Capstone Farm Country Park: Difference between revisions

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Capstone Farm Country Park is in Chatham, Kent Medway, in Kent, England. 51°21′32″N 0°33′15″E / 51.3590°N 0.5542°E / 51.3590; 0.5542

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Capstone Farm Country Park shown within Kent (grid reference TQ780654)

It is owned and maintained by Medway Council. ^[1].

This park is set on 114 hectares of converted farm land, on the North Downs, near Walderslade. Much of the current park boundaries used to belong to the farm of Shawstead Manor.^[2] The ruins of Upper Shawstead Farm are still within the boundary of the Park.^[3]

Capstone Farm Country Park is a popular and enjoyable day out for families thanks to it’s great variety of habitats and the various facilities on offer. Visitors to the park, near Gillingham, can experience ancient woodlands (including Drow Hill Wood, Maze Wood, Orchid Wood, Millenium Wood and Tangle Wood), large green meadows (including the Events Field) and the 4 acrea freshwater lake ^[4] , at Capstone you may also be lucky enough to see a number of rarely sighted species of wildlife around the site. Including great spotted woodpeckers, blackcaps, and willow warblers, within the woods. Yellowhammers in the hedges and in the meadows, skylarks. Many butterfly specious can also be found in the park, including speckled wood, gatekeeper and brimstone. Over the lake, many species of dragonflies and damselflies can be seen.

Facilities at Capstone include a play area, public and disabled toilets, refreshments (from a cafe overlooking the lake), picnic area, cycling path, visitor centre, fishing (a day ticket is required), an education room, picnic facilities, a horse riding trail and more.

The Events field - used for various outdoor acitivies including Kite flying, ^[5]

The park has a very active volunteer group, who along with the Park rangers, coppice within the woods, maintain the trails and complete many other essential works. ^[6]

How to get there

Signposted after leaving the M2 at Junction 4, head along the A278 to Rainham, at the second roundabout head left (along Pear Tree Lane), past Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, then turn left up Capstone Road. The visitor centre and main car park is near the lake. Another car park is further along Capstone Road, past Capstone Ski Centre. Then a track leads up to the Orchard Car Park, near the woods. Mostly used by dogwalkers etc. ^[7]

References

^ http://www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/countrysidesites/capstonefarmcountrypark.aspx
^ http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/results/DateList=&PathList=&SearchWords=De...&Verbose=no&Boolean=&Mode=Search&IDX=6775
^ http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/4d61a3c7878656060200d568/upper-shawstead-farm-sign-/en
^ http://www.medwayvalley.com/docs/ourwaters/capstone/index.php
^ http://www.kentkiteflyers.org.uk/xoops/
^ http://www.medway.gov.uk/apps/mole/viewrecord.asp?kk=111
^ http://dwd.development.xepta.com/locations//location/87/premium_location/details.htm

[owners-1] ttp://www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/countrysidesites/capstonefarmcountrypark.aspx

[Manor-2] ttp://cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/results/DateList=&PathList=&SearchWords=De...&Verbose=no&Boolean=&Mode=Search&IDX=6775

[farm-3] ttp://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/4d61a3c7878656060200d568/upper-shawstead-farm-sign-/en

[fish-4] ttp://www.medwayvalley.com/docs/ourwaters/capstone/index.php

[kite-5] ttp://www.kentkiteflyers.org.uk/xoops/

[volunt-6] ttp://www.medway.gov.uk/apps/mole/viewrecord.asp?kk=111

[dogpark-7] ttp://dwd.development.xepta.com/locations//location/87/premium_location/details.htm

