We’re spoilt for choice in Hastings and St Leonards when it comes to open green spaces. Surrounded on three sides by beautiful Sussex countryside, flanked on the other by a long stretch of beach and dotted with a good choice of parks, our town also has six flourishing nature reserves. This month we enjoy a visit to Summerfields Woods. |
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Tucked away in a valley in Bohemia, more than 17 acres of woodland provide a peaceful retreat for wildlife and town-dwellers alike. Although there are regular dog-walkers and a certain amount of school visits, I’ve been surprised by how many people either don’t know Summerfields or remember it as a no-go area. If you haven’t been there recently, then spring is the perfect time to get acquainted. Summerfields Woods is situated in the remaining grounds of Bohemia House, a grand Jacobean-style residence designed by architect John ‘Yorky’ Smith in 1824, and demolished by Hastings Borough Council in 1972. It was constructed on the site of former Bohemia Farm, the estate of which was owned by five-times Mayor of Hastings John Collier (1685-1760). The imposing Bohemia House was owned by the Briscoe family and had a noble history of visiting royalty, followed by conversion to a school (where it got its new name: Summerfields), utilitarian employ as a town hall during World War II, back to use as a school, ending in crumbling neglect at the hands of a cash-strapped Council who bought it in the 60s. What’s left of its grounds is now a well-kept nature reserve, with plenty of mature native trees, a series of flowing ponds and bountiful wildlife. This is thanks to management by the tireless Friends of Summerfields Woods and now exhausted funding from a project called Greenspace (a partnership between the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers and Hastings The work started about four years ago with a much-needed ‘makeover’, turning the woods from overgrown, seedy dumping ground to sensitively managed green haven for the public, and for nature. |
A concrete path – Briscoes Walk – stretches the outside length of the woods, giving really easy access for wheelchair users and pushchairs. The ponds were dredged and features by sculptor and arborist Joc Hare installed, and a series of paths were cleared and fenced with attractive chunky wooden rails on ‘The Mound’ - an ideal place for kids to play. There are plenty of native species of tree here which have been encouraged through selective thinning (managed and carried out by the Friends), including oak, willow, sycamore, beech, birch, rowan, ash and elder, all of which support impressive amounts of insects, essential to a healthy local ecosystem. When we visited mid-February, the green woodland floor already promised a carpet of bluebells for April. Within the wood is a large, empty walled garden. As it’s had no maintenance for 40-odd years, it’s urgently in need of repairs before it’s too late. Although the whole wood belongs to the Council, there is currently no funding available for maintaining it, so the Friends of Summerfields and other interested parties are always on the look-out for donations. Until then, the volunteers continue to carry out and finance the maintenance themselves. It’s hoped that if and when finances permit, the walled garden can be restored to its former glory through considered planting - planting that will respect its horticultural history and be appropriate for a woodland setting. And they’re open to suggestions! Thanks to Bob Hart for the info. |
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For more information or to volunteer:
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