Site Last Updated
2 January 2008
Planting Holly Trees

Parish boundary well ‘pricked out’ despite wintry weather.
(Extract from the Parish Newsletter)
 

Part One of the Marking the Bounds event took place last September.  At that time, specially inscribed wood posts were driven in at six significant points around the parish boundary of Lynsted with Kingsdown.  The Lynsted with Kingsdown Society wanted to reinforce in Parishioner’s minds our community the extent of the recently expanded parish.

Part Two of the project was completed on Sunday February 29th, with the planting of holly saplings alongside the posts.  The Society believe that living markers provide more lasting features. Holly was chosen, because, traditionally, this species was used as a ‘navigational aid’ in the countryside. Hollies are evergreen, slow growing and long-lived. They also provide good shelter against unexpected downpours. Because they are so prickly, they are believed to hinder witches who traditionally like to travel along the tops of hedges!

On the day, there was a 70% chance of snow. But several of us braved cold and sleet to firm in the trees. Team leaders Allison Bowers, Nigel Heriz-Smith, Frank Champion, Robin Fielding, Anne Dawes and Julie Barrett are to be congratulated on a job well done.  Len Scott, Frank, Mandi Strevens and Tom English are warmly thanked for their preparatory ‘digging’ work.

The teams returned to the Lynsted Church Community Room for a well-deserved pancake and hot drink, prepared and served by Myra Scott, Mandi, and Norma Baxter. In all, about twenty members (and potential members) of the Society enjoyed this celebration of a piece of local tradition.

Chairman of the Society, parish Tree Warden, and event co-ordinator, Bob Baxter, thanked the landowners, J. Leigh-Pemberton, E. Doubleday, R. Boucher, D. Holt, K. Attwood and Fowler Welch Coolchain, for allowing the Society to use their land. Thanks also go to the Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men, Lynsted Branch, for kindly funding the purchase of the trees, and Tim Wilcox for donating planting materials.

Although the event took place on Leap Year Day, this is not the place to disclose what ‘questions’ may or may not have been ‘popped’ among the bushes or frying pans!

The Lynsted Branch of the Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men kindly donated twelve containerised holly saplings so that we could plant 2 at each post. The parties on the day drove to the boundary markers to plant the hollies.

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