Haysden Country Park
Encyclopedia
Haysden Country Park is a country park on the outskirts of Tonbridge, Kent, in the south-east of England
.
running through it. The park is home to a variety of wildlife including waterfowl
, wild flowers, and insect life. It is designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest
, and as of it has been designated a Local Nature Reserve
.
The A21 passes over the top of Haysden lake, held by a viaduct
.
.
Leading off the River Medway is the Straight Mile, which was dug in 1830 intending to be a canal leading to Tonbridge
Water Mill (by James Christie). But it was never filled with water, can still be seen and the Stone Lock , built in 1829 (also by James Christie) at Haysden, remains largely intact. It leads towards Haysden Water. The lock was intended for transferring barges between the level of the Straight Mile and the higher level of the River Medway.
Another section of the park is The Shallows, a winding stream leading of the River Medway, with various gravel beds for crossing the river. It was at one stage part of the River Medway having natural bends called meander
s which were
sometimes shallow and therefore difficult to navigate with large boats. Since the river was used by canal craft, a boat-able diversion was constructed around this section. The
Shallows then become a quiet backwater stream which is gradually developing into marshland.
Barden Lake was created when sand and gravel was extracted from the land between 1974 and 1980. Dragline excavator
s were used to dig the material out. The Lake is approximately 3.6 metres (12 feet) deep.
A World War II
pillbox
can be found in the hedgerow along the riverbank. This pill box and others along the River Medway formed part of the Ironside Line. On 27 May 1944, Prime Minister
Churchill had put General Sir Edmund Ironside, create a premier line of defence against German Invasion forces.
A project to go about naming the 14 bridges that are included in the park was announced on at the Tonbridge Forum, names had been decided, however it has proved difficult to raise the funds to carry out the signposting.
Regional Cycle Route 12 leads from Penshurst
through the park towards Tonbridge.
The nearest railway station is Tonbridge (1.5 miles).
winning park. In January 2001, the park was applauded by the Tonbridge and Malling Access Group for its achievement in providing access for disabled people.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Geography
The park comprises 64 hectares (158.1 acre) of countryside to the west of Tonbridge. The park has two lakes, Barden and Haysden Water, and a stretch of the River MedwayRiver Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
running through it. The park is home to a variety of wildlife including waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, wild flowers, and insect life. It is designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest
Site of Nature Conservation Interest
Site of Nature Conservation Interest is a designation used in many parts of the United Kingdom to protect areas of importance for wildlife and geology at a county scale...
, and as of it has been designated a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
.
The A21 passes over the top of Haysden lake, held by a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
.
History
The park was opened as a Country Park in 1988, but the land had been partly owned by the Tonbridge Council and was used by the public long before this time. It is still managed by Tonbridge and Malling Borough CouncilTonbridge and Malling Borough Council
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is the second level local authority for the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, United Kingdom.-History:...
.
Leading off the River Medway is the Straight Mile, which was dug in 1830 intending to be a canal leading to Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
Water Mill (by James Christie). But it was never filled with water, can still be seen and the Stone Lock , built in 1829 (also by James Christie) at Haysden, remains largely intact. It leads towards Haysden Water. The lock was intended for transferring barges between the level of the Straight Mile and the higher level of the River Medway.
Another section of the park is The Shallows, a winding stream leading of the River Medway, with various gravel beds for crossing the river. It was at one stage part of the River Medway having natural bends called meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
s which were
sometimes shallow and therefore difficult to navigate with large boats. Since the river was used by canal craft, a boat-able diversion was constructed around this section. The
Shallows then become a quiet backwater stream which is gradually developing into marshland.
Barden Lake was created when sand and gravel was extracted from the land between 1974 and 1980. Dragline excavator
Dragline excavator
A dragline excavator is a piece of heavy equipment used in civil engineering and surface mining.In civil engineering the smaller types are used for road, port construction, and as pile driving rigs. The larger types are used in strip-mining operations to move overburden above coal, and for...
s were used to dig the material out. The Lake is approximately 3.6 metres (12 feet) deep.
A World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
pillbox
Pillbox
Pillbox may refer to:* A pill organizer* Pillbox hat* Military term for a type of bunker* For military pillboxes in the UK, see: British hardened field defences of World War II...
can be found in the hedgerow along the riverbank. This pill box and others along the River Medway formed part of the Ironside Line. On 27 May 1944, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Churchill had put General Sir Edmund Ironside, create a premier line of defence against German Invasion forces.
A project to go about naming the 14 bridges that are included in the park was announced on at the Tonbridge Forum, names had been decided, however it has proved difficult to raise the funds to carry out the signposting.
How to get there
From Tonbridge, the Lower Haysden Road leads towards Lower Haysden and Upper Haysden. On the left is the visitor centre and car park.Regional Cycle Route 12 leads from Penshurst
Penshurst
Penshurst is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. The parish is located on the northern slopes of the Weald, west of Tonbridge. Within the parish boundaries are the two villages of Penshurst and Fordcombe, with a combined population of some 1,479 persons. The...
through the park towards Tonbridge.
The nearest railway station is Tonbridge (1.5 miles).
Activities
The park is a setting for a variety of leisure activities.- WalkingWalkingWalking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
- The Eden Valley Walk and WealdwayWealdwayThe Wealdway, Kent and East Sussex, is a public footpath that runs from Gravesend, Kent on the Thames estuary, to the A259 at Eastbourne, 3 km north of Beachy Head....
lead through the park.
- Children's play area
- SailingSailingSailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
- FishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
- Nature studyNature studyThe nature study movement was a popular education movement in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nature study attempted to reconcile scientific investigation with spiritual, personal experiences gained from interaction with the natural world...
- VolunteeringVolunteeringVolunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be...
Fishing
This is run by Tonbridge & District Angling & Fish Preservation Society, and is controlled by a warden on Barden Lake.Sailing
This is encouraged on Haysden Lake by Tonbridge Town Sailing Club for small vessels.Nature and Historical Trails
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council publish guides for people to use to discover the nature and history of the area. These walks have been described as "interesting"Awards
Since 2006 the park has been a Green Flag AwardGreen Flag Award
The Green Flag Award is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the United Kingdom. The scheme was set up in 1996 to recognise and reward green spaces in England and Wales that met the laid down high standards...
winning park. In January 2001, the park was applauded by the Tonbridge and Malling Access Group for its achievement in providing access for disabled people.