56-482: There are three villages named Offham in England: Offham, East Sussex , near Lewes Offham, Kent , near West Malling Offham, West Sussex , near Arundel [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
112-634: A non-departmental public body (NDPB), Natural England is independent of government. However, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has the legal power to issue guidance to Natural England on various matters, a constraint that was not placed on its predecessor NDPBs. Its powers include defining ancient woodlands , awarding grants, designating Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest , managing certain national nature reserves , overseeing access to open country and other recreation rights, and enforcing
168-464: A key part of proposals to regenerate existing urban areas. Natural England is working with partners in the growth areas, growth points and proposed eco-towns to prepare and implement green infrastructure strategies and demonstrate good practice on the ground. Natural England is one of the steering group partners of Neighbourhoods Green , a green Infrastructure partnership initiative which works with social landlords and housing associations to highlight
224-447: A large pond which is home to tufted duck and great crested grebe , with many mayflies in summer dancing above it - and feeding the swallows that skim the water to eat them. To the south of the pond, "flaming gorse" separates the brickworks from Kiln Wood. Recently the area has been approved for redevelopment into housing, [REDACTED] Media related to Hamsey at Wikimedia Commons Natural England Natural England
280-503: A neutral level. Natural England was challenged in High Court in 2006 by Peter Boggis, a pensioner who protected his house from erosion. Natural England claimed that as the site of Boggis's house, at Easton Bavents north of Southwold on the Suffolk coast was a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the protection went against the scientific community's interests. Natural England lost
336-521: A place of rich biodiversity with many rare species and were used by local people for recreation and wild camping. More recently the chalk pits appear to have been left unmanaged and much of the grasslands have turned to scrub. Now the scrub is heavily encroaching on the Offham double-bostal on the north west side of the spur, which is extremely biodiverse. The northern chalk pit has signs threatening £20,000 fines to be issued by Natural England for wild camping on
392-515: Is Ringmer , to its south it borders Lewes and St Ann Without and to its west is the St John Without parish. The farmland is largely owned by the Conyboro Estate. The soil is very rich. Fine crops grow on its superficial deposits of Alluvium , River Terrace Deposits and Chalk Head, over Lower Chalk , Gault , Lower Greensand , or Wealden Clay. Nearly all the meadowland around Hamsey
448-621: Is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . It is responsible for ensuring that England 's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna , freshwater and marine environments , geology and soils, are protected and improved. It also has a responsibility to help people enjoy, understand and access the natural environment . Natural England focuses its activities and resources on four strategic outcomes: As
504-517: Is last parish (or first) of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment which is a ten kilometre stretch of north-facing scarp that has been designed a Site of Special Scientific Interest . There is a chain of disused chalk pits along the Ouse river cliff and around the spur of Offham Hill ( TQ 400 116 ). The areas is prized by mountain bikers, picnickers, walkers and all those who like flowers, sun and peace. Most of
560-428: Is no sign of it above ground now. The chalk pit dug away the rest. There are also three surviving barrows between the camp and the covered reservoir, but they are becoming difficult to see under tangled vegetation. The covered reservoir, like so many, had a good Down pasture flora with rockrose , cistus forester moth, and old anthills. Offham Down ( TQ 392 117 ) is a special place known locally as "Happy Valley" at
616-463: Is now improved or cultivated, which is good for growing one crop but not for biodiversity or local species. However, there are still small areas of archaic meadow, such as the banks of the Hamsey Loop, which can host the rare corky-fruited water dropwort (recorded in 2012) and other colourful flowers. More archaic meadows can be found in Offham and Hamsey churchyards, along The Drove north side bank, on
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#1732880761036672-498: Is responsible for the delivery of some of Defra's public service agreements (e.g. reversing the long-term decline in the number of farmland birds by 2020 and improving public access to the countryside). Natural England takes its finance, human resources and estates services from the Defra Shared Services organisation. Information technology services are outsourced to IBM. Natural England was established on 1 October 2006 by
