenditure has related to of information about the Com- Weald Partnership). To date the Commons Conservators its intended use, and whether mons – this aspect of the work we have paid them £7,598 generally and specifically a or not that use is meeting its will extend beyond the life of (Interpretation £4,475 and number of the Freehold Ten- stated objectives. this stage but may not require Education £3,123) leaving ants (especially Kate Sanders) further funding. £4,846 (Interpretation) and and Councillors. Turning to the detail, this stage £6,007 (Education) yet to be of the Interpretation part of The Education aspect has paid of the total Common Common Vision was fund- been funded by The Ernest Vision budget of £18,451. COMMON VISION ed by the National Lottery Cook Trust (£4,500); Gatwick Anyone wanting further FINANCES (£7,720); and Member’s Fund Community Airport Trust detail – please contact me At the AGM earlier this year (James Scholes £1,601) which (£1,000); Rusthall Parish ([email protected] there was a request for an up- together represent the total of Council (£211); St. Paul’s or 01892 542 962). date on the financial aspects funds needed (£9,321). The School (£100), Royal Sun of Common Vision. This is funding is being spent on the Alliance (£500); Anonymous Thank you. John. cg birding journal No.18: Canada Goose by Bettina Cassidy Latin name Branta canadensis Size Very large, almost as large as a swan Sound a-hink-a-honk-a-hink-a-honk

n the face Iof some stiff com- petition, I’d say that the Canada Goose wins the title of UK’s Least Popular Bird by a nose (or beak). Gulls, pigeons and starlings are at least native birds, un- like the Canada Goose, which is seen as a North American interloper and this, as well as its boorish behaviour, stands against it. saw these cute goslingsLake onyesterday! Brighton It does rather beg the question of how long you awarded a status, and you’re legally allowed to destroy have to live here before you can truly be considered them if you can prove they’re a pest. It’s worth look- a resident. Most people believe that the Canada ing at the Canada Goose Preservation Society website Goose invasion started in the 1950s, but the first one (www.canadagoose.org.uk) who are doing a sterling arrived in 1665, when my favourite ever monarch, job of presenting a more appealing side to the bird. Charles II, imported a pair from the North Ameri- can colonies to augment his collection of wildfowl in At the moment, we don’t have large numbers of St. James’s Park. The gentry duly took up the fash- Canada Geese on the Commons. But for how long? ion and installed them in their estates around the There is a pair on Brighton Lake, which at the time country. But it wasn’t until the 1950s and 60s that of writing are tending to a healthy brood of goslings, the population began to soar, and it continues to do and a couple at Happy Valley, who seem quite con- so – there were 19,000 in the 70s, and now there are tent to just be in each other’s company and be away more than 100,000. from the crowd. When the sun’s coming up, and all is quiet, I take great pleasure in watching them glide One reason they’re so detested is that you often see across the water, looking serene and elegant, and enormous flocks of them gathering on large grassy it’s worth remembering that it was their handsome areas. Having seen them in this number, I have to looks which attracted Charles II to them. For me, admit that it’s a rather scary sight. They don’t even the more types of birds we have on the Common, the have the RSPB on their side – they haven’t even been merrier, and that extends to the Canada Goose. cg Noteworthy Buildings Facing the Commons The Chalet, Mount Ephraim by Philip Whitbourn n previous issues of At The Chalet, on Mount early part of the 19th century. 1871, Barton was employing ICommon Ground we Ephraim, we are brought Following Fenner’s retire- fourteen men, and the prem- featured the premises of into contact with three more ment from the trade in 1840, ises continued as a Tunbridge two prominent makers of celebrated Tunbridge Ware Edmund Nye took over The Ware establishment until Tunbridge Ware. Gibraltar makers. Chalet, where he lived and the early years of the 20th Cottage, on the Common worked. His foreman was century. itself, was the manufactory of Earliest of this trio with a Thomas Barton (1819-1903) William Burrows; and Jordan repository in The Chalet were who, in turn, occupied The Probably dating from around House, 68 London Road, the William Fenner (c. 1781- Chalet as his manufactory 1800, and originally built repository of his father 1869) and Edmund Nye and abode after Nye’s death in the grounds of Mount Humphrey Burrows. (1797-1863), who were in in 1863. All three makers Ephraim House, The Chalet partnership for a while in the enjoyed a high reputation has undergone changes over for the quality of their the years. The central project- wares. In ing bay of the upper storey appears to have been added in about the middle of the 19th century, and the right hand projecting bay some- what later. A circular plaque at the right hand end of the lower storey commemorates the occupation of Edmund Nye and Thomas Barton, while William Fenner is commemorated on a grave in Woodbury Park Cemetery. cg

Corporate Sponsor Officer & Committee Membership 2014 saw these cute goslingsLake onyesterday! Brighton Officers (elected annually): Chairman: John Barber Tel: 542962 Deputy-Chairman: Tim Pendry Tel: 07771 513092 Treasurer: Mark Dennison Tel: 528199 Mem. Secretary: Chris Gurr Tel: 542408 Secretary: Glennis Hoggarth Tel: 517422

