Capstone Farm Country Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Capstone Farm Country Park |
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The fishing lake within Capstone Park
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| OS grid | TQ780654 |
| Area | 114 Hectares (281 acres) |
| Created | 1991 |
| Operated by | Medway Council |
| Open | 7 days a week, dawn until dusk |
Capstone Farm Country Park is a large and lovely park located in Chatham, Kent, England. It used to be a working farm, but it has been changed into a beautiful park with lots of open spaces for everyone to enjoy.
This park covers a huge area of 114 hectares (that's about 281 acres!) of old farmland. It sits on the North Downs hills, close to Walderslade. The park is also part of the Kent Downs, which is a special area known for its outstanding natural beauty.
Contents
Discover Capstone Farm Country Park
Capstone Farm Country Park is a fantastic place to explore nature and have fun outdoors. It's looked after by Medway Council.
A Look Back: Park History
The park is located in the Capstone valley, between Hempstead and Walderslade. People have been using this valley for a very long time, even since the Neolithic period (that's the New Stone Age!). Archaeologists have found old tools and items from that time here.
From Farm to Park
Long ago, there were four big farms in this area, including Shawstead Farm. In 1765, some of the local woodlands were cleared to help supply Chatham Dockyard with oak trees. These oak trees were used to build wooden sailing ships in Chatham. The best oak trees grew in the rich soil of the valleys where the farms were.
Much of what is now the park used to be part of Shawstead Manor's farm. You can still see the ruins of Upper Shawstead Farm inside the park today. For many centuries, the land belonged to the church. They rented it out to local farmers, but they managed the woodlands themselves.
In the 16th century, a special fire signal, called a beacon, was set up here. It was used to warn people if there was danger or for military training.
How the Park Was Created
In 1928, Chatham Council bought the land. However, a local farmer continued to rent and farm it until 1984. That's when it officially opened as a Country Park for Medway Council. Even today, a part of the park is still farmed by the Wills family, who started farming here in 1951.
In 1985, a landfill site (where rubbish was buried) called Shawstead landfill was closed. This meant even more land became available for the country park, especially new woodlands planted on the western side.
A small part of the land was sold in 1984 to create a riding school. This is now Matthews Riding School, where horses are kept and people can learn to ride.
What Can You Do There?
Capstone Farm Country Park has lots to offer visitors of all ages.
Exploring the Woodlands
The park has several ancient woodlands that you can explore. These include:
- Drow Hill Wood: The biggest woodland, with lots of sweet chestnut trees.
- Maze Wood (also called Capstone Wood): Another woodland with sweet chestnut trees.
- Round Glade Wood: Has chestnut and oak trees.
- Orchid Wood: An older woodland with oak and ash trees.
- Millennium Wood: Planted in 1997 and 2000, with a mix of native trees like ash, silver birch, and beech.
- Tangle Wood: A smaller woodland with hazel trees.
- Boundary Wood: A narrow strip of woodland with ash trees along the park's edge.
Park rangers manage these woodlands in a traditional way called coppicing. This means they cut some trees down to the ground to encourage new growth, which helps the trees and wildlife.
Wildlife You Might See
Capstone is home to many different kinds of wildlife. In the woods, you might spot great spotted woodpeckers, blackcaps, and willow warblers. In the hedges and meadows, look out for yellowhammers and skylarks.
The park is also a great place for butterflies! You might see speckled wood, gatekeeper, and brimstone butterflies, especially near the orchard and meadows. Over the freshwater lake, many types of dragonflies and damselflies can be seen flying around.
Fun Activities and Facilities
Besides the woodlands, Capstone Farm Country Park has many other facilities for visitors:
- A children's play area for younger visitors.
- Public and disabled toilets.
- A cafe overlooking the lake where you can get refreshments.
- Picnic areas for enjoying a meal outdoors.
- Paths perfect for cycling.
- A visitor centre to learn more about the park.
- Fishing in the lake (you'll need a day ticket).
- An education room for groups and learning activities.
- A special trail for horse riding.
- A reptile garden, which is an area with rocks and bushes where reptiles might live.
The park also has large green meadows, including the Events Field. This field is used for various outdoor activities like kite flying events ("Kites over Capstone") and charity runs like Cancer Research's Race for Life.
Many dedicated volunteers help the park rangers. They work on tasks like coppicing trees, maintaining trails, and doing other important jobs to keep the park beautiful.
Capstone Farm Country Park has also received a Green Flag Award from Natural England. This award recognizes well-managed parks and green spaces.
