In the early 19th century Thomas Christy, a Quaker, bought a property just north of Copperfield Place, Priors, built in 1550* along with other estates in the area. He also owned Daffy Wood within the south of the development. The Christy family lived here for about 100 years, his descendants including Robert Miller Christy, a famous antiquarian and naturalist. Robert was also an ornithologist and amongst many other titles wrote the book ‘The Birds of Essex’, published in 1890. 

Whilst researching Christy, I came across Katherine Hoy, a local birdwatcher who lived in Hollow Lane adjacent to the new development. She kept journals of all the birds she spotted, many in Daffy Woods and on the land belonging to the Christy family (now Copperfield Place), Her journals were donated to the Essex Birdwatching Society on their 70th anniversary in 2019. 

pupils building one of the nest boxes

After chatting to local people and hearing of sightings of falcons and merlins amongst many others and  how important the local wildlife is to residents of Copperfield Place, it felt fitting to expand the prospect of new homes to the birdlife in the area. 

The first step for this was to work with Essex Wildlife Trust and Newland Spring Primary School to construct several new bird boxes which we installed in Daffy Woods.

The second was to design and create the artwork, Birdland, a group of seven bird homes fabricated from corten steel which takes on a rustic patina as it weathers and blend into the open landscape it overlooks.

one of the bird boxes installed in Daffy Wood

bird homes pieces ready for construction

completed birdhomes ready to be installed

Birdland home design plans specific to breeds of birds found in the locality. The double decker styled house which features as the centre piece of the 

artwork was inspired by the drawings and sculptures by pupils at Newlands Spring Primary School.