Secret’s of Ashford’s ancient trees
Two hundred historic trees have been identified by The Ashford Veteran Tree Project, which now needs volunteers to survey several parishes that have not yet yielded their arboreal secrets.
The Project is funded by a £47,900 Heritage Lottery Fund grant and was launched last year by Wye-based conservation charity Kent BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers).
Project officer Virginia Hodge told Kent Life: “Ashford has the highest woodland cover of any borough in Kent. Trees are vital features of our environment, culture and natural history. We want to identify and record the oldest examples and save and protect them for future generations.
“A veteran tree is quite noticeable because it is usually fat, gnarled and rather the worse for wear. It might also have a hollow trunk, rotting branches and fungus growths.”
Ashford’s parish churchyards, whose yew trees are often over older than their churches, have been fruitful hunting grounds for the volunteers. Molash churchyard has been recorded as one of Kent’s finest ‘multiple tree sites’, with six yews with girths of more than five metres – including one that was planted more than 1,000 years ago and is 400 years older than the parish church.
Long-standing traditions are still enacted in the shade of some of Ashford’s ancient trees. The Bonnington Law Day Oak has, it is believed, played an important part in the government of the parish since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
“It was the place where the local court convened to hear pleas,” said Virginia. “Until quite recently, Bonnington Parish Council gathered round the tree for its annual general meeting.”
? The parishes where volunteers are most needed are: Bethersden, Bilsington, Boughton Aluph, Brook, Eastwell, High Halden, Kenardington, Shadoxhurst, Stanhope, Stone,Westwell and Wye.
During the spring and summer, BTCV will host a series of talks on woodlands and their wildlife, including Exploring the world of bats, by Shirley Thompson of the Kent Bat Group on 8 April; Woodland mammals, by Hazel Ryan of the Kent Mammal Group on 21 May; and Identifying trees in summer ( date to be announced).
The meetings will be held at the Singleton Environmental Centre, Singleton, and start at 7.30pm. Admission free. More details from Virginia Hodge at BTCV, email v.hodge@btcv.org.uk, tel 01233 812033.