Village's countryside needs some friends

Arun is hosting a public meeting about the future of Langmead's on November 21 at the Spire Room, St Mary's Church, East Preston, at 10.30am, followed by a nature walk. A questionnaire will be distributed beforehand, and the public are expected to give their views on how the land should be managed.

This area is of considerable natural and historical value to East Preston, as the one remaining area of countryside, previously parkland and garden attached to Preston Place. Very few people have ever suggested this land should be other than a semi-natural area, free of intrusions by buildings and structures.

Langmead's Recreation Ground contains three ancient fields. The large

Church Field to the west, and smaller Church Field east of that, with a wooded area to the north adjoining the Scout HQ, once known as the Pococks.

Mr R.A. Warren, of Preston Place, acquired the Pococks in 1856 and planted the area with trees, some of which survive. In 1876 he acquired the two Church Fields, where several clumps of trees included beech.

The Warren family sold this land after the Second World War, when it was scheduled as open space.

The Church Fields were conveyed by Mr Langmead to Worthing Rural District Council for 10,000 in December, 1962, with a covenant restricting the land is "for the purposes of public open space only".

The wooded area, Pococks Field, on which the Scout HQ stands, was conveyed to the council for 100 by a Miss Sharpus, of Preston Hall, in February, 1973, with covenants restricting building on this site.

Since 1962, there has been some minimal tree planting by various organisations. A replanting of the southern hedgerow is now needed, to replace elms lost to disease in the years up to 1976.

In 1992, a proposal for the land to be made a Pocket Park came to nothing. It envisaged areas at the edge as left to longer grass to encourage wild flowers, new native tree planting, a bluebell area created in the wooded area west of the Scout HQ and nest boxes to be provided. Arun would have continued to be responsible for grass mowing

and work on large trees.

It is assumed the present scheme will be on the same lines.

R.W. Standing

Sea Road

East Preston

* All letters to the editor must include a name and address, which can be withheld on request.

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