728-527: The Lewes district of East Sussex , England. The parish covers a large area (1,144 hectares (2,830 acres)) and also consists of the villages Offham and Cooksbridge. The main centres of population in the parish are now Offham and Cooksbridge. Around the main settlements are enlarged fields, isolated old cottages and farms. The winding and undulating parish lanes between banks, old hedge rows, trees, flowery verges and ditches are popular with cyclists and give good views of
784-666: The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 , which implemented the recommendations of a rural review by The Baron Haskins of Skidby . It was formed by the amalgamation of three founder bodies: It received the powers of the founder bodies. In 2008, Sir Martin Doughty , the Chairman of Natural England, warned the Prime Minister of the potential danger of genetically modified crops . However, in 2012, Poul Christensen, CBE,
840-471: The "new" St. Peter's Church built to replace the Church of Old St. Peter in 1840s. Offham hosts two Sites of Special Scientific Interest , Clayton to Offham Escarpment and Offham Marshes . To the west Offham has two chalk pits with a new scrub woodland surrounding them. Historically the artisanal chalk pits would have been grazed and past owners have made an effort to manage the area. The managed chalk pits were
896-606: The Bottom, principally to stop soil erosion from irresponsible winter ploughing. At Landport Fork ( TQ 401 110 ) there are three fine barrows. Often considered to be in South Chailey, Hamsey Brickworks, is in the very north of the parish. It worked the Wealden Clay to make bricks until the late 1980s. After working ceased an almost complete fossil of a bony fish was found there, which 130 million years old. The landfilled quarry has
952-525: The Chalk Pit Inn pit, may be one of the oldest, for it has the indicator species bastard toadflax , horseshoe vetch and rockrose . The thin open sward enables blue fleabane and autumn gentian to thrive and many chalkland butterflies benefit. Despite the biodiverse richness of the chalk pits, the lack of grazing means that that richness is year by year disappearing. Seas of cotoneaster , privet , sycamore, ash , and other scrub species are already over
1008-558: The Downs. In 2011 the parish had a population of 632. Hamsey village itself is located three miles (5 km) north of Lewes on the Prime Meridian . It lies just off the A275 which runs between Lewes and Forest Row , although the road passes through Hamsey parish at Offham and Cooksbridge. The fine medieval ex-parish Church of Old St. Peter's (now a Chapel of Ease) sits on a promontory amongst
1064-527: The Hamsey Loop, but much of the natural beauty of the water land corridor created by the Ouse would be under threat from such a development. A main line railway from Lewes to Uckfield is also obstructed by the Phoenix Causeway road and development. The extent of the modern Hamsey meadows is similar to that of the manor's 200 acre meadow recorded in the Domesday book but much of its wildness has been lost. In
1120-588: The Offham Chalk pits. The Upper Ouse Navigation was opened in 1812 and the Chalkpit Cut took barges from Offham chalk pit to the River Ouse , and two railway lines were built across the brooks. Up until that point wild Salmon and Sea Trout were plentiful in the river but the canalisation seems to have impacted the young Salmons' ability to use the river. After the collapse of the navigation in 1870 Salmon recolonised
1176-716: The Ouse until the hot summer of 1976 and the new weir at Buxted eliminated the last breeding group. The Northend Stream is on the north-south border of the Hamsey and Barcombe parishes and the Bevern Stream is on the north-south border of the Hamsey and Chailey parishes. Between the Ouse and Offham Hill is the Offham Marsh ( TQ 403 118 ), also known as the Pells. It is a 39.1-hectare (97-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest to
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#17328807610361232-714: The associated regulations. It is also responsible for the administration of numerous grant schemes and frameworks that finance the development and conservation of the natural environment, for example environmental stewardship , the Countryside Stewardship Scheme , environmentally sensitive areas , and the Access to Nature Scheme. It has been severely criticised recently by badger protection lobbyists for allegedly ignoring scientific data and granting extended badger cull licences to DEFRA. Natural England's latest corporate plan sets out its goals and detailed objectives. It
1288-503: The case in 2009, when Mr. Justice Blair, the brother of the former Prime Minister, ruled that Mr. Boggis' "human predicament" was more important than the site's SSSI status. Natural England won the subsequent appeal in October 2009. On 23 April 2019, Natural England (NE) announced that it was revoking three general licences in England for controlling certain wild birds using firearms. The removal
