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Welcome to the Bourne Conservation Group's website. From here we co-ordinate our activities, and provide a way for you to get in touch with us for more information. If you would like to know more about the group, use the menu on the left to look at some details of the group's work so far, and plans for the future. Our volunteers assist in the maintenance and improvement of public open areas and rights-of-way centred on The Bourne, Farnham for the benefit of residents and wildlife. Make a difference! Come and join us! Withy cutting for the Old Churchyard
Major milestone for The Bourne Old Churchyard project The Bourne Conservation Group has been working on the recovery of the charming Old Churchyard in Vicarage Hill for the past three
years and it is now probably looking better than at any time in memory. There are two main reasons for this: the first is the removal
of the invasive growth of brambles, laurel and sycamore saplings that were rapidly taking over, and the second is that most of the
fallen monuments are now once again upright.
Newsletter Winter 2011-12 You can read our latest news by downloading our Newsletter here Renovation of Taylor’s Steps
The Bourne Conservation Group has a new logo! The Group has been working on various projects in the Bourne for almost 10 years but now has introduced a new logo which offers a modern look for the group and helps to identify the good work that the Bourne Conservation Group is locally involved in. The logo has been designed to represent the Bourne’s features with its landscape, trees, water and wildlife and it is these features on which the BCG focuses its work. BCG is very grateful to all members who contributed ideas and for the professional help that was given. Bourne Conservation Group on Facebook
Annual Report 2010-11 The Bourne Conservation Group’s Annual Report for the year 2010-11 can be downloaded here. It is being presented to members at our AGM to be held on Sunday 4th September at 12 noon. Further details are available from info@bourneconservation.org.uk Farnham in Bloom 2011 Wildlife Survey Day, 18th June 2011 Membership The Bourne Conservation Group is always looking for new members. Membership is open to adults with an interest in the natural environment and wildlife of the Bourne and who are prepared to spend a modest amount of time on conservation work. Membership is free. If you are interested, you can download an information leaflet here. For those who are unable, for whatever reason, to be an active volunteer, why not join us as a Friend? Further details are on the ‘Join Us’ page. |
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All content © Bourne Conservation Group 2008 |
A withy is a tough flexible branch of willow or osier used for binding bundles, fencing and hurdle making. As part of completing the
current stage of our project in the Bourne Old Churchyard we are going to replace the laurel hedging in the north-east corner. 
We will
replant the hedge with more wildlife friendly species like hawthorn and blackthorn, but while these plants are becoming established we
need to build a withy fence, like the one around the pond. We already have holly stakes that were cut in Burnt Hill Wood last Sunday
and recently a team of our members went withy cutting near Godalming, under the guidance of the Waverley ranger Ian Baldwin. The owner
of an area of wetland in the Wey Valley has planted numerous willows, which are cut annually to provide a sustainable crop of withies.
Working parties from various conservation groups earn bundles of withies in return for help with cutting them. There will be further
sessions - it is a highly recommended way of getting out in the fresh air, keeping warm, and making a really useful contribution to our
projects. 
Recent work has included a major tidying up of the ruin of the old Sexton’s Hut in the south west corner. As the picture shows,
the surviving brickwork has been stabilised to create something that will be an attractive feature and also serve as a reminder that
this was once the active graveyard for The Bourne tended by a paid employee who used his little hut to store his tools and perhaps as
a shelter in bad weather. A ‘Bug Wall’ has been installed - a small rustic wooden structure to provide starter homes for spiders,
beetles, wood lice and many other creatures.
In addition to conserving the heritage of the site, a principal aim of the work has been to preserve and enhance its
biodiversity – a delicate balancing act. To that end four bat boxes have been installed and about 150 wildflower plug plants were
put in last autumn. Birds have been doing well, encouraged by the feeders kept topped up by one of the neighbours. There were quite
a few butterflies this summer and we have seen grasshoppers for the first time. The slow worms have done particularly well. The
introduction of the pond in 2010 has opened up the possibility of extending the range of wildlife and it was particularly pleasing to
see toad spawn and newts appearing within months of the water being let in. Moths too can be seen in abundance by those venturing into
the graveyard at night. For them, perhaps the most impressive sight has been the copper underwing moths (pictured) which love to
slumber in the roof of the lychgate: over 20 have been seen together on warm summer nights.
