Welcome to the Rudloe and environs website.
Here you will find news, articles and photos of an area that straddles the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in north-west Wiltshire.
Contributions in the form of articles or photos are welcome. Even those with completely contrary views to mine!
Thanks to the website builder 1&1 and Rob Brown for the original idea.
Rudloescene now, in January 2014, has a sister, academic rather than anarchic, website about Box history here: http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/
It contains thoroughly professional, well-researched articles about Box and its people.
Contact rudloescene through the 'Contact' page.
Saturday 16th January 2021 brought a dull day before the Monday, the third in January, when people apparently feel at their worst during the year. This day has now received the appellation Blue Monday. But let's look on the bright side, at the wonders that surround us, starting with the title picture of moss in the Donkey Field woodland. There are 12,000 species of moss, a plant which stores more carbon than any other land plant, so keep that moss on your lawn! Interesting that if 'moss' is entered as a search key in your Internet browser, the assumption is made that you want to kill it. More pictures of moss follow.
In these days of the third Covid lockdown (effectively), it's incredible how many people are out and about on local walks, people I have never seen before and, in some cases (see picture below), people who don't know how to behave in the countryside.
The site of Webb's shop in Boxfields Road; the land is still owned by the Webb family. On the railings (fabricated by Arthur Larkin) sits a notice from Wessex Water regarding the installation of three sluice valves here (see below).
Call me cynical if you like, but I wonder why a new water main is being installed in Boxfields Road along with three sluice valves on Webb's land (which the Webbs know nothing of). Valves for connections to speculative developments (on Payne's land)?
Last time I passed Woodland Adventurers, I didn't see this chap and feared the worst. We had a long conversation consisting of a grunt (from him) about every five seconds and suitable responses from yours truly.
All Tim Barton's arable fields here are set to overwintered stubble which is good for wildlife when not disturbed (see below). They will be sown with spring barley in the coming weeks and 20 skylark plots installed. Chapel Plaister beyond.
Two of the five groups of people passed in White Ennox Lane - the following pair had been walking around the field edge
Old man's beard (Clematis vitalba) at the junction of the Bradford Road and White Ennox Lane at Thorneypits
Old oak (see title picture at Localities/Thorneypits) in the MoD field with the Thorneypits electricity substation beyond
Double-decker dry stone wall adjacent to the Thorneypits - Westwells byway
This section of the byway brings us out at the old HMS Royal Arthur, now Wadswick Green, entrance
The branch over the byway (ref previous pic) is covered in moss
A sprawling goat willow at the foot of Paddy's Hill and the Royal Arthur Cliff & Chasm assault course with a rogue ash in the foreground
The Donkey Field woodland close to Sands Quarry entrance
A variety of leaves on the woodland floor along with moss-covered branches
In the Donkey Field woodland - the landscape version of the title picture
Old wall and cottage at Westwells
Jeanne and John Doohan's old stables in Spring Lane - lots of happy memories here with the kids and friends along with Poppy, Herbie and Tonto
Getting late in the day now in Spring Lane
Coppiced willows adjacent to the Spring Lane - Pockeredge Drive byway
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