The Mendip Society’s Meadow

Location
The field is near Winscombe, at OS map reference ST 422562. Its area is 0.688 hectares/l.7 acres

History
Slader’s Leigh was purchased from Mr Arthur J. Langford The date of the conveyance was 10th. September 1986. The meadow is a narrow strip of land, part of a much larger Slader's Leigh, which was left when the Cheddar Valley Railway Line was constructed in 1869.

Because of its awkward shape the field has never been ploughed or farmed intensively. It is now one of the few remaining pieces of unimproved neutral/acid grassland sites in the Vale of Winscombe.
 

Flora & Fauna
There are over 130 different plant species recorded, including Devil's-Bit Scabious, Cowslips, Betony, Common Spotted Orchis and Tormentil.

21 different kinds of butterfly have been recorded.

 

Management
The policy is to encourage the establishment of the maximum number of species of flora and fauna compatible with the three habitats of neutral meadow, woodland edge and thicket. No introductions are to be made.

There is no public right of way through the field, but members of the public are welcome to use the path running down the centre, subject to the Society's right to close it if necessary.

Join in
Help with management is periodically required. If you would like to help with this is any way please contact Judith Tranter.

SLADERS LEIGH NATURE RESERVE
A place of wildflowers, butterflies and bees, a delight to visit

Judith Tranter gave this report to the Mendip Society at the AGM in March 2004:

During the last year the management of the field has been rather relaxed because of a number of factors and the lush vegetation took advantage of this, the good rainfall and then the hot months of the summer to grow profusely. During the grass cutting time in August last year, it was decided that the hedge at the end of the field, planted several years ago, ought to be laid in order to thicken it up at the bottom. Tina Bath of the Mendip AONB service and our own member Nick Baker, volunteered to hold a day's class there, in November, teaching the skills and techniques of hedge laying. But before this could take place the blackthorn, originally part of the hedge, but which had encroached well into the field, had to be cleared by a contractor. As Slader's Leigh is essentially a meadow, the bramble and bracken overtaking parts of the grassland areas were also cleared and the stumps of blackthorn treated to prevent it growing again.

November 9th and 10th were two productive days of hedge laying, the novice group making a very good barrier which, although looking slightly thin at the moment, will thicken up well in a year or two's time. The vast amount of thinnings and timber cut out in the process was cleared away, some being burnt, some making a giant wildlife log pile, and some being cut for stakes. This was all done over four days by the adult conservation group from Scotch Horn Centre, Nailsea, who also raked up a huge quantity of the mown grass
and mulch material left by the contractor. We are very grateful to them for their help and to Nick and Tina for their very professional training work on the hedge.

The field management plan is now in process of being updated by Lin Carter, an ecologist and member of the Society Management Committee, to be implemented during the summer of this year.

It is planned to tackle the encroaching bracken by pulling it up in July just when the plants are growing up, again the Scotch Horn group have volunteered to help; they would also like to be involved when the grass is cut again in August by learning to stook the hay in the old, time honoured way.  Also in July the Bristol Moth Group are planning to carry out a species survey on the evening of Friday July 16th, both in our field and the adjoining National Trust woodland.

One problem to be tackled this year is the renovation of some of the fences around the field, especially in the area where a huge tree has fallen from across the other side of the adjacent lane. There will be other tasks which will be heavy on manpower and therefore we are appealing to members who like working in the open air, with convivial company, on a worth while project, to consider joining our volunteer group. It won't be on a regular basis but as and when the need is there. No qualifications needed, enthusiasm essential, satisfaction guaranteed.

During the year the Permissive Footpath signs have been in place at the gates at both ends of the field.
 

NOTES ADDED IN AUGUST 2004
 Since the spring work has continued apace. The management plan has been completed and forwarded to English Nature for approval, the first stage in getting Slader’s Leigh designated a Local Nature Reserve.  The laid hedge is growing beautifully, the sparse look of early spring a distant memory. Wild flower, moth and small mammal surveys are under way. The Scotch Horn Adult group are making a splendid job of pulling, cutting and crushing the encroaching bracken to ensure our meadow flowers the light and space they need to flourish. There will be a hay cut as summer slips into autumn.

You can visit Slader’s Leigh by using the car park at the east end of Winscombe Hill and crossing the road to walk down Yadley Lane to the reserve, or by walking up the Cheddar Valley Railway Line walk, from Winscombe, almost to the tunnel before heading right up to the field. 

If you would like to join us on one of our ‘work’ sessions please call me on 01761 462276 to be put on a list to be contacted when we are going to meet.

Slader’s Leigh is a most beautiful place – let’s keep it so.