Continuing along the A27 / Hidden Dangers

My sketch looking towards Arundel from the south, 25/01/15

Further to the above entry -Storms of Protest Along the A27 (23rd January 2015), this mostly a list of links, cut-and-pastings of news, comment and letters of protest from the South Coast Action for Transport (SCATE) and their Arundel branch (from Facebook and their emailing list). 

They begin with the Road Investment Strategy on the Gov.uk site- feasibility studies, including A27 corridor along the south coast published by the government 12/03/15.

This was Arundel SCATE's (South Coast Action for Transport and The Environment) .press release in response, posted by Kay Wagland of Arundel SCATE on their Facebook page, 16th March. Note particularly what I’ve highlighted in bold:

New report: A27 road plans built on sand

Arundel residents reject the recommendations of the newly published report on the A27, deploring its lack of valid evidence and outdated thinking.

The A27 Corridor Feasibility Study, commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), says there is a need to increase road capacity due to the predicted increase in traffic, but Arundel SCATE points out that the same predictions were made in the major 2002 A27 SoCoMMS study, which is referenced by this new report. According to DfT's own figures, whilst the economy has grown significantly since then, the predicted expansion in traffic hasn't happened. Traffic levels in West Sussex have actually fallen since 2000. Traffic along the A27 itself has stayed about level.

Local businessman and Arundel resident, Simon Gray, is concerned by poor value for money of proposals. He points out that the traffic problems at Worthing and Chichester are far worse than those at Arundel and said: 'There is no economic justification for spending the bulk of allocated funds on a controversially damaging road scheme at Arundel, when a far cheaper and less intrusive scheme could relieve choke points here.' He added, 'Building such an expensive road so that traffic can arrive at nearby choke points at Fontwell and Worthing a minute or so earlier, seems a very poor use of public funds.'

The report, which was commissioned from US company Parsons Brinkerhoff last year, was asked to consider road improvements along the A27, and it draws for its economic justification on a 2013 study, commissioned by Arun District Council (also undertaken by Parsons Brinkerhoff). Arundel SCATE says the 2013 study is of extremely poor quality.

The report recommendations have limited the A27 Arundel improvements to two options, both away from the existing road and cutting across the Arun Valley.The residents' group wants to see other options discussed, to include junction and traffic flow improvements to the current A27. They see the potential for some of these to be more effective, better value and significantly less damaging than those recommended by the report. Options considering improvements along or near the existing A27 are rejected by the report arguing that this divides Arundel. However, it proposes creating a dual carriageway through Worthing, dividing the town to a far higher degree. There appears to be no analysis of start and end points of A27 journeys which would create considerable congestion on local roads.

Contrary to previous claims by elected representatives, the new report admits that building a dual carriageway bypass to Arundel does mean increased noise and air pollution, along with increased traffic volume. Other 'adverse impacts' include: wildlife, landscape, historic environment, carbon emissions and waterways.

Arundel SCATE Chair and local businesswoman, Sue White, says: 'We all understand frustrations at peak times at Arundel, but these can be significantly improved by junction improvements around Crossbush and, of course, there is the new A259 road at Bognor which will impact on traffic in the area. Traffic is fairly free flowing for much of the time. People in Arun [as elsewhere] need investment in public transport for the majority who don't have daily access to a car.'

Arundel SCATE member Jo Kemp, describes the report as narrow and old fashioned: 'It doesn't seem to have learnt the lessons of the past, particularly on wasting money. It is disturbing that this study was not asked to consider an integrated plan for travel, but is just concentrating on hugely damaging new roads.

Notes: Arundel South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment is a group of Arundel residents concerned at damaging and outdated road proposals along the A27 and looking for better travel options.

fb: Arundel SCATE www.scate.org.uk

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I apologise if the links below are hard to read (the text appearing dark) or don't work without copying the URL directly. I've been having trouble formatting this section. A trickling BT broadband connection - periodically drying up completely - isn't helping. 

These are some notes and links I've picked up via SCATE prior to the publication of the Feasibility Study:

SCATE - http://scate.org.uk/parishes-reject-major-road-building-for-a27/

It seems ongoing bias in the local media and clandestine meetings, apparently with vested interests invited but not the local community or anyone whose views may differ from the prevailing Roads - Bring Them On! dogma - Campaigners protest outside "closed" A27 meeting in Eastbourne, Sussex Express, 27th January

http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/county-news/campaigners-protest-outside-closed-a27-meeting-in-eastbourne-1-6546920

Caroline Lucas of the Green Party, too, have had words to say recently about the proposed Arundel bypass, according to the Arundel SCATE Facebook page, 10th February:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/559438677502946/ 

