The Fairy Flax walk took place on 20th July, starting from Old Wolverton’s Holy Trinity churchyard. Our route took us down the hill passing the now just mown floodplain meadows to join the Great Ouse riverbank footpath as far as the Grand Union Iron Trunk aqueduct over the River Ouse, through the narrow tunnel under the canal, and finally returning to the churchyard by the Canal Towpath.

Two thunderstorms rather interrupted proceedings, but of over 30 members who assembled at the church, 14 of us did the walk in full.

All had the opportunity to visit the interior of the church, and many heard the outdoor talk by John Brushe on the ‘natural stones’ used to build the church between 1809 to 1815. Limestone and sandstone from quarries in Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Isle of Portland were used, with canal transportation facilitating the build.  The church is probably the earliest example of the English Norman Revival movement.   A guidebook, written by John is available from Jenny Mercer.   Our thanks go to John for a most interesting talk, and to Terry Collier for opening up the church for the Society members.

Interestingly this wet and hot summer has ensured the Fairy Flax has remained unseen at its possible location of 14 years ago (on the path between the Canalside to the south of the Iron Trunk and the Old Wolverton fields, as it is impenetrable this year!)   My first ever sighting of Fairy Flax was then, with Roy Maycock, on a Society walk.

There is a Plant List below, compiled by Mary Sarre – a short list, as the weather was not conducive to much searching.  Of note was the reed sweet-grass, which was evident in both the River Ouse and the Grand Union Canal. I recall seeing the reed sweet-grass on a very lovely evening on a Society walk at Olney some years ago where the cattle were wading into the river to eat this much-loved sweet treat.

There is also a Bird List below. Thanks to Harry Appleyard for the bird photos and the sunset…

Black-headed Gulls: just a few of the c.150 on a newly mown meadow (Photo © Harry Appleyard)

A Quiz was provided for anyone inclined to explore the churchyard, and a copy of the quiz and churchyard map is provided through this link, with answers at the end.   I am hoping to get Society members interested in making recordings of mammals (there is a badger sett nearby), insects and plants etc. For anyone willing to volunteer, contact details are on the Quiz sheets.

Jenny Mercer
July 2021

Sunset over the River Ouse (Photo © Harry Appleyard)

MKNHS Old Wolverton sightings 20.07.2021

Birds (recorded by or reported to Harry Appleyard)
Goldcrest
Carrion Crow
Little Egret
Starling
150+ Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Common Gull (Photo © Harry Appleyard)
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Sedge Warbler
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Green Woodpecker
Song Thrush
Swallow
Reed Bunting
Starlings (Photo © Harry Appleyard)

Plants (recorded by or reported to Mary Sarre)
Marsh woundwort, Stachys palustris
White deadnettle, Lamium album
Ragwort, common, Senecio jacobaea
Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna
Crab apple, Malus spp.
Blackthorn, Prunus spinosa

In the river:
Club-rush, probably the common, Scirpus lacustris
Reed sweet-grass, Glyceria maxima
Common reed, Phragmites australis
Yellow waterlily, Nuphar lutea

Canal bank:
Orange balsam, Impatiens capensis
Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria
Meadow vetchling, Lathyrus pratensis
Flowering rush, Butomus umbellatus
Water figwort, Scrophularia auriculata