Frome's 'Bitey Horse Field' Transformed into Community Woodland
A small patch of land in Frome, Somerset, once infamously dubbed "bitey horse field" due to a troublesome stallion, is undergoing a remarkable transformation into a community woodland. The town council has secured a 99-year lease on the banana-shaped paddock, launching a project that will rewrite its history with a greener, more communal future.
A Storied Landscape Gets a New Chapter
Like much of Britain, this Somerset area is a landscape rich with names and stories, from Snail's Bottom to Bonnyleigh Hill, each memorialising forgotten individuals. Now, volunteers are gathering to overwrite one such tale—that of the bitey horse—with a narrative of growth and community. Over two hours, they aim to partner bamboo sticks with live tree whips, planting species suited to the land's contours.
The project is crowdfunded in memory of Moko Sellars, a young Japanese-British woman cherished by the town. Her legacy inspires this effort, with six hundred people expected to participate in planting for and by the community. The council has provisionally named it Frome Community Woodland, though the final name will be decided by the community itself.
Planting with Purpose and Hope
Volunteers have been assigned specific zones based on the field's topography. At the riverside end, prone to flooding, species like pussy willow, black poplar, and alder are being dug in, while higher ground receives oak, hornbeam, and field maple. An oval clearing is reserved for schoolchildren to plant, envisioning a space where future generations might play.
"I can look all the way across the stick-sprouting field today and understand that all our hope and belief comes, not from what we see in the future, but what we won't," reflects one participant. The vision is of a wooded sanctuary where people can hide, lose, and find themselves—a testament to the power of collective action.
This initiative not only honours a beloved local figure but also fosters environmental stewardship and community cohesion. As the bamboo forest gives way to a thriving wood, Frome's bitey horse field is set to become a lasting green legacy for Somerset.
