History
Although the commons are now places of relaxation and
refreshment, their history tells of intense activity over thousands
of years. On them man has hunted with flint, bronze and iron
weapons, felled timber, grown crops, grazed his animals, built
earthworks, dug quarries and buried his dead.
Over the coming months we will be adding a variety of articles
to this page so that you can learn more about the history of the
sites. The first can be downloaded from the link below.
Historical excavations on Farthing
Downs (11kb)
Wildlife
The diverse geology and terrain of the commons, together with
the wide range of traditional practices used in its management,
have produced a landscape that is highly varied and rich in
wildlife. The array of natural habitats include ancient oak
pollards, which survive as a relic of pasture woodland management,
hazel coppice and flower-rich chalk downland and meadows.
Articles will be added to this page giving you the opportunity
to learn more about the wildlife of the sites. The first article is
available from the link below.
Why do we use grazing
animals? (13kb)
Spring Park Video
Discover some of the sights, sounds and wildlife that you might
encounter on a visit to Spring Park -
Spring Park - A walk in the
woods (wmv file - 18mb).