I also had this blog recommended to me - Winter Oak - Acorn 1. In February, there was a piece about the Arundel bypass, saying more or less what I've said, though more forthrightly and concisely:

http://winteroak.org.uk/2015/02/06/the-acorn-1/#1

This is turn, directed me to the aptly named SCAR - South Coast Against Roadbuilding

http://www.scar-uk.co.uk/

Below are links to some of the press reports over the winter, emailed SCATE. I haven't read them all, but many of the headlines imply, if not blatant bias, a strong vibe of Bring It On!.

http://www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/news/letters/threat-to-bypass-1-6507101

http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/more-a27-concern-over-shopwyke-1-6507800

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/fears-potholes-on-a27-could-cause-crashes-1-6502575

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3473/contents/made

http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/need-for-new-road-link-separate-to-existing-a27-1-6481294

http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/train-link-mp-jumping-on-the-tory-bandwagon-1-6490184

http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/letters/a27-the-quest-for-balance-1-6476723

http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/letters/letter-another-delay-to-a27-improvements-1-6480405

http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/a27-funding-comes-not-a-moment-too-soon-1-6471139

http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/consultants-appointed-for-a27-chichester-bypass-scheme

http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/a27-funding-new-road-is-still-a-possibility-1-6470687

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've illustrated this piece with some sketches I did walking the stretch of the River Arun between Ford and Arundel: the area where I turbo-charged A27 would impinge on the floodplain. This on a cloudy day in late January, wending my way along a very slippery river bank. Not the easiest of sketching conditions; I was on my feet all the time and it felt cold standing around too long. Nevertheless, I wanted more observational material for paintings in progress, continuing the Storms of Protest theme. My first sketch was at Ford church. It felt very peaceful here, though I was very aware of traffic on the busy Ford road behind me, between the A27 and A259 roads.

In February, I wrote here about a walk I did in the Farnham area in east Surrey a few weeks later. Around the town and along the River Wey out to Moor Park, I was very aware of the traffic on the A31 bypass. Farnham has had a big traffic problem throughout my life, being a convergence of several busy roads. The building of the A331 Blackwater Valley link road between the M3 and A31 should have lessened the heavy lorry load in Farnham town centre, together with quashing arguments for a western bypass threatening if not Farnham Park itself, its relative peace and quiet. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to have been the case. Heavy traffic, including HGVs still ploughs through the town centre, presumably using the A287 as a cut through between the M3 and A3. Someone told me some satnavs allegedly encourage this.

Hidden Dangers

A sign spotted on the way up towards Ingleborough, June 2014

During February, too, there were been other worrying reports about potential threats to our countryside. This time not from road building or local pressures on housing stock, but potentially selling off what is now public land. I understand this is partly due to pressures on local authorities to, apparently, sell of public land to the private sector, in the face of ongoing public funding cuts. Even, as the campaign group 38 Degrees claim areas within Britain's National Parks and woodland. A link to the 38 Degrees petition (accessed 27/02/15):

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-national-parks#petition

These areas need to be protected. I have a real fear of future threats to not just national parks and woodlands but rights of way. Recently, I came across a new, exclusive development in the rural west Surrey. As well as resenting the exclusiveness and development, I thought it looked visually intrusive. This was on what has long been private land, but what would stop this kind of thing springing up on what we currently know as public space / common land if it was to be sold off in the future?

The Telegraph, 12/02/15 - Seven iconic Lake District beauty spots to be sold off

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/countryside/11407920/Seven-iconic-Lake-District-beauty-spots-to-be-sold-off.html

The Guardian, 17/02/15 - Privatisation of UK woodlands is happening by the backdoor

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2015/feb/17/privatisation-uk-woodlands-happening-by-backdoor

More of my sketches can be viewed on my Water and Art blog.

A selection of my mixed media paintings and collage are on my website, www.joanleeart.com

Entry date, 25/02/15. Updated 11/03/15, 12/03/15, 17/03/15

Storms of protest along the A27

This is a large (paper size 61cm x 43cm) mixed media painting based on the view looking towards Arundel and the Castle from the south, walking along the footpath on the west side of the River Arun from Ford. This is the very view which is threatened by the government's grand plans for the A27 announced early last month - see Mixed news from Sussex and the Downs. The storm brewing up the valley behind the Castle, then is a storm of protest.

I've tried to depict the storm clouds hanging over the valley, emanating from London, where all the key decisions are made, more often than not favouring vested interests. In this case, the road lobby at the expense of the Sussex countryside.

