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Map of Summerfuields Wood
(showing Walled Garden to right of Courts)
For a range of photos of Summerfields click HERE for the FLIKR SUMMERFIELDS ALBUM
Story from the Hastings Observer
HASTINGS OBSERVER Published on Wednesday 2 March 2011 12:00
A DEDICATED team of volunteers helped spruce up a local beauty spot.
Just shy of a dozen people turned up to help give Summerfield’s Woods an early Spring clean, including members of the Bohemia Walled Garden Association, Friends of Summerfield’s Wood, Councillor Dominic Sabetian and Martin Felstead, an officer with Sussex Wildlife. And, refusing to be deterred by cold, wet and blustery conditions, the team tackled an overgrown area of the woods by Brisco’s Walk at the end of Barnfield Close. Stuart Alexander, a ranger from Hastings Borough Council, helped organise the event and was delighted with the turnout.
He said: “I would like to say a big thank you to the volunteers who turned up.
“The group did brilliantly and a whole area of woodland was opened up to make it more inviting to people wishing to enter the wood. “Allowing more light into a woodland encourages a greater variety of plants and hopefully insects and birds to feed there.
“We also uncovered a lot of rubbish and a car seat which had been dumped in the area.”
In a bid to make even more improvements the rangers are appealing for more volunteers.
If you are over 16 and want to help out, the next volunteer task is taking place on March 13 from 10am until 1.30pm. The rangers will meet volunteers at the entrance to Summerfield’s Leisure Centre and will supply onsite training and refreshments.
Volunteers must wear suitable clothing and can participate for as little or as long as they want.
If you would like further details simply email rangers@hastings.co.uk or ring 01424 451050.
Council leader Jeremy Birch said: “It’s fantastic that people are willing to give up their time to help improve a local green area.”
Summerfields Wood and Hastings Borough Council
Summerfields Wood located in the Borough of Hastings East Sussex UK is located to the east of the Gensing ward but provides recreation opportunity to Braybrooke,Castle,Central St Leonards and Gensing ward residents.
For around 30 years the Summerfields Estate has been owned by Hastings Borough Council and during that time it has been under the control of the Borough Council Estates Department who are responsible for HBC owned buildings and care of the woodland and its structures. Considering the Borough Council considered Summerfields Wood as part of its open space in planning terms to meet the public open space requirement for the town it is only logical that it should be the responsibility of the HBC to take care and to maintain the area for public use. Recently responsibility for the woodland has been taken over by Leisure Services and at last HBC Rangers are now able to become involved in this important Local Nature Reserve so near to the centre of Hastings. With a Friends of Summerfields group in place and HBC Rangers able to become involved with management the use of the woodland by the public will increase. A section 106 aggreement relating to the 96 dwellings to be permitted at Horntye Park will offer some much needed cash to improve the paths and also supply public art as part of the DG20 committment that should be implemented when / if new dwellings that have permission are constructed. Work on the activities of the Hastings Ranger can be seen on BLOG.
RCH December 2009
Since 2009 Hastings Borough Council has launched a public consultation exercise that they called "The Big Conversation" where residents were asked what they considered were the priorities for Council spending in the face of looming cuts. The future maintenance budgets necessary for the care of open space needing to compete with the hundreds of thousands being spent on supporting so called regeneration initiatives that would create a revamped "Destination Stade" to ensure that The Jerwood organisation had a good location for their art gallery due to open in 2011.
"The Big Conversation" Where did the public want the limited finances available to be spent? What parts of HBC spending should be cut?
More information on "Big Conversation" Click HERE
For around 30 years the Summerfields Estate has been owned by Hastings Borough Council and during that time it has been under the control of the Borough Council Estates Department who are responsible for HBC owned buildings and care of the woodland and its structures. Considering the Borough Council considered Summerfields Wood as part of its open space in planning terms to meet the public open space requirement for the town it is only logical that it should be the responsibility of the HBC to take care and to maintain the area for public use. Recently responsibility for the woodland has been taken over by Leisure Services and at last HBC Rangers are now able to become involved in this important Local Nature Reserve so near to the centre of Hastings. With a Friends of Summerfields group in place and HBC Rangers able to become involved with management the use of the woodland by the public will increase. A section 106 aggreement relating to the 96 dwellings to be permitted at Horntye Park will offer some much needed cash to improve the paths and also supply public art as part of the DG20 committment that should be implemented when / if new dwellings that have permission are constructed. Work on the activities of the Hastings Ranger can be seen on BLOG.
