Stafford Castle.

[Withnail]

The old BBC documentary on the castle. Part 1 of 4

Is it generally known that it's me that uploaded that?

 

[Withnail]

You can also enjoy the Fish People Tapes.

Should you be so inclined. And you should.

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[Withnail]

Please don't like and subscribe.

 

[Theresa Green]

Wood be

 

[Withnail]

Residents have chance to find out more on removal of trees at Stafford Castle

Residents are being invited to find out more on plans to remove trees that could be a danger to visitors at Stafford Castle.

It is part of Stafford Borough Council’s work around good land and forestry management with people being offered the chance to attend open days this week where they can ask questions of the contractors carrying out the programme.

The castle is home to around 5,500 trees but a small proportion are diseased and must be removed to make the grounds safer for visitors and the hundreds of dog walkers who use the grounds daily.

Joss Presland, Head of Operations at Stafford Borough Council, said the work would improve accessibility and safety through the woodland as well as enhancing the health of the existing trees and plants.

Acorn Environmental Management Group, specialists in arboriculture, landscape maintenance and tree consultancy services will be carrying out the work.

On Thursday 4 April from 3pm to 7pm and the following day, Friday at 7am until 12noon the contractors will be at the Castle Visitor Centre along with staff from the borough council and Freedom Leisure to explain what will be taking place and answer questions from members of the public.

Around 200 trees will be felled while a further 400 will have dead branches removed, along with other pruning, to help them thrive. There are plans for the stumps to be converted into homes for bees - as part of the council’s ‘Bee Friendly Borough’ initiative - and to become sculptures which have already proved a popular addition around the area.

Some of the trees to be felled have suffered from Ash Dieback - a serious disease which could see the tree collapse. The work is expected to take around two months to complete and signs will be going up around the castle grounds to let people know what is going on.

The council said the removal of the diseased trees will improve accessibility to other areas of the woodland and also lead to the creation of habitats for wildlife.

The Castle has dominated the local skyline for more than 900 years and the 26-acre site includes a Keep, inner bailey, outer bailey, woodland, and herb garden.

Mr Presland continued: “This is about good forestry management and is a positive programme designed to improve the health of the woodland, build bio-diversity - and ensure the safety of residents. We want to ensure the many visitors and dog walkers can continue to enjoy the castle grounds.

“I would encourage anyone who would like further information about what will be taking place, how it will be done and why it is being done, to come along to one of these open days and ask the experts directly.”

Stafford Castle is run by Freedom Leisure on behalf of the borough council. You can find more from their heritage website at www.historicstafford.co.uk

Ends

 

[Lucy]

Unfortunately I won't be able to make that due to work. If anyone does are they able to find out whether they are planting more, or perhaps you know @Withnail

All the surrounding land is getting very wet, largely down to the new housing estate, and trees really help

 

[gon2seed]

Lucy, I regularly walk around the castle, obviously they might say different, but I imagine this doesn't involve a hugh amount of trees; there are a number of trees that are marked with red paint. As they say some trees a going to be 'full felled' others branches removed. There are certainly plenty of trees without markers, and as there are a lot of trees, there shouldn't be many gaps when they've finished; but am sure they will have a few saplings to put in

 

[Withnail]

Unfortunately I won't be able to make that due to work. If anyone does are they able to find out whether they are planting more, or perhaps you know @Withnail

There's no plan to plant more - part of the problem is the site already has more trees than is sustainable.

Here's your dilemma - most of them were planted as a cash crop in 1950, but they weren't harvested as a cash crop when they became mature - this, in the natural order of things, should have (or of) happened between 2000 and 2010. Ultimately the trees actually belong to Lord Stafford, which adds a layer of complexity that people tend to overlook.

The woodland hasn't been properly managed since the budget to manage it was culled when the Borough Archeology Dept was axed in the 80's, which accounts, ultimately, to things coming to a head as they rather have now.

If one were to sum up what you may have missed from the consultations - some trees will go, others will be pruned.

As to the land around the Castle, well perhaps the Golf Club could give us an idea..?

 

[Mudgie]

There's no plan to plant more - part of the problem is the site already has more trees than is sustainable.

Here's your dilemma - most of them were planted as a cash crop in 1950, but they weren't harvested as a cash crop when they became mature - this, in the natural order of things, should have (or of) happened between 2000 and 2010. Ultimately the trees actually belong to Lord Stafford, which adds a layer of complexity that people tend to overlook.

The woodland hasn't been properly managed since the budget to manage it was culled when the Borough Archeology Dept was axed in the 80's, which accounts, ultimately, to things coming to a head as they rather have now.

If one were to sum up what you may have missed from the consultations - some trees will go, others will be pruned.

As to the land around the Castle, well perhaps the Golf Club could give us an idea..?

I'm sure I remember quite a large area of the trees nearest to the castle being clear in about the 1980s.

 

[Lucy]

Interesting to know they were a cash crop.

 

[Withnail]

I'm sure I remember quite a large area of the trees nearest to the castle being clear in about the 1980s.

Many were cleared in preparation for the Archeological explorations - they would have been 'scrub' rather than plantation.

There are photos from the early 50's that show the entire site clear of anything but rows of small saplings, through to photos from the 60's and 70's with almost the entire site engulfed in trees. The 'Inner Bailey' area was completely cleared prior to the excavations, and has been maintained so ever since.

Interestingly, the trees... no i cba.

 

[Theresa Green]

Do you say castle, or castle?


Have Mercia on me

 

[Mudgie]

Many were cleared in preparation for the Archeological explorations - they would have been 'scrub' rather than plantation.

There are photos from the early 50's that show the entire site clear of anything but rows of small saplings, through to photos from the 60's and 70's with almost the entire site engulfed in trees. The 'Inner Bailey' area was completely cleared prior to the excavations, and has been maintained so ever since.

Interestingly, the trees... no i cba.

But my memory is of proper mature trees rather than 'scrub'.

 

[Benedict]

Last time i was at Stafford Castle, it looked to be in ruins..

 

[DeltaHotel]

I see the trees to be felled are now marked
I counted more than 200
But I was excluded from school at 14