This is one of the folded art books I've been working on during January. There's a bit about roads here, too, together with mixed messages on climate change, fossil fuels - shale gas extraction fracking) and oil; economic growth at the expense of all else. During January, too, scientist at the Met. Office, Nasa and Noaa confirmed that 2014 was the hottest year on record, both in the UK and globally:

Met. Office - press release, 5th January 2015 - 2014 confirmed as the UK's the warmest year on record

The Guardian 17th January 2015 - 2014 officially the hottest year on record [globally]

Such reports should be all more reason for a balanced investment in Britain's future infrastructure, benefiting the whole British population, rather than costly damaging road building schemes such as the Arundel bypass just to keep the road lobby happy.

The book also features a cutting about the infrastructure bill going through the Commons, to be voted on next week (26th January), I gather. Here, roads are just part of the problem. If it becomes law, it will have very worrying implications for land use, public access and development. Damaging road schemes will be being only part of the problem. 

More about my artwork on my http://www.joanleeart.com/my website, Joan Lee Artist Facebook page and my Water and Art blog. 

My new years resolution for 2015 is to keep it arty. As well as committing time to the creative process, preparing and promoting my work, it's about preferring to leave out news and politics, particularly on social networking sites. During this general election year, there's every danger of serious info' overload, of various persuasions. Though we all need to be aware of what's going on and should be free to express our views online, too much of it too often can leave people feeling more down than a river during a long drought. 

As with the above examples, though I may have the news and recent weather events in mind when producing artwork. It's also a better for my sanity. Invariably, I use newspaper cuttings as part of a the background collage in a mixed media painting, though it needs to be subtle instead of an in-your-face-distraction.

A walk in the Winchester area recently brought home just how road / car dominated this country already is, particularly the busy, densely populated southeast. To the north of Winchester, the River Itchen - a chalk stream prized by anglers for its salmon and trout - is shunted under the M3, A34 and A33. We had to walk under three subways to get into the city from the upper Itchen valley: although safe from the traffic, it wasn't pleasant. I'd have felt insecure walking here alone. The noise of the traffic was oppressive, especially where the footpaths ran parallel to the roads. The roads around Winchester are a prime example of what not to do, particularly Twyford Down, where the M3 passes through a gash in the chalk downland. Here, there was a very strong case for improving the M3 and A31. Until the 1990s, walking from the city centre up to St. Catherine's Hill and the countryside to the east would have involved a dangerous road crossing. The road was narrow for the amount of traffic it carried. There were certainly road protests and calls to minimise the damage to the surrounding countryside by building a tunnel. However, this was deemed too expensive, purely on first costs. Compare and contrast with the Hindhead Tunnel (A3) opened in 2011. Not only does the traffic flow more smoothly here than it did before (though not the case everywhere along the A3), it's now possible to walk from the Devil's Punch Bowl to Gibbet Hill without having to cross a trunk road. Northwards along the A34, is the Newbury bypass, another controversial scheme from the 1990s. This pre-dates the bypass, but the Wayferer's Walk along the ridge of the Wessex Downs (an area I visited last autumn with the Wessex Branch of the Open University Geological Society) appears from the OS Landranger map to either involve a dangerous trunk road crossing, or a diversion of about three miles between Ladle Hill and Beacon Hill.

Throughout history, throughout the world, rivers have been lines of communication. If not navigation, their valleys have been natural gaps through which to route roads and railways. What's not so good is when roads / cars / lorries are allowed to dominate to the detriment of everyone else. Thankfully, unlike the Mole valley through the North Downs (A24, M25 nearby too), the Arun valley through the South Downs does not have a major A'road running along it. Nonetheless, there are already several busy roads in its vicinity which impinge on it (A27, A283, A29). It would hurt me to see the road scenarios I've described around Winchester and Newbury repeated at the expense of the Sussex countryside. 

Mixed news from Sussex and the Downs

December 2014

• Good news - River Lavant flowing again
• Bad news - Arundel bypass
•  

  River Lavant flowing again

My collage inspired by the Lavant (2012)

I headed into Chichester on Monday morning (8th December) to drop off my paintings for the Journeys exhibition at the Oxmarket Centre of Arts. After this and a few bits of Christmas shopping, I headed to The Trundle, following our regular walking route out of the city to East Lavant and along the valley up Haye's Down to The Trundle. Though it wasn't the frosty morning we'd had along the Severn over the weekend, it was clear and bright, if cold in the north wind. I had to be quick sketching today, beginning with the view towards the church at East Lavant from the SW with The Trundle behind. During my brief lunch stop, gulls and crows in the valley at the foot of Haye's Down. 