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{Location map |Kent |lat=51.3590 |long=0.5542 |width=180 |float=right |caption=''Capstone Farm Country Park shown within [[Kent]]'' ({{gbmapping|TQ780654}})}}
 [[File:Lake_in_Capstone_Farm_Country_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_149519.jpg|thumb|right|The Lake.]]
+It is owned and maintained by [[Medway Council]]. <ref name=owners> http://www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/countrysidesites/capstonefarmcountrypark.aspx </ref>.
 This park is set on 114 hectares of converted farm land, on the [[North Downs]], near [[Walderslade]].
-Much of the current park boundaries used to belong to the farm of Shawstead Manor. The ruins of Upper Shawstead Farm are still within the boundary of the Park.
+Much of the current park boundaries used to belong to the farm of Shawstead Manor.<ref name=Manor> http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/results/DateList=&PathList=&SearchWords=De...&Verbose=no&Boolean=&Mode=Search&IDX=6775 </ref> The ruins of Upper Shawstead Farm are still within the boundary of the Park.<ref name=farm> http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/4d61a3c7878656060200d568/upper-shawstead-farm-sign-/en </ref>
-<ref name=Manor> http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/results/DateList=&PathList=&SearchWords=De...&Verbose=no&Boolean=&Mode=Search&IDX=6775 </ref>
 Capstone Farm Country Park is a popular and enjoyable day out for families thanks to it’s great variety of  habitats and the various facilities on offer.
-Visitors to the park, near [[Gillingham]], can experience ancient woodlands (including Drow Hill Wood, Maze Wood, Orchid Wood and Tangle Wood), large green meadows (including the Events Field) and the freshwater lake, at Capstone you may also be lucky enough to see a number of rarely sighted species of wildlife around the site. Including [[great spotted woodpecker]]s, [[blackcaps]], and [[willow warblers]], within the woods. [[Yellowhammer]]s in the hedges and in the meadows, [[skylarks]].
+Visitors to the park, near [[Gillingham]], can experience ancient woodlands (including Drow Hill Wood, Maze Wood, Orchid Wood, Millenium Wood and Tangle Wood), large green meadows (including the Events Field) and the 4 acrea freshwater lake <ref name=fish> http://www.medwayvalley.com/docs/ourwaters/capstone/index.php </ref> , at Capstone you may also be lucky enough to see a number of rarely sighted species of wildlife around the site. Including [[great spotted woodpecker]]s, [[blackcaps]], and [[willow warblers]], within the woods. [[Yellowhammer]]s in the hedges and in the meadows, [[skylarks]].
 Many butterfly specious can also be found in the park, including [[speckled wood]], [[gatekeeper]] and [[brimstone]].
 Over the lake, many species of [[dragonflies]] and [[damselflies]] can be seen.
-Facilities at Capstone include a play area, public and disabled toilets, refreshments (from a cafe overlooking the lake), picnic areaa, cycling path, visitor centre, fishing (a day ticket is required), an education room, picnic facilities, a horse riding trail and more.
+Facilities at Capstone include a play area, public and disabled toilets, refreshments (from a cafe overlooking the lake), picnic area, cycling path, visitor centre, fishing (a day ticket is required), an education room, picnic facilities, a horse riding trail and more.
-[[File:Capstone_Farm_Country_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1014962.jpg|thumb|left|The Lake.]]
+[[File:Capstone_Farm_Country_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1014962.jpg|thumb|left|The Orchard]]
+*The Events field - used for various outdoor acitivies including Kite flying, <ref name=kite> http://www.kentkiteflyers.org.uk/xoops/ </ref>
+The park has a very active volunteer group, who along with the Park rangers, coppice within the woods, maintain the trails and complete many other essential works. <ref name=volunt> http://www.medway.gov.uk/apps/mole/viewrecord.asp?kk=111 </ref>
 == How to get there ==
+Signposted after leaving the M2 at Junction 4, head along the A278 to Rainham, at the second roundabout head left (along Pear Tree Lane), past [[Hempstead]] Valley Shopping Centre, then turn left up Capstone Road. The visitor centre and main car park is near the lake. Another car park is further along Capstone Road, past Capstone Ski Centre. Then a track leads up to the Orchard Car Park, near the woods. Mostly used by dogwalkers etc. <ref name =dogpark> http://dwd.development.xepta.com/locations//location/87/premium_location/details.htm </ref>
-Signposted after leaving the M2 at Junction 4.
 ==External links==
 *[http://www.thisismedway.com/site/places-to-visit/country-parks/97-capstone-farm-country-park/ Thisismedway page]
 *[http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/countryside_and_coast/parks_and_open_spaces/country_parks/capstone_farm_country_park.aspx Kent County Council page]
-*[http://www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/countrysidesites/capstonefarmcountrypark.aspx Medway Council site]
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
 [[Category:Country parks in Kent|Capstone Farm Country Park]]
-{{Kent-geo-stub}}