Friends of Rock Road Library ‘Know Your Place’ Tree …...2019/07/19 · Friends of Rock Road...
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Friends of Rock Road Library ‘Know Your Place’ Tree Trail Notes, Summer 2019 1 Begin the walk in front of the main Rock Road Library gates. The Library sits in the heart of an area known as the ‘Rock Estate’. In the late 19th-century, when the Cambridge population was rapidly expanding, the Rock Freehold Land Society was established to develop ‘a splendid building estate’ on farmland in Cherry Hinton parish – outside the city boundary. The company sold small plots of land to private individuals and building firms who built homes to live in or sell for profit. Some of the streets, Blinco, Marshall & Hartington, were named after Rock Estate Board Members. Houses were erected piecemeal and there is little uniformity in the style of buildings – there are small terraces, semi-detached and detached houses. By 1892, only 45 of the 500 plots had been developed. The Library was built on one undeveloped plot in 1935. The area was incorporated into the city around 1904 - becoming subject to ‘the heavy burdens incidental to town property!’ Local Newspaper Advertisement, 1884 Start by looking across the road to admire the large tree on the pavement opposite. This native Lime (1)* was probably planted when Rock Road’s first houses were built - so it is around 100 years old. Victorians loved Limes, they tolerate lopping and pruning and the smaller varieties continue to be a popular choice of tree for urban areas today. Turn left and walk to the corner of Blinco Grove. On the corner is a fairly young ornamental Bastard Service Tree (33) planted by the City Council around 2000 when road priorities were altered; the first sapling was vandalised. Happily this one is flourishing. Carefully cross Blinco Grove, turn right and walk towards Hills Road. There are seven large Limes (1)* on either side of Blinco Grove as you approach the junction. It is likely that there was once a continual row of trees along either side of the road – Victorians favoured one tree per house and chose long-lived species. Council records show that, after about 30 years as trees became too large, home-owners sought permission to remove them. Other trees reached the end of their natural life or succumbed to disease. As part of Cambridge City Council’s tree-planting programme, where there are grass verges, ailing trees are replaced with a variety of trees suitable for the urban environment. Towards the top of Blinco Grove, turn left through the garden gate into St John’s Church garden. The church, in fashionable neo-gothic style, was built in 1897 when the local population had grown sufficiently large to warrant the constitution of the new parish. Along the Hills Road garden boundary are four more Limes (1). They are much smaller than the Blinco Grove Limes as they have been more heavily ‘pollarded’ – branches are regularly cut back to the trunk to prevent the tree from growing too large. Leave the Church garden through main, Hills Road, entrance gate. 1 * = Protected by Tree Protection Order (TPO)
Transcript of Friends of Rock Road Library ‘Know Your Place’ Tree …...2019/07/19 · Friends of Rock Road...
FriendsofRockRoadLibrary‘KnowYourPlace’TreeTrailNotes,Summer20191
BeginthewalkinfrontofthemainRockRoadLibrarygates.TheLibrarysitsintheheartofanareaknownasthe‘RockEstate’.Inthelate19th-century,whentheCambridgepopulationwasrapidlyexpanding,theRockFreeholdLandSocietywasestablishedtodevelop‘asplendidbuildingestate’onfarmlandinCherryHintonparish–outsidethecityboundary.Thecompanysoldsmallplotsoflandtoprivateindividualsandbuildingfirmswhobuilthomestoliveinorsellforprofit.Someofthestreets,Blinco,Marshall&Hartington,werenamedafterRockEstateBoardMembers.Houseswereerectedpiecemealandthereislittleuniformityinthestyleofbuildings–therearesmallterraces,semi-detachedanddetachedhouses.By1892,only45ofthe500plotshadbeendeveloped.TheLibrarywasbuiltononeundevelopedplotin1935.Theareawasincorporatedintothecityaround1904-becomingsubjectto‘theheavyburdensincidentaltotownproperty!’
LocalNew
spaperAdvertisement,1884
Startbylookingacrosstheroadtoadmirethelargetreeonthepavementopposite.
ThisnativeLime(1)*wasprobablyplantedwhenRockRoad’sfirsthouseswerebuilt-soitisaround100yearsold.VictorianslovedLimes,theytolerateloppingandpruningandthesmallervarietiescontinuetobeapopularchoiceoftreeforurbanareastoday.
TurnleftandwalktothecornerofBlincoGrove.
OnthecornerisafairlyyoungornamentalBastardServiceTree(33)plantedbytheCityCouncilaround2000whenroadprioritieswerealtered;thefirstsaplingwasvandalised.Happilythisoneisflourishing.
CarefullycrossBlincoGrove,turnrightandwalktowardsHillsRoad.