When I got to East Lavant and crossed Sheepwash Lane to take the path across the footbridge and along the valley, I was pleased to see the River Lavant flowing again. When I last looked at the beginning of November, it was still dry, but I'd hoped it would be flowing again by now. Rainfall during October and November made up for the shortfall in September. By now, some of this rainfall should have percolated through the soil into chalk to raise the water table once again. It still looked a bit low: it's still fairly early in the season, with the rainfall during the latter half of November possibly still to infiltrate. According to Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the groundwater level in the Chilgrove well, on the chalk to the west of Chichester, dropped rapidly from the highs of last winter and was still below the long term average depth at the end of October. It still had some catching up to do after the exceptionally dry September.

Unsustainable developments along the Arun

At the beginning of December 2014, the government announced a string road “improvements” . Many in southern England are along the south coast, along the M27-A27 corridor between Southampton and Lewes. Those in densely populated south Hampshire (mainly road widening) are closer to home. However, I feel more strongly against the proposals for the A27 through rural Sussex, especially The Arundel bypass. This and the new Chichester bypass (also on again) were dropped by the Blair government in 2003 on the grounds that they would be too environmentally damaging. Sadly now, it seems that protecting the environment, the countryside or people’s health and wellbeing in the future is deemed less important than growing the economy for the benefit of vested interests in the road lobby.

The £15 billion programme comes despite the Chancellor’s insistence that the deficit between public spending and tax revenue must be cut during the next parliament: reportedly to the tune of £55 billion. If true, public services – including health, social care, public transport and local authority budgets would take an even heavier hammering than they've done up to now. That isn't belt tightening: more twisted prioritising favour of vested interests.

When I first heard about Arundel in Emma Tristram’s letter to The Guardian, 3rd December, I was depressed, disappointed and angry. This is a part of the country I've come to love as an artist, river and downland walker over several decades. As southeast England goes, this area has remained relatively unspoilt until now, though the traffic in the area is already off-putting. 

The existing bypass built in the 1970s comprises the A27 coming down the hill from Crossbush to the east, crossing the railway near the train station; a left turn at the roundabout; across the Arun downstream of the town centre; then uphill to the west; with the A284 coming in from the north at another roundabout. The narrow stretch of road across the railway line near the train station is oppressive. Though there is a pelican crossing near the roundabout, there is no footway across the railway bridge. Crossing the A27 here on foot to reach Crossbush Lane to Warningcamp and Burpham can be nigh impossible. Clearly, then there is big room for improvement here, but wouldn't it be better to simply widen the existing road and improve the juncitons here rather than build a beefed-up trunk road to the south.  SCATE, the South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment, have some constructive and more sustainable ideas here. Not only would they be less environmentally damaging, they would also benefit a wider cross-section of people, including walkers, cyclists and overdue investment in public transport. 

The new dual carriageway, to the south and west of Arundel, will cut across the floodplain and intrude into the South Downs National Park. To the west of Arundel, it will either slice through a large area of woodland within the National Park, or damage the villages of  Tortington, Binsted and Walberton. Until now, when I've walked from Ford  to Arundel along the River Arun, I've enjoyed the view of north upriver to the town and Castle with the Downs behind (picture above, last August). The new road will cut straight through that. And what will it be like with all the noise, dust and lorry movements while the road is being built?

If it really must be built, how about firstly ensuring safe, pedestrian and cycle access along the more minor but busy roads all along the valley. I’d still like to be able to get off the train at Ford and walk into Arundel along the river without having to take my life into my hands crossing a trunk road. Currently, the footpath along the west bank of the Arun passes under the A27 at the existing bypass bridge. Further up the valley how about safer crossings where the South Downs Way crosses the A29 and B2139 across the river at Houghton? There is no footway along the B’road through Houghton and the traffic over Houghton Bridge is oppressive. This is a busy road, apparently a cut-through between the A29 and A283 at Storrington.

Experience on the road network so far has shown that new roads generate more traffic. Before long, the roads are just as, or even more, congested than they were before - M25, M27 and A34 all notable examples in the south. All the more with chronic under-investment in public transport, walking or cycling.  

The Sussex area is being squeezed at both ends: the growth of outer London to the north; and ribbon urban development along the south coast. Calls for expansion of Gatwick Airport with a second runway are growing louder and louder. A decision here looms in 2015. As if the latest road building announcement isn’t enough,  I understand from the government report that a study into an orbital motorway around the M25 is in the offing.  I’m also concerned about the potential impacts of fracking, ie exploitation of shale gas in the Sussex Weald, including Fernhurst near Blackdown.

The transport sector, particularly road and air, is a major contributor to human-induced climate change through greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through particulates, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.

Receiving considerably less attention during the first week of December were press releases about both these issues. The Met. Office say that 2014 was the hottest year in the UK and globally.  There has been a cluster of such announcements during the past twenty to thirty years, with records broken seemingly ever year or every other year. If this warming doesn’t reflect the rising levels of greenhouse gases through human activities – including traffic – what else is doing it?

