The Common

In the winter of 2011/12 the Common benefitted from a number of initiatives to enhance its biodiversity, amenity and interest for the benefit of all who use or transit it.

With funding from the National Lottery, the initiatives have been:

• The creation of a 1,400 square metre wildflower bed by removing the grass and top 2 inches of soil. This surplus has been used to create a "Magic Mound" on the north western end of the common and is envisaged as an amenity that children and adults alike might play or sit on.
  
  
• Seeding the bare earth area with some 26 wildflowers, including Corn Cockle, Cornflower, Poppy, Corn Marigold, Cowslip and Oxeye Daisy, Field Scabious, Lady's Bedstraw, Yellow Rattle, Campions, Birdsfoot Trefoil as well as 4 grasses. Establishing a wildflower meadow takes about 3 years. Some of the seeded wildflowers will bloom in 2012 but will get richer and better year after year. 
  
  
• Proposed changes to the grass management with three low-cut metre-wide pathways on the three sides of the Common to provide easier access and transit on foot, bicycle or with prams from all three corners. The area within the pathways will be cut to a moderate height as an amenity for picnicing, game-playing and gatherings throughout the year. The grassed areas outside the pathways will generally be allowed to grow to its natural height to providea grassland habitat of self-seeded grasses and wildlowers for shelter and food for insects and small mammals.
  
  
• The installation of three "Rustic Benches" acquired from Heritage Conservation and installed by our our Village Furniture Maker, Waldo Griffiths. Each bench is unique and is made of Sussex sourced Oak .  These have been installed in a "Magic Circle" near the Cherry Tree in the Eastern end of the Common to provide a transit stop or a destination for a picnic.