RCH December 2009
Since 2009 Hastings Borough Council has launched a public consultation exercise that they called "The Big Conversation" where residents were asked what they considered were the priorities for Council spending in the face of looming cuts. The future maintenance budgets necessary for the care of open space needing to compete with the hundreds of thousands being spent on supporting so called regeneration initiatives that would create a revamped "Destination Stade" to ensure that The Jerwood organisation had a good location for their art gallery due to open in 2011.
"The Big Conversation" Where did the public want the limited finances available to be spent? What parts of HBC spending should be cut?
More information on "Big Conversation" Click HERE
Greenspace Project Launched
Greenspace officer Anna Herivan BTCV
Greenspace Project Launched
HBC About Magazine Issue 14
A project to promote and improve green spaces in Hastings & St Leonards was launched in November 2001. The Greenspace Project which is funded by Biffaward and Hastings Borough Council is being run by BTCV (an organisation that works with people to improve their environment) over the next 3 years. The project will provide local residents with opportunities to improve ten selected sites around the borough. The community will be able to get involved with improvements on paths, steps and bridges and with the management of habitats.
The following sites have been selected:
Bulverhythe Beach - Maritime cliffs and shingle beach, home to the rare plants sea kale and long horned poppy
Broomgrove - An area of semi-mature woodlands and one of the largest and most significant areas of mature scrub in the town
Church Wood - An ancient woodland, ghyll stream and meadow
Hollington Valley - The valley supports ancient woodland, meadow with willow carr, Hollington stream and an excellent pond feature
Old Roar Ghyll - One of the main areas of ancient woodland running alongside the gorge of the ghyll
Ponds Wood - Features semi-natural woodland, ponds and meadow
St Helens Wood - A large area of woodlands, pond and meadow
South Saxons - An area of diverse habitats including open water, reedbeds, willow carr, rough grassland and meadows
Summerfields - A well used semi-natural woodland with stream and ponds
The Stade - An area of shingle beach behind the fishermen's huts
Sunny Jaques is the Greenspace Project Officer and will be looking to work with local residents, support groups which have already formed to look after sites and to set up new ones. She will be able to provide help with practical conservation tasks, the use of tools and materials and assist with training needs to enable the groups to carry out the work.
Councillor Trevor Webb, Cabinet Member responsible for Quality of Life, said:
"Promoting our green spaces and making the most of them for local residents to enjoy is something which we feel is very important."I hope that local residents will get involved in projects in their area and help us work towards making these sites more accessible and better managed for everyone to enjoy."
About Magazine Winter 2001
HBC About Magazine Issue 14
A project to promote and improve green spaces in Hastings & St Leonards was launched in November 2001. The Greenspace Project which is funded by Biffaward and Hastings Borough Council is being run by BTCV (an organisation that works with people to improve their environment) over the next 3 years. The project will provide local residents with opportunities to improve ten selected sites around the borough. The community will be able to get involved with improvements on paths, steps and bridges and with the management of habitats.
The following sites have been selected:
Bulverhythe Beach - Maritime cliffs and shingle beach, home to the rare plants sea kale and long horned poppy
Broomgrove - An area of semi-mature woodlands and one of the largest and most significant areas of mature scrub in the town
Church Wood - An ancient woodland, ghyll stream and meadow
Hollington Valley - The valley supports ancient woodland, meadow with willow carr, Hollington stream and an excellent pond feature
Old Roar Ghyll - One of the main areas of ancient woodland running alongside the gorge of the ghyll
Ponds Wood - Features semi-natural woodland, ponds and meadow
St Helens Wood - A large area of woodlands, pond and meadow
South Saxons - An area of diverse habitats including open water, reedbeds, willow carr, rough grassland and meadows
Summerfields - A well used semi-natural woodland with stream and ponds
The Stade - An area of shingle beach behind the fishermen's huts
Sunny Jaques is the Greenspace Project Officer and will be looking to work with local residents, support groups which have already formed to look after sites and to set up new ones. She will be able to provide help with practical conservation tasks, the use of tools and materials and assist with training needs to enable the groups to carry out the work.
Councillor Trevor Webb, Cabinet Member responsible for Quality of Life, said:
"Promoting our green spaces and making the most of them for local residents to enjoy is something which we feel is very important."I hope that local residents will get involved in projects in their area and help us work towards making these sites more accessible and better managed for everyone to enjoy."
