The Raking Pit
The Raking Pit, to the North of Caistor Lane in Caistor St Edmund, is an area of just over an acre which was originally dug to extract gravel for highways in the early 19th century. Once the gravel was exhausted, the pit was left to fill with water and the area became very overgrown
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In 2011, Caistor St Edmund Parish Council obtained a grant from the lottery distributor Awards For All through the Big Lottery Fund to open up and improve the Raking Pit, so that it could become a village amenity, as well as a haven for nature and wildlife. Over the course of that year, the Parish Council worked closely with the Norwich Fringe Project to open up the Raking Pit to the public, creating natural pathways, wood carvings and information boards about its wildlife and history. The Community Payback team was also involved with the project and Stoke Holy Cross Primary School pupils helped with planting hedges and trees. Following completion of this project, the work at the Raking Pit was recognised by receipt of an award from the Norfolk Biodiversity Project.
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Over the past few years, the Parish Council has continued its work with regular tidying up sessions and the planting of hundreds of indigenous plants and bulbs, such as wild garlic, snowdrops and bluebells. A hornbeam tree has been planted in memory of the late Mrs Sheila Baker, a Councillor and Chairman of Caistor St Edmund Parish Council for twenty years. To help encourage wildlife, several bird boxes have been installed and there is even a bug hotel. Every spring, ducklings can be seen swimming on the pond.
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We hope you will find time to visit our small wildlife haven and to enjoy the natural tranquillity of the area.
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