1344-502: The cavalry over-reached themselves and De Montfort's other troops battled down into Lewes and victory. Things could be very different on Offham Down if it were not for the action of conservationists at the turn of the twentieth century. Although it is part of an SSSI , in 1997 the farmer wished to plough much of the tractor accessible ground to grow flax , which was then attracting hefty European Union subsidies even on such protected sites. English Nature did not to use their powers and
1400-502: The chalk pits are pre-industrial in origin and fine sheep fescue sward has grown over them, giving them distinct qualities and richness. In contrast, the pit above the Chalk Pit Inn was active in the nineteenth century. The Offham Road, outside the Inn, goes over a steep chute which took chalk from the Pit down to barges moored on the Chalkpit Cut. This late Georgian pit is very different in character to
1456-482: The crown of Offham Hill for which it gained it the nickname ‘Little Scotland’ in Victorian times. It is secondary woodland, now. The area has a long history too. There is an evocative group of ten Saxon barrows on the short turfed, flatter ground of the spur, and further barrows up the hill but there are either destroyed or sunk in tangled scrub. There is a peculiar and attractive two-track ancient bostal which rises up
1512-551: The duration of these pay restraints and issues including equality and disparity between Public body pay increases. The following take from 2 December 2020 Research briefing on Public body pay. "In 2010, the Coalition Government announced a two-year pay freeze from 2011/12. Following cuts to local government funding, local government workers were subject to a three-year pay freeze. From 2013/14 to 2017/18 public sector pay awards were capped at an average of 1%. This policy
1568-500: The east and west end. River Wood ( TQ 398 162 ) is on the southern bank of the Bevern stream and is sprawling with Ramsons (wild garlic) and Kiln Wood ( TQ 399 160 ) is to the east of Hamsey Brickworks and has a magnificent bluebell display in Spring. Running along the eastern boundary of the county is the River Ouse . The river was used extensively in the 19th century to import chalk from
1624-704: The east side of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment SSSI . The valley sides are rich in biodiversity in all seasons. In spring they have milkwort , cowslip and lesser dandelion . At midsummer there are glow-worms and bastard toadflax . In high summer there is pride of Sussex rampion and, later, sheets of devil's-bit scabious . There are areas of acidic soils, and in these areas heathy plants, rare on chalk grassland, may still be present, such as heath dog-violet and mosses like Bryum rubens and Pleurochaete squarrosa. In autumn there are still old meadow fungi, including many species of waxcaps , earth tongues , coral fungi and pink gill . There used to be purple heather on
1680-523: The farmer commenced ploughing. Nature conservationists attempted to block the plough, but the farmer returned at night. The struggle then escalated and conservationists demonstrated, set up camp on the land and started to organize its ‘unploughing’ by turning over and refitting the sods. Local people also turned out in force. Luckily the battle took place during the general election, so the Conservatives and Labour competed to show their conservation mettle and
1736-418: The importance of, and raise the overall quality of, design and management for open and green space in social housing. In 2019 and 2020, NE noted that housing development could adversely affect the environment in some rivers as sewage outputs would increase levels of nutrients , specifically nitrogen and phosphorus. NE advised that development should only proceed in these areas where this could be mitigated to
Offham - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-421: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Offham&oldid=933025733 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Offham, East Sussex Hamsey is a village and civil parish in
1848-495: The lower boundary, although many were blown down in the 1987 and 1992 gales, particularly at its eastern end. The fallen beech carcasses are home to many fungi including green stain , turkey tail , lemon disco , jelly rot , porcelain fungus and dryad's saddle . Collared earthstar is here amongst the leaf litter. The spring flowers are most plentiful at the base of slope. Elsewhere things like bluebells are scarce, although there are swarms of early purple orchids upslope. In
1904-466: The meadows of the River Ouse . On the neck of the promontory, by the Hamsey Cut (part of the old Ouse Navigation) the fine old barns of the prosperous farmstead of Hamsey Place have been converted to a number of dwellings, and a large new pond created, with Canada geese . From here there is a lane that ends with Old St. Peter's church. There is a group of fairly large houses on the edge of the floodplain to
