Action Briefing Aug 2005 - Sept 2005
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

Heritage and Habitats in Northfield

Brummie life can be mentally and physically draining; we choke on car fumes, curse our late buses and bemoan our prehistoric waste management strategy. In the confusion, we tend to miss some of the things that are really worth seeing.

For instance, if you ever find yourself in the area of Turves Green, Northfield, do take the opportunity to have a look at the Sites of Special Scientific Interest sites of Balaam's Wood, and Rubery Hill. You could also check out the site where once stood a 17th Century farmhouse encircled by a moat. The site dates back to the 13th Century, a time when moats were 'in vogue', although more for prestige than defence.

For the last nine months I have been working on this site as a Sustainability Officer. The records point to the existence of 'Hawkesley House', a reputed abode of King Charles I that was destroyed in the Civil War.

The farmhouse that replaced Hawkesley House survived many challenges over the centuries until it was acquired by the Austin family and later by the City Council, who finally knocked it down to make way for a housing development, part of the 1950's post-war building frenzy that blitzed our heritage with so little discrimination. Fortunately, the moat, a scheduled ancient monument, has been preserved and is still under water. Very few moats survive and fewer still are under water, so we're talking a valuable piece of our heritage here. The bad news is that it is drying up.

The moat is leaking and depends on rainwater or top ups to retain its water level. Local residents have for years been trying to get the Council to maintain and preserve the moat, but fixing the leak would be very expensive. Even if the money was found it's unclear whether the work could go ahead without the excavations damaging some important remains believed to be preserved in the moat's bedding. A recent wildlife assessment has revealed that the moat's rich plant and animal life may include a rare newt species, precluding any intensive work during spring and summer (the mating season for amphibians).

In 2001, a determined group of elderly Munslow residents obtained Council funds to clean up the moat, which years of neglect and fly tipping had turned into an eyesore. Sadly, the condition of the moat has since declined again. New funding is urgently needed to stop the leak save a valuable piece of habitat and heritage before it's too late.

Nicolas Souroup