Tuckmill Meadows
| Tuckmill Meadows | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Tuckmill Meadows | |
| Type | Local Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest |
| Location | Between Shrivenham and Watchfield, Oxfordshire |
| OS grid | SU 239 899 |
| Area | 5.69 hectares (14.1 acres) |
| Created | SSSI: March 2, 1988; Local Nature Reserve: May 16, 1991 |
| Manager | Earth Trust |
Tuckmill Meadows is a 5.69-hectare (14.1-acre) Local Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest between Shrivenham and Watchfield in Oxfordshire. It is owned by Vale of White Horse District Council and managed by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.[1][2]
Description
The site consists of an L-shaped meadow through which the Ratcoombe Brook flows[3] and a small woodland copse. The higher slopes of the meadow are wildflower-rich grassland.[2]
Natural history
Tuckmill Meadows has over 300 recorded plant species, including cowslips and southern marsh orchids. Animal species include otters, badgers, warblers and other birds, rare insects, and dragonflies.[3]
History
The site is named after Tuckmill, a former watermill in Watchfield,[4] and was shaped by centuries of farming and milling creating floodplains along the River Cole.[3] It was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1988[1] and a Local Nature Reserve in 1991.[2] Since 2024 it has been managed by Earth Trust.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Tuckmill Meadows SSSI". Natural England. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ a b c "Tuckmill Meadows". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ a b c "Tuckmill Meadows". Earth Trust. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ "Tuckmill in Watchfield". Shrivenham Heritage Society. 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ Suresh, Sandhya (29 June 2024). "Earth Trust expands to manage two more Oxfordshire reserves". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 27 May 2026.