Wildlife Circus

    In 'Places and Buildings by H.V. Molesworth Roberts 1970, it is asserted that Dancer Dick wood, at the junction of Cromwell road and  Salisbury road, is a relic of the Great Park of Nonsuch. This woodland copse owned by Epsom and Ewell council is partially responsible for the strong woodland bird community in the district, which includes nesting nuthatches, tree creepers and woodpeckers; there must be some association with these birds  and those in a nearby  wood designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance at Riverhill north-west of the Hogsmill. The wood may have been a pasture - according to the 1871 OS map - although some of the old oak trees may  pre-date this; could wood pasture be more likely.  I  was first told of the wood's existence from Lucy Furlong, recounting family walks. After a couple of visits , I was able to ascertain that pipistrelle bats are using the trees for roosting, emerging rarly, at 30 minutes before sun...

The second  walk in the series presented by myself and walking artist Lucy Furlong, was designed to highlight features in the Tolworth Edgelands and it's environs. The edgelands are a window through social and cultural history; as well as being a reservoir for the shyer species of animals and birds, such as badger, deer, kestrels and buzzards etc. Tolworth was an inspiration to the nature writer - Richard Jefferies (see previous post), and we followed in his footsteps, as well as navigating the informal pathways and desire lines made by  animals, birds, and people. Tithe maps and the tithe apportionment are sound  documents for historical research regarding past land use; as well as dissertations available in the Local History Room (at the back of the Guildhall); one comprises a series of interviews with staff that lived and worked in the Worcester Park. This included the silk printing mill whose remnants exist at the Bristows haulage yard and until 2017, the mill w...