Thomas Telford was a civil engineer in the early 19th Century. He is well known…
The Death of the Fields
Last week the sign appeared. It looked innocuous until you read it. It announced the death of the fields. Housing development was imminent. For me the fields were like a taste of country in the city, an ever changing landscape. A place where I could catch glimpses of beautiful sunrises.
A place where I could watch the changing crops and seasons, one year the fields were yellow from the rape seed flowers, another year they were golden from ears of corn.
A place where wildlife could be seen, butterflies dancing among the nettles, a pheasant making a break for it and running giddily across the field into the distance. Once I disturbed a heron standing in the stream, contemplating the water, before it took off with its wide wings beating the air. A place of tranquillity, where a morning walk is filled with bird song. A place with hidden secrets, where we found hidden apple trees and blackberry bushes. We picked the bounty and went home to make apple and blackberry strudel. A place filled with memories.
We went for a walk by the fields before they disappeared. Taking in the view under brooding skies that were filled with foreboding. The dog was happy to run and play along familiar paths. Happy to be off the lead and exploring. My son ran with him, they raced each other, seeing who was faster.
The skies grew darker as we walked, the sun doing it’s best to shine though. Beams of light being filtered thought the clouds.
We reached the dipping pools, nothing stirring in the water, no pond skaters or dragonflies until the weather gets warmed. The floor was muddy as it had been raining and the dog turned from white to brown. We stopped at a bench for a while, taking in the view.
As the skies grew darker we decided to head for home. We had left it late, hail rained down, stinging our faces and turning our hands numb. We ran, trying to find cover. Heading for the woods where we might find shelter under the trees.
It stopped before we made it, leaving a frosting of hail over the ground. A frosting that soon disappeared, as if it had never been there. Pretending it had been sunny all along.
We got home and made hot drinks, cold but happy from our walk. Enjoying the fields for the last time. Now the diggers and bulldozers have started to appear. Orange lines mark where the houses will be built and portacabins are being put into place. The work will begin soon and the fields will die.
how sad that the fields are going to be taken over. Even though sad i really enjoyed this post though and all the lovely pictures
It really is sad, we will have ton find somewhere else to roam. Glad you enjoyed the post
🙁 poignant post xxx
Thank you
Aww that’s really sad. They started the work really quickly too. Opposite our house, we have an enormous car park that goes across to the school. It’s nearly always empty at weekends and during the holidays so the kids love it for riding bikes, playing football, doing chalk drawings, etc. About 18 months ago, a sign went up to say they’d be building houses and a small block of flats there. We were gutted but since then, nothing – not sure if the idea has been binned or thy just haven’t got round to it yet, but it is really sad when you lose your stomping/playing ground.
It has been backwards and forwards with planning permssion for months. Originally we thought it would be denied but recently learnt that it was going ahead. So sad. I hope they have forgotten to build on your car park.
It’s such a shame to see the fields being turned into housing, England is slowly losing all it’s green spaces. It’s great that you managed to get out and enjoy the fields and their fresh air one last time before the building work began. Thanks for linking up with Country Kids.
It is awful to lose a farm that was obviously being used as well. One day we won’t have anywhere to grow crops
Such a shame, it’s good that you have a souvenir with the photos and I know we need more housing but a pity they have to be built on countryside
It really is sad, there are plenty of other areas that could be built on. One day we will have no fields left
How sad but I must admit our house is built on land that used to be a small nature type area next to the river. The houses on the main road lost their view. We didn’t know the area before we moved here. Thankfully the builders had to make a big part of the land an official nature reserve and they put something in that stopped the river flooding the main road. There is also a very nice walk into town that they created x
It is nice they bothered to put something back and you still get to enjoy some nature
What a poignantly written post and how sad that your fields are being taken away. I know new houses are needed but it breaks my heart to read about green spaces being taken away, especially when there seem to be so many brown field sites that could be used instead. Looks like you have some great photos and memories to try and blot out those bulldozers. #countrykids
Thank you. It really is sad as we do have plenty of other sites that could be used that had been built on before.
that is so sad
Great pictures by the way
It really is sad 🙁 Thanks
So sad, just heartbreaking. Our little town is also inundated by the greedy contractors pushing with their development plans. They never stop until they ruin everything around.
It will be really strange not to be able to walk past them with the dog. Soon we will have no fields left
So sad to lose such a gorgeous place, beautifully written and lovely photographs x #countrykids
So sad to lose a beautiful place like this, one I’m sure you will miss greatly. Such a poignant post x #countrykids
It really will be a miss, it was so nice to walk past in the mornings and think you were in the countryside