Snake's head fritillary, North Meadow NNR, Cricklade - geograph

North Meadow, Cricklade () is a hay

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or arti ...

near the town of

Cricklade Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire, England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester. It is the first downstream town on the Thames. The parish population at the 2011 census was 4,227. History Cricklade ...

, in

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. It is 24.6

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre i ...

s in size. It is a traditionally managed lowland hay-meadow, or ''lammas land'', and is grazed ''in common'' between 12 August and 12 February each year, and cut for hay no earlier than 1 July. This pattern of land use and management has existed for many centuries and has resulted in the species rich grassland flora and fauna present on the site. Over 250 species of

higher plant Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They a ...

occur in the meadow, but it is of particular note as it holds by far the largest British population of the snake's-head fritillary (''

Fritillaria meleagris ''Fritillaria meleagris'' is a Eurasian species of flowering plant in the lily family Liliaceae. Its common names include snake's head fritillary, snake's head (the original English name), chess flower, frog-cup, guinea-hen flower, guinea flower, ...

''). The 500,000 fritillaries which flower each year represent 80% of the British population.

History

The meadow is situated between two rivers, the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

and the

Churn Churn may refer to: * Churn drill, large-diameter drilling machine large holes appropriate for holes in the ground Dairy-product terms * Butter churn, device for churning butter * Churning (butter), the process of creating butter out of mil ...

, and the unique habitat for the fritillary was created by regular winter flooding. Such meadows were once common in Britain, but with the advent of modern farming many were drained and ploughed for arable crops from the 1730s onwards. In the case of North Meadow, it escaped such a fate by virtue of the preservation of the ''

Court Leet The court leet was a historical court baron (a type of manorial court) of England and Wales and Ireland that exercised the "view of frankpledge" and its attendant police jurisdiction, which was normally restricted to the hundred courts. Ety ...

'', the

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

system of town governance which made sure the land was held in common. The land is managed by Natural EnglandNatural England
/ref> and is run with the support of the

. The ancient '' Hay Lot'' stones which once marked local farmers' plots can still be seen within the meadow. The meadow was notified as a

biological Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

in 1971. Part of the site has been designated a national nature reserve.

Flora and fauna

The site includes for many types of grasses, such as red fescue (''

Festuca rubra ''Festuca rubra'' is a species of grass known by the common name red fescue or creeping red fescue. It is widespread across much of the Northern Hemisphere and can tolerate many habitats and climates. It is best adapted to well-drained soils in c ...

''), perennial rye grass (''

Lolium perenne ''Lolium perenne'', common name perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass, winter ryegrass, or ray grass, is a grass from the family Poaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, but is widely cultivated and naturalised around the world. ...

''), meadow foxtail (''

Alopecurus pratensis ''Alopecurus pratensis'', known as the meadow foxtail or the field meadow foxtail, is a perennial grass belonging to the grass family (Poaceae). It is native to Europe and Asia. This common plant is found on grasslands, especially on neutral s ...

''), crested dog's tail (''

Cynosurus cristatus ''Cynosurus cristatus'', the crested dog's-tail, is a short-lived perennial grass in the family Poaceae, characterised by a seed head that is flat on one side. It typically grows in species rich grassland. It thrives in a variety of soil types ...

''), yellow oatgrass (''

Trisetum flavescens ''Trisetum flavescens'', the yellow oatgrass or golden oat grass, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It can be found elsewhere, such as sections of North America, where it was introduce ...

''), meadow brome (''

Bromus commutatus ''Bromus commutatus'', the meadow brome, is an Annual plant, annual or biennial plant, biennial species of plant in the grass family (biology), family Poaceae. In the United States it is known as hairy chess. Description The height ranges from 4 ...

''), and meadow barley (''

Hordeum brachyantherum ''Hordeum brachyantherum'', known by the common name meadow barley, is a species of barley. It is native to western North America from Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''A ...

