The Old Cottage

As you approach the end of the park where it joins the public footpath across Devil’s Elbow and on towards Moseley Old Hall, you stand at the location of an old cottage long since demolished although evidence in the Friends archive suggests it was still in existence in the 1930’s. In 2018 a group of amateur and professional archaeologists Archaeology in Mind (AiM) (https://en-gb.facebook.com/ArchaeologyinMind/ )  investigated the site. The dig took place to plan the layout of the cottage and to look for any dating evidence.   Extracts from a full report by AiM records that work began at the south end of the cottage where a considerable amount of brickwork was showing through the soil.  The line of the brickwork was followed in both directions to find where the walls turned. Within the internal area ground was cleared which exposed a mainly quarry tiled floor mostly intact.  At the West side of the cottage a room with brick flooring was exposed which may have been a storage area.

The total extent of the excavation measured 7m x 6.8m not including a bay shaped feature which extended for a further 80cm and was thought to suggest either a possible bay window or a fireplace although no burning was evident. Once everything had been recorded the site was backfilled to protect the archaeology. Further investigations to establish whether any other building existed are planned for a future date. Finds included post medieval pottery and a badly worn coin, 30mm in diameter, which could possibly be a George III Halfpenny.  No evidence was found to explain the exact use of the cottage.

A photo from the Alex Chatwin Archives at Northycote shows the son of one of the residents of this cottage Mr F.T. Varty pictured in 1895 outside the cottage.

Bluebells

You are now in the midst of our bluebell area. Northycote has swathes of beautiful English bluebells in the spring.

English bluebells are quite different from the Spanish bluebell common in many gardens and garden centres. The English Bluebell is delicate with a gently curving head which hangs down to one side. Its Spanish cousin is upright big and bold.

• Spanish V English Bluebell

Bluebells are sensitive plants they do not like to be walked over so please keep to the pathways. They like to grow in the shady woodland areas. Although extremely pretty in the ground if picked, these flowers rapidly die and will not last even if placed quickly into a vase. Picking bluebells simply makes them die and prevents them from making seed for the next generation. Bluebells are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). It prohibits anyone from digging up bulbs in the countryside and landowners from removing bluebells from their land for sale. It is against the law to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy bluebells. ... Bluebells can take years to recover after footfall damage. If a bluebell's leaves are crushed, they die back from lack of food as the leaves cannot photosynthesise.