The Beryl Harvey Field in Knowle Lane, was donated to the people of Cranleigh in perpetuity by Mr Gordon Harvey in memory of his late wife to be used as a public open space. It is owned by Cranleigh Parish Council on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the Cranleigh Community.
The Chairman of Cranleigh Parish Council, Mr Brian Ellis, has recently spoken to Waverley Borough Council about selling the land for housing in the village. In a time of growing urbanisation in Cranleigh it is extremely important that we protect public green open spaces. This land is already owned by the community for the community let’s not lose it!
The next working party is on 10th May 2015 at 10am, please come whether a keen conservationist or simply just fancy an hour or two in the open air with like minded people! Children are welcome but must be supervised by an adult at all times. Bring your gardening gloves as we will be bramble clearing!
The site consists of two acres and has been managed by Cranleigh and District Conservation Volunteers, headed up by Tony Fox, since 1987 as a wildlife area, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Co-operative Society Ltd and the Gatwwick Airport Community Trust.
The site was originally all laid out as allotments. However from the early 1980’s these were confined to the lower third of the field and are highly sought after. In 1986, with the support of the Parish Council and Waverley Borough Council, the remainder of the land was set aside for conservation purposes. The field hosts a wide variety of wild spring flowers from roses and bluebells to Cowslips and many Common Spotted Orchids. The pond dug in 2000 also attracts local wildlife including a wide variety of birds, several species of dragonfly and all important bees too. Friends of the Earth continue to highlight the plight of our bee population. Creating havens of wildflowers like the Beryl Harvey field is essential to provide food and shelter for bees, and can help reverse the trend of a declining bee population.
In Summer more flowers appear including Lady’s Bedstraw, Betony and Bird’s Foot Trefoil. Later in the season swarms of common blue butterflies can be seen, together with meadow brown and gatekeeper butterflies. Large and small skipper butterflies as well as the large and small white butterflies which feed on Knapweed flowers and there have even been reported sightings of the small brown and green hairstreak butterflies.
Please help to save and improve this community asset before it is too late!
In the interest of conservation dogs are not allowed on the field at any time of year.