UK and global temperature records, 2014

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2014/2014-global-temperature

Then, as if to indicate completely disjointed thinking in government, came a press release  from Parliament.uk, also reported on the BBC News website, about the urgent need to tackle increasing levels of air pollution.

Change planning rules to protect children from air pollution

To quote from the press release from the Department of Transport published on 1st December:

·investing around £350 million to transform the A27, with a new bypass at Arundel to complete the ‘missing link’, plus further improvements around Worthing, Lancing and Lewes - this will help the A27 link together as a single route, supporting the development of the local economy and removing notorious congestion hotspots .

Uncritical news coverage and local media give the impression of unanimous public support. According to SCATE discussions about alternatives to the new bypass were completely off the agenda during the run-up to the announcement. Subsequently, there’s has been a drought of follow up news reports or debate, the media quickly moving on. I don't remember this being so much the case in the 1990s amid the controversial Twyford Down or the Newbury Bypass. At Twyford Down, near Winchester, the  M3 is now routed through an ugly gash in the Downs, instead of a less visually intrusive but more costly tunnel (unlike on the A3 at Hindhead). Unlike now, road protests were reported widely. The A34 is the link road between Southampton and the M40 / Midland. It now skirts Newbury and slices through the Wessex Downs. Unlocking the A34 there has simply shifted the traffic jams north to Oxford.

Links

South Coast Alliance Transport and the Environment (SCATE)

http://scate.org.uk/

Tony Whitbread, Chief Executive of Sussex Wildlife Trust

http://tonywhitbread.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/money-to-burn-road-building-bonanza.html

A wintery walk along the Severn

River Severn Tewkesbury - Deerhurst - 6th December 2014

After a very enjoyable evening with our folk in the Midlands, we awoke at our comfortable B&B to a bright, frosty morning. After a generally very mild year, it felt a long time since we'd had one of these. We headed into Tewkesbury and parked near the Abbey. When we arrived, the sun was on SE side. Here, too was one of the more "junior" river of Tewkesbury, the Swilgate. This flows behind the Abbey into the Mill Avon near lane we took to the Severn at Lower Lode. Here the Mill Avon joined the Severn, pub on far side , with a ferry for late night revellers, apparently.

I'd left the Severn in September perturbed by bore wave rushing up it (Lower Rea, 12th September). Here today it was gentle and reflective. The water level now was relatively low, perturbed only by the slightest breeze, the odd mallard, moorhen, a couple of swans and the odd boat or two. 

We followed the Severn Way along the east side of the river towards Haw, diverting briefly to Deerhurst to see Odda's Chapel. 

Shortly after joining the path at Lower Lode, we passed the boat house. Here, on the wall facing the river flood marks painted from the two biggest floods on the Severn in during the past century: 1947 [March] and [July] 2007. I'd forgotten  2007 mark was the higher one of the two - see Note 1 below.

These were both exceptional floods. Nonetheless, amid the calm conditions today,  it seemed hard to believe that, even during the normal floods which occur in this area roughly annually (eg last winter and spring 2012), that the river that it is capable of rising several metres up and over the banks and filling the floodplain. I got my other half to stand in front of the marks for scale.   The boat house stood a good two metres above the river level here now. When we came back through here later, a disembodied voice told people following the Severn Way through here that this was private property, our images being recorded on cctv. Big Brother or what?  The usual notices to notices would have sufficed. 

As far as I know, no overspills this autumn-winter, though I was glad I'd worn the new wellies - even if my toes were cold in the frost to begin with - as it was still muddy in places after rain in November. During the morning, it was still fairly frosty, with some of the muddy areas still frozen. By the middle of the day, most of this had melted, making it muddier. Worst bit was along the floodbank just south of Deerhurst. Signposts here for Severn Way and Sabrina Way. Sabrina was the Roman name for the river, otherwise didn't know the difference.

Odda's Chapel, Deerhurst

Colder inside the chapel, not much sun getting in to it today. A quick sketch in here, but warmer in the sun along the river sketching the early winter trees. Most of the autumn leaves are off the trees now, though a few remnants of leafy colour on the hedgerows. Some younger upper branches on the trees growing along the bank had a warm golden colour with sun on them against the clear blue sky. Some mistletoe with white berries. Winter oaks. Little blue birds in one of the trees growing on the slope of the bank.