1960-501: The next Chairman of Natural England, said that middle England should embrace new technologies like GM crops as long as there were adequate testing and safeguards. As a Public Body Natural England has been subject to pay Freezes and pay restrictions following the 2008 financial crash, and is likely to be subject to the 2020 three year pay freeze also. Natural England staff have now been subject to pay freezes and 1% pay increases. Staff and Unions representing staff have voiced concerns over
2016-506: The north west, including the large country house Hamsey House. Internal shifts in population and in the central focus of the then largest estate (Coombe Place) drove a decision (1859) to build a new replacement church in the hamlet of Offham (this one was also dedicated to St. Peter). Pronounced "Oaf-um", this village is on the A275 just north of Lewes It has a pub, the Blacksmiths Arms and
2072-530: The older quarries. Unlike the alpine cragginess of this pit the older pits meld into the adjacent Downland at their northern end. In the past they were grazed as part of those Down pastures and bee , pyramidal , spotted and even musk orchids can be found there, with viper’s bugloss , devil’s-bit and small-flowered sweet-briar. The turf is very mossy and scarce mosses and lichen such as Pleurochaete squarrosa and Cladonia pocillum can be found. The southern-most of these older quarries ( TQ 400 113 ) south of
2128-414: The parish, is an area of alluvial grazed marsh. Its biological interest is due to its large amphibian population and several other scarce insect life. The Wealden Line railway from Lewes to Uckfield via Hamsey along the west bank of the River Ouse intended to use the Hamsey Loop but work was abandoned and the loop never opened. A proposal to reinstate services between the two stations intends to use
2184-537: The shadier parts, such as along the bostal, there are profuse growths of hart's tongue fern . At the top of the scarp top is Mount Harry. At 194 metres (636 ft), the hill falls within the National Trust Blackcap nature reserve. This area retains some rich ancient grassland fragments, especially where the slope begins to tip northwards. There have been frog , bee and even birds-nest orchids and there are tiny fragments of heathy grassland. In autumn
2240-494: The site. They have become a running sore with local people and conservationists, although they are still very beautiful and spotted orchids and glowworms can still be found there. Cooksbridge is centred on its railway station and has a primary school and a pub, the Rainbow. The name Cooksbridge is first recorded in 1590 and is likely to have come from a family of that name who were recorded in Hamsey in 1543. However, in folklore
2296-488: The slope beneath Coombe Plantation and between the plantation and Coombe Place. There are two Sites of Special Scientific Interest that fall within the parish, Clayton to Offham Escarpment and Offham Marshes . Clayton to Offham Escarpment lies on the South Downs and stretches across many parishes. Its chalk grassland, woodland and scrub supporting a wide variety of breeding birds. Offham Marshes , fully contained within
Offham - Misplaced Pages Continue
2352-399: The south of the parish is very little woodland left, although the parish had a relic common at Hamsey until modern times. Despite hedge clearances, some of which are now being put back, there are a number of notable Oaks to the east of Tulleys Wells farm. The area north of Cooksbridge, although nearer South Chailey , is still in the Hamsey parish. It has four ancient woods which is rare in
2408-496: The southern part of the parish. These woodland have many ancient woodland indicator species. Beachy Wood ( TQ 404 161 ) is the best of them. It is a gill wood along the western-side of the Bevern stream with wild service , sessile oak and crab apple trees. The wood has been described as "dignified, shady, and silent but for the tops of the tall oaks sighing in the breeze". Folly Wood ( TQ 399 153 ) has many Bluebells under hazel coppice, with some Hornbeam and much scots pine at
2464-490: The special downland scarp was saved. The Coombe Plantation ( TQ 386 122 ) is to the west of Offham Down. It is a relatively young wood, planted around 1800 which runs up the scarp slope of the Downs. Above the south west corner of the woodland are the Blackcap and Mount Harry peaks. The plantation has a cool and lofty interior of tall ash , sycamore, surviving beech and occasional horse chestnut . The biggest trees are along
2520-586: The staff who came from original bodies which vested to Natural England - The Rural Development Service, English Nature and the Countryside Agency. On this matter, and the pay freeze and pay reductions over 10 years Unions representing Natural England staff have threatened strike action. In May 2008, Natural England published a report, State of the Natural Environment , which brought together statistics and facts about England's environment. The report
