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{{Short description|Country park in East Sussex, England}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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{{Infobox SSSI |
{{Infobox SSSI |
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|image= |
|image= Ditchling Common.JPG |
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|image_caption = |
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|name=Ditchling Common |
|name= Ditchling Common |
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|aos=East Sussex |
|aos= East Sussex |
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|interest=Biological |
|interest=Biological |
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|gridref={{gbmappingsmall| |
|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|TQ 334 185}}<ref name=dsv/> |
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|area= {{convert|66.5|ha|acre|abbr=off}}<ref name=dsv/> |
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|latitude=50.949 |
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|notifydate= 1986<ref name=dsv/> |
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|longitude=-0.099 |
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|map=[https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002188%27 ''Magic Map''] |
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|area={{convert|63.6|ha|abbr=on}} |
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|notifydate={{Start date|1966}} |
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|enref=1002188 |
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}} |
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'''Ditchling Common''' is a {{convert| 66.5 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} biological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] south-west of [[Wivelsfield]] in [[East Sussex]]. It is a [[country park]]. which is owned and managed by [[East Sussex County Council]].<ref name=dsv>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1002188&SiteName=&countyCode=14&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Ditchling Common | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 12 January 2019}}</ref><ref name=map>{{cite web|url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002188%27 |title=Map of Ditchling Common|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 12 January 2019}}</ref> In many respects, it is a biologically important site of the [[Low Weald]] supporting a rich array of biodiversity not found anywhere else in the area. |
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''Ditching Common is also a common hangout for hookers, rapists and paedofiles'' |
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'''Ditchling Common''' once the King's land as part of the Saxon Manor, is now a Country Park (designated as such in 1974) north of [[Ditchling]] and lies between [[Haywards Heath]] and [[Lewes]] ''Italic text''to the east of [[Burgess Hill]] in [[West Sussex]]. It covers an area of {{convert|188|acre|km2}} and can be found at map reference TQ337181. The common is very popular with dog walkers and there is a sizeable car park that can get rather rutted in poor weather. The country park trail is a mile long (0.5 km) and passes through oak trees, grassland and an area of scrub. There are some willow trees in the scrubland, a lake and a stream. Birdlife in the park includes [[stonechat]]s, [[linnet]]s, [[woodpecker]]s, [[chiffchaff]]s, [[blackcap]]s and [[tit]]s. |
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==Areas== |
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The trail is marked by purple arrows on posts and takes about 40 minutes to complete. In wet weather stout footwear is recommended as the [[Weald Clay|Weald clay]] in the area gets very waterlogged. The lake is well used by local fishermen who fish for [[carp]], [[perch]] and [[roach]]. To fish here, an Environment Agency rod licence and a permit is needed. |
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[[File:Ditchling_Common_Country_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1446467.jpg|thumb|left|Ditchling Common Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 1446467]] |
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[[File:Track at the SE corner of Ditchling Common Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 1313963.jpg|thumb|Track at the SE corner of Ditchling Common Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 1313963]] |
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There are two areas of Ditchling Common: the northern area, which is owned by [[East Sussex County Council]] and has become Ditchling Country Park, and is itself split in two by the fast traffic of the Ditchling Road (B2112); and the southern area south of Folders Lane, which is owned by Commoner's Association. |
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Despite the publicised Country Park walks concentrating on the area east of the Ditchling Road, the area to the west is as rich in biodiversity with rare plants such as the tiny [[adder's tongue fern]] and big swarms of [[petty whin]].<ref name=":0" /> |
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==History== |
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[[File:Entrance_to_Ditchling_Common_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1471834.jpg|left|thumb|Entrance to Ditchling Common - geograph.org.uk - 1471834]] |
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[[File:Ditchling_Common_Country_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1463048.jpg|thumb|Ditchling Common Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 1463048]] |
