Hawkesbury Common - tranquility and beasts
Hawkesbury and Inglestone Commons - these extensive commons with their typical settlement pattern of small groups of cottages and farms around the edges, are ancient landscape features which have survived unchanged for a millennium. Commons were part of the “waste” of a manor, not suitable for arable or rich meadow land. Hawkesbury Common was known as “Hawkesburye’s More”, and Inglestone Common as “Inguston Greene”, “The Green Common”, or even “The Grosse Common of Hawkesbury below the Hill”.
The traditional grazing period of beasts on the commons was regulated by manorial custom, as were their number and type. Animals do not respect parish boundaries, as this account from 1603 shows: “the wastes of these two manors (Hawkesbury and Horton) do abutt each upon the other divided only with a little brook or ford through which cattle have used time out of mind to wade or stray through into the other common”.
At fixed times of the year the Lord of the Manor could “drive” the common and “if he findeth any cattle of the tenants of Horton then he impound them and for any beasts the owner do paye a poundpenny before they have had these cattle again delivered”.
The traditional grazing period of beasts on the commons was regulated by manorial custom, as were their number and type. Animals do not respect parish boundaries, as this account from 1603 shows: “the wastes of these two manors (Hawkesbury and Horton) do abutt each upon the other divided only with a little brook or ford through which cattle have used time out of mind to wade or stray through into the other common”.
At fixed times of the year the Lord of the Manor could “drive” the common and “if he findeth any cattle of the tenants of Horton then he impound them and for any beasts the owner do paye a poundpenny before they have had these cattle again delivered”.
New Trees for the CommonsThese trees have been planted as part of the Higher Tier stewardship, funded by Defra to create wood pasture. They are planted at whole life spacing, meaning that they will have plenty of space to grow to their full extent, hopefully to become old, gnarled guardians of the landscape in a few hundred years or so!
The trees have been chosen for their suitability to the landscape and benefits to wildlife. The species are English oak, field maple, hornbeam, disease resistant elm, silver birch, wild cherry, crab apple, goat willow and small leaved lime. This mosaic habitat is very important, the value of the mixture of habitats is greater than the sum of its parts. Wide spacing means that grazing is still possible and the addition of shade may be very beneficial to grazing animals with warmer summers. We will be monitoring the effect of the tree planting through biodiversity surveys. |
Management of Hawkesbury, Inglestone, Assley and Hareley CommonsThe commons are all managed by South Gloucestershire Council. Hawkesbury, Inglestone, Assley and Hareley Commons are owned by Badminton Estate. Hareley and Assley Commons are located in Stroud District Council and managed by South Gloucestershire Council.
Information on management of the group of commons, including the scrub management plan, can be found on this site under the Management of Commons section. |