2576-458: The troops of Simon de Montfort in 1264 at the Battle of Lewes . This seems less likely though. The original name of Blackcap appears to have been Mount Harry, while the hill now known as Mount Harry was called Lewes Beacon. Landport Bottom ( TQ 397 110 ), near Lewes but in the Hamsey parish, was a Medieval river crossing according to records in 1296. Lewes Council bought 110 acres of ex-arable in
2632-460: The trustees, no doubt concerned by the increase in traffic that the station might generate, agreed to establish a turnpike (toll road) at Cooksbridge at its meeting in Lewes on the 12 Oct 1847. It was erected adjacent to Friendly Hall. Conyboro Park, Cooksbridge, is actually in the parish of Barcombe . The parish of Hamsey is large. To its north are the Chailey and Barcombe parishes, to its east
2688-463: The valley side from Offham. It is thought that after marching from Fletching, the London troops under Simon De Montfort walked up this bostal on the dawn of the day of the Battle of Lewes . They will have risen to the spur, which Coombe Plantation now partly covers, and formed the left flank of the rebel army. Poorly armed and trained they were swept away back down the scarp by the royalist cavalry, before
2744-427: The village got its name from the cooks who fed the soldiers of Simon de Montfort from the bridge on their way to the Battle of Lewes in 1264. The troops came from nearby Fletching where they spent the night in prayer on their way to the defeat of Henry III . In the 18th and 19th century, the road was under the control of the Offham to Wych Cross Turnpike Trust. With the coming of the railway to Cooksbridge in 1847
2800-405: The waxcap fungal flora and as many as twenty one old meadow fungal species have been counted here. Mount Harry’s name probably indicates that it was used as a pagan shrine, or hearg, in early Saxon times, like the although the name was first recorded only in 1610. Others have speculated that Mount Harry, then Mountharry, was named after King Henry III as it was here that Henry III was defeated by
2856-560: The west of the Ouse. It includes the Pellbrook Cut, an area to the north of it called The Pells and the marshland to the south of the Cut and east of the railway track. It was designated SSSI status in 1989 because of its huge Common Toad population. The toads migrated in huge numbers every spring from the overhanging woods. To the south of the parish, the land rises into the Sussex Downs. It
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#17328807610362912-408: The whole of the river cliffs and the brow of Offham Hill, which were open turf before the second world war. When this process finishes this area that is enjoyed by so many for its beautiful views over the Ouse valley and special wildlife will be gone, yet if it were just grazed, it could be saved. There is half of a Neolithic causewayed camp ( TQ 398 117 ) on the spur of Offham Hill , although there
2968-399: Was intended to be used by environmental organisations as a benchmark and source for policy development. It complements reports on different topics produced by other organisations: Natural England funded eight pilot green exercise projects through local regional partnerships. These projects increased levels of physical activity and people's connections to their local green spaces. However, it
3024-579: Was lifted in 2017 and from 2018/19 to 2020/21 the parts of the public sector that are covered by the PRBs received pay rises above 2%. The Trades Union Congress has criticised the constraints that were in place from 2010, arguing that they led to a "decade of lost pay". The severity of the cuts by the Conservative government to Natural England in particular have been reported in the media including The Guardian newspaper. There also exists pay disparities between
3080-401: Was not clear whether these projects really changed people's long-term attitudes. Natural England is promoting the concept of green infrastructure as a way to deliver a wide range of benefits for people and the natural environment together. It believes that green infrastructure should be delivered via the spatial planning system, as an integral part of new development everywhere, and also form
3136-503: Was without consultation or communication. These licences covered 16 species of birds including several species of crow, gull and pigeon, along with non-native species such as Canada goose and sacred ibis . Natural England took the decision following a legal challenge by the environmental group Wild Justice which questioned the legality of the general licences. This rendered farmers temporarily unable to kill these species without applying for individual licences. On 26 April 2019 NE issued
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