These days there is an area of ‘set-aside’ land alongside the road up Lavington Hill. It is probably supposed to be a belt of land reserved for wildlife – and all credit to the farmer for trying. But it is a very popular spot for dog walkers so the chances of, say, lapwings nesting there are singularly remote.
Up until the 1960s this area was very different in form for a deep trench ran from the area we still call The Hollow up the hill. An early 1960s colour print photo shows the scene.
The Hollow in about 1960. We are sorry that the colour rendition is so bad.
Clearly, the colour rendition is very poor. It was a green and not a somewhat pink scene.
We are looking down the hill towards the village. At the bottom of the gulley we see the house in The Hollow and beyond that we can make out the houses on Lavington Hill and St Mary’s church. It looks better converted to grey scale.
An enlarged section of the same photo but made into a black and white image
The Hollow was filled with rubbish, levelled and then cultivated by Mr Snook who farmed the land back in the 1960s.
Tags: 1960, Hollow, Lavington Hill
Market Lavington Museum 
March 24, 2015 at 7:08 pm |
Most of the soil that fills the hollow came from the road by Erlestoke prison that runs down the hill to the church.This was done by G.Pearce and Sons of Potterne, this was about early 70s.
Phil Francis.
March 24, 2015 at 9:54 pm |
Thanks Phil. It is always good to add to the story.