River Ouse Restoration Project at Sheffield Park

Project

The Art in the Park Trail at Sheffield Park 2019 — The Art in the Park Trail at Sheffield Park, East Sussex 2019

The River Ouse in Sussex in flood at Sheffield Park — The River Ouse floodplain at Sheffield Park, East Sussex

Recent funding from external grants and raffle ticket sales onsite have enabled the National Trust to start a project to improve the channel shape and connection to the floodplain, benefiting water quality, wildlife habitats and alleviating flooding downstream. Plans also include building a bridge over the river, linking the Sheffield Park parkland with the Ouse Valley Way.

Follow the project through each stage of development as we enhance the natural environment and improve access and information for our visitors.

Latest updates

28 Aug 20

The creation of 'Hawthorn Corner'

We have been continuing to install a stockproof fence across one corner of Irongates Meadow to create a small area which has been nicknamed ‘Hawthorn Corner’. This patch will be planted with scrub plants such as Hawthorn and Blackthorn and the fencing will protect the young plants from our grazing livestock. By creating this habitat by the river edge we aim to encourage a wide range of species including pollinating insects that will enjoy the nectar within the spring blossom, small mammals and birds that will feast on the fruits during the summer and in time and when the plants have formed a dense thicket it will be a perfect site for nesting birds.

Creation of 'Hawthorn Corner' on the Parkland at Sheffield Park

13 Aug 20

New information panels installed

Work has been completed on the installation of the information panels funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Visitors to the parkland will be able to find out about the industrial heritage of the river as well as the nature and wildlife that live in the surrounding habitat.

Interpretation panel showing wildlife information Sheffield Park

14 Jul 20

Work begins again

After a long pause due to flooding and Coronavirus, work has begun again to finish installation of the parkland interpretation funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A tractor is used to install the new interpretation panels

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