Committee: NEWSNEWS! | NEWS | NEWS | NEWS | NEWS Sally Balcon Tel: 515741 Dr Ian Beavis Tel: 523007 cg TEA PARTY Pat Maxwell Tel: 542858 Peter Miall Tel: 517599 We hope that we will be able to welcome you to our Tea David Wakefield Tel: 523983 Party on Wednesday 9th July from 15:00 until 17:00 at the Mount Edgcumbe. There will be tea, coffee, juice, Corporate Sponsor cakes, scones, strawberries, and plenty of sunshine, although shade and shelter will be there too should the sun decide not to show up. An invitation for this is THE enclosed for you to complete and return. If you intend to come but do not have a chance to fill in the form just ROYAL ring Glennis (01892 517422) to let her know who you WELLS are and how many of you there will be, so we can cater adequately. HOTEL Myathropa florea

flora and fauna Expect the unexpected – woodland hoverflies by Ian Beavis

very year the Commons produce spotting late-flying insects is the tall ivy hedge Esurprising new insect records, and last year which rises above the boundary wall of Mount was no exception. One of the best sites for Ephraim House. This sheltered spot with its row of seats was known to an older generation of residents and visitors as ‘the South of France’. This was where Tunbridge Wells’ first Ivy Bees appeared in 2012, and in September 2013 I made an even more unusual find. The Golden Hoverfly Callicera spinolae is one of a small group of woodland hoverflies, which as well as being rare are also large and spectacular. This one has bands of golden hairs on its body and

Callicera spinolae distinctive white-tipped antennae. This impressive hoverfly was an unlikely a number of hoverflies, including some which species to turn up in the High Weald. There are much more common than the Golden is a related ancient woodland species that Hoverfly. The most frequent of these is the occurs in places like the RSPB Woods strikingly patterned Myathropa florea with reserve. But Callicera spinolae has only ever grey markings on its thorax that some people been recorded from East Anglia, making this think look a bit like a skull. Their larvae are of the ‘rat-tailed maggot’ form, the ‘tail’ being a breathing tube which rises up to the water surface.

Although the woodland on the Commons is quite recent – with only a handful of trees that

Ferdinandea cuprea the first record for Kent, as well as for the High Weald and the Commons. It breeds in rot holes in trees, a habitat which does occur on the Common. The adults are thought to spend most of their time high up in the tree canopy, but coming down occasionally to feed Brachypalpoides lentus at ivy blossom in the autumn is one of their are pre-Victorian – a number of hoverflies that characteristic habits. are characteristic of ancient woodland have established themselves. These are presumably Hoverfly larvae are best known as rather slug- 20th century colonists that have moved in like creatures which feed on aphids on the from older woods nearby. They include the foliage of wild and cultivated plants. However, bronze coloured Ferdinandea cuprea which is not all species follow this lifestyle, and there are now quite frequent and regularly visits low- growing flowers such as dandelions and their relatives. In early spring the furry bee mimic Criorhina ranunculi visits sallow catkins. This species occurs in several colour forms which resemble different kinds of bumblebees and are a remarkably good match, especially when you only see them high up. Some years ago the scarce red-banded Brachypalpoides lentus appeared on Rusthall Common – an attractive species that never visits flowers but instead Criorhina ranunculi feeds on honeydew as it runs over sunlit many woodland hoverflies associated with tree foliage. cg trunks and decaying timber. Rot holes attract ...continued from front page

Beech trees at the junction of Major Yorks Road and the Racecourse in early May. The whole of this group is going to have to be properly surveyed later in the year and we will probably have to carry out a programme of reducing the remaining trees to lessen leverage and stress on them.

I see that some poppies are starting to come out where we planted them on the two triangles of land at the end of Vale Road. These were sown as part of the commemorations of the outbreak of the Great War. It seemed an appropriate position to sow the poppies as for many years there area everyday; the problem get on top of it. recolonise the sunny glades was an old Great War was of course increased by that have been created by tank parked on one of these the wet conditions over the We have completed the the clearances. On the edge triangles. winter. The grounds staff preparations for seeding of the clearance below the have marked the area and on our new clearances. The Victoria Grove, we have I am pleased to say that it has now been re-seeded areas have been levelled and made a large habitat stack the ticket machine has and they would be grateful much of the topsoil that of brushwood, tree stumps been completely removed if people could keep off it had built up on them has and trunks, which will also from Fir Tree car park now while the turf recovers. been scraped into bunds provide a refuge for our and everything seems to by the new woodland edge. reptiles, as well as excellent be back to normal. The I am delighted to see that This will allow us to plant habitat for many of our only downside seems to the grass seed is already native trees into them next invertebrates. be that a few commuters germinating and a green autumn to soften the edges have returned as well as sheen is emerging on the and increase diversity. The The Commons’ ponds have all the proper users of the cleared areas below Royal exposed subsoil is an excellent been surveyed, with pleasing Common, so I can see Victoria Grove and adjacent medium for the special seed results. Populations of another campaign to get rid to Castle Road; conditions mix we have sown. On the Smooth and Palmate Newts of them ahead of me. Whilst really are perfect at the clearance near Edgcumbe were found in all of the ponds on the subject of returning moment. The down side Road, we excavated a large on both Commons and we users to the Common, can to this is that the rest of pit and buried a lot of tree still have Great Crested I pass on a plea from the the amenity grass areas are stumps and roots from Newts at the Marlpits. cg Cricket Club. There is a large growing so fast that we are the clearance. As the soil dead area on the outfield at unable to achieve a good settles, this should create an the moment caused by all finish with a cut every other underground hibernaculum the dog walkers who meet up week. Hopefully things will for the lizards and snakes there standing in the same calm down soon and we can that we hope will now

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