The Essex Naturalist 65
wormwood Artemisia absinthum. Of particular interest is a colony of grass
Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia, not otherwise known locally. It was plants such as
this that it was hoped might be retained when the site was to be made suitable
to become part of Epping Forest. A single specimen of bladder senna Colutea
arborescens is present, and seemingly favoured by cattle that have managed to
invade the area at times. Also present is a small but good specimen of midland
hawthorn Crataegus oxyacanthoides. Most other hawthorns in the surroundings
are C. monogyna. There is also apple Malus sp., a laburnum Laburnum
anagyroides and some large patches of bramble.
Kestrels Falco tinnunculus are often to be seen, often perched on one of the old
lampposts until these were removed in 199.3. Mammals include fox Vulpes
vulpes, mole Talpa europaea and common shrew Sorex araneus.
There is a locked access gate from the allotments where the southern
boundary is met. Though the City of London Cemetery is just a few feet away, it
is separated from the old sewage works by a public footpath known as "The
Bridle Path" either side of which iron railings form the boundary of both the
cemetery and the sewage works, which also has a hawthorn hedge. The path is
also the boundary between the London Boroughs of Newham and Redbridge.
An embankment accompanies much of the length of these railings with
something of the remains of an old track from the allotments still in evidence,
though increasingly impassable due mainly to bramble. The trees in the adjacent
wood are a mixture of much mature and seedling sycamore, some oak, some
silver birch Betula pendula and also hawthorn, holly and elder. A single seedling
yew Taxus baccata was found - about one foot high in early 1994. Much of this
wood suffers from having been used apparently as a rubbish tip in the past, and
this continues to accumulate in the form of rubbish being blown in from the
Cemetery. This is a problem around the cemetery, particularly here and on the
eastern edge where what could otherwise be a very pleasant path is to some
extent spoilt in this way. In 1996 some steps were taken to alleviate this
problem when it was suggested that a chicken-wire fence be erected inside the
railings. This was tried at the north-east corner of the cemetery and has
prevented some of the litter blowing through. Bramble and nettle constitute
much of the undergrowth of The Wood with lesser celandine, ivy speedwell
Veronica hederifolia, a patch of broom, a small amount of ivy Hedera helix and
annual meadow grass Poa annua.
The eastern boundary was until 1994 a simple wire fence with three stiles
erected hy Redbridge to separate their field. Something of a hedge was
developing along the boundary, with bramble allowing nesting sites for birds
including long-tailed tit Aegithalos caudatus. The removal of the wire fence and
subsequent over-enthusiastic mowing of the boundary of Redbridge's field
caused the developing hedge to be severely cut into. Even the thick bramble
where the tits nested became severely damaged. In September 1996 the
department responsible was asked if the cutting around the perimeter could be