Nature Reserves in Nailsea
Encyclopedia
There are several nature reserve
s in the surroundings of Nailsea
, North Somerset
, England, which is located at 51°25′55"N 2°45′49"W.
and Nailsea
(ST466715), which was purchased in 2009 with a grant provided by the Landfill Communities Fund. The site comprises wet meadow lying between the rivers Land Yeo and Middle Yeo. Many springs arise in the Alder
carr, and a waterfall flows under a bridge carrying the public footpath. Wetland habitats like this are rapidly being lost in the UK. This area is low lying and water logged, and traversed by a well-used public foot path. It is now owned and managed by a charitable trust (Nailsea Environment & Wildlife Trust; NEWT). The trustees are hoping to restore the orchids that grew there only a short time ago. Many insects including dragonflies and damselflies are present, together with Kingfishers and Otters.
Lake (ST476695) now managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust but owned privately. It is accessible to the public by means of a kissing gate close to the Lake. It has abundant wild flowers best seen in early June. Several species of orchids grow here, including the Common spotted orchid
(Dactylorhiza fuchsii), Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) and Green-winged Orchid
(Orchis morio), and in some years there are many Bee Orchid
s (Ophrys apifera), although these may be absent at other times. Yellow Rattle
(Rhinanthus minor) also grows here, a plant that is parasitic on various grasses and other plants, which has seeds that rattle when shaken, as its name implies.
quarries behind the Garden of Rest and occupy about 0.75 acres in the centre of Nailsea
(ST472708). After being filled with domestic refuse in the early 20th Century, these were neglected, and with natural regeneration it was occupied by local wildlife. Work to restore the site started in 1996, when much of the urban rubbish was removed. With financial assistance from Nailsea Town Council and North Somerset Council, a group – The Friends of Stockway North Nature Reserve – was formed in 1998 to manage this land, involving the community in a project to encourage the wildlife, to raise awareness of the public to the natural environment, as a teaching resource for schools, and as an extension to the adjacent Garden of Rest.
Lake(ST478694, also known as Bucklands Pool) was constructed by Wessex Water
and came into use in 1978 as a balancing pond to control the surface water between the Weston-super-Mare
to Bristol railway line and the new estates built to the south of Nailsea, preventing the flooding of the River Kenn. The lake is quite shallow, being at most about 2 metres deep and occupies an area of about 4 hectares. It is now a significant wildlife site, designated as a Local Nature Reserve
that attracts many water birds. The Lake is open to the public, but fishing is restricted. It is used by many people for walking, dog exercise, bird watching and fishing.
grassland. Both reserves are located high above the historic village of Backwell
, North Somerset
. They are home to many rare species including the Hazel
Dormouse
, Greater Horseshoe Bat
and the Yellow Birds-nest plant (Monotropa hypopitys
). They also have some fascinating archaeology dating back over 5000 years with an adjacent Neolithic
human burial cave, a 14th century Rabbit
warren and cottage, 17th century lead
mines and a 19th century limekiln
.
Sandstone quarries, abandoned about 1900. The trees and shrubs have grown to cover the spoil heaps, and vegetation overhangs the rock face. Squirrels have built their drays in the trees and at dusk the bats come out to forage. A group, The Friends of Nowhere Wood, has now been established to restore the wood and to encourage the wildlife.
(ST505712), formerly the home of the Gibbs family, came on to the market in 2002 and was acquired by the National Trust
with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and many local private benefactors. It is surrounded by 200 Ha of gardens, farmland and unspoilt woodland. Much of this still remains to be explored, though it is clear that there is considerable potential for wildlife. The buildings contain several bat
roosts and eight species of bat are known to live in this area, notably the Lesser Horseshoe Bat
s (Rhinolophus hipposideros), which roost in the courtyard. Over 90 individuals of this endangered species have been counted there. Other bat species found include the Greater Horseshoe Bat
(Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), Brown Long-eared Bat
(Plecotus auritus), and Serotine Bat
(Eptesicus serotinus), Whiskered Bat
(Myotis sp), and the two Pipistrelle species, (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus). The female Glow Worm (Lampyris noctiluca) may be seen on a warm June night in the area close to the house at Tyntesfield. These beetles are in rapid decline, probably due to the increase in urban lights that may distract the males. Their food is mainly snails and slugs, which are in plentiful supply in this area. The orchid Autumn Ladies Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) grows in the lawn outside the main house.
