Ford Moss
Encyclopedia
Ford Moss is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, containing a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, located 12 miles south-west of Berwick-upon-Tweed
, Northumberland
, England
. The site is managed by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust
and gained its SSI status in 1968.
formations. It is one of two SSI's
located on the Ford
& Etal
estate which were originally two separate estates combined in 1908 when James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey
purchased them both. Access can be gained by heading south off the B6353 (vehicles must be left at the gate of the site) and although there are a some good footpath
s for the general public permits are required to enter certain parts. The 71.6 hectare
site, situated around 110 metres about sea level, is made up partly (46 hectares) of a raised bog
of peat
, which is up to 12 metres deep in places and underlain by carboniferous limestone
some 363 to 325 million years ago. The bog, or mire, was a rainfed lake
at some point in its history of which the build up of vegetation outstripped that of decomposition, giving it it's 'raised' aspect. A report to the Government Office of the North East (GONE) stated that "although partly drained, the re-wetted surface contains many waterlogged areas," that "the water table should normally be within 25cm of the surface" and that the water quality was "good." Flora include heather
, cotton grass, hares tail and cross-leaved heath and fauna to be found are red squirrels, roe deer
, curlew
, red grouse
and adders
amongst others. The first Northumberian sitings of the solitary bee "Colletes succinctus" were made around the bog in 2007. To the south of the bog is found ancient woodland
containing Scots Pine
, birch
and willow
trees.
from the medieval age existed on the site although information is difficult to find about it. On the western edge of the site are located the remains of a colliery which was in use from at least the late 17th century to the outbreak of World War I
. The colliery supplied local businesses, such as a brick and tileworks at Flodden and Ford Forge
. A small collection of houses surrounded the colliery and there was even a railway proposed in 1852 which was however never built. Despite not falling out of use until reasonably recently there is very little evidence of it to be found except for the Grade II listed engine house chimney (listed in 1968), described as "Mid C19. Snecked stone and brick in English Garden Wall Bond. Tall square stone base with a round brick arch on 2 sides. Tall round brick chimney with roll-moulded ashlar base and ashlar cornice," the engine house walls and the bases of some of the miners cottage
s.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, containing a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
, located 12 miles south-west of Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The site is managed by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Northumberland Wildlife Trust was established in 1971 to help conserve and protect the wildlife of Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside in the UK...
and gained its SSI status in 1968.
Location and Natural Features
Ford Moss is bound to the south by the 165 metre high Goatscrag Hill and the west by the 150 metre Blackchester Hill, both of which are sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
formations. It is one of two SSI's
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
located on the Ford
Ford, Northumberland
Ford is a small village in Northumberland, England, about from Berwick-upon-Tweed. Ford shares a parish with Etal.- History Pre-1513 :Very little is known of the history of the area before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, but Bronze Age rock carvings in the area suggest that there might...
& Etal
Etal
Etal is a small village in the far north of the county of Northumberland, England which shares a parish with nearby Ford. It lies on a bridging point of the River Till ten miles south west of Berwick-Upon-Tweed, and can boast the substantial ruins of a medieval castle currently owned by English...
estate which were originally two separate estates combined in 1908 when James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey
James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey
James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey was a coal mining magnate from Durham and a British Liberal Party politician....
purchased them both. Access can be gained by heading south off the B6353 (vehicles must be left at the gate of the site) and although there are a some good footpath
Footpath
A Footpath is a thoroughfare intended for by pedestrians but not by motorized vehicles. The term is often for paths within an urban area that offer shorter quieter routes for pedestrians, they may also provide access to the surrounding countryside or parks...
s for the general public permits are required to enter certain parts. The 71.6 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
site, situated around 110 metres about sea level, is made up partly (46 hectares) of a raised bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
, which is up to 12 metres deep in places and underlain by carboniferous limestone
Carboniferous limestone
Carboniferous Limestone is a term used to describe a variety of different types of limestone occurring widely across Great Britain and Ireland which were deposited during the Dinantian epoch of the Carboniferous period. They were formed between 363 and 325 million years ago...
some 363 to 325 million years ago. The bog, or mire, was a rainfed lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
at some point in its history of which the build up of vegetation outstripped that of decomposition, giving it it's 'raised' aspect. A report to the Government Office of the North East (GONE) stated that "although partly drained, the re-wetted surface contains many waterlogged areas," that "the water table should normally be within 25cm of the surface" and that the water quality was "good." Flora include heather
Erica
Erica ,the heaths or heathers, is a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The English common names "heath" and "heather" are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance....
, cotton grass, hares tail and cross-leaved heath and fauna to be found are red squirrels, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, curlew
Curlew
The curlews , genus Numenius, are a group of eight species of birds, characterised by long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills...
, red grouse
Red grouse
The Red Grouse is a medium sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the Willow Grouse but is sometimes considered to be a separate species Lagopus scoticus...
and adders
Viperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
amongst others. The first Northumberian sitings of the solitary bee "Colletes succinctus" were made around the bog in 2007. To the south of the bog is found ancient woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
containing Scots Pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
trees.
Man-Made Features
There is some evidence that deserted villageAbandoned village
An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages were deserted for a variety of causes...
from the medieval age existed on the site although information is difficult to find about it. On the western edge of the site are located the remains of a colliery which was in use from at least the late 17th century to the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The colliery supplied local businesses, such as a brick and tileworks at Flodden and Ford Forge
Ford Forge
Ford Forge , Northumberland, England is located on the River Till between the villages of Ford and Etal. Buildings housing a water-powered forge were constructed at this site by 1770. Throughout the nineteenth century the forge was used to manufacture shovels for Northumberland collieries...
. A small collection of houses surrounded the colliery and there was even a railway proposed in 1852 which was however never built. Despite not falling out of use until reasonably recently there is very little evidence of it to be found except for the Grade II listed engine house chimney (listed in 1968), described as "Mid C19. Snecked stone and brick in English Garden Wall Bond. Tall square stone base with a round brick arch on 2 sides. Tall round brick chimney with roll-moulded ashlar base and ashlar cornice," the engine house walls and the bases of some of the miners cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s.