Distillery Meadows Nature Reserve
Distillery Meadows (named after a failed distillery venture here) gives a glimpse back to a time before the second world war when the whole of this area of north Wiltshire, the Braydon Forest, was made up of a mosaic of small, family-run farms. In June and July the fields become a mist of colour as the many plant species bloom.
Wildlife
Each field has a slightly different mix of flowers. Wood Ground has a large number of Green-winged Orchid (Anacamptis morio), Heath Spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) and Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii); Ten Acres has carpets of Dyer's Greenweed (Genista tinctoria) which is actually bright yellow; Ring Ground goes blue with Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis); and Hill Ground purple and white with Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) and Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica).
Huge, thick hedges surround the fields, a very valuable habitat in their own right. The Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) provides egg laying sites for the rarely seen Brown Hairstreak butterfly (Thecla betulae), the Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) gives a striking display of blossom in May, which provides an important early supply of nectar for insects. Its abundance of berries in autumn is a banquet for thrushes and other birds.
History and management
The Moulding family bought Distillery Farm over 60 years ago and farmed along the traditional lines that the Trust continues to this day. Some fields such as Wood ground, Ten Acres and Hill Ground are always shut up for hay. This is cut in July and the aftermath (grass regrowth) grazed until the end of October, when the land becomes too wet to continue.
The cattle overwinter in yards and are put out to pasture fields in April. These, unlike the hay fields, are grazed throughout the summer until October. The Mouldings called these pastures ‘six-month land’ because the underlying clay is only dry enough to carry stock for the summer months.
The only fertiliser put on the land was the farmyard manure from the cattle’s over wintering sheds. This has meant that the soils have remained fairly poor, which enables the wildflowers to compete with the more vigorous grasses.
Over 130 large elms used to line the hedges, but Dutch elm disease killed these. Now the suckers from these trees are reappearing in the hedges. The Trust has a continuous programme to manage these hedges through coppicing or laying short sections to ensure they remain thick and healthy for may years to come.
Other information
Dogs are allowed, but must be on a short leash at all times of year.
Best time to visit: May and June for flowers.
Habitat: Wildflower hay meadows and pastures. Large adjacent hedges.
Specialities of the reserve: Huge range of flowering plants including Green-winged Orchid and Adder’s-tongue Fern.
Location: Distillery Meadows lies about 1.5km south of Minety. From the Turnpike Inn crossroad in Minety turn south off the B4040. After about 500m take the first right. The Hill Ground part of the reserve is the first field on the right, with parking in the gateways. For the rest of the reserve continue down the lane for about 400m to a double gateway entrance to the reserve on the right. Grid ref SU032893. OS Map Landranger 173.