about 1 km to the north of Nailsea owned by The Woodland Trust
which is famous for its Bluebells
, veteran Oak
s and for its pond, which is constantly producing bubbles of gas. Unfortunately, the Wood is being invaded by alien trees and shrubs that could overwhelm our native plants if they are not controlled. A large variety of wild animals are found in the Wood, now including Dormice, Rabbits, Roe Deer
, Badgers, Grey Squirrels, and five species of bat
. A lime kiln marked on a map dated 1769 is found on private land in the NW corner of the wood. To the south of the Wood there is a Mesolithic
site first studied in 1956 which yielded many worked flints.
to Bristol
road (A369), is owned by North Somerset Council and managed by volunteers. Seeds that lay dormant in the ‘seed-bank’ until the soil was disturbed, produced wildflowers that have become rare in other places. The site is managed as a traditional hay meadow, scything, and removing the grass in late July. Scrub and trees that normally cover roadsides are kept in check, and this management has produced a site that has now been officially designated as a Local Nature Reserve
.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s in the surroundings of Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
, North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
, England, which is located at 51°25′55"N 2°45′49"W.
Moorend Spout
Moorend Spout lies on six acres of land between TickenhamTickenham
Tickenham is a village and civil parish near Clevedon and Nailsea, North Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 909. It has a primary school and a village hall, but no shops, although it formerly had a post office....
and Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
(ST466715), which was purchased in 2009 with a grant provided by the Landfill Communities Fund. The site comprises wet meadow lying between the rivers Land Yeo and Middle Yeo. Many springs arise in the Alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
carr, and a waterfall flows under a bridge carrying the public footpath. Wetland habitats like this are rapidly being lost in the UK. This area is low lying and water logged, and traversed by a well-used public foot path. It is now owned and managed by a charitable trust (Nailsea Environment & Wildlife Trust; NEWT). The trustees are hoping to restore the orchids that grew there only a short time ago. Many insects including dragonflies and damselflies are present, together with Kingfishers and Otters.
Netcott’s Meadow
Netcott’s Meadow is a small area of damp grassland to the North of BackwellBackwell
Backwell is a suburban village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset and has a population of 5,455.It is south west of Bristol, on the A370 to Weston-super-Mare...
Lake (ST476695) now managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust but owned privately. It is accessible to the public by means of a kissing gate close to the Lake. It has abundant wild flowers best seen in early June. Several species of orchids grow here, including the Common spotted orchid
Common spotted orchid
The Common Spotted-orchid is acommonly occurring species of European orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes...
(Dactylorhiza fuchsii), Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) and Green-winged Orchid
Green-winged Orchid
The Green-winged Orchid or Green-veined Orchid is a flowering plant of the orchid family, Orchidaceae....
(Orchis morio), and in some years there are many Bee Orchid
Bee Orchid
The Bee Orchid is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae.-Etymology:The name "Ophrys" derives from the Greek word "ophrys", meaning "eyebrow", while the Latin name of the species "apifera" refers to the bee-shaped lip.-Description: The Bee Orchid grows to a height of ....
s (Ophrys apifera), although these may be absent at other times. Yellow Rattle
Yellow rattle
Yellow Rattle or Cockscomb, Rhinanthus minor, is a flowering plant in the genus Rhinanthus in the family Orobanchaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia....
(Rhinanthus minor) also grows here, a plant that is parasitic on various grasses and other plants, which has seeds that rattle when shaken, as its name implies.
Stockway North Nature Reserve
Stockway North Nature Reserve is in the 19th Century Pennant SandstonePennant Measures
The Pennant Measures are a sequence of sedimentary rocks of the South Wales Coalfield. They are also referred to as the Upper Coal Measures and are assigned to the Westphalian 'C' and Westphalian 'D' stages of the Carboniferous Period....
quarries behind the Garden of Rest and occupy about 0.75 acres in the centre of Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
(ST472708). After being filled with domestic refuse in the early 20th Century, these were neglected, and with natural regeneration it was occupied by local wildlife. Work to restore the site started in 1996, when much of the urban rubbish was removed. With financial assistance from Nailsea Town Council and North Somerset Council, a group – The Friends of Stockway North Nature Reserve – was formed in 1998 to manage this land, involving the community in a project to encourage the wildlife, to raise awareness of the public to the natural environment, as a teaching resource for schools, and as an extension to the adjacent Garden of Rest.
Backwell Lake
BackwellBackwell
Backwell is a suburban village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset and has a population of 5,455.It is south west of Bristol, on the A370 to Weston-super-Mare...
Lake(ST478694, also known as Bucklands Pool) was constructed by Wessex Water