About Magazine Winter 2001
Report from Hastings Borough Council Summerfields Wood
Summerfields Wood - Wooden Bridge near to Walled Garden
Name: No. 29 - Summerfields Woods
GR: TQ809097
Area: 7.3ha
Habitat: Semi-natural Woodland
Introduction:
Summerfields Woods occupies a central position within the Borough, being close to the seafront and town centre. A semi-natural woodland, it is well used by local residents from the numerous access points around the wood. A stream runs through the majority of the wood with two ornamental ponds at the southern end.
Stretching from Holmesdale Gardens in the south to the cricket pitch at Horntye in the north, the woods represent an important habitat for badgers and migjrating birds as well as a major woodland amenity in the middle of town. The majority of the woods are owned by Hastings Borough Council.
Site Notes :
There is an extensive path network running through the site, some of which have been improved during the late 1980's. Unfortunately there would appear to have been little upkeep of the paths and the majority have become neglected.
The main path into the site from Holmesdale Gardens in the south is the start of the Right of Way of Briscoe's Walk. This forms part of the Hastings Greenway Project which has, attracted Single Regeneration Bid monies to upgrade this path as part of a more extensive walkway, and improve the access to the woods .
The main woodland itself is not subject to any overall management plan and appears in a general state of neglect. The southern part of the wood is dominated by mature and regenerating sycamore with an understorey of holly and occasional ash and elder, with a ground flora of bramble, enchanters nightshade and ivy. Where the woodland opens out, there are very dense thickets of bramble. Ferns, red campion, wood avens, cuckoo pint, dog-violet and hemp agrimony are noted on the woodland floor. Cherry laurel and rhododendron are both found in the lower pa~ of the wood.
Two ponds form a predominant landscape feature of the lower part of the wood. It is thought the ponds, as well as other features within the woods, were constructed during the Victorian era. The ponds are in a very poor and neglected condition, under a dense canopy of overhanging trees, and possess poor marginal vegetation. Both water features suffer from silting, rubbish dumping and general neglect. The upper pond has an island feature which is now dominated by bramble and supports semi-mature birch trees. There. is limited marginal vegetation although clumps of Himalayan balsam, hogweed, flag iris, pendulous sedge and various ferns are growing at the waters edge. The entire surface of the top pond is covered in lemmna species
Some selective management is evident in an area east of the Sports Centre where native trees have been encouraged through selective thinning. This area was probably the most severely damaged after the storms of 1987. The ground flora here is a carpet of bluebells and bramble has been consistently cut back..
The stream which feeds the ponds runs down the central part of the woods wheren the bank sides are steep and densely vegetated with ferns, regenerating ash, holly and sycamore, bramble and rhododendron. The canopy is a mix of beech, sycamore, birch and rowan. A further small pond is located further north, in the middle of the woods, which provides the source of the stream from local land drains converging into one area.
A Victorian grotto is situated in one of the banks which has a flourishing population of liverworts around the dripping water from the surrounding bank.
The northern part of the wood supports a greater diversity of tree species with holm oak, willow spp., ash, oak, sweet chestnut, birch and beech although the woodland floor is still dominated by a matrix of ivy, nettle and bramble clumps.
The development of the cricket pitch area to include an all weather hockey pitch has affected the very top part of the woods which are owned by the Trustees of the cricket club.
One of the most notable aspects of Summerfields Woods is they play host to one of the largest populations of badgers in the middle of town, with setts located throughout the woods and in adjacent areas
It is clear the woods represent a major wildlife and natural amenity asset in the town. They form an important habitat for migratory birds and nesting indigenous birds, as well as playing host to a large and thriving badger population. The fact there is de-facto access to the woods and there is an extensive, if somewhat neglected, path network encourages local residents to use the site as a walking area and through route to other areas of the town.
The woods represent an important habitat for migrant birds such as meadow pipit, redstart, whinchat, stonechat, wheatear and siskin as well as a breeding and feeding site for a host of more common birds such as greenfinch, chaffinch, jay, various tits and woodpeckers.
Whilst the existing path network is extensive throughout the woods it is difficult to stray from the paths due to the density of vegetation and the bramble/nettle clumps in particular.
There does not appear to be any formal management plan for the upkeep of the woods and their features. This is certainly an issue which requires urgent redress to bring the woods into a maintained, safe and cared for standard. As the woods have became the focus of much attention through the development of the hockey pitch, it will be essential to facilitate a management regime to encourage safe access for visitors and members of the local community, and to enhance the woods as a wildlife haven in the town.
