In spring and summer of 2018 GCDT were busy working with the wider community of Gorebridge to create a wildflower meadow area adjacent to the ruins of Newbyres Castle.

This often overlooked green space, nestled behind the historic Main Street is a treasured haven for plants, birds and insects. With the support of funding from the Grow Wild project and the helping hands of children from the nurseries, schools, community groups and volunteers work took place to enhance the biodiversity of the area by sowing and growing native wildflowers to be planted in the area.

Midlothian Artist Fiona Maher delivered a number of community-based workshops inspiring community plant conservation through art by designing a wildflower graffiti design for the meadow space. Midlothian Council Landscape department are helping in preparing the ground, spreading the subsoil and putting in a protective fence to allow the seedlings time to safely establish. This is a long-term community project with nature doing most of the work!

Why improve this area which many will say is already wild?

The UK has lost over 95% of its wildflower meadows since World War II and with this its pollinators that are vital to humans.

There is pressure on nature from building for accommodation and business, to people paving over their green spaces and cutting down trees. Urban areas are one of the most biologically diverse habitats in the country.

Newbyres has indicator species that show it was at one time a site of ancient woodland, long before the village was built. This information tells us a story about the history of our environment and signals the actions we need to take to stop the “ecological apocalypse we are presiding over” as Chris Peckham describes in his July 2018 Bio Blitz campaign across the UK. He is not alone in this vocal campaign to take action to protect the wildness of nature with many key Conservationists and Organisations promoting action to protect species especially with changing climate across the world and pressure on natural resources.

With this project, we aimed to support the ethos of Grow Wild and Kew Gardens by promoting and supporting action on a local level. We hoped to change the mindset and attitude that everything has to be neat, tidy and highly managed. Nature isn’t about everything being in rows with bedding flowers which are ecologically sterile and offer nothing to pollinators.

The UK is home to remarkable and beautiful wildlife but is also in big trouble.

In the case of some species, this means we are fast approaching the last chance to make a difference.

The Gorebridge Rewilding Grow Wild project supported the creation of a valuable wildflower-rich habitat that will help both pollinators and people. Inspired by the project Nature Artist Paul Hodges has created a beautiful series of boxes to highlight the biodiversity treasures of the UK (an exhibition to follow later in 2018) with species that are under threat from our countryside. They are truly amazing.

It is not just the loss of species that is of concern. Many Conservation organisations, including Kew Gardens are working with communities across the UK to bring people back into harmony with nature. Areas such as Newbyres Castle matter. The loss of connection to nature across the UK has been having a recognised and measurable negative impact on our health.

Who doesn’t get a good feeling from hearing a bird sing, spotting wildflowers on the verges or breathing in the beauty of the trees? Being in natural spaces improves our own wellbeing over time in nature being prescribed by many medical practitioners to improve physical and mental health.

We hope to shine the light on taking action to protect our green spaces. Nature Reserves are not enough and all green spaces play a vital part.

Help us make that difference by continuing the work of Rewilding Gorebridge. To find out more about the project, volunteer training available in conservation and horticultural skills along with upcoming events go to www.growwilduk.com/community-projects

Rewilding Gorebridge was funded by:

Newbyres Castle:

Archaeology Scotland have completed their report on the geophysical survey of Newbyres Castle. This has indicated that there is evidence of further remains under the ground to the immediate north of the castle which could be of interest and related to the castle. The next phase would be to carry out some excavation/trial pits to see what may be beneath the surface and for further consolidation of the existing remains.

The Gorebridge Community Development Trust will be discussing with Archaeology Scotland the way forward for the next stage. An interpretative panel will be located near to the remains as part of the Gorebridge Heritage Trail.

Stobs Mill Gunpowder Works :

Addyman Archaeology have just completed their study on the remains and recommend that a steering group of interested parties be set up to explore the next stage to improve access and interpretation of the site. They feel that the site is of national importance and should be a scheduled ancient monument. The works were extensive as the OS map of 1850 indicates. With the results of the study and some 3D images of the buildings that were on the site a sketch had been produced that will go into the Gorebridge Heritage Trail leaflet.

More information will be posted about these projects (what next etc) in due course.

It is now clear enough for Piers Dixon, an archaeologist from Historic Environment Scotland, to come and assess what other structures might have surrounded the castle.

After a delicious lentil soup made by Michaela back at the trust office, Cara Jones, from Archaeology Scotland, gave us a fascinating talk about their organisation and in particular the Adopt-a-Monument scheme of which Newbyres Castle is part of.

Thanks to all who helped.

To find out more about the next event please keep an eye on the website. We would love to have you attend.

The wonderful Ronnie and Gordon who currently look after the meadow need volunteers from the community to help with planting, weeding and tidying.

This new gardening club will begin on Friday 16th June and will meet from 1:30-3pm at Newbyres Wild Meadow.

Parents and children are very welcome, and with this in mind Lorna Lagerman an experienced early years practitioner, will be there to give children even more engaging opportunities to explore the garden through activities such as mini beast hunts and nature scavenger hunts.

Please come along wearing appropriate clothing for being outdoors. Ronnie and Gordon have all other necessary tools and resources for gardening.

No need to book, just drop-in on Friday 16th and you will be warmly welcomed for an hour or so of gardening fun for all.

Woodland Wildlings is a nature playgroup for children where they families will have the chance to experience and learn together some simple nature play activities, songs and finger rhymes.

Please wear appropriate clothing for being outdoors and bring a healthy snack and drink as the session will include a wee picnic.

This first session will gather at Newbyres Castle Wildlife Garden on Friday 16th at 10:30-11:30. Future Gorebridge outdoor locations will be posted on the Woodland Wildlings facebook page.

These sessions are being led by Lorna Lagerman, an experienced early years practitioner.

If you would like to attend please email Lorna on lornalagerman [@] hotmail.com

We then took numerous photos of the castle which we fed into a computer programme back at No. 58. These then miraculously turned into a 3D image that you could do flyovers with on the computer. We were all very impressed.

We intend to buy the software to do this on behalf of the trust and use it to do further modelling of the castle and also of the gunpowder works in Gore Glen. My next post will show you the results!

Many thanks to Cara Jones and Rebecca Barclay.