Badgerhole Shaw

Wood, Forest in Sussex Adur

England

Badgerhole Shaw

Tapsel gate and squeeze gate at Coombes Church, West Sussex The entrance to Coombes Parish Church is marked by a Tapsel gate and a squeeze gate. The Tapsel gate is shown here in the closed position. — Tapsel gate and squeeze gate at Coombes Church, West Sussex Credit: Andrew Diack

Badgerhole Shaw is a picturesque woodland located in Sussex, England. Covering an area of approximately 100 acres, it is a part of the larger Ashdown Forest. This ancient forest is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its rich biodiversity and historical significance.

The woodland is predominantly composed of oak and beech trees, creating a dense and enchanting canopy. With its varied topography, including gentle slopes and small valleys, Badgerhole Shaw offers a diverse range of habitats, supporting a wide array of plant and animal species. Bluebells, wood anemones, and wild garlic carpet the forest floor in the spring, creating a stunning display of color.

The forest is home to an abundance of wildlife, including badgers, deer, foxes, and a variety of bird species. It is particularly renowned for its rich birdlife, attracting birdwatchers from near and far. Species such as nightjars, woodpeckers, and various songbirds can be spotted and heard throughout the year.

Badgerhole Shaw is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and walkers, offering several well-maintained trails that meander through the woods. These paths provide ample opportunities for visitors to explore the forest's beauty and tranquility while enjoying the fresh air.

Overall, Badgerhole Shaw is a stunning woodland that combines natural beauty, ecological importance, and recreational opportunities. Its idyllic setting and diverse flora and fauna make it a must-visit location for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the enchanting woodlands of Sussex.

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Badgerhole Shaw Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 50.857865/-0.30190016 or Grid Reference TQ1907. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Tapsel gate and squeeze gate at Coombes Church, West Sussex

The entrance to Coombes Parish Church is marked by a Tapsel gate and a squeeze gate. The Tapsel gate is shown here in the closed position.

Andrew Diack

Tapsel gate in closed position at Coombes Parish Church, West Sussex

This photo shows the Tapsel gate and adjacent squeeze gate at Coombes Parish Church. The Tapsel gate is in a closed position. The photo was taken from inside the churchyard while looking in an east-southeast direction.

Andrew Diack

Tapsel gate at Coombes Parish Church in an open position, West Sussex

The photo shows the Tapsel gate at Coombes Parish Church in an open position. The adjacent squeeze gate, which prevents cattle or other large animals entering the churchyard, is in a permanently open position. The photo was taken from inside the churchyard and it looks in an east-southeast direction.

Andrew Diack

Tapsel gate at Coombes Parish Church in an open position, Sussex

This view was taken from the car park looking east-southeast and it shows the Tapsel gate at Coombes Parish Church in an open position. Next to the Tapsel gate, there is a squeeze gate which, because of its design, remains permanently open.

Andrew Diack

Tapsel gate at St Botolph's Church, West Sussex, in a closed position,

This photo shows the Tapsel gate at St Botolph's church in a closed position. The photo was taken looking north and it shows the Grade I listed church in the background. The Tapsel gate links the churchyard of St Botolph's with an adjacent council burial ground. The gate was installed in late 2003 and it was consecrated in 2004 by Bishop Lindsay Urwin, who was the Bishop of Horsham between 1993 and 2009.

Andrew Diack

Tapsel gate in an open position at St Botolph's Church, West Sussex

This photo shows the Tapsel gate at St Botolph's church as seen looking north from the churchyard. The arched frame of the five bar gate is reminiscent of the Tapsel gate design at St Mary the Virgin church at Friston in East Sussex.

Andrew Diack

Closed Tapsel gate at St Botolph's church seen looking south

The Tapsel gate at St Botolph's church in West Sussex is a modern one having been installed in 2003. This date is carved into the top of arched wooden frame. The gate was funded by the joint parish council of the area to enable the use of the church by visitors to the burial ground.

Andrew Diack

Open Tapsel gate at St Botolph's Church seen looking south

The Tapsel gate at St Botolph's church in West Sussex is a modern one having been installed in late 2003. Although this date is carved into the top of arched wooden frame, it is difficult to see, in this photo, without added magnification. At present, the central pivot is slightly more stiff to open than other Tapsel gates but an application of lubricant would remedy this.

Andrew Diack

St Botolph's Church viewed looking east, West Sussex

On the 15th March 1955, the Saxon Church of St Botolph's was listed as a Grade I building and by definition that means that the site was considered to be of exceptional, national importance. The building dates to about AD 950 and it is listed as one of the 500 holiest sites in Britain. Notable features of the church include three bells made, in 1536, by John Tonne which commemorate the old dedication to St Peter with the inscription “Sancte Petre ora pro nobis”; an oak, Jacobean pulpit dating from 1630; traces of wall murals which were recorded in 1897 and a square baptism font, supported by a brick plinth, which probably dates to the 18th century. Another interesting feature, of the church, are the slanted side windows which allowed lepers, from the leper colony in Bramber, to stand outside and see the service taking place without transmitting the disease to the congregation inside the church.

Andrew Diack

Cattle - and view SW over the Adur Valley

You can see the sea and Lancing College Chapel on the left of the photo.

Ian Cunliffe

Autumn Lady Tresses

Autumn Lady Tresses, Spiranthes spiralis in flower at Anchor Bottom next to the A283 in East Sussex.

John P Reeves

South Downs Way above Anchor Bottom

The National Trail east of the Adur Valley

Chris Heaton

The South Downs Way leading up from the Adur Valley

Tim Heaton

South Downs Way climbs Beeding Hill

A similar view is at Link.

Shazz

Bridleway gate on the South Downs Way on Beeding Hill

Shazz

Anchor Bottom by the South Downs Way

The chimney of the disused cement works is in the picture and Lancing College is set against the sea.

Shazz

A27 crosses the River Adur

The river was formerly navigable for large vessels up as far as Steyning, where there was a large port, but over time the river valley became silted up and the port moved down to the deeper waters nearer the mouth in Shoreham-by-Sea. Link