SNCI’s: April 1998 pp59/60
GR: TQ809097
Area: 7.3ha
Habitat: Semi-natural Woodland
Introduction:
Summerfields Woods occupies a central position within the Borough, being close to the seafront and town centre. A semi-natural woodland, it is well used by local residents from the numerous access points around the wood. A stream runs through the majority of the wood with two ornamental ponds at the southern end.
Stretching from Holmesdale Gardens in the south to the cricket pitch at Horntye in the north, the woods represent an important habitat for badgers and migjrating birds as well as a major woodland amenity in the middle of town. The majority of the woods are owned by Hastings Borough Council.
Site Notes :
There is an extensive path network running through the site, some of which have been improved during the late 1980's. Unfortunately there would appear to have been little upkeep of the paths and the majority have become neglected.
The main path into the site from Holmesdale Gardens in the south is the start of the Right of Way of Briscoe's Walk. This forms part of the Hastings Greenway Project which has, attracted Single Regeneration Bid monies to upgrade this path as part of a more extensive walkway, and improve the access to the woods .
The main woodland itself is not subject to any overall management plan and appears in a general state of neglect. The southern part of the wood is dominated by mature and regenerating sycamore with an understorey of holly and occasional ash and elder, with a ground flora of bramble, enchanters nightshade and ivy. Where the woodland opens out, there are very dense thickets of bramble. Ferns, red campion, wood avens, cuckoo pint, dog-violet and hemp agrimony are noted on the woodland floor. Cherry laurel and rhododendron are both found in the lower pa~ of the wood.
Two ponds form a predominant landscape feature of the lower part of the wood. It is thought the ponds, as well as other features within the woods, were constructed during the Victorian era. The ponds are in a very poor and neglected condition, under a dense canopy of overhanging trees, and possess poor marginal vegetation. Both water features suffer from silting, rubbish dumping and general neglect. The upper pond has an island feature which is now dominated by bramble and supports semi-mature birch trees. There. is limited marginal vegetation although clumps of Himalayan balsam, hogweed, flag iris, pendulous sedge and various ferns are growing at the waters edge. The entire surface of the top pond is covered in lemmna species
Some selective management is evident in an area east of the Sports Centre where native trees have been encouraged through selective thinning. This area was probably the most severely damaged after the storms of 1987. The ground flora here is a carpet of bluebells and bramble has been consistently cut back..
The stream which feeds the ponds runs down the central part of the woods wheren the bank sides are steep and densely vegetated with ferns, regenerating ash, holly and sycamore, bramble and rhododendron. The canopy is a mix of beech, sycamore, birch and rowan. A further small pond is located further north, in the middle of the woods, which provides the source of the stream from local land drains converging into one area.
A Victorian grotto is situated in one of the banks which has a flourishing population of liverworts around the dripping water from the surrounding bank.
The northern part of the wood supports a greater diversity of tree species with holm oak, willow spp., ash, oak, sweet chestnut, birch and beech although the woodland floor is still dominated by a matrix of ivy, nettle and bramble clumps.
The development of the cricket pitch area to include an all weather hockey pitch has affected the very top part of the woods which are owned by the Trustees of the cricket club.
One of the most notable aspects of Summerfields Woods is they play host to one of the largest populations of badgers in the middle of town, with setts located throughout the woods and in adjacent areas
It is clear the woods represent a major wildlife and natural amenity asset in the town. They form an important habitat for migratory birds and nesting indigenous birds, as well as playing host to a large and thriving badger population. The fact there is de-facto access to the woods and there is an extensive, if somewhat neglected, path network encourages local residents to use the site as a walking area and through route to other areas of the town.
The woods represent an important habitat for migrant birds such as meadow pipit, redstart, whinchat, stonechat, wheatear and siskin as well as a breeding and feeding site for a host of more common birds such as greenfinch, chaffinch, jay, various tits and woodpeckers.
Whilst the existing path network is extensive throughout the woods it is difficult to stray from the paths due to the density of vegetation and the bramble/nettle clumps in particular.
There does not appear to be any formal management plan for the upkeep of the woods and their features. This is certainly an issue which requires urgent redress to bring the woods into a maintained, safe and cared for standard. As the woods have became the focus of much attention through the development of the hockey pitch, it will be essential to facilitate a management regime to encourage safe access for visitors and members of the local community, and to enhance the woods as a wildlife haven in the town.
