Billingshurst
Community Partnership Steering Group
PO Box 28
Billingshurst
West Sussex
RH14 9FL
Telephone 07836 518 659
Facsimile 01403 785 396
Email Osprey@ btinternet.com
To Billingshurst Organisations 30 August 2004 “Burnt
Row Wood”
You may have seen in the press that we have received
a grant from the Countryside Agency Heritage Initiative
of some £25,000 to help us with the woodland that
forms part of the Sports and Leisure complex to the west
of the bypass. The grant also allows us to also investigate,
and preserve, any archaeological remains that may exist
on the site. Apart from an existing well there are records
of a “Weavers Cottage” and other dwellings that existed
in the 1700 and 1800s, or perhaps even earlier. We also
have finance in the grant to pay for specialists and expertise
which in turn can extend some of the work to include the
wider recreation area.
Both the Weald School and Brinsbury Students, supervised
by senior staff, are helping with the project and have
already started the work with surveys of the flora and
fauna as well as researching the land archives regarding
the ownership of the dwellings that existed. Tantalising
maps of the early nineteen hundreds mark the small wood
as “Burnt Row” hence the heritage coordinator has called
the project “Burn Row Wood”.
In overall terms the project and the attendant grant
allow us scope to, amongst other things:
Investigate the natural and archaeological heritage of
Burnt Row Wood
Produce a small scale archaeological investigation into
the row of 18th century dwellings
Research and investigate the woodland well (preserving
it if it proves of value)
Clearing the woodland
Creating a resting area(s)
Replanting key woodland flora
Offering training in countryside activities (hedge laying
for example)
Producing a management plan
Installing map and information boards
Producing information guides and maps
Recording the project for public exhibition
The purpose of this letter is two fold:
To ask if any of your members will join with us to help
with the project.
To ask if any of your members are interested in receiving
training on any of the envisaged tasks.
I am happy to come and talk to your organisation or perhaps
you could let me know of anyone who would like to help.
There is scope for all –History – Horticultural – Artists
to help with graphics – Photographers – Walkers and so
on. So please join with us to help preserve this little
piece of our heritage. You can find more detail at our
web site www.billingshurst.org.uk and going to the project
sub section marked as “Burnt Row”. I look forward to hearing
from you.
Yours sincerely
Patrick Perks
Chairman Billingshurst Partnership