''). The meadow is also rich in various herbs including typical hayfield species pepper saxifrage (''

Silaum silaus ''Silaum silaus'', commonly known as pepper-saxifrage, is a perennial plant in the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) (the carrot family) found across south-eastern, central, and western Europe, including the British Isles. It grows in damp grasslan ...

''), yellow rattle (''

Rhinanthus minor ''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...

''), great burnet (''

Sanguisorba officinalis ''Sanguisorba officinalis'', commonly known as great burnet, is a plant in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. It is native throughout the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northern Asia, and northern North America. It ...

''), black knapweed (''

Centaurea nigra ''Centaurea nigra'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names lesser knapweed, common knapweed and black knapweed. A local vernacular name is hardheads. It is native to Europe but it is known on other ...

''), adder's tongue (''

Ophioglossum vulgatum ''Ophioglossum vulgatum'', commonly known as adder's-tongue, southern adders-tongue or adders-tongue fern, is a species of fern in the family ''Ophioglossaceae''. The adder’s tongue fern is generally believed to have the largest number of chr ...

''), common meadowrue ('' Thalictrum flavum''), and ragged robin (''

Lychnis flos-cuculi ''Silene flos-cuculi'' (syn. ''Lychnis flos-cuculi''), commonly called ragged-robin, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. This species is native to Europe and Asia, where it is found along roads and in wet meadows and p ...

''). Other meadow flowers include for common knapweed (''

''), meadow buttercup ('' Ranunculus acris''), yellow rattle (''

''), cowslip (''

Primula veris ''Primula veris'', the cowslip, common cowslip, or cowslip primrose ( syn. ''Primula officinalis'' ), is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae. The species is native throughout most of temperate Europe and ...

''), meadowsweet ('' Filipendula ulmaria''), and ox-eye daisy (''

Leucanthemum vulgare ''Leucanthemum vulgare'', commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite (french: Marguerite commune, "common marguerite") and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions ...

''). The meadow is surrounded by rivers, streams and drainage ditches which add to the biological diversity of the site, with many species of bank-side plant present including for slender tufted-sedge ('' Carex acuta''), marsh arrowgrass ('' Triglochin palustris''), and great water-dock (''

Rumex hydrolapathum ''Rumex hydrolapathum'', the great water dock, water dock, or giant water dock, is a species of perennial herbaceous plants in the genus ''Rumex'' native to fens and freshwater banks of Europe and Western Asia. It is the tallest species in the g ...

''), tubular water-dropwort ('' Oenanthe fistulosa''), marsh marigold (''

Caltha palustris ''Caltha palustris'', known as marsh-marigold and kingcup, is a small to medium size perennial herbaceous plant of the buttercup family, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It flower ...

''), marsh foxtail (''

Alopecurus geniculatus ''Alopecurus geniculatus'' is a species of grass known by the common name water foxtail or marsh foxtail. It is native to much of Eurasia and introduced into North America, South America, and Australia. It grows in moist areas. ''Alopecurus ge ...

''), early marsh-orchid (''

Dactylorhiza incarnata ''Dactylorhiza incarnata'', the early marsh-orchid, is a perennial, temperate-climate species of orchid generally found growing in wet meadows, and generally on base-rich soils, up to about 2100m asl. The species occurs widely in Europe and Asia ...

''), and brown sedge (''

Carex disticha ''Carex disticha'' is a Eurasian species of sedge known as the brown sedge or, in North America, tworank sedge. Distribution ''Carex disticha'' is native to parts of Northern and Western Europe, where it grows in moist spots in a number of habit ...

''). As may be expected for such abundant flora, there is also a rich and diverse insect and reptile fauna present on the site. Typical meadow butterflies include for meadow brown (''

Maniola jurtina The meadow brown (''Maniola jurtina'') is a butterfly found in the Palearctic realm. Its range includes Europe south of 62°N, Russia eastwards to the Urals, Asia Minor, Iraq, Iran, North Africa and the Canary Islands. The larvae feed on g ...

