Working Together to Improve Norfolk's Wildlife

The Sustead Cluster

​​This complex is made up of four contiguous areas under a single management programme:

Sustead Common and The Surveyor’s Allotment – two areas of meadow grassland and scrub, with some mature trees, joined by a footbridge across a chalk stream, Gur Beck

Spurrell’s Wood – an area of Hazel coppices, Hornbeam and other native trees planted during the 1990s, surrounded by ancient boundary trees, with Gur Beck running through it

The Roadside Nature Reserve – species-rich verges which run along Sustead Road both north and south of the other sites

As a result of its habitat management work, Felbeck Trust has met the biodiversity standards required for recognition of the four Sustead sites as a County Wildlife Site – helping to safeguard their wildlife value for the future.

 

West Beckham Old Allotments

This former allotment and daffodil field is being restored to wildflower meadow, boundary hedges are being gapped up and native trees are being planted. The reserve is part of the RSPB’s “Operation Turtle Dove” project – intended to reverse the decline of Turtle Dove, and several drinking ponds have been created to meet the requirements of these scarce birds.

 

West Beckham Green

This site – designated as a village green – is located close to Sheringham Park. It comprises open woodland, including several mature Oaks, with areas of scrub and Bracken and dense leaf litter in places. Some natural regeneration is occurring.

 

East Beckham Common

This gently sloping site lies to the south of the village of East Beckham and consists of a public footpath with broad margins to either side. There are mixed mature trees and hedges along the route with areas of Blackthorn thicket, Bramble/Bracken scrub, and small patches of open grassland. The boundary bank may date back to Saxon times.

 

Brinton Nine Holes

Felbeck Trust is working with the Friends of Brinton to continue to improve the wildlife value of the site. The site comprises an acre of mixed woodland and scrub, including mature trees. A mown grass area is surrounded by scrub, nettles and tall grasses. We have been improving the boundary hedge by hedge-laying and gapping up.

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Bale Surveyor’s Allotment

The site comprises two acres of mixed woodland and scrub. The deep steep-sided pit contains a small patch of water in the deepest corner.

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Hindolveston Surveyor’s Allotment

This former gravel pit is a two-acre site, containing five patches of water. Felbeck Trust is working to improve the condition of the pools which are overgrown and silted up.

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Wood Norton Surveyor’s Allotment

The former clay pit is dominated by a large pond in a shallow depression. The remainder of the one-acre site is mixed woodland and scrub, predominantly Willow, but with other species such as Field Maple and Crab Apple. The whole site is surrounded by an impenetrable hedge.

 

Stow Heath

Felbeck Trust manages Felmingham No 1 Surveyor’s Allotment – known as Stow Heath – under a ten-year lease from Felmingham Parish Council.  The site comprises three acres of dense woodland and scrub, with several ancient banks. There are a number of linked overgrown ponds with dead wood, fed by becks on the north and east boundaries.

 

Aylmerton Surveyor’s Allotment

The latest addition to Felbeck Trust’s portfolio, Aylmerton No 2 Surveyor’s Allotment is comprised of mature and younger established trees planted under the Woodland Management Scheme which was administered by the Countryside Section of NNDC. Felbeck Trust began habitat management in 2024.