Description:

BOTANICAL SURVEY

Turnastone Court, Vowchurch, SO358365

Comment and survey by David Lovelace & Mr & Mrs Hart

Introduction

Turnastone Court is a 247 hectare livestock farm managed by the same family for over a century, using traditional methods and is a rare example offered for sale in 2002.  It has both flood plain meadow and hillside pasture in the Less Favoured Area. Apart from one arable field of 17 ha (64) and adjacent fields (60, 61, 62, 65) which are leys of the 1980’s the rest is permanent pasture not ploughed, even during wartime. Field/parcel numbers used in this report refer to the Tithe map below – the map in the sale particulars has modern OS field numbers.

Agent: Mr. John Games of Montagu-Harris, 30 Lion Street Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5NT. Tel: 01873 853041. Solicitors for the Watkin’s estate: Gabb & Co.

32 Monk St., NP7 5NW Abergavenny. Tel: 01873 852432.

History

This part of the Dore valley is well known for the remains of the late 16^th & early 17^th century water meadow system pioneered by Rolland Vaughan; the various channels and undulations in the lower meadows are likely to be part of the remnants of this potentially important archaeological site. In 1610 Vaughan published a book entitled  'Most Approved and Long experienced Water Workes containing The manner of Winter and Summer drowning … As also a demonstration of a project for the great benefit of the Commonwealth generally, but of Herefordshire especially’. The Golden Valley history group has produced a review of the current state of knowledge of the archaeology of the site.

The extent of the modern Turnastone Court Farm is illustrated by the coloured area of the 1840 Tithe map, whose field numbers are used for reference in this study.

Only a few minor changes to field boundaries have been made and these were between 1840 and 1886 in the north part of the farm. Turnastone Court is well known locally for a long tradition of having local breeds of cattle (Herefords) and sheep (Clun). So conservative was the owner Mr. Watkins that legend has it that during the Second World War he stood at the entrance of his main floodplain meadow and told the War Agricultural Executive that the field would be ploughed only over his dead body. It apparently never was. Examination of July 1946 RAF air photos confirms this since they show these fields in the middle of being mown. Mr. Dennis Watkins (no relation) who was born nearby confirms this conservative picture, remembering the farm with its Herefords being ‘under-stocked’ by modern standards and only farm yard manure being used. After the death of Mr. Watkins in the 1960’s, his two daughters continued with the same management until the death of the last of the Miss Watkins in late 2000. Lack of descendants, complicated beneficiary arrangements and, in 2001, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) have delayed disposal of the estate until now.

Ecology

Plant species by fields are listed below, with comments.

The hillside land which extends west into the LFA is most species rich. The hill field north of Ladywell cottage (57) and the one north of that (58) has many ant hill tumps and indicators of old pasture eg Quaking grass Briza media and Yellow Oat-grass Trisetum flavescens.

Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum is frequent and Burnet moths are present with plenty of Bird’s foot trefoil  Lotus corniculatus larval food plant.  The field to the extreme west (48) and towards Shegear Farm was wooded in Victorian times and partly remains so today (mainly Ash and Hazel there are a few old Oaks and Holly), exhibiting a woodland flora including Bluebell, Greater Stitchwort, Wood Sorrel, Dog’s Mercury under Bracken. In the open areas the sward has Adder’s Tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and Devil’s Bit Scabious Succisa pratensis. A remnant of the belt of ‘wood pasture’ evident on the 1880 map is present as veteran Pollard Ashes and Oak, plus one Yew. The hedges are grown up with many trees but have many been grazed and have lost their function.

The meadows of the valley floor south of the church (66 and 373) have never been ploughed and although local sources indicate traditional methods the sward is disappointingly low in broadleaves but has very little Rye Grass being composed almost entirely of native grasses indicating that it is the original sward. I have spoken further to local people including Mr. Comyn who worked part time for Miss Watkins from 1992 to her death in 2000 and he does not recall any artificial fertiliser being applied; however we cannot be absolutely sure since it is quick and easy to whiz around with a spreader. They would nonetheless certainly qualify for retention under the EIA guidelines even without the archaeological interest. Also, last year the land was grazed by sheep heavier and longer than usual as a consequence of FMD restrictions. 66 and 373 have undulations which are possibly associated with the Vaughan water meadow system.

The field adjoining 373 and running south up the slope to Chanstone wood (347) is more species rich (like the hill fields in the west) with a cornstone outcrop and clearly has never been ploughed – flora includes Harebell, Penny Rattle, and sedges.

The fields north of the church 62 and 63 are re-seeded but native grasses are present. Wild daffodil is present along the water course.

Botanical Survey

Undertaken by I & D Hart, March – April 2002 (updated June 2002).

General Summary:

The area of ancient watermeadows and pasture, judging from the plant evidence, has in recent years been subject to eutrophic conditions through application of artificial fertilisation and/or high stocking rates. The meadows on the higher ground are more semi-natural. Nevertheless, this block of land is potentially of high conservation value, which includes a substantial area of former water meadow which could be restored using techniques well established locally.

Note: Parcel numbers are taken from 1840 Tithe Map