TherearesevenlargeLimes(1)*oneithersideofBlincoGroveasyouapproachthejunction.Itislikelythattherewasonceacontinualrowoftreesalongeithersideoftheroad–Victoriansfavouredonetreeperhouseandchoselong-livedspecies.Councilrecordsshowthat,afterabout30yearsastreesbecametoolarge,home-ownerssoughtpermissiontoremovethem.Othertreesreachedtheendoftheirnaturallifeorsuccumbedtodisease.AspartofCambridgeCityCouncil’stree-plantingprogramme,wheretherearegrassverges,ailingtreesarereplacedwithavarietyoftreessuitablefortheurbanenvironment.
TowardsthetopofBlincoGrove,turnleftthroughthegardengateintoStJohn’sChurchgarden.Thechurch,infashionableneo-gothicstyle,wasbuiltin1897whenthelocalpopulationhadgrownsufficientlylargetowarranttheconstitutionofthenewparish.
AlongtheHillsRoadgardenboundaryarefourmoreLimes(1).TheyaremuchsmallerthantheBlincoGroveLimesastheyhavebeenmoreheavily‘pollarded’–branchesareregularlycutbacktothetrunktopreventthetreefromgrowingtoolarge.
LeavetheChurchgardenthroughmain,HillsRoad,entrancegate.
1*=ProtectedbyTreeProtectionOrder(TPO)
InNovember2018,tocelebrateNationalTreeWeek,CambridgeCityCouncilplanted44newtreesalongHillsRoadbetweentherailwaybridgeandAddenbrooke’sHospitaltoform‘thebackboneofanewgenerationoftrees’.AlongtheStJohn’svergearetwoPersianIronwoods(35)andtwoJapaneseElms(36)selectedfortheirvibrantautumncolours.ContinueinthedirectionofAddenbrooke’sHospital,pausingatthecornerofCavendishAvenue.TheroadsoffHillsRoadwereoriginallydevelopedtoprovidefamilyhomes.Inthe1870s,theUniversityfirstpermittedfellowstomarryandliveoutsidecollege,creatingademandforspacious,detachedhouses.InthegroundsoftheEFlanguageschoolareseveralmagnificent,maturetrees:aHorseChestnut(11)*,CorsicanPine(12)*,Lime(1)*,Yew(3)*andHimalayanCedar(18)*.Peterhouse,Cambridge’soldestcollege,originallyownedthelandinthisareaandmanylocalroadsarenamedafterpreviousmastersincludingHolbrook,Perne,Birdwood,BeaumontandCavendish.
Around2000,theCityCouncilreplacedCavendishAvenue’sexistingtreeswithasmallbeechvariety(25).
TurnleftintoCavendishAvenue.PauseoutsideLadyJaneCourt.SomeofthelargeVictorianhouseshavesurvivedasfamilyhomes–althoughfewacademicscanaffordtoliveinthemtoday!Somehavebeenconvertedtoflatsorforotheruses-e.g.languageschools–and,ashere,somehavebeendemolishedandreplacedbymodernhousing.
Fortunately,thedevelopersofLadyJaneCourtretainedthelandscapingoftheoriginalgardenswiththeirimpressivespecimensofLime(1)*,HorseChestnut(11)*,CorsicanPine(12)*,Yew(3),Beech(5)*,LondonPlane(13)*-withitsdistinctivemottledbark,SilverBirch(7)*andCedar(18)*.ContinuealongCavendishAvenuepausingtoadmirethetreesinthelarge,well-establishedfrontgardens.
Inthegardenofno.9AisaNorwegianMaple(44)–afairlycommontreewhichself-seeds.Atno.11isanattractive,‘cloud-pruned’nativeevergreenYewhedge(3)-despitebeinghighlypoisonous,yewsprovideanimportantsourceofchemicalusedtomanufacturethecancerdrug‘Taxotere’.Lookacrosstheroadtono.12.Theunusual,largeGinkgo(21)*islikelytobeatleast60yearsold.Ofnoteatno.13isamulti-stemmed,nativeHazel(32)whosesmall‘cob’nutsareagreatfavouritewithsquirrels–asindicatedbythenameofthehousenextdooratno.15!Inthegardenofno.15a,andfurtheralongatno.27,aretwoenormousCopperBeeches(4)*.Therearemanyexamplesofthistreeinthearea’soldergardens–evidently,Victorianslikedthemsomuchthattheychosetooverlooktheirpotentialmassivesize!Atno.17isabright-berriedRowan(24),afairlycommon,nativespeciespopularwithbirds.Furtheralong,atno.21,afairlycommon,native,evergreenHolly(27)*isparticularlyfineandhasaTPO.AtthejunctionwithBaldockWay,crossCavendishAvenueandpause.EdwardBaldockwas,accordingtocensusrecords,arailwaysignalmaninthelate19thcentury–itseemslikelythathisfamilyhaslinkstotheroadwhich,untiltheearly20th-century,wasafarmtrackalongwhichcowswerewalkedfordailymilking.
