Vi Boyce an ex resident of Ruddington who lived here as a girl in the 1940`s and often visited Wilwell. Prompted by an article in the Rudd (sent to her in Aylesbury !). She remembers flowers identified to her as Early Purple Orchid, Ladies Slipper Orchid of which the records made from the 1970`s onwards make no mention. However the (Southern ?) Marsh Orchid, Meadow Saxifrage, Cowslips she recalls seeing (and picking !) are all doing well around the site. She also recalls workmen cutting the grass with scythes on the embankment area running up from the railway track to the entrance gate. This was clear of thick scrub, although she thinks some was established. However she does not recall seeing burning, which we believe was an old railway practice on this site.

A regular bird watcher on the site (name unknown) has told me that he recalls going down train spotting in the 1940`s. He is certain that Cowslips were all across the lower meadow and not just at the southern end. He also recalls the railway ploughing the lower meadow to improve the drainage. This tells us two things. Firstly why that meadow is so heavily rutted, but also that the lower meadow ceased being used as a sidings area at least 50 to 60 years ago.

If you have any old memories of the cutting and particularly about it`s flora and fauna at any particular time please get in touch. See the E Mail button at the top of the page or E Mail me later on dyne@beeb.net or give me a ring on 0115 9843934 (Gordon Dyne).