There was some disquiet recently to see that the rather sculptural but dead tree on the Western edge of the field had been felled. The Brewery Field is now in the Chichester Conservation Area and so all the trees are protected and none may be removed without planning permission. This particular tree was removed for safety reasons.

As part of our developing programme of activities, Westgate residents Jan and David Tregear have been preparing a tree quiz and Brian Hopkins, our very own tree warden, has made an exhaustive inventory of the trees on the field which is reproduced here. All the trees are around the edge and shrubs are generally omitted from this list. Brian has also given the scientific names, as English names are not always reliable. Various notes have been added in italics, the ones in bold will help you get your bearings:


We start on the South Side: walking from East to West

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’] several behind birches

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)

Laurel         = Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis)

Here there is a gap – with Henty Gardens garages over fence

And a pile of wood chippings

Rowan = Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)

Leyland Cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii) – several

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)

Leyland Cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’]

Dead tree now felled – large; probably Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastrum)

Field looking into the South-West corner

West Side: South to North

Bay (Laurus nobilis) – a large shrub

Holly (Ilex acutifolium) – tiny; under Bay

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) – not a tree

Large gap

Weeping Willow [a variety of White Willow] (Salix alba ‘Tristis’) – very large girth [largest (of species) in Sussex (and Britain) is 238 cm diam]; fork low down on main trunk; this tree is worth measuring professionally and checking identity

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’] – large; away from fence

Silver Fir (Abies sp.; are 50 species) – in garden over fence

Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastrum)

English Oak (Quercus robur)

2nd English Oak (Quercus robur)

3rd English Oak (Quercus robur)

Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) – needles in threes; cones asymmetric at base

Up the alleyway. The new wire fence runs on the right from here on

Common Laburnum (Laburnum amagyroides) – over garden fence; at least two of them

Buddleia (Buddleija davidii) – a shrub; by wire fence

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’]

         path now narrower due to bend in wire fence

Cider Gum (Eucalyptus gunnii) – large tree; shedding bark; over garden fence

Plum (Prunus domestica agg.) – [long-cultivated complex hybrids and varieties]

Pampas Grass

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’] large at extreme end of path

North Side: West to East

Buddleia (Buddleija davidii) – a shrub; by wire fence

In a group

Common Lime (Tilia. x europaea) – away from wire fence

Common Lime (Tilia. x europaea) – away from wire fence

Common Lime (Tilia. x europaea) – away from wire fence

East Side: North to South

Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) – more Ash trees further east

Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Holm Oak (Quercus ilex)

Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) – [‘now frequent as a street tree’] large tree; largest in Sussex is 83 cm diameter

Variegated Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Variegatum’)

Variegated Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Variegatum’)

Variegated Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Variegatum’)

 

A seat, away from the edge

Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) – [‘now frequent as a street tree’] large tree; largest in Sussex is 83 cm diameter

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’] several

Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) – [‘now frequent as a street tree’] large tree; largest in Sussex is 83 cm diameter

Silver Birch (Betula pendula) – over boundary

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – [‘does not qualify as a tree’] several; dead

 

List complied B.H. – 07 August 2017


Colin Hicks

Site Admin - Westgate Residents' Association Chichester

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