AlongthevergesofBaldockWay,theCityCouncilhas,inthelastfiveyears,plantedacombinationofMagnolia(37)andLebaneseWildApple(38).ContinuerighttowardsGlebeRoad,pauseattheHillsAvenuejunction.Theplotonthecorneroppositewasoncecherishedbykeengardener,JoyBarker.Shesoldherabundantproduce,includinghoney,fromhergate.Sincesheleftin2015,thegardenhasbeenneglected,however,permissionhasrecentlybeengivenforthecommunitytoenjoythespaceuntildevelopmenttakesplace.
OneofJoy’sAppleTrees(26)-anexceptionallylargespecimen-remainsinthegardenwith,inthecorner,aLiquidambar/Sweetgum(39)whichwillprovidegloriouscolourtheAutumn.AlongHillsAvenuevergesareHornbeams(52).Thesewereplantedinthe1970s–probablyreplacingElmsthathadsuccumbedtoDutchElmdisease.Accordingtoonelocalresident,thecanopyprovidedbythesetreeswassodensethat,duringWWII,themilitaryconcealedtanksunderthemfromenemyplanes.CarefullycrossHillsAvenueandcontinuestraightaheadalongBaldockWay.
Onyourleft,inthegardenofno.13,isasplendidSycamore(15)*.Astheyselfseteasily,Sycamoresmaybeconsideredanuisance,however,thisspecimenisimpressiveandisprotectedbyaTPO.
ContinuealittlefurtherandpauseoppositetheentrancetoTheRockAllotmentSociety.
OntheAllotments’leftboundaryarethreetallLombardyPoplars(6)*andaWeepingWillow(14)*–thesearethirstytreeswhichindicatestheprobablelocationofundergroundwater.
ContinuetotheT-junctionwithGlebeRoad.
InthelastplotonyourrightisaRowan(24)andlargeAsh(8),anothercommon,self-seedingnativespecies.Intheoppositecornergarden,twoornamentalevergreensstandout:asmall,BlueAtlasCedar(16)*andalarge,WesternRedCedar(17)*whosefoliagesmellsstronglyofpineapplewhenrubbed.CarefullycrossGlebeRoadandturnlefttowardsMowbrayRoad.
ThetreesplantedalongGlebeRoad’svergesareamixtureofSilverBirch(7)andHornbeam(52).Inthegardenofno.62isalargeWalnut(23).Squirrelsloveitsabundantnutsandhelptospreaditwidely!Immediatelypastno.50,turnsharprightdownanarrowpathpassingbetweenbackgardens.
Overhangingthepathisthecommon,self-seedingnativeElder(30).Eldersproduceabundantflowersandberriesthatmakedelicioussoftdrinksandarehighlybeneficialtowildlife.
ThepathpassesmoreRockAllotmentplots.
Ontherightisanancient,mixedhedgerowofcommon,nativetreesincludingSycamore(15),Hazel(32),Yew(3),Holly(27)andHawthorn(31).Hawthornisanexcellenttreeforsupportingwildlife-itprovidesfoodformorethan150differentinsectspeciesandbirdsloveitsredberries.
ContinuetoHolbrookRoadandturnleft–walkingtowardsMowbrayRoad.
Onthefarsideoftheroad,thegatewayatno.14isflankedbyapairofdistinctivefalseCyprusses(40).Onthevergeoutsideno.18isaWildCherry(46)butmostofthevergetreesinHolbrookRoadareBeech(28)*-young‘fastigiates’.Outsideno.2isalarger,CommonBeech(5)whichisaround50yearsold.Thisareawasonceglebeland(farmedtosupporttheparishpriest)ownedbyStAndrew’sChurchinCherryHinton.Itwasdevelopedforlocalauthorityhousinginthe1930s.NotethattreeshadnotbeenplantedwhenthisphotowastakenforabooktocelebrateGeorgeV’sSilverJubileein1935.ContinuetoMowbrayRoad,whosewidegreenvergesformedpartofthecity'snewringroad. Alongthesevergesareasmall-leavedspeciesofCrimeanLime(41).
TurnleftandwalktowardsCherryHintonRoad.CrossMowbrayRoadatthepelicancrossing.
Pausetolookleft(towardsCherryHintonRoad)toadmireacharacterfulStrawberryTree(42)*,namednotforitsattractiveredbarkbutforitsfruitswhicharepopularwithbirds.Lookingtheotherway,onthecorneroutsideno.55,isadistinctiveFalseAcacia(43)*-theblossomofthistreeismuchlovedbybees.