Winter trees along the Severn near Deerhurst

Alongside the fence on the north side of the field where the path headed into Deerhurst, several dip stick gauges at intervals going down towards the river, four tall masts in the river, presumably for marking where the usual course of the river in the event of a flood covering the fields here. An odd sign on the gate, the graphics seemed to indicate - Don't skew or fry fish here, or carry big flat-pack fish under your arm.

After a quick look at Odda's Chapel, we carried on down the river towards Haw Bridge, though most attractive stretch was the first bit between Lower Lode and Deerhurst: the river here more open with variety of winter trees.Turned  round just before the caravan park on the near side.

Got back to Tewkesbury about half-two and had a quick look round along the Mill Avon between the Abbey Mill and former flour mill. Alongside the latter, a disorientating illusion of the Avon flowing uphill at the latter, apparently defying gravity.  

Abbey Mill, Tewkesbury

Note 1 - Severn flooding around Tewkesbury - a link here to an interesting website bringing together local memory and blogs. 

Sustainable Flood Memories

https://floodmemories.wordpress.com/tag/river-severn/

There is more information here about the 1947 and 2007 floods. Also how, how and again the media put a negative, Terrible Disaster spin on when reporting on flooding and weather events generally (at the time of writing, it's a "weather bomb in northern Britain", 10th December). The 2007 flood was a national emergency and took residents and business affected around Tewkesbury many months to clear up the mess. During more normal, if again unseasonal floods in spring 2012, the media again reached for the photos from 2007 giving a false impression that things were worse than they really are. Rather than carrying as normal, well used to living on a floodplain at the confluence of two major British rivers, people living and working in the area were portrayed as victims under siege.  I stand guilty as one of the "outsiders" associating Tewkesbury with flooding probably more than anywhere else in England. Even so, I expect realistic, sensible information in news reports about weather events, rather than sensationalism so that I can get a true picture of what the situation is. Sensationalist, screaming headlines about storms, floods and disaster can frighten vulnerable people and are not fair on local businesses such as hotels and shops who find their bookings / takings down.

Tunnels, churches and water around Pulborough

Sunday 28th September

Window at Greatham church

This was a trip run by the London branch of Open University Geological Society (OUGS), primarily looking at building stones used in some of the churches along the outcrop of Lower Greensand near Pulborough. The leader was West Sussex Geologist David Bone. The good thing about these trips is, as well as learning something geological, is getting to visit places I either hadn't known about, or I wouldn’t have got round to going to otherwise. A new, different perspective on familiar places, too.

I travelled by train along the south coast and up the Arun valley to Pulborough, the group meeting in the station car park at 10.30am. A very mild, dry and bright day, bright from the start along the coast, though the fog took longer to clear along Arun valley / north side of the Downs. The sun came through at Pulborough just as we were getting started. During the middle of the day, it was very warm (still too warm for me at times) in the sunshine.

Geology overview

The Lower Greensand (LGS) ridge here was the one on the southern side of the Weald Anticline, running from Midhurst and Petworth. It’s called Lower Greensand as there’s a lot of sandstone in it, only it doesn’t look very green. Any green comes from the marine mineral glauconite. Most of looks gold, rusty red, or dark brown from iron oxidation, or darker brown / grey where there are harder bands of ironstone.

It is subdivided into the Atherfield Clay, Hythe, Sandgate and Folkestone Formations named after the areas of the south Kent coast where they are exposed in the cliffs. These are in turn subdivided. The harder sandstones, ironstones and cherts were the main source of building stones before the about the Victorian era, in an area otherwise short of sufficiently tough, strong building stone material. We also saw a more gritty ironstone from the Gault Clay (GC) above the LGS, Ironstone Grit, along with Horsham Stone (mainly church roof tiles)  Sussex Marble (mainly church interiors) from the Weald Clay Group (WC).

To fit in with Sunday services at the churches, our first port of call was a sand mine.

Marehill sand mine 

Marehill sand mine

This was on the east side of Pulborough, the only mine in West Sussex. Work stopped just after the last war. Now it is a nature reserve managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust. During the autumn and winter, bats hibernate in the tunnels, meaning no access from October - March. David is the Geological warden here. It was as well David brought spare torches – it was dark inside.  We a good look round the network of tunnels dug out of the sandstone manually with picks during the C19th. The tunnels sloped southward following the dip of the beds. Shining the torch on the less weathered bedding inside, I could see the laminated cross-bedding, iron oxide staining: in painterly terms raw sienna, burnt sienna, Indian red. This was the Pulborough Sand Rock (PSR) in the Sandgate Formation - too easily confused to the similarly named Pulborough Stone (PS). The latter is part of the Hythe Formation which lies below the Sandgate. The PSR is self-supporting, therefore great for tunnelling into. Above it was the Marehill Clay (also Sandgate). This was where much of the ironstone we saw in the churches came from. David took sample pebbles to compare with some of the ironstone in the churches later. It weathers dark brown to burnt sienna. It is more clayey / less sandy / finer grained than the carstone from the Folkestone Beds.