''), common blue (''

Polyommatus icarus The common blue butterfly or European common blue (''Polyommatus icarus'') is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and subfamily Polyommatinae. The butterfly is found throughout the Palearctic. Butterflies in the Polyommatinae are collectively c ...

''), small heath (''

Coenonympha pamphilus The small heath (''Coenonympha pamphilus'') is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae, classified within the subfamily Satyrinae (commonly known as "the browns"). It is the smallest butterfly in this subfamily. The small heath ...

''), and the marsh fritillary (''

Euphydryas aurinia The marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Commonly distributed in the Palearctic region, the marsh fritillary's common name derives from one of its several habitats, marshland. The prolonged larval s ...

''). Bordering hedges support gatekeeper ('' Pyronia tithonus''), ringlet ('' Aphantopus hyperantus''), and speckled wood (''

Pararge aegeria The speckled wood (''Pararge aegeria'') is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland areas throughout much of the Palearctic realm. The species is subdivided into multiple subspecies, including ''Pararge aegeria aegeria'', ''Pararge aeg ...

'') butterflies. There are also 14 species of dragonfly recorded including the brown hawker (''

Aeshna grandis The brown hawker (''Aeshna grandis'') is a large dragonfly about long. It is a distinctive species and is easily recognised, even in flight, by its brown body and bronze wings. At rest, blue spots on the second and third segments of the male' ...

''), black-tailer skimmer ('' Orthetrum cancellatum'') and the ruddy darter (''

Sympetrum sanguineum The ruddy darter (''Sympetrum sanguineum'') is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae. Distribution The ruddy darter is to be found in temperate regions throughout Europe common frog The common frog or grass frog (''Rana temporaria''), also known as the European common frog, European common brown frog, European grass frog, European Holarctic true frog, European pond frog or European brown frog, is a semi-aquatic amphibian ...

is also prevalent. The meadow also supports a large variety of birds, including

great tit The great tit (''Parus major'') is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and east across the Palearctic to the Amur River, south to parts of North Af ...

blue tit The Eurasian blue tit (''Cyanistes caeruleus'') is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. It is easily recognisable by its blue and yellow plumage and small size. Eurasian blue tits, usually resident and non-migratory birds, ar ...

common chaffinch The common chaffinch or simply the chaffinch (''Fringilla coelebs'') is a common and widespread small passerine bird in the finch family. The male is brightly coloured with a blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts. The female is more subdued in ...

es,

linnet The common linnet (''Linaria cannabina'') is a small passerine bird of the finch family, Fringillidae. It derives its common name and the scientific name, ''Linaria'', from its fondness for hemp seeds and flax seeds—flax being the English n ...

s and

treecreeper The treecreepers are a family, Certhiidae, of small passerine birds, widespread in wooded regions of the Northern Hemisphere and sub-Saharan Africa. The family contains eleven species in two genera, '' Certhia'' and '' Salpornis''. Their plumage ...

s within the bordering hedges; whilst

grey wagtail The grey wagtail (''Motacilla cinerea'') is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to ...

reed bunting The common reed bunting (''Emberiza schoeniclus'') is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. The genus name ''Emberiza'' is from Old German ''Embritz'', a ...

sedge warbler The sedge warbler (''Acrocephalus schoenobaenus'') is an Old World warbler in the genus '' Acrocephalus''. It is a medium-sized warbler with a brown, streaked back and wings and a distinct pale supercilium. Sedge warblers are migratory, crossing ...

barn swallow The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally. ...

s, sand martins and

swift Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to: * SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks ** SWIFT code * Swift (programming language) * Swift (bird), a family of birds It may also refer to: Organizations * SWIFT, ...

s can be found around the rivers and ditches.

References

External links

Natural England website
(SSSI information)
SSSI boundary at Defra's Magic MapNorth Meadow Nature Reserve leaflet from Natural England

A page at "Window on Wiltshire's Heritage" website

A video about North Meadow shown on Swindon Viewpoint
{{coord, 51.65012, N, 1.86553, W, region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SU094946), display=title Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1971 Grasslands of the United Kingdom Meadows in Wiltshire