The ancient
green lane going northwards from Moregrove is the one
which would have been used by the farmers since
mediaeval times to drive their livestock from the farm
to the Common. It is about 12 feet wide.
At one time it probably had hedges each side. The
stretches that remain are rich in plant
species. The hedge on the west side includes oak,
hawthorn, white willow, elm, elder, sycamore, poplar
and maple. The hedge on the east side is about
two feet above the level of the adjoining field and
includes hawthorn, bramble, sloe, ivy, rose, hazel,
elm, pussy willow, maple, ash and sycamore. We
found common yellow toadflax which we had not seen
anywhere else on our walks. These are very
ancient hedges which have signs of having been layered
in the past.
At TG453196
the green lane takes a right angle west turn to follow
the edge of the former common. Here it is about
15 feet wide and has a ditch which was formerly the
land spring drain along the south side. On the
south side of the ditch are 12 mature white poplar
trees as well as gorse, hawthorn, alder, elder and
oak. This part of the green lane was originally
used to drive livestock westwards to the drier part of
the Common.
On the
north side near where the green lane approaches
Ferrygate Lane are crack willow, pine, ash, sycamore,
poplar, bullace and privet. This stretch of the
green lane was Private Road No.13 on the Enclosure Map
of 1812.
1. The green lane leaves
Moregrove at TG454192
2. The green lane turns north
towards the river at TG455192
3. Farther down the green lane
4. Looking back along the green
lane towards Moregrove
5. The green lane turns west at
TG453196 and follows the edge of the former Common
6. Looking back along the
former Common edge lane
7. Farther west along the
former Common edge lane
8. The green lane where it
reaches Ferrygate Lane at TG449192