Take a look as you walk along the footpath from Thickwood to the field at the back of the school. Hedge woundwort, one of the mint family is thriving there. You might not thank me though for suggesting you crush a leaf and have a sniff. One of the hallmarks of this plant is its “interesting” smell. It is a hairy plant with a square stem which looks quite like a nettle when not in flower but has soft non-stinging leaves. The less smelly Marsh woundwort is similar but without stalks on its upper leaves.
As the name implies the wound healing properties of a woundwort poultice was well known by soldiers in the past. In the 17th century the herbalist John Gerard used hedge woundwort for treating injuries from pub brawls in London. Perhaps we should plant some hedge woundwort in the Market Place!