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Friends of Woking Palace |
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The Copse |
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The Copse is in the North West of the site. The area was originally used as an orchard and its more recent use has been as a hazel copse. This part of the Palace site is designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest. It has the best population of wild daffodils of any site in the County together with significant numbers of bluebells.
There are no earthworks of archaeological interest in the Copse apart from the three fishponds, a shallow ditch which probably formed the water supply to the fishponds and a bank created by the upcast from the excavation and regular scouring of the moat. According to The History of the King’s Works when two new bowling alleys were built in 1537, one of these was created in the orchard for the kyng and quene to walk in.
Surrey Wildlife Trust have been carried out work in the Copse. As a result the main coppicing work is now complete and a woodchip path through the area has been created enabling visitors to enjoy the daffodils and bluebells in the Spring. The Trust have publicised their work in the Copse on their website and included an item on the Palace site with photographs. Enter ’Woking Palace’ on the Trust’s website search facility.
Regular working parties of Friends are held to ensure a good display of wild daffodils and bluebells in the Spring. For details of the next Sunday morning (9.30 am) working party of Friends on Sunday 13th April 2008, please contact Norman Johns on norman.johns3 at ntlworld.com or telephone him on 07761221310. NB Replace “at” with @ as per note on the Home page. Your help will be much appreciated! How about joining us!
If you are under 16 years, please telephone Phillip Arnold 01483 825523 or Barry Williams of Woking Borough Council 01483 743443 beforehand. This particularly applies to those wishing to undertake voluntary work at the Palace in connection with the Duke of Edinburgh award.
Norman Johns’s photographs below give some idea of what has been achieved so far. |
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To contact us:email: askus at woking-palace.org |
Registered Charity No.1100852Copyright © 2008 Friends of Woking Palace
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