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