Taylor’s Path is a little known right-of-way that runs from Gravel Hill across to the bottom of Old Church Lane. Access from the
A287 is difficult, even hazardous, which means it is not well used but it is nevertheless an attractive path. We have diligently
maintained it over the years and have been frustrated by the flight of steps at the west end forever being hidden by earth and debris.
Therefore in August 2011 we resolved to make a big effort to prevent this happening in future. In two hard, mid-week sessions we dug
out the steps and, with the help of Nicky Scott of Surrey County Council, removed the equivalent of two skip loads of earth. Then began
the tricky task of erecting a wooden retaining wall down one side to prevent soil spilling back onto the path. For this we drew heavily
on the expertise of Bryan Snashall. 
Under his guidance the main work was completed on Sunday 20th November while a second team under
Lisa Malcolm tackled pruning work on paths in the Greenhill Road area. The woodwork on the steps was completed a few days later and
Taylor’s steps are at last in good shape again. Job well done!
They commemorate a former resident with the wonderful name of Montague Brook Wilbraham
Taylor (1844 – 1897). After retiring from the Army in India he lived in the rather grand house known as Aveley Hill which is the
large House half way up Gravel Hill with a boundary running along the footpath. The original dwelling on the site was a much
smaller one referred to by Henry Sidebotham as Bourne Cottage. Montague Taylor became concerned about the time the youth of the
village spent in the pubs, notably the Fox and the Happy Home just across the road. He therefore commissioned the building of a
mission hall providing more wholesome fare including evening classes, coffee and, for the girls, sewing classes. The building
(shown in the photograph as it was in about 1900) remains to this day opposite the Fox as Taylor’s Hall, now used by the Scouts.
It is good that this local benefactor is remembered by the hall and the footpath.
In April and May we tried to do basic preparation on all our sites, especially Middle Bourne Lane and the Old Churchyard which
will be visited by the judges. Now that June has arrived we are going round all the sites again to carry out more detailed
maintenance. Our attitude is that we want to use this opportunity to not only score points in the competition but also to
improve our sites for the future. Accordingly, in the space of 5 days, we laid a new rustic pavement at the entrance to the
Middle Bourne Lane garden (pictured) to improve the look of the site and overcome the erosion that was taking place.
Judgement Day was on Wednesday 6th July and, after being given a last check, all our sites were in good order for the visiting party.
Their route took them past The Bourne Crossroads where our beds were looking very attractive, and on to Middle Bourne Lane. There
they were met and shown around by Richard Sandars and Abigail McKern. From there they went on to the Old Churchyard where Martin
Angel and Paul Wheeler were in position (pictured). Martin, as usual had live specimens to view including moths he had caught the
previous night. He even managed to find a pregnant slow worm to show off. The judges later said how much they enjoyed their visit
and that “they felt they could have stayed in OCY all day.” At the gathering in the Town Office at the end of the afternoon there
was a chance to meet the judges, councillors and other volunteers for a chat over tea. BCG had put up display panels illustrating
the work of the group and these attracted much attention.
When selecting the date of our third Survey and Training Day we can perhaps be forgiven for not consulting the sporting calendar.
Mistake! The start of Wimbledon week was bound to be wet, and so it proved. However, despite some heavy showers a very successful
event was staged in the Old Churchyard as a joint venture between the Surrey Wildlife Trust and ourselves. A total of 14 people
took part including two engaging and very well informed young children.
After the usual preliminaries, Martin Angel revealed the contents of the moth trap he had run the previous night. The catch was
modest in terms of numbers because of the cool and drizzly conditions but interesting nevertheless as illustrated by the Buff
Ermine moth. After this the students were split into teams which set about the task of collecting and identifying the animals
that had accumulated under mats and in pitfall traps put in place the previous day. There were many interesting specimens,
reflecting the varying habitats found in the Old Churchyard. The session finished with the trial of a new protocol for surveying
hedgerow fauna using a dustpan and brush. Yes, you did read that correctly!