Changes: Foots Cray Meadows

Revision as of 22:27, 7 February 2012

Foots Cray Meadows is the largest public open space in the London Borough of Bexley, situated in the south-east of the borough bordered by Sidcup, Albany Park, North Cray and Bexley Village. The site, which has been designated as a local nature reserve (LNR), covers 97 hectares (nearly 250 acres), with the River Cray forming a central feature of the landscape. The meadows are controlled and managed by Bexley Council.

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Address: Foots Cray Meadows, Rectory Lane, Sidcup, Kent DA14 5NG (Map:; OS grid reference TQ478715)

History

The area was originally a part of the estate of Footscray Place. In the 1939-45 war, the house was used as a naval training establishment and in 1946 it was sold to Kent County Council for use as a museum. However, in 1949 the house was destroyed in a fire and in the following year the grounds were renamed Foots Cray Meadows and made over as a public park.

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Habitat

The site is an informal open space with a variety of wildlife habitats. The rolling landscape includes ancient woodland and the River Cray, with its adjacent woodlands and wildflower margins. Large areas of the site are managed as wildflower meadows, but this has still left large swathes of amenity grassland for recreational pursuits.

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Species

Birds

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Other vertebrates

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Invertebrates

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Practicalities

Directions

Foots Cray Meadows is accessible from North Cray Road (A223) and Rectory Lane (which runs from Bexley Lane, Sidcup, through to Foots Cray High Street). The nearest train station is Albany Park. The 492 bus route passes the site on North Cray Road.

Access

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Facilities

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Listings

Tuesday 7 February 2012 (10.30-12.45): 8 Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, Little Egret, pr Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 prs Shoveler, 6 prs Gadwall, 33 Mallard, 8 Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 13 Moorhen, 14 Coot, 94+ Black-headed Gull, 6 Common Gull, Stock Dove, 19+ Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, 11+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kingfisher, Pied Wagtail, 5 Wren, Dunnock, 6 Robin, 13 Blackbird, 4 Song Thrush, Redwing (3 flocks – 12, 36 and 4), 3 Mistle Thrush, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, Jay, 6 Magpie, 18 Jackdaw, 39+ Carrion Crow, 3 Starling, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch (Ralph Todd).

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 =='''History'''==
-The area was originally a part of the estate of Footscray Place. After the house was demolished in the late 1940s, the area was turned into a public recreation park.
+The area was originally a part of the estate of Footscray Place. In the 1939-45 war, the house was used as a naval training establishment and in 1946 it was sold to Kent County Council for use as a museum. However, in 1949 the house was destroyed in a fire and in the following year the grounds were renamed Foots Cray Meadows and made over as a public park.
 Further information needed, please