New view of Cowdray Ruins thanks to volunteer scrub clearers

Town councillors Theresa Truscott and Brendan Flynn working on the clearance CONTRIBUTED

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SNOWDROPS and a new view of the Cowdray Ruins have appeared thanks to a group of volunteers.

Chairman of Midhurst Town Council’s community care committee, Glyn Upjohn said: “Early last year I was stuck in traffic just south of North Mill Bridge when I noticed there was a great swathe of snowdrops which were all but invisible because of the overgrowth and sadly not in great view to the passing public.”

As he sat in traffic he also realised the large area stretching from Mill Bridge to North Street car park did not present itself as the greatest entrance to the town and hid the Cowdray Ruins’.

Shortly afterwards Darren Rolfe, senior community solutions officer at West Sussex County Council (WSCC) spoke to the town council about a volunteer group which carried out community projects.

“I saw a possible solution,” said Glyn.

To qualify as a community project local volunteers had to be found. So a campaign was launched to encourage residents to take part.

“At first four days were all allocated but by now we are well into double figures. The results are incredible - we have a whole new vista - a tourist asset. The view of the floodlit Ruins at night is a sight worth seeing.”

“We now have to maintain the area and we will need the help of Darren’s group, volunteers, town councillors and Cowdray Estate, who have been so cooperative, considering that it is mainly their land we have been working on. We need to stay on top of this - those brambles are already planning a come back!”

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