Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Frosty Fields - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?



"Back there in old Dunhallow the frosty fields are gray
And the wildborn birds are silent at the dawning of the day
And the chilly winds of January sough in the naked trees
And ice is on the dark pond from the hard overnight freeze......."

Lines taken from "Back there in Old Dunhallow The Frosty Fields are Gray" by Francis Duggan



Sadly, if I return to this very same spot this time next year or the year after there is no guarantee that I will be greeted with exactly the same view.



These ancient fields with their medieval ridge and furrows and fishponds are under threat from a proposed housing development.



As I stood at this peaceful scene watching winter thrushes looking for berries in the hawthorn bushes, I felt not only sad, but very angry and frustrated at the thought that, unless the Government has a massive rethink and redraft of their proposed new planning laws, many fields like these may disappear for ever leaving just row after row of houses.

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5 comments:

  1. Rohrerbot18 January 2012 at 00:43

    That's terrible news! Why can't they fix up the old and crumbling instead of destroying beautiful country for tract homes? I don't understand this.

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  2. Rob18 January 2012 at 12:26

    Planning is a mess everywhere, it seems. Beautiful photos of a beautiful landscape - I hope it survives.

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  3. Ragged Robin18 January 2012 at 14:19

    Rohrerbot - its hard to understand and I agree with your suggestion of fixing the old and crumbling. Once destroyed countryside will not be replaced.

    Rob - many thanks. I'll do a post on the decision re: the fields although I think it will be some months away as the developer has appealed.

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  4. Graham High20 January 2012 at 09:17

    People need to be housed, but the problem needs to be thought through. It's a complex issue, and nothing at present seems to command it except greed.

    Agonisingly once the battle for this site is settled, more unique and beautiful places will vanish elsewhere. I can’t see this ending.

    Betjeman was right all those years ago, but perhaps that shouldn't be surprising. We are living at a time where old battles have to be re-fought on many fronts.

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  5. Ragged Robin20 January 2012 at 19:26

    Great comment Graham - I couldn't agree more with what you have said.

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