North Meadow has been managed through seasonal flooding, cutting for hay and grazing since Saxon times if not before and the ‘Lammas’ land used to be divided by the Lord of the Manor into lots for alloting the hay crop. The stones marking some of these lots can still be seen in the meadow today. Following the hay cut, on the 12 August (Lammas Day) the land reverts to common pasture when those with common rights are allowed to graze their animals in the meadow.
Floodplain meadows such as this used to be highly valued as the seasonal flooding added nutrients to the site allowing good hay crops to be harvested. North Meadow is one of the few traditional floodplain meadows that survives today of what would have been a common site alongside many English rivers, when hay was an important winter fodder, particularly for horses which before the motor car were our principle methods of transport.
It is this long history of management that makes the site such a special hay meadow, holding 80% of the country’s snakeshead fritillaries.
It makes me think of the term ‘natural history’ somewhat differently. Natural history is the study of nature, however in England with our long and rich cultural history, many of our best sites for wildlife are relics of that historical past management. Maybe if our nature reserves were classed as historic sites they would be appreciated as such.
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