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Buckden Roundabout
March 2018
Storytime
Storytime is on every Tuesday in school term time and starts
at 2.15pm. This month’s sessions are on the 6
th
, 13
th
, 20
th
and 27
th
March.
Children’s Craft Activity
Our regular monthly craft activity will be on Saturday 10
th
March. The theme this month is Shakespeare to coincide
with Shakespeare Week. Look out for more details in the li-
brary.
Knit Lit
Knit Lit meetings are on Friday 2
nd
and 16
th
March from 8pm.
Knitters of all ages and abilities welcome!
Games Afternoon
Do you enjoy playing scrabble? Come along to our weekly
games afternoon to play a selection of games. Every Thursday
afternoon from 2 – 4pm.
Bell Ringing
On Saturday 17
th
March at 11am our local Bell Ringers will be
popping in to Buckden library to play some tunes. Come
along to listen and have a go!
Researching your family history?
Did you know that you can access Ancestry via the Library
computers? We have a subscription that is free to use for all
library customers. Come along to the library to find out
more.
Village Hall, Burberry Road, Buckden
Tel: 0345 045 5225
www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/library
Tuesday
10.00 am to 1.00 pm
2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Thursday
2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Friday
5.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Saturday
10.00 am to 1.00 pm
Closed Monday and Wednesday
Village News
More volunteers are always welcome. We meet every second Sunday in the month from September to March, starting at 10 am.
We do a lot of coppicing (cutting down trees to open up the ground to more light and heat), usually with
a bonfire or two. We also need to keep the paths open and cut back scrub from important native plant
areas. It is called the “Green Gym”, as it gives you exercise in the open air, while doing your bit for con-
servation, and having fun and meeting new people at the same time.
Anyone can join in. Under 18’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult. If you are interested in
getting more information, please phone George Cottam, Voluntary Warden on 01480 450809. We
would be delighted, if you could give us a hand for a few hours, once a month.
Brampton Wood – A jewel on our
doorstep
We are incredibly fortunate to live so
close to a wonderful nature reserve,
steeped in history, providing a home
to an amazing number of plants and
animals, and giving us the opportunity to walk in fresh air and tran-
quillity, amongst the natural world.
History:
Brampton Wood was first mentioned in the Domesday
Book in 1086 AD. It belonged to the Norman conquerors, until King
John gave it to the Catholic Church in 1215, to avoid being ex-
communicated after the Intercession. Henry the Eighth took it off
the Church and his Chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, gave it to his
family. It subsequently passed to the Earl of Manchester, based at
Kimbolton Castle, who gave it to his brother, Sidney Montagu, in
1627, along with Hinchingbrooke House. It remained in the Monta-
gu family till 1919, when it was sold to the Cranfield family, who
were timber merchants, for £10,000.
In 1954, it was designated an SSSI and was purchased by the Minis-
try of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries in 1956, subsequently passing
to the Ministry of Defence, as a safety zone for a firing range at
Grafham. When the range closed in the early 1990’s, the MoD put
Brampton Wood up for sale by closed tender. At this time the fu-
ture of the wood was very uncertain. But following a hugely suc-
cessful appeal to save and conserve this magnificent wildlife site,
the Wildlife Trust bought the wood outright in 1992, thanks in no
small part to the generosity of local people.
Wildlife:
With over 3,400 recorded species, Brampton Wood hosts
an exceptional diversity of species and habitats. From ancient
woodland, to grassy rides, streams, glades and ponds, this magnifi-
cent woodland supports a great array of wildlife throughout the
seasons.
Over 340 plant species have been recorded. The wood is famous
for its Spring bluebell displays, the Major Oaks at the beginning of
Main Ride and its two stunning wild pears on the western perime-
ter. There are lots of different fungi in the wood and it is the only
place in Cambridgeshire where the elusive dormice live. Frogs,
toads and newts breed in the ponds, and there is an increasing
number of rare butterflies, such as the Black Hairstreak, Purple Em-
peror and White Admiral, as well as many common ones.
Management:
The wood is managed by a mixture of Wildlife Trust
staff and volunteers, occasionally bringing in contractors. The rides
are cut annually on alternate sides and widened to prevent shad-
ing. The ride edges are cut down in a coppice cycle to improve the
habitat for insects, birds and woodland plants, by creating a mixed
age structure.