We also try to preserve special trees, like the famous old black poplar along the Temple End Road. Cuttings have been taken from this and if they strike we hope to replant them along the brookside there to perpetuate the line.

The great hurricane of 1987 was a disaster for many hedgerow and parkland trees, of course. Its eVects were so dramatic because the soil was water-logged and it struck when the hardwoods were still in leaf . But it was the most remarkable wind. After the worst of the gales had passed I remember seeing a huge old lime in Little Thurlow Hall slowly keeling over at 4pm in the afternoon of that memorable day.

Deer are a more regular problem, attacking the bark of lime and cherry in particular. In addition, grey squirrels can strip the bark of beech and sycamore and kill them off completely. Most wildlife is helped by our conservation policies, however, and the villages are particularly well-off for woodpeckers, nuthatches and tits. We were pleased to have our efforts acknowledged by a special Conservation Award made by Countryside Illustrated for the work we did on the airfield. Here the land has been transformed from a treeless bomber base into an area rich with shelter belts and wildlife corridors.

We are indeed fortunate that the Estate has been prepared to invest in its woodlands, a policy which has greatly enhanced this corner of Suffolk.