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The extent of the present Ditchling Common (including the Country Park) has changed little since 1300. The manor of Ditchling, held in modern times by the [[Marquess of Abergavenny]], owned the Commons since in the [[medieval ages]] and only sold the land in 1950.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ditchling|url=http://www.thekeep.info/index.php?|access-date=2021-08-27|website=The Keep|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> During the following twenty-five years the richness of the Common's biodiversity was damaged.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ditchling Common - Thursday 17 October 1968 - Hansard - UK Parliament|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1968-10-17/debates/1feb1e50-631f-470a-a4d9-1a5f6c38d55f/DitchlingCommon|access-date=2021-08-27|website=hansard.parliament.uk|language=en}}</ref> The northern park became overgrown with scrub following a cessation of grazing the area. On the commoners' Common, where three-quarters was ploughed up and fertilised. There was a public outcry from local people and other commoners, who pursued a campaign to stop the destruction of the area's rich biodiversity. Ultimately legal action was brought on the farmers and the archaic biodiversity was partially saved.<ref name=":0">Bangs, David (2018). ''THE LAND OF THE BRIGHTON LINE: A Field Guide to the Middle Sussex and Southeast Surrey Weald''. Farlington, Portsmouth: Bishops Printers. {{ISBN|978-0-9548638-2-1}}.</ref> |
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The northern half of the Common was bought by [[East Sussex County Council]] in 1974 and the area was designated a Country Park. Since then they have started partial grazing of the area. The southern half is now managed by the Commoners Association who in recent years have done excellent work to save the southern area's biodiversity. |
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[[File:Jacob's_Post_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2365313.jpg|left|thumb|Jacob's Post - geograph.org.uk - 2365313]] |
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At the very north of the Common one can find [[Jacob's Post]] ({{Gbmappingsmall|TQ 337 197}}), which has the date 1734 on the bird at its top. It remembers the pedlar, Jacob Harris, who in that year committed murder in the Kings Head pub and as a reminder of his crime had his dead body suspended on a [[gibbet]] outside the pub for many months. The post itself took on a life of its own as people believed infertility and other ailments could be cured by touching the post. This continued into the 19th century despite the original post being replaced.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Spector |first=D |date=1968 |title=The Jews of Brighton, 1770—1900 |magazine=Transactions & Miscellanies (Jewish Historical Society of England |issue=22 |pages=42-52 |access-date=August 27, 2021 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/29778767}}</ref> |
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==Biodiversity== |
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[[File:Fish_Pond,_Ditchling_Common_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1446462.jpg|thumb|left|Fish Pond, Ditchling Common - geograph.org.uk - 1446462]] |
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[[File:Trail,_Ditchling_Common_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1446464.jpg|thumb|Trail, Ditchling Common - geograph.org.uk - 1446464]] |
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[[File:Bluebells_at_Ditchling_Common_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1588811.jpg|thumb|Bluebells at Ditchling Common - geograph.org.uk - 1588811]] |
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The common has several different types of acidic heath grassland, together with areas of bracken, scrub, woodland, streams and a pond. The rich butterfly and moth fauna includes several uncommon species.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ditchling Common citation|url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1002188.pdf|series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=12 January 2019}}</ref> It is in this area of the middle Sussex [[Low Weald]] that the old [[Weald Clay|clay land]] community of herbs and sub-shrubs, grasses and sedges, on the spectrum from marsh to dry slope, is at its most complete. |
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The Country Park is well known for its spring time display of bluebells, but unlike most bluebell displays that are usually protected by a leafy tree canopy, here the bluebell are sheltered by bracken. There is still [[Petty Whin|petty whin]], [[Meadow Thistle|meadow thistle]], [[Bitter Vetch|bitter vetch]], [[Serratula tinctoria|saw wort]], [[Dyer's Greenweed|dyer's greenweed]], [[Heath Bedstraw|heath bedstraw]], [[tormentil]], [[Betonica officinalis|betony]] and [[devil's bit scabious]]. There are also many orchids including [[Heath Spotted Orchid|heath spotted]] and [[Common Spotted-orchid|common spotted orchid]] and a kaleidoscope of hybrids. It is one of the few truly native sites for [[Wild Columbine|wild columbine]] flowers and [[Calluna vulgaris|ling heather]] clings on. There are still rarities too including [[Narrow buckler-fern|narrow buckler]] and [[Adders Tongue|adders tongue]] ferns, [[pignut]], and the little [[Heath Milkwort|heath milkwort]].<ref name=":0" /> In springtime there are [[Saturniinae|emperor moths]], in summer, there are [[Green hairstreak|green]] and [[green hairstreak|purple hairstreak]] butterfly and in 2017 a well established colony of the rare and elusive [[Black hairstreak|black hairstreak butterfly]] was discovered that is thought to have existed undetected for some time.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hulme|first=Neil|date=11 June 2017|title=Black Hairstreak discovered in Sussex|url=https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/news/2018/#76|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-25|website=Butterfly Conservation - Sussex Branch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926201224/https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/news/2018/ |archive-date=2020-09-26 }}</ref> |
