Physical Character and Historical Ecology
This green lane runs due west in a straight line from Ferrygate Lane at TG447193 to Cess Road at TG440189 and was created at the Enclosure as Private Road No. 15. The green lane then continues west at a slightly different angle until it ends at TG429187. This green lane was Private Road No. 16.
The lane is about 12 feet wide throughout its length and on each side are the deep ditches created to drain the common marshland during the Enclosure. The ditches are regularly cleared to ensure that the flow of water is maintained and the silt is dropped on the banks. Very quickly vegetation grows and reeds and flowers spring up. In a few places trees – crack willow, white willow, pussy willow and alders - have grown on the other side of the ditch. On the south side of the ditch near to the end of the lane was a gigantic crack willow tree which looked as though it would be over four metres in girth but was inaccessible for measuring. It was possibly already growing when the ditch was dug.
