14th JANUARY 2009

Although we don't have too many school groups venturing out to see us in January, it is a busy time of year for the Education Officer, updating all the courses, checking that markers on trails are still in place (there can be problems when the instructions on a trail say turn left at the ash tree on the map only to find that it has been cut down!)

Jean, our Education Officer, also makes improvements to the courses and updates them appropriately. See our the range of our courses on our web site at thornham.org.uk and click on the teachers' area and then 2009 course list.

This winter's task is to put follow up/back up material on our web site thornham.org.uk to give added value to a trip to Thornham. For example if you bring a class to do archeology at Thornham then when you return to school you can click on the course list and onto the archeology link to find photos of things which your class will have seen as well as old Thornham Estate maps etc.

This is the site of the old village green at Thornham Magna and Gull Lane an ancient Green Lane in the village which are part of our archaeology course.

One of our History courses looks at the parish church of St Mary's Thornham Magna and we have added information about the wildlife in the churchyard, worksheets we use inside the church and photos of various aspects of the church.





We are also taking monthly photos of the same areas around the Estate to help school groups with their follow up work. For example if you come and do our Food, Farming and the Environment course we will eventually have photos each month showing them the fields they have studied and how they change each month. If you study habitats you can compare the pond dipped in June with what it was like in January. Or check how the hedges have changed etc.

November at Thornham

We have to admit it has been a bit of a grey and drizzly week at Thornham, however the school from Bramfield enjoyed a sunny and happy day doing our team building course.

The winter is a good time for maintenance and the Thornham Owl Project have over 180 bird of prey boxes which they have to check over the winter. The project which works alongside us at Thornham Field Centre put up boxes they have made in the locality. They are for birds of prey.

Each box is numbered and monitored and when the chicks hatch they are weighed and measured (by licensed handlers) Check out more pictures on the video below:

Monday 13th October 2008

A Monday at Thornham.

A baby Limousin calf was born earlier this morning, the rest of the cattle were on the other side of the Park leaving mother and baby to have a rest.

The beautiful weather of the weekend continued today which was good for the Primary School children who came to have a day of P.E. at Thornham. They followed our Photo Trail and did a Point to Point exercise in the Maze Field alongside our demonstration garden.



They had a very energetic day. They also had fun doing team building games in Jack's Belt.




There are still some interesting fungi about such as Drayad Saddle Fungus and Common White Helvella






Volunteers from the Walled Garden were working hard with our Ranger, John, in the Pinetum raking and clearing after John had cut down the thistles, brambles, rank grass etc. It is important to do this so the wild flowers will grow next year.

An autumn walk at Thornham

OCTOBER 2008
At Thornham you can take a gentle stroll along the surfaced foot path or pick up a Thornham Walk's map from the car park and go further afield. The cattle are still on the Park, they are prize winning Limousins (with one or two Belgian Blues) they will soon be taken in for the winter.

Follow the path as it meanders through the woods, you may see
spindle

a few blackberries, although they are nearly over

there should still be some haws

and some sloes

look out for fungi, it is quite a good year this year. You might like to come on the Thornham Walks Fungi Foray on Sunday 19th October (booking essential, please ring 01379 78345)



When you reach the Walled Garden, it is worth having a look inside. The garden is maintained by the clients who come to the garden for horticultural therapy. They range in age from 15 to over 50. Some clients enjoy mowing the grass, some pick the fruit which is sold to visitors and in a shop in Eye. Some have their own vegetable plots. Cooking is a popular activity and fruit and vegetables grown in the garden is made into jams, jellies and preserves to be sold to visitors. They make delicious soup and apple cakes for their own lunches.



Return to the surfaced path and take a look at the Folly. Look carefully and notice that it is made of recycled pieces from the local church.

Wander off the path along one of the grassy rides, or return to the car park. We do hope you enjoy your autumn walk at Thornham