FollowpedestrianroutesignsviaHulattRoad.This1980shousingdevelopmentwasbuiltonlandonceusedforallotments.Therouteturnsleft,thenrightthroughapassageemergingonWulfstanWay.Duringthe1950sand1960s,theCouncildevelopedhousinghereonlandownedbyLondon’sStThomas’sHospital.
TakeabriefdetourtothelefttoenjoythewidegrassvergeswithagroupoffineTurkeyOaks(19).
TurnbackandcontinuealongWulfstanWay,towardsStJames’sChurch.
AlongthevergesaregroupsofFieldMaples(9).AroundtheChurchandtheChapelopposite,theplannershave,pleasingly,incorporatedlargegreenspaceswithsmallornamentaltrees.
Youmaytakeabreatherandrefreshmenthere,therearethreeoptions:TheCoffeeHouse;QueenEdithPub;or,ifyouhavebroughtapicnic,takeadetourtoNightingalePark.
ResumethewalkInthepublicspaceoutsidetheshops.
TreesinthepublicareasurroundingtheshopsincludeaWeepingWillow(14),reputedlyplantedincommemorationofVEDay,FieldMaple(9),Winter-floweringCherry(34),Rowan(24),BirdCherry(28)andHillierSpireCherry(34)withitshorizontal,barkpattern.RetraceyourstepsalongWulfstanWay,returningthroughthepassagetoHulattRoad.Pausehere.Althoughtherearenotreesalongtheverges,therearemanylargeevergreensinsurroundinggardens–itisdifficulttoidentifythemwithoutcloseinspectionoftheirfoliage.TurnRIGHT,passingnos.35-43HulattRoad,thenleftintothecul-de-sacsignposted45–91HulattRoad.Thefootpathturnssharplyrightbehindhousesalongapassagetoasmallcloseofbungalows.OntheleftofthepatharedenseLeylandii(47).Despitethisfast-growingevergreen’spoorreputationforcausingdisputesbetweenneighbours,manybirdsenjoynestinginLeylandiiastheyoffergoodshelter.ThecloseisarrangedaroundagroupoffourWildCherries(10)thatmustbeworthavisitintheSpring.
Followthefootpathasitturnssharpleft,emergingonMowbrayRoad.Turnrighthere,walktothepedestriancrossingandcrossover.Continuetotheroundabout.TurnleftalongCherryHintonRoad.
Therearenolargetreestoadmirealongthisstretchofthemainroad–justtwopurple-leavedtrees–anOrnamentalCherry(34)onyourleftandaPurplePlum(48)ontheopposite(north)sidewheretheCouncilhasplansfortree-plantingaspartofthenewtrafficscheme.ContinuetoHintonAvenue,carefullycrossandturnleft.HintonAvenue,ontheborderoftheVictorianRockEstatehasamixtureoflateVictorianandEdwardianhouseswithsomefine‘Arts&Crafts’examples.AlongHintonAvenueisasplendidavenueofSilverBirch(7).Mostarearound15yearsoldalthoughthereisonespecimen,outsideno.24,whichisconsiderablyolder.ContinuetotheCavendishRoadjunctionandturnright.Here,therearesomefinelarge,Victorianfamilyhomesbutthemajorityaremoremodest‘HomesforHeroes’,builtaftertheFirstWorldWarwithgenerousfrontandreargardens.Asdescribedbyreturningsoldier,RichardReiss,therewasademandforanewwayofliving:‘thecomfortlessandbadlyplannedhousewithnogardenmustbeathingofthepast–insteaditshouldbeofpleasingappearanceinhealthysurroundingsandprovideforcheerfulnessandquietrestfulness.’ContinuealongCavendishAvenue.
Inthegardenofno.48,ontheleft,abrightHoneyLocust(49)*catchestheeye.AtthejunctionwithBaldockWay,pause.
AtthecornerisastrikingAsh-leafMaple(50)*.OnthefarsideoftheroadisaWalnut(23)*andintheadjoininggarden,aSilverMaple(45)*;bothtreesareolderthanthehousesconstructedattheturnofthe20th-century.
TurnrightandcontinuetoBlincoGrove.CarefullycrosstoMorleyMemorialSchool.
AlongtheSchoolboundaryarejustthreesmalltrees:aHawthorn(31),PillarApple(51)andOrnamentalCherry(34).Twolarge,raisedbedsinfrontofthecarparkofferperfectlocationsforplantingnewtrees!
ContinuealongBlincoGroveandturnrightintothepassagewaythatrunsparalleltoRockRoadtoendthewalkattheLibrarygarden’sbackfence.
IntheLibrarygarden,thenewly-formedFRRLplantedanorchardofheritageAppleTrees(26)in2008;theirblossomandfruitaremuchenjoyedLibraryusers,thewidercommunity,birdsandbees!
Congratulations,youhavecompletedthetrail–nowitistimetocreateyourcompetitionentry!
