SITE 201 HILL CLOSE AND BILL'S WOOD

Date: 6th March 2004

I went to the site to look at the wood being planted in memory of Anthony's Father, Bill. It will cover a very good area and extends beyond the parish boundary into Thurcaston Parish. The current and ancient boundary will therefore become part of the wood. Photographs taken of the planting, which is still in progress. A return visit will be made to record the trees and hedgerow, which form the boundary as part of our Rothley Ancient Parish Surveys (RAPS)

31^st March 2004

Brian Verity, Terry Sheppard, Janice Verity and myself were working on the RAPS project, recording the hedgerow species and trees. The boundary trees are mainly Ash and are in a very poor state with loss of branches and rotten trunks. This makes them good for wildlife but a very fragile habitat, as they will degenerate at a fast rate. The hedgerow species are detailed in the RAPS survey Stints 17, 18 and 19. It is lovely to see so much Crab Apple in the hedgerow.

7^th April 2004

At the end of the hedgerow at its boundary with Site 202 Abbethaws there is a Pond 25, Hill Close Pond. This does not have any maintenance and is overshadowed by vegetation.

The trees on the other boundaries have still to be recorded.

STINT 17

Date: 31^st March 2004

Observers: Brian Verity, Terry Sheppard, Janice Verity, Marion Vincent.

Location: Site accessed from the Bridle Road

OS Ref:SK57651115-57761109

Map Title: Site 201 Hill Close (and Bill's Wood).

Owners: Mr Anthony Cooper, Southfield Farm, Rothley.

Although it started off as a misty day the sun did shine and it was a warm, sunny day. The Skylark, Yellowhammers and Robins were singing all the time and then we heard the call of a Buzzard.

In this stint there was a big absence of Blackthorn, jus a small amount in the final 30 metres. This was interesting as the absence really started from the field hedgerow dividing Parkinson's Field from Hill Close.

In this stint there were a couple of major gaps that had been planted up with saplings of hawthorn, hazel and holly but these species were not included in the age calculations.

The ditch was still evident but shallow in places although rabbit warrens do destroy such features and there was good evidence of rabbits on this part.

In the final part of the stint we measured an Ash, Tree 242 in the Natural History Survey. Although not of qualifying girth it is important as an Ancient Boundary Tree and would have been bigger if not so war-torn!

This boundary was planted on the highest part of land between Rothley and Thurcaston and the Ancient Field name of Hill Close reflects this.

STINT 18

Date: 31^st March 2004 / 7^th April 2004

Observers: Brian Verity, Terry Sheppard, Janice Verity, Marion Vincent

Location: Site accessed from the Bridle Road

OS Ref: SK57761109-SK57851105

Map Title: Site 201 Hill Close (and Bill's Wood).

Owners: Mr Anthony Cooper, Southfield Farm, Rothley.

Yet more Crab Apple which will deserve a picture when in full flower. It has a really ancient, large, old trunk.

Also, another gap that has been planted with young saplings, protected from the rabbits, which inhabit this boundary.

This whole stint has large, knarled, bent over trunks of hawthorn and the gaps have all been planted up with protected saplings of holly, hawthorn, hazel and blackthorn. We now see Field Maple in places and one has grown into a good-sized tree. There is a good-sized Ash, Tree 244, recorded for the Natural History Survey, which has a girth of 2.8m.

The ditch is evident all along this stint.

STINT 19

Date: 7^th April 2004

Observers: Brian Verity, Terry Sheppard, Janice Verity, Marion Vincent

Location: Site accessed from the Bridle Road

OS Ref: SK57851105-SK57981098

Map Title: Site 201 Hill Close (and Bill's Wood)

Owners: Mr A. Cooper, Southfield Farm, Rothley

This stint continues as before with a ditch, ancient trunks of hawthorn and crab apple and gaps planted up with saplings of hawthorn, blackthorn, holly, hazel and dogwood.

In the second 30 metres there is an Ash, Tree 244, in the Natural History Survey, with a girth of 3 metres. It is in a very poor state being hollow inside and lost a lot of branches but it is an important Ancient Parish Boundary Tree.

In the final 30 metres there are two good-sized Ash, Trees 245 and 246, both with a girth of 3 metres and both, again, in rather a bad state.

At the end of the stint there is a good-sized Field Pond, Pond 25, which I have called Hill Close Pond. There was no sign of wildlife in it and it is rather isolated being surrounded by arable land. It is very overshadowed and could do with being opened up to let in some light and encourage pond plants. I do not know if it dries up in the summer but it had a good body of water when recorded.

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