Stowey Green Spaces
Who are the Stowey Green Spaces Group?
Stowey Green Spaces Group volunteers work to maintain and enhance the public green spaces in and around Nether and Over Stowey.
Contact us on stoweygreenspaces@stowey.org.uk
What do we do
- Manage the Millennium and Diamond Jubilee Woods together with Stowey Wood and its ponds
- Work to benefit the environment of Stowey Bypass Wood and Walkway
- Run monthly litter-picking sessions in Nether Stowey and Over Stowey parishes
- Maintain the public footpaths that lead to and through our particular green areas
- Liaise and work with our local primary school
- Record local flora and fauna
- Control invasive plant species
- Carry out work as required on Castle Mount the Recreation Ground and Platinum Jubilee Wood
- Liaise, work with and receive help from other voluntary groups, as well as charitable and professional nature conservation organisations including the Quantock Hills National Landscape, the Parish Councils, Somerset Council and local private landowners.
Nether Stowey Recreation Ground
Millennium Wood, including Diamond and Platinum Jubilee extensions
Stowey Wood
The Mount
Bypass Wood and Walkway
Downloads
How the Group Works
We’re a sociable working group, aiming to maintain our local countryside for the benefit of nature, our community, and our own health!
Most of our time is spent in the outdoor maintenance sessions, regularly scheduled and at times profiting from break-time supplies of cake. Sometimes extra work-parties are called to meet the demands of a new project. Our volunteers also take responsibility for organisational and administrative tasks to publicise our work and support our activities.
Age is no barrier, and children under appropriate supervision are welcome to join us in suitable activities.
We are always looking for more volunteers – if you are interested in joining us or would like monthly updates on our activities, please email us at stoweygreenspaces@stowey.org.uk
The Green Spaces
A circular walk from Nether Stowey Recreation Ground leads through the woods, which are rich in wildlife and flowering plants throughout the year.
Nether Stowey Recreation Ground
Stowey Green Spaces expanded from an initial interest in 2016 in the Recreation Ground hedges and trees. Although primarily a place for sporting activities and for children to let off steam on swings and slides, the Recreation Ground is also a place for walking and quiet contemplation of the countryside and its wildlife. The open grassland, hedges, stream, trees and distant views across farmland to the hills combine to create a landscape for all to enjoy. Further environmental plans are under way.
The Recreation Ground is managed by the Nether Stowey Village Hall & Recreation Ground Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Millennium Wood, including Diamond and Platinum Jubilee extensions
The community planted Millennium Wood, 0.49 hectares (1.21 acres), as a millennium project on land Somerset County Council licensed to the Group in 1999.
The site (formerly used for dumping rubbish) was cleared in 2000, and local residents planted about 800 trees in 2000/2001, including saplings grown from seed by the children of our primary school. In 2023, the very successful tree growth was thinned by the Quantock Landscape Partnership’s “Young Somerset” apprentices. The Wood is registered with Somerset Council as an Asset of Community Value (ACV 11N) and is listed with the Somerset Wildlife Trust as a Private and Community Nature Reserve (PCNR).
The Diamond Jubilee Extension (0.31 hectares) was added in 2012 when land to the north and west of the original wood was planted with 300 more trees., A further 400 were added on New Stowey Farm land over the winter of 2022/2023, many supplied and planted by community family members, to become the Platinum Jubilee extension.
Our volunteers manage the woods to benefit our community and biodiversity. We are grateful to Nether Stowey Parish Council, the Forestry Commission, Sedgemoor District Council, Wessex Water, Quantock Hills National Landscape (QHNL) and the many local people who supported and continue to support this community project.
Stowey Wood and Ponds
Records show that Stowey Wood and its watercourse date from 1700, or earlier. Some of the plants that grow here, such as opposite-leaved Golden saxifrage, Wood anemone, Wood melick and Wild Service-tree, are indicators of Ancient Woodland – defined as any area that’s been wooded continuously since at least 1600 AD.
The wood has changed often over the years. For example, the ponds arose from excavated workings, and an area of the wood was once used for hazel coppicing. In 1970, the Forestry Commission cleared two-thirds of the wood and planted Sitka Spruce, about half of which was felled from 2014 by forestry students from Bridgwater College.
In 2018, the then Somerset County Council licensed the wood to Stowey Green Spaces Group to manage for the benefit of wildlife and the community, and replanting with native broadleaf saplings began. Further Sitka was removed by horse-logging in 2021, funded through the Quantock Hills National Landscape (QHNL) by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund. In 2025, a project was begun to restore the eutrophic ponds, funded by Wessex Water and HPC through Somerset Foundation and the Greater Quantock Landscape Development Fund through the QHNL. Stowey Wood is registered with Somerset Council as an Asset of Community Value (ACV 7N).
Photo by Kit Houghton
The Mount
With a spectacular 360-degree view from the top, The Mount contains remains of the Norman motte and bailey Stowey Castle, an Historic England Scheduled Monument. In 2018 it was placed on the Heritage At-Risk Register because bracken and gorse had invaded much of the site.
Thanks to support from Historic England and The Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme, our volunteers enjoyed working with the landowner to help clear the bracken and gorse and re-fence the land, allowing a flock of Herdwick sheep to graze and keep the vegetation under control. The site was removed from the At-Risk register in 2022. Wildflowers and insects abound.
The area is open to the public – with a request to keep dogs on a lead.
Further Historic detail is available at Nether Stowey Parish Council
Copyright: Historic England Archive
Bypass Wood and Walkway
The Bypass Wood and Walkway is a popular pedestrian route linking Stogursey Lane with the Church Centre and the Recreation Ground. From there, the path continues towards the Old A39 and across to Inwood.
Nether Stowey Parish Council and SGSG maintain the broad grass walkway on Somerset Council land behind Lime Street. Our volunteers care for the existing trees, plant new ones and extend the wildflower areas. We also have further plans to enhance this area for wildlife and the local community.
Stowey Green Spaces Coordinating Group
We have informal monthly meetings to plan how to manage our green spaces, promote our activities to the community, and receive feedback on green developments in wider organisations.
We follow an agenda, but the meetings are open to anyone interested in our activities.
