Following the demolition of the former pottery works on this site in 1967, the area lay as a wasteland for many years. But in 1984, after lengthy campaigning by local residents, the Council agreed to turn it into a nature park. Originally called Bronze Street Nature Park, it was renamed in 1994 in memory of Sue Godfrey, a local resident and environmental campaigner in recognition of her unceasing devotion to the park. Over the years, the park has increased in size with the gradual addition of land from a former lorry park at the western end.Sue Godfrey Nature Park was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2005. It is much-loved by local residents, and well used for education by schools. It is particularly important for its location in highly urban Deptford, where there is little wild open space.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Sue Godfrey Local Nature Reserve
Borough: Lewisham
Grade: Borough Grade II
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 0.58 ha
Description
Wildlife
There is a mixture of rough grassland, scrub, wasteland-colonising plants and bare habitat here. More than 200 species of wildflowers have been recorded over the years. Some, particularly trees and shrubs, have been planted but the vast majority have found their own way. There is a cosmopolitan range of plants present including shaggy-soldier from South America, Michaelmas daisy from North America, and the Mediterranean plant, sulphur cinquefoil. Others include Chinese mugwort, Spanish bluebell and Greek dock.The site supports an abundance of butterflies, with at least six species breeding on site; large, small and Essex skippers, small tortoiseshell, common blue and meadow brown. Other insects found here include Roesel's bush-cricket.Facilities
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