Twenty Lime Trees and a Fence

Since 2014 Stephen has lived in the north Dorset village of Marnhull. In this lyrical essay he celebrates in words and images the natural beauty of a familiar yet distinctive feature of Marnhull’s rural landscape. Ashley Farm Lane, distinguished by its lime tree avenue and traditional split chestnut fence, is well known to walkers and riders, and Stephen’s year round close observation of the lane, its changing shapes and colours, its flora and bird life, is a vivid reminder to value what is on our doorstep.

This 30page booklet is being sold in aid of Marnhull Hub, the village’s repair café and meeting space. The cost is £5.00 and all proceeds will go to the Hub.

Published: May 2020 by Marlott Press

Pages: 30 Softback

Price: £5.00 inc postage

What a fantastically detailed and extremely well written insight into this wonderful lane. I'm already enjoying many more things when I walk along there now that I'd not noticed before. Dave Bruce

September, and in the warm Indian summer sunshine the leaves are already beginning to drift down into the lane, crisp and curled, lighter than a feather, pale as raw ginger. Those that remain on the trees have turned from green to yellow and in doing so become translucent against the lattice-work shadow of stems and twigs. The four hunters put out to grass for the summer in the damp field to the west of the lane, were collected some weeks ago to ready them for the season. But one of the greys has been returned and cuts a forlorn figure, friendless and motionless – apart from the swishing of its tail – in the dust patch at the centre of the field. He appears to be limping. ‘He had a mad hooley round the field when he first came back,’ says Pippa who lives just up the lane and keeps her own horse.