Photo Gallery
Westcourt Pond
Many people think of Seymour Pond as the only pond in the parish but this is far from true. Apart from the ancient fish ponds at Ram Alley, ponds still exists at Warren, Harepath (only just), Southgrove, Manor, Wolfhall and Sudden Farms (and at others for all I know) and at Durley. Westcourt Pond is very ancient and, like Seymour, probably pre-dates the inclosures of the farmland. Westcourt Lane was once an important drove route and it is probable that the pond was dug to water the passing livestock. Unlike any other Burbage pond it is not circular but uses the natural contours to take the shape of a crescent moon. From about the 1950s it fell into disuse, became contaminated with spilt effluent and finally became the dump for workmen clearing the ditches. By 1996 it held very little water and was mainly choked with willows and sedge - although it remained home to a family of moorhens. A group of local volunteers, assisted by Mike Rowland and the farmhands of Bowden Farm, cleared and scoured the pond that winter, creating a fine feature for village strollers. Many bulbs have been planted and it creates a fine sight in spring. Despite having no permanent water feed, the pond has yet to run dry - some thinking that it may have been built on a spring.
Looking south
Looking North (the hunt kennels on the right in the distance)