Hawkshill Freedown

Hawkshill Freedown is a thirteen-and-a-half-acre green area purchased in 1999 to ensure its continued existence as an open space.  Originally owned by the Leith estate, Walmer Town Council sought to keep the Freedown as it was for the benefit of not only the people of  Walmer but for the wildlife that called it home. The Freedown is home to numerous rare species or moth and reptile, as well as incredible  views high above the town of Walmer and the English Channel.

Currently administered by the Walmer In Bloom committee and tended to by a team of volunteers. Teeming with wildlife, particularly  wildflowers and rare butterflies, Hawkshill is one of the few remaining chalk grasslands left in Britain. With the loss of almost 80% of the  chalk grasslands in Britain means that their help is something that is sorely needed. Although Hawkshill is a relatively small site it  represents 0.2% of this remaining type of vegetation in Kent, with several residents with experience and environmental specialists have also been approached where necessary.

Hawkshill Freedown is registered as common land and as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest and has had an interesting and varied history. It is also home of two war memorials, the first a century old memorialising those lost from Walmer Aerodrome in World War One and the other a newer memorial situated on the Freedown itself including those lost in both World Wars.

You can find out more about the site from the interpretation boards which have been erected throughout the Freedown, or you can get more information from the pages on this website and at the WalmerWeb webpage.

Latest News

New Trees

Thanks to the efforts of Walmer Council and the volunteers at Hawkshill, several hundred new whips have been planted along the channel facing  side of the Freedown. Gaining funds from the Kent County Council Historic Treescapes Grant, the new trees were obtained from a local company  and planting completed only a few weeks later.

Dead Hedge

Many of the broken branches and trimmed pieces from the bushes and trees of the Freedown have been turned into a dead hedge. This is an upright  structure of cuttings such as tree branches woven between vertical stakes, once in place this forms a barrier to prevent trespass and to create new  habitats for wildlife.

Slow Worms

With the decreasing population of these small, harmless reptiles, it has been a joy to find that an ever-growing population of Slow Worms have been found at Hawkshill Freedown. Their protected status means that they along with numerous other protected and rare species of wildlife

Management Plan

The Hawkshill Freedown Management Plan is currently being rewritten by volunteer members in order to continue to improve the Freedown and to ensure its prosperity into the future. It is hoped that the plan will be completed by the end of 2024.

Watering the Hedging

With new hedging comes new needs for Hawkshill, as summer begins to make its appearance it will be necessary to water the new trees and hedging that has been planted. So if you are going for a walk through the Freedown or are visiting for any reason, then please remember to take a bottle of water or two with you, to keep both yourself and the plants well hydrated at the hottest time of the year.

Equipment and Training

New equipment purchased for the use by the volunteers include a new hedge trimmer and will increase as new water butts and hand tools will continue to be gained for the Freedown. In addition it is hoped that qualifications for the volunteers may also be obtained, allowing those who care for Hawkshill to continue to do.

Survey

A survey to check the state of the trees throughout the Freedown will be going ahead, thanks to the efforts of the volunteers it is known that a few need to be tended to. Once the survey is completed Walmer Town Council and the volunteers will know which trees may need to be removed and which will stay where they are, hale and hearty.

Volunteers

Volunteers are always needed for Hawkshill Freedown, many of our current group work on Sundays to endure everything is tended to. But if you are interested in helping, then everyone is welcome to give a hand. It is hoped to begin weekday groups as well, allowing those who may not be able to make it on a Sunday to give their time and effort.

 

Upcoming

Moth Catching Evenings

The Hawkshill Freedown moth catching evenings are returning to Walmer, thanks to the efforts of Mr Richard Orum, several mornings and/or evenings will soon be going ahead. This will include the catching and identifying moths and butterflies on the Freedown before releasing them, previous evenings have been a great success, and we hope to see more of you all there.

Friends of Hawkshill Freedown

The Friends of Hawkshill Freedown Instagram is also available, showing pictures of wildlife and volunteers hard at work to keep the site as functional an beautiful as ever.

Instagram- Friends of Hawkshill Freedown 

 

What 3 Words

What3words is an app that can be used to identify locations, every 3m square area has been given a combination of three words to make up an address that can be added to the area. Below is a small selection of these addresses for locations that are tended to by the council and volunteers.

Hawkshill War Memorial: crafts.different.flamenco
Hawkshill Car Park. vibes.vowel.acids
Walmer Peace Gardens: remarks.slouched.unwell
Drill Field: dads.hears.engine