SNCI’s: April 1998 pp59/60
Friends of Summerfields Greenspace Project
Hastings Borough Council About Magazine Issue 17
Summerfields Wood is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) and one of the ten places that the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and the Council are improving through the Biffaward-funded 'Hastings Greenspace Project'.
Local volunteers have already helped to replace over 100 chestnut steps and to construct an oak seat that overlooks the main pond in the Southern end of the wood.
Amongst many other things, they have also made repairs to the watercourse leading from the Roman Bath, installed a raised woodchip footpath which runs from the entrance at the lower end of Briscoe's Walk to the ponds and built four sleeper bridges across the streams.
It doesn't end there. A space as precious and unique as Summerfields Wood needs constant care and attention and the volunteers of the Hastings Greenspace Project are working with our Borough Ecologist to enrich the habitats and create greater biodiversity.
Ongoing projects include the selective removal of Sycamore to allow other tree species to regenerate, clearance of pathways around the ponds, treethinning to allow light to reach the woodland floor to encourage woodland flowers and butterflies and the installation of seating and information points If you would like to help preserve this important site please contact:
Anna Herrieven (Greenspace Project) About Mag HBC
Wildhastings.org.uk - Nature Reserves
Summerfields to be "High Amenity Area"
After HBC purchased the Summerields Estate they planned to make it into a "High Amenity Area". That's what they described their plans to prepare the area for public use. There were ideas for the creation of a 9 hole golf course and the Hastings Garden Scheme. This was a plan that incorporated the invitation of all towns with the name of Hastings around the world to contribute to the creation of a garden. The amenities committee identified that the wall along Briscos Waljk reuired considerable repair and that some dead or dangerous trees should be removed or replaced with new ones. The Amenities Committee considered that 2 to 3 acres on the eastern boundary should be kept as a nature reserve as the ground is very steep with no natural paths.
The Civic Centre report by Arthur Swift said "It is to be hoped that with proper planning and skilled maintenance the garden,parkland and open space will provide in themselves pleasant walks between civic and commercial centres."
After many years of Summerfields Wood being in limbo with responsibility being with HBC Estates but actually used as amenity space. It has at last been passed to amenities who now have day to day responsibility for the area and are having to try to make up for the many years of neglect. The BWGA hopes that there will be improved budget committment to address the much needed improvements that are needed.
Recently (February 2010) improvements to sleeper bridges have been made that are likely to improve disability access during dry weather but relatively cheap improvements to drainage and surfaces are needed.
The Civic Centre report by Arthur Swift said "It is to be hoped that with proper planning and skilled maintenance the garden,parkland and open space will provide in themselves pleasant walks between civic and commercial centres."
After many years of Summerfields Wood being in limbo with responsibility being with HBC Estates but actually used as amenity space. It has at last been passed to amenities who now have day to day responsibility for the area and are having to try to make up for the many years of neglect. The BWGA hopes that there will be improved budget committment to address the much needed improvements that are needed.
Recently (February 2010) improvements to sleeper bridges have been made that are likely to improve disability access during dry weather but relatively cheap improvements to drainage and surfaces are needed.
Planning Gain to Improve the woods but loss of open space.
In December 2009 permission was given by HBC Planners to allow the erection of over 96 dwellings on the land at Horntye Park originally given to the Cricket Trustees to develop as a cricket ground with sports facilities. A Section 106 Agreement will provide some funding to improve Summerfields Wood.
Tim Cookson head of Planning said
"That Planning Committee resolved to approve the development subject to the completion of an Agreement under Section 106 and this included a comprehensive enhancement and management plan including the following measures:
a. Ecological enhancement and detailed management scheme for within the site and within Summerfields Woods including the provision of the wildlife corridor, and tunnel underneath the access road;
b. Scheme for the provision of and commuted sum for the maintenance of improvements within Summerfields Woods, include measures to improve pathways for pedestrians and cyclists; interpretive information; public art, environmental play facilities;
Tim Cookson
BOROUGH PLANNING OFFICER
HASTINGS BOROUGH COUNCIL
Aquila House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3UY
Tel: +44(0)1424 783201 Fax: +44(0)1424 783208 Minicom: +44(0)1424 781755
Email: tcookson@hastings.gov.uk
WWW: http://www.hastings.gov.uk
Wartime Memories of Summerfields from Ron Fellows.
Click here for an article from Bohemia Village Voice "War time memories of Summerfield Wood"
