Friends of The Shire
Michael Wilkes (as Vice Chair and still stiff from a lengthy litter pick in the Dingles in the morning!) and Paula Smith took part in the Annual General Meeting of The Shire Country Park Friends on Sunday afternoon on 30th March. The Friends have had a very productive year and there were very informative presentations at the AGM from committee members representing Priory Fields, The Dingles, Moseley Bog, Greet Mill Meadows and Burbury Brickworks.
The Shire, extending for about four miles along the River Cole and with satellite areas, is one of the most interesting and varied country parks in the midlands. It takes its name from associations with JRR Tolkien and has an intriguing cultural, industrial and agricultural history. It has a wide variety of habitats and wildlife (including around 80 species (some rare) of birds, rare heathland, and a wide range of plants that include meadow flowers and orchids). Ancient agricultural use leaves traces at various points. The outstanding ridge and furrow field in the Dingles probably dates from the 11th century. There is evidence of agricultural use in Anglo Saxon times in Priory Fields and there are Bronze Age burnt mounds in Moseley Bog.
The four main pools are at Priory Fields (described as a Mill Pool but made as a fish pond - the once nearby mill was a windmill), Trittiford pool (the original name of which was Titterford, meaning ‘place of small birds’) the Mill Pool at Sarehole and the pool at one end of Moseley Bog (originally a garden feature). The bog itself (the probable basis of the Old Forest in Tolkien’s works) was once a feeder pool to Sarehole Mill.
An open-air performance area (a grassed mini-amphitheatre) in a natural setting - the Withywindle Arena - is being prepared by volunteers near to historic Sarehole Mill (withy is an old word for willow). Members of TSCP Friends have also taken part in three weekend litter picks recently to leave the park looking its best. With so little open space in Hall Green, we should make the most of this lovely and historic green environment on the edge of our area.