The Churches

We looked round inside and outside, though mostly outside where the various building stones were more visible: The Pulborough Stone (PS) was widely used, mainly as dressed (squarely carved) blocks in the walls, along with window frames. churches we saw later. The ironstones were common too, We also saw some Malmstone, quarried flints from the Chalk of the Downs (black core), more weathered white and brown flints (exposed to air near the surface of the Downs) and Sussex Marble.

The interiors tended to be plain, with white plastered walls. An attractive mix of  stained glass and clear panes in the windows. The smaller churches had no electricity and were lit by gas lamps and candles.

Wiggonholt Church

We started with Wiggonholt Church on the ridge to the east of the Arun, near the RSPB reserve. The was of the smaller churches. Before we got eyes in on the walls, we admired the view from car park of the South Downs escarpment towards the Arun gap. The Wildbrooks are in the broader, very low lying floodplain between the LGS and South Downs ridges. To the west, the Rother joins the Arun at Hardham, to the east, smaller streams. In winter, the area is frequently underwater – see my watery notes later.

It felt very warm in the sun in the churchyard, enough to send me scurrying into the shade. This was one of the smaller, single room Wildbrooks churches, roofed with tiles cut from Horsham Stone.  Inside were, gas lamps, no electrics.

Our lunch stop was at the café  / visitor centre at Pulborough RSPB Reserve. Here, there was a view from tea terrace overlooking the eastern Wildbrooks, though unfortunately we arrived at peak time, when all the tables were taken. A big queue inside for food and drink. Not surprising it was packed out, being a Sunday, fine weather David wondered if flat topped hill where the car park was one of the Arun river terraces, i.e. the past level of floodplain, the river subsequently cutting downwards. There were flints amongst the sand, which would have gotten there somehow or other from the Chalk – assuming, of course they hadn’t been put there by a big truck to lay out the car park, no paved / madeover tracks, though.

Parham House

Parham ("Parram") Church – A church with a bell tower on the west side, and annex behind it on the south side, situated on the Parham estate, near Parham House. That’s the stately home we’ve seen from Rackham Hill, being built beneath the Downs escarpment, separated from it by a small valley. Much of the greenery around the house given over to parking, there being an event on. The church and house lie on the  Folkestone Beds (FB). Near the north wall, a line of oak trees and an unusual looking clump of fungi which appeared to be growing straight out of the grass, though more likely from a buried branch or trunk. Much of the building stone comprise Pulborough Stone. The dressed blocks were rich in pale lichens and weathered to a fairly rough, laminated surface. Some of the newer, less weathered stones around the window frame near the annex had grey streaks. The annex looked obviously different: smaller pale grey and pale brown blocks. This was Malmstone, from the Upper Greensand, a thin outcrop between the Chalk and the Gault. Inside, a font carved of Sussex Marble. This grey and very shelly, containing fossilised snail (gastropod) shells which were most obvious in the polished stone . Strictly, it is not a marble (metamorphosed limestone subject to intense heat / pressure), but a sedimentary limestone. A slab of this at the entrance, too, rough and not polished.

St. Peter's Church, Parham

The South Downs from Parham church

Fungi at Parham

Greatham church

Greatham ("Gretham" ) Church. As at Wiggonholt, a small, single room unassuming building. A small spire on the west side. It was situated lower down nearer the floodplain on the east of the Arun, along the lane from Greatham Bridge. The churchyard was now a metre or so above the surrounding ground, dipping down again to the entrance on the south side. Over the centuries, burials had raised the ground level. Though, C12th we noticed a filled in middle window between the glazed windows on the east wall. As this was common in Saxon times, this suggested there had been an pre-existing building here. An abundance of, for want of a name as there isn’t one, Marehill Ironstone. More Pulborough Stone with grey streaks, too. Inside, simply decorated with plain plastered walls. Again no electricity, hence the gas lampas hanging from the ceiling and the candles at the altar. The sun shone through window at the west end, projecting the colour on the stained glass onto the recess of the arch. As at Parham, some Sussex Marble.

Greatham church interior

Leaving the church to head to Stopham, crossed Greatham Bridge and turned right onto the A29.

David pointed out two more churches near the main road: Coldwaltham (L), Hardham (R). Crossed the Arun again at the A29 London Road bridge and the A283 via Lord Young of Graffham's bridge alongside the old Stopham Bridge.

