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April 2021 April 2021
BERE REGIS HISTORY SOCIETY
BERE REGIS WILDLIFE AND ENGLISH PIONEERING AVIATION DEVELOPMENT NEAR BERE
ENVIRONMENT GROUP REGIS

Who would ever imagine that 111 years ago, in 1910,
With brighter, longer and warmer days the signs of there were aviation experiments going on just a few miles
Spring are now all around us. Primroses are in bloom from Bere Regis? Just a few years after the Wright brothers
and bluebells will soon be adorning our local woods, had made the first manned powered flight in the US in
the first swallows will soon be arriving (do let us know 1903 a couple of young men from a Dorchester automobile manufacturer were
when you see your first), while other birds will be active trying out an aeroplane just 1.5 miles (2.4km) from the centre of Bere Regis.
building their nests and incubating their eggs. You Ernest and Ralph Channon had built a Wright-type biplane at their works in
should be able to see many if not all of these sights along the riverside path, Dorchester and had found the ideal place to try it out at Affpuddle Ridge. Their
helped by the conservation work our volunteers have been doing over the past
years to create a wider range of habitats. first trials were made without power in July 1909. Further tests were made in August
1910 on Moreton Heath, while their hanger was being constructed at Maiden
Castle beginning earlier in that year.

Sallows
Sallows are part of the Willow family of trees, with a number of Willows known by
this name, for example Grey Willow and Goat Willow. They are particularly found
in damp areas such as those between the riverside path and the stream. They
are an important tree for invertebrates; apparently willows support even more
species of large moths and butterflies than oaks and birches. At this time of year
the catkins may be seen, often called pussy willow as the catkins have the
appearance of a cat’s foot. These catkins are a great source of nectar for moths
and butterflies and other invertebrates. Male and female catkins grow on
separate trees. Pollination is by wind and once pollinated, the female catkins the
female catkins develop into woolly seeds. Once these seeds are mature they are
distributed on the wind. This explains why for some weeks in early summer there is
a carpet of white cotton wool like material to be seen along the riverside path.

Pony Grazing on Souls Moor

The friendly ponies have been grazing for 4 years now. Bere Regis Parish Council
was able to let the grazing right to Mark Bartlett a local pony owner and this has
greatly benefitted the condition of the this part of our village nature reserve for In the late summer of 1910 they made their first attempts at powered flight using a
wildlife. two-bladed propeller running on a 23 h.p. six-cylinder petrol engine powering their
50 feet (15.25m) span aircraft. In those early days it was problematic getting the
The ponies have their favourite areas for grazing and each successive year they engine power to propeller size ratio correct but in September 1910 a flight of
have chewed their way through a larger area. In those areas fresh growth of about 100 yards was made at Maiden Castle, but they concluded that more
grasses are more tender and palatable for them. You might ask, why do we want power was needed from the engine. The young men had run out of money so the
them to eat interesting wild plants. The only way to give these plants like the experiments ended, and unfortunately the aircraft was destroyed in a fire at the
Southern Marsh Orchid a chance is to reduce the amount of grass coverage and Channon engineering works shortly after this.
these grow within the boggy areas closer to the stream. In the drier areas nearer
to the school, there has not been so much grazing so longer grass and plants like
Hogweed and Angelica (pictured) occur. This is ideal habitat for bees, other
insects and small birds.

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