Exploring the pond in the heart of Etton village
HMS Duck Island has been launched onto the pond. Home built by Richard Stott the island has stayed afloat and is tethered in place by a 5m chain. The top is covered with a thin layer of soil and a flexible ramp up now awaits a moorhen or duck or whatever fancies making a new home out in the middle of the pond. Well done Richard for getting this launched!
26th Nov – 4th Dec = National Tree Week (see here). And we’re about to get our new trees in the ground around Etton Pond! Go hug a tree near you now!
A great day was had by all at the Etton village picnic held in the farm opposite Etton Mere in June 2022. It was also a chance for villagers to discuss the ongoing pond works with Parish Councillors and take a look at some of the displays about the proposed work at the pond.
A new bench has appeared on the third, empty base overlooking Etton Village Pond.
One of the felled Willow tree logs has been shaped and positioned to give us a new, very rustic bench to overlook the pond.
Final day of the work to remove the willow trees from the pond – the felled wood being chipped and removed by Vicary.
Villagers in the village of Etton in the East Riding of Yorkshire are set to get an improved new look to their historic village pond thanks to a £11892 grant from FCC Communities Foundation.
The money will be used to remove problem trees; dredge the pond; plant new trees; provide bird and wildlife boxes, and generally improve the quality of the environment at the pond in the centre of the village.
John Holmes, Chair of Etton Parish Council believes the facility will make a huge difference to the lives of people living in the area.
He says: “This project will provide a real boost to the people of Etton village and Parish. It’s fantastic that FCC Communities Foundation has awarded us this money and we’re really looking forward to our village pond taking shape during 2022.
FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Richard Smith, FCC Communities Foundation Grant Manager, says: “It’s always nice to see something we have funded start to take shape. We’re delighted to be supporting such a worthwhile project and look forward to it benefitting the whole community across Etton and surrounding villages.”
John Holmes hopes the work on the pond will all be completed by the end of September 2022. The work to remove problem trees will begin in May 2022, followed by light dredging of the pond bed during the summer. New trees and aquatic marginal plants will be introduced as Autumn approaches, along with encouragements for wildlife and repairs to the pond fencing. The expectation is that after these improvements the pond will retain water better and be improved both visually and for wildlife by the Autumn of 2022.
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For further press information please contact Alan Bravey, Clerk to Etton Parish Council via ettonpc@outlook.com.
Notes to editors:
For the past few years Etton Pond has looked rather sad during dry summer months. The water disappears leaving barely a puddle in the middle. Ducks don’t make a point of visiting, and only a lonely Moorhen or two bothers to hang around!
Etton Parish Council started looking at this issue a number of years ago and had environmental surveys done. The overall conclusion was that the pond was suffering from two things – large, mature Willow trees sucking water from the pond when in leaf, and, a heavily silted pond that had very little remaining natural depth to hold water. What little water was captured from rainfall (the pond is not spring or groundwater fed) was being drunk by the greedy Willows.
To make the pond hold water better and look better, plans were discussed to remove trees, de-silt the pond and generally improve the look and drainage. Funding bids began to be explored.
Work was underway on a funding bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund when Covid struck and the grant funding stream was no longer available.
But in 2021 another funding opportunity was found via FCC and a new bid began to be prepared. As I write (Feb 2022) we’re awaiting the final stages of drawing this grant down so we can begin work on the Pond. More of this as it gets underway.
A new look Etton Pond beckons for later in 2022. Watch this space.
No-one looks their best in the Winter. But here’s Etton pond with a blown down tree and looking a bit messy. Looking forward to making improvements over the coming year.
The village pond in Etton near Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire has a centuries old history. Back then it was known as Etton Mere.
This website is a simple homage to Etton Pond by me, Karl, a local Etton resident.
I’ll be posting what I already know about the pond and investigating further the history of the pond – hopefully with the assistance of other villagers. In 2022 there’s a new project underway to do physical work on the pond to improve its appearance (led by the Parish Council), so I’ll be reporting on that here too.
If you’re in the area, pop along and visit our pond!
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