If you’ve walked through Castle Park recently, you’ve probably spotted the sheep dotted across the hillside. The small flock is managed by local grazier Lisa Clayton, whose sheep have become a familiar and much-loved sight in the area.
The main reason for the return of sheep to Castle Park was to manage the plant growth across the hills and to encourage the growth and development of native plant species, that were sadly being lost because of the harsh industrial cutting of the site.
Natural England regularly attend and assess the area and are thrilled with the return of local flora that they thought had been lost. There are currently ten adult sheep grazing on site, with thirteen lambs expected to join them.
Numbers change seasonally to protect the habitat. Some of the sheep already have names, including Cleetus, Flopsy, Marion and Popeye. One bottle-fed lamb is still waiting for a name – Lisa hopes the public will help choose one starting with the letter F, so it can be added to her pedigree certificate. Send your suggestions to: hello@aboutthetford.co.uk
Castle Park’s fencing setup allows sections to be locked off, keeping both sheep and dogs safe. “We don’t usually have many issues with dog walkers,” Lisa explained. “However if you’re walking your dog along the fence line, please keep them on a lead so they can’t scrabble under fencing or nip at sheep that come over out of curiosity. Sadly, there have been some vicious dog attacks on other grazing sites in Thetford resulting in sheep and lamb deaths. Keeping the sheep grazing locked is the safest option.”
Lisa says she hopes the sheep will continue to be graze the site for the foreseeable future. “We really love how the community look out for our sheep,” she said. “Just checking they aren’t stuck in the fence after giving them a stroke would be perfect!”
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