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The commoners' Common is the only part where the character of the original common is maintained and there is still a sense of landscape-scale openness. The biodiversity of the western part survived the farmers intent on ploughing and fertilising the grassland in the decades following the second world war. Now the Commoners Association do important work to save the area's biodiversity. Cattle grazing and scrub control are systematic and regular and as a result the old vegetation is still intact. There is a mosaic of [[tufted hair grass]] and [[purple moor grass]], [[Potentilla|tormentil]] and [[Dyer's Greenweed|dyer's greenweed]], with low clumps of [[Dwarf Gorse|dwarf]] and [[European gorse]]s, some thorn scrub, and a few super-special 'lawns' of rare [[Cirsium dissectum|marsh plume meadow thistle]], with accompanying [[least willow]], [[Carex caryophyllea|spring]], [[Carex panicea|carnation]] and [[glaucous sedge]]s and [[Quaking-grass|quaking grass]]. On the marshy winter grassland, [[snipe]] are still visitors. In late summer large [[serotine bat]]s forage and the forest specialist's [[Bechstein's bat|Bechstein's]] and [[Barbastelle]] bats are also present across both parts of the Common.<ref>{{cite web |first=Feltwell |last=J. |date=2012 |title=Desktop Biodiversity Report |publisher=Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre |url=https://apps.eastsussex.gov.uk/environment/planning/applications/register/documents/datawright%20saved%20documents/scannedinfo/planning/lw-712-cm/sxbrcreport_wivelsfieldgreen%20july%202012.pdf}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> |
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Despite the richness of today's Common, much has been lost. Nightingales used to breed here, but no longer.<ref>Thomas, R.J., 2002. The costs of singing in nightingales. ''Animal Behaviour'', ''63''(5), pp.959-966.</ref> On both the commoners' Common and the Country Park, the closely related sub-shrubs [[Dyer's Greenweed|Dyer's greenweed]] and [[petty whin]] were host to dependant populations of at least seven rare micro-moths, which were the chief fame of the Common to [[lepidopterists]]. Most, if not all of the micromoths, are now gone, but their evocative names, such as [[Coleophora vibicella|large gold case bearer]], the greenweed leaf miner, the [[Agonopterix atomella|greenweed flat body]], and the [[Coleophora genistae|petty whin case bearer]], are remembered. Also gone are the rare [[Tawny sedge|tawny]] and [[Carex pulicaris|flea sedges]], [[Averrhoa carambola|starfruit]] at the pond, and [[Silver-studded blue|silver studded blue]] and [[small pearl-bordered fritillary]] butterflies. The [[marsh fritillary]] is also gone despite many reintroductions attempts between 1960 and 1991.<ref name=":0" /> |
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''Ditching Common is also a common hangout for hookers, rapists and paedofiles'' |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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<div class="references-small"> |
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{{cite paper|title=SSSI Citation — Ditchling Common |publisher=Natural England |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002188.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-10-26}} |
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</div> |
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==External links== |
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| ⚫ | |||
* {{cite web|url=https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/countryside/walks/ditchlingcommon/|title=Ditchling Common Country Park|publisher=East Sussex County Council}} |
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{{commons category|Ditchling Common}} |
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{{coord| 50.951|-0.102 |type:landmark_region:GB-BNE|display=title}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex]] |
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex]] |
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[[Category:Ditchling|Common]] |
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[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1966]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:51, 29 November 2024
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 | |
| Location | East Sussex |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ 334 185[1] |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 66.5 hectares (164 acres)[1] |
| Notification | 1986[1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Ditchling Common is a 66.5-hectare (164-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south-west of Wivelsfield in East Sussex. It is a country park. which is owned and managed by East Sussex County Council.[1][2] In many respects, it is a biologically important site of the Low Weald supporting a rich array of biodiversity not found anywhere else in the area.
Areas
[edit]
There are two areas of Ditchling Common: the northern area, which is owned by East Sussex County Council and has become Ditchling Country Park, and is itself split in two by the fast traffic of the Ditchling Road (B2112); and the southern area south of Folders Lane, which is owned by Commoner's Association.
Despite the publicised Country Park walks concentrating on the area east of the Ditchling Road, the area to the west is as rich in biodiversity with rare plants such as the tiny adder's tongue fern and big swarms of petty whin.[3]
History
[edit]
The extent of the present Ditchling Common (including the Country Park) has changed little since 1300. The manor of Ditchling, held in modern times by the Marquess of Abergavenny, owned the Commons since in the medieval ages and only sold the land in 1950.[4][3] During the following twenty-five years the richness of the Common's biodiversity was damaged.[5] The northern park became overgrown with scrub following a cessation of grazing the area. On the commoners' Common, where three-quarters was ploughed up and fertilised. There was a public outcry from local people and other commoners, who pursued a campaign to stop the destruction of the area's rich biodiversity. Ultimately legal action was brought on the farmers and the archaic biodiversity was partially saved.[3]
The northern half of the Common was bought by East Sussex County Council in 1974 and the area was designated a Country Park. Since then they have started partial grazing of the area. The southern half is now managed by the Commoners Association who in recent years have done excellent work to save the southern area's biodiversity.
