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)
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