DEFRA Funding for Sherborne
A positive development from the NT and a hint of something special
In my last post I highlighted the DEFRA funding of £100K or so, for a local project.
I’ve had positive dialogue with Andrew Danson at the National Trust who says this is the funding received earlier this year and it is being used for a feasibility study and archaeological geophysical study of the area where the Sherborne Brook meets the Windrush to the East of the village. He kindly shared me this map of the area they have in mind for wetland creation.
This money was received quite a bit earlier in the year (it is DEFRA’s press release which was delayed.)
Now, you will remember too that we have noted the possible existence of a Roman Villa complex down here - see this link.
Andrew has let us know that the geophysical survey started this week and he hopes for an early report, and importantly he suggests the geophysical survey team are EXCITED by what they have found so far. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely excited!
I should also make clear that I would fully support a wetland creation within this general area, outdid the listed parklands and conservation area. The meandering course of the Sherborne Brook ran through these fields (one called “Drowned Meadow”) four hundred years ago, before the course of the river was artificially straightened and diverted. The area is not visible from the village, the fields are not particularly productive and, Roman villa aside, wouldn’t have a negative effect on our local heritage. The poor River Windrush needs all the help it can get and this money , taken from Thames Water after their stage management failings, is being applied here. I also think this dialogue with Andrew is positive and I’ve visited this site with him. I’m sure he’d be happy to discuss it more.
I deliberately haven’t made clear my view of the other proposed wetland via this medium but it wouldn’t take much for you to find out what I think about that. I see no difficulty in being candid about that project and being supportive of this one. This one could be a great paradigm of a community/NT working together. We need to find a way forward, together, and encourage the right sort of project, which this may be. Fingers crossed. Let’s see what the geophysical survey team make of the speculation about that fascinating rectangle down there, and encourage the NT to share their thinking. (Thanks Andrew!)