At the very north of the Common one can find Jacob's Post (TQ 337 197), which has the date 1734 on the bird at its top. It remembers the pedlar, Jacob Harris, who in that year committed murder in the Kings Head pub and as a reminder of his crime had his dead body suspended on a gibbet outside the pub for many months. The post itself took on a life of its own as people believed infertility and other ailments could be cured by touching the post. This continued into the 19th century despite the original post being replaced.[6]
Biodiversity
[edit]
The common has several different types of acidic heath grassland, together with areas of bracken, scrub, woodland, streams and a pond. The rich butterfly and moth fauna includes several uncommon species.[7] It is in this area of the middle Sussex Low Weald that the old clay land community of herbs and sub-shrubs, grasses and sedges, on the spectrum from marsh to dry slope, is at its most complete.
The Country Park is well known for its spring time display of bluebells, but unlike most bluebell displays that are usually protected by a leafy tree canopy, here the bluebell are sheltered by bracken. There is still petty whin, meadow thistle, bitter vetch, saw wort, dyer's greenweed, heath bedstraw, tormentil, betony and devil's bit scabious. There are also many orchids including heath spotted and common spotted orchid and a kaleidoscope of hybrids. It is one of the few truly native sites for wild columbine flowers and ling heather clings on. There are still rarities too including narrow buckler and adders tongue ferns, pignut, and the little heath milkwort.[3] In springtime there are emperor moths, in summer, there are green and purple hairstreak butterfly and in 2017 a well established colony of the rare and elusive black hairstreak butterfly was discovered that is thought to have existed undetected for some time.[8]
The commoners' Common is the only part where the character of the original common is maintained and there is still a sense of landscape-scale openness. The biodiversity of the western part survived the farmers intent on ploughing and fertilising the grassland in the decades following the second world war. Now the Commoners Association do important work to save the area's biodiversity. Cattle grazing and scrub control are systematic and regular and as a result the old vegetation is still intact. There is a mosaic of tufted hair grass and purple moor grass, tormentil and dyer's greenweed, with low clumps of dwarf and European gorses, some thorn scrub, and a few super-special 'lawns' of rare marsh plume meadow thistle, with accompanying least willow, spring, carnation and glaucous sedges and quaking grass. On the marshy winter grassland, snipe are still visitors. In late summer large serotine bats forage and the forest specialist's Bechstein's and Barbastelle bats are also present across both parts of the Common.[9][3]
Despite the richness of today's Common, much has been lost. Nightingales used to breed here, but no longer.[10] On both the commoners' Common and the Country Park, the closely related sub-shrubs Dyer's greenweed and petty whin were host to dependant populations of at least seven rare micro-moths, which were the chief fame of the Common to lepidopterists. Most, if not all of the micromoths, are now gone, but their evocative names, such as large gold case bearer, the greenweed leaf miner, the greenweed flat body, and the petty whin case bearer, are remembered. Also gone are the rare tawny and flea sedges, starfruit at the pond, and silver studded blue and small pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies. The marsh fritillary is also gone despite many reintroductions attempts between 1960 and 1991.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Ditchling Common". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "Map of Ditchling Common". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Bangs, David (2018). THE LAND OF THE BRIGHTON LINE: A Field Guide to the Middle Sussex and Southeast Surrey Weald. Farlington, Portsmouth: Bishops Printers. ISBN 978-0-9548638-2-1.
- ^ "Ditchling". The Keep. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "Ditchling Common - Thursday 17 October 1968 - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ Spector, D (1968). "The Jews of Brighton, 1770—1900". Transactions & Miscellanies (Jewish Historical Society of England. No. 22. pp. 42–52. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "Ditchling Common citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ Hulme, Neil (11 June 2017). "Black Hairstreak discovered in Sussex". Butterfly Conservation - Sussex Branch. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ J., Feltwell (2012). "Desktop Biodiversity Report" (PDF). Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre.
- ^ Thomas, R.J., 2002. The costs of singing in nightingales. Animal Behaviour, 63(5), pp.959-966.
External links
[edit]- "Ditchling Common Country Park". East Sussex County Council.