St. Mary's Church, Stopham

Stopham Church - our last church of the day, some way up the hill from the river, off the lane north towards Pallingham. This was built on the Pulborough Stone outcrop and made wide use of it. The stones  here were particularly varied, with some larger blocks, PS and chert. Ironstones were  very common, too: the “Marehill” and Carstone from the Folkestone Formation.

Stopham Bridge, the quarry, River Arun

Quarry in the Folkestone Beds, Stopham

Leaving the churchyard, we turned left and walked a little way along the lane to look at the wall of a farm building on out left. Blocks here a uniform size – local Pulborough Stone. Here, we thanked David formally for leading our tour of churches. There was time, though to visit the quarry in Folkestone beds just upstream of Stopham Bridge. For this we parked near the White Hart. A view of the old Stopham Bridge from the riverside garden. The quarry was just upstream of the road bridge. I’ve passed this quarry when walking to Stopham Bridge along the footpath off Coombelands Lane on the north side of Pulborough. This was the Folkestone Beds. Though the bedding planes were linear, it all looked contorted, riddled with layers and veins of carstone, curving pipe formations. As an artist I liked the mix of earthy golds and reds, with darker greys.

Stopham Bridge

The White Hart pub was hit badly by last winter’s flooding, particularly over Christmas. It’s been closed ever since. Badly hit by flooding in the January 2003, too. A quick look at the pub’s Facebook page indicates that they plan to reopen at the end of October under new ownership. I wish them all the best,  nonetheless, particularly susceptible location. Riverside pubs may be pretty in the summer, but…

Sensibly, all the churches were visited, likewise most of Pulborough have been built comfortably above the floodplain.

When David talked this morning at Wiggonholt about the Wildbrooks and flooding in the floodplain, he mentioned the particularly bad flooding last winter. I remember the view of the big lake we saw from Bignor Hill late last December well. David said that it’s not just a case of floodwater spilling down the Arun from the Weald round Horsham way; the Rother from Selborne way; and the tidal effect. Because the Downs gap is relatively narrow, drainage of floodwater away to the sea is impeded and backs up round the Pulborough area.

Today, the river was gentle and languid looking here, though I wasn't the only who noticed it was  flowing the wrong way.

All headed back to the station about 4.45pm, from where we all headed off. As I had at least half an hour to wait before my train, I walked down the bridges at the A29-A283 junction. Crossed the A29 at the road island opposite the antiques place. The old London Road bridge was off to the left of the newer one. Between the bridges a pump. Stood on the old bridge, now a foot-cycle bridge and viewed the Downs escarpment. Again here, the river ran gently, though with a definite tidal current, flowing upriver towards Stopham. I had my ginger muffin, debating which of the building stones of the LGS it most closely resembled in colour and texture – the ironstone from Marehill, the Folkestone Formation?

Pulborough - A29 (London Road) bridges old and new

Note on water levels

The Met. Office say that this September has been in the driest in the UK since their records began in 1910, with only a fifth of the average rainfall. It’s also been one of the warmest. They say October will be more unsettled, though as it’s started off warm, pressure still high, I’ll believe that when I see it. 

Further to what I said a fortnight ago (Notes along the Mole, Wey and Thames), there isn’t a drought yet and overall I don’t think anything, anyway is any lower than it was at this time last year which had a drier summer. The Met Office press release (29^th September says that this year overall has been wet, though that’s largely down to the record soggy winter. The Environment Agency said in their latest Weekly water resources report for England & Wales (17-23 Sept) that many rivers in impervious catchments have been running below normal, reflecting the very dry weather this month. The Swale in North Yorkshire and the Tone in Somerset (drains Somerset Levels another area badly hit by flooding last winter) exceptionally so. Among the others were the Derwents of Cumbria and North Yorkshire, the Severn and Wye, the Eastern Rother in East Sussex. Most other river and groundwater levels have been in the normal range, it’s the normal range for September, when they tend to be at a minimum. After the highs of last winter, groundwater levels at Chilgrove near Chichester fell sharply (EA Weekly water levels: Hampshire, West Sussex, IOW, 25/09/14) It’s now down to the level it usually is at this time of year, when groundwater levels tend to be at their minimum after the summer. Likewise river flows on the Itchen and Test. It seems, then that the record wet winter of 2013/14 saw us more than comfortably through the summer, everything still needs topping up now. In monetarist terms, last winter’s rain topped up the savings account, but it’s all / nearly all gone now following a spendthrift a combination of an early mild spring and warm, extended summer. Not that this is the first year that September /the early has been dry and more like summer. September 2003 was warm and very dry. The ground looked much more parched than it does now. In 2011, there was a heatwave at the beginning of October after a relatively cool summer. 1997 was similar to both: still shirt sleeves along the Arun as today.