An Introduction to Sharnbrook’s best kept secret!
CASTLE CLOSE Wildlife & Heritage Site is located off Lodge Road. It is a natural environment with a variety
of habitats - woodland, scrub and grassland.
The Site is now owned by the Parish Council, ensuring that it is
protected as a publicly-accessible open space within the village for present and
future generations to enjoy.
Since the Parish Council took ownership of the Site in 2006
work has started to make it a safe and enjoyable environment for all visitors
by providing paths and other amenities, whilst retaining its “wild”
nature. The initial work in the Site
will be completed by Summer 2008. In
the meantime you are welcome to walk in Castle Close, but visitors should be
aware that there are hazards such as uneven ground, wet areas, overhanging trees
and thorny shrubs. Help us to maintain
the environmental quality of the Site by keeping dogs on leads, to prevent the
wildlife being disturbed, and use the dog bin by the Playing Field gate in
Lodge Road.
WHY ‘CASTLE CLOSE’?
Some people know this site as “Gibbards Wood” and “Back
Field” However old maps of Sharnbrook
show the field name ‘Castle Close’ in this area and it is also referred to in
the 1617 Survey of Sharnbrook. We want
to emphasise the historical interest of this site as well as its ecological
value, by using a name for this area which goes back at least 400 years.
WHAT MAKES CASTLE CLOSE SO SPECIAL?
As well as the importance of the varied wildlife habitats of
the site, hidden within the wood is a Scheduled Ancient Monument - a Moated
Earthwork. The Earthwork consists of a
roughly circular ditch or moat 7m wide and up to 3m deep, enclosing an island
about 60m across with a low bank around its edge.
WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF THE MOATED EARTHWORK?
In
spite of the name ‘Castle Close’ the earthwork is not the remains of a
mediaeval castle. It is in fact a
moated site probably built between the 12th and 14th
centuries. The moat was more likely to
have been dug as a status symbol around a prestigious home or farmstead with a
range of buildings, rather than as a defensive fortification.
Bedfordshire has the highest density of moats of any county
in England. There are records of 297
moated sites in the county of which 174 have been wholly or largely
destroyed. Moats can be found
throughout Bedfordshire but they are most common in clay areas because it is
easier to build moats that will hold water in that geology. Typically moats in Bedfordshire are simple
rectangular enclosures, there are only four other circular moats besides Castle
Close. There is evidence for two other
moated sites in Sharnbrook at the Grange and Temple Wood (possibly the site of
the Templars’ manor). No remains are
known to survive at either site.
WHAT ELSE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE SITE?
Not much is known about the history of the earthwork. There is no direct evidence for its
construction or use. The first
reference we have to it is in a document of 1617 when it is referred to as
Castle Close. Closes are small parcels
of enclosed land usually found near settlements. Even at this date the earthworks were recognised as a significant
and unusual feature.
The earthworks themselves are shown on a map dated 1765 of
the estate of Sir Samuel Cornish. At
that time he owned three manors in Sharnbrook: Tofte, Temple and Lorings. Castle Close is associated with a number of
fields belonging to a farm known as Tofte suggesting that it was part of the
mediaeval manor of Tofte.
During the Middle Ages Tofte Manor was owned by the Tricket
family, a holding which can be traced back to the Domesday Book when it was
held by Robert, son of Rozelin. It is
known that the Tricket family had a manor house in Sharnbrook, Tricket Bury,
referred to in a document of 1202. It
is possible that Castle Close could be the site of Tricket Bury.
Castle Close is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, designated
under the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act. This means that
it has been recognised as being a nationally important monument by the
Secretary of State. The aims of this designation are to preserve the site for
the future, protecting it from damage and development. Any activity that will disturb the ground
(including archaeological excavation) within the scheduled area requires
scheduled monument consent from the Secretary of State - damaging the monument
or undertaking unauthorised works are offences under the Act.
Although it is unlikely that we would be able to carry out
an archaeological excavation we do hope to get permission for a geophysical
survey to learn more about the site.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CASTLE CLOSE?
A Development and Management Plan has been drawn up which
will guide the work done over the next few years. The three main aims are:
·
To
improve the natural habitats and thus enhance their ecological value
·
To
conserve and enhance the heritage features
·
To
facilitate public access to the site for “quiet enjoyment”
The major improvements to the site are being undertaken over
an initial two year period, although some of the changes to the scrub/grassland
areas will be phased over a longer period.
We want to keep a balance between retaining the “wild”
nature of the site and making it more accessible to people. Some paths will be put in to provide a route
through the site from Lodge Road to Yelnow Lane and to make it easier to get to
the different areas, but some parts will be left relatively impenetrable for
the benefit of wildlife. We shall also
make it easier for people to see and visit the moat and island whilst ensuring
any archaeological remains are not damaged.
HOW IS THE WORK BEING FUNDED?
The Parish Council has received some money from the
developers of the adjacent housing estate, as part of the conditions for
planning consent. This will cover much
of the initial work required and management costs for the first 10 years. The Parish Council has also received a grant
from the Local Heritage Initiative Fund particularly for the work required on
and around the earthwork.
This will give us a good start, so no fundraising will be
required and it will not mean an increase in the Parish Council element
of the Council Tax. Also the more work
we are able to get done through volunteer effort, the lower the costs.
WHO IS DOING THE WORK?
The Parish Council has appointed the Castle Close Committee
which is responsible for the development and management of the site.
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) is providing advice, technical
assistance & training, and contractors will be used when necessary. But most of the work is being done by the
Castle Close Volunteers (see Box).
Castle Close Volunteers We have
a group of approx 30 local residents who are helping to create this
wonderful amenity in the village.
Most have little or no previous conservation experience and are
enjoying learning new skills. Workparties
(at least one a month) are held mostly on Saturday or Sunday
mornings, 10am – 1pm, but some are on weekdays.
(See the Diary for details). All tools are provided and training given. New
Volunteers will be most welcome to join us. If you
think the tasks will be too physically demanding for you, we also need
people willing to walk through the site regularly to record wildlife seen – plants, birds, insects, mammals. We want to be able to monitor how the improvements we are
making to the habitats affect the biodiversity of the site. If you
want to help in any way, please contact June Barnes, Chair of Castle Close
Committee, june@barnes.net.
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SO FAR?
Having obtained permission from English Heritage we have
installed a causeway across the moat of the earthwork. This will enable us to access the island for
conservation purposes without damaging the moat and banks. It will also enable visitors to walk onto
the island.
We have started to increase the area of grassland by
reducing the scrub and we have enlarged and improved an existing small pond.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
We shall soon be putting in interpretation boards to describe
the various habitats and features of the site, and providing a heritage trail
leaflet that will describe Castle Close and set it in the local context by
including a map and information to guide visitors on a walk around the village,
starting and finishing at Castle Close, and linking with other local walks
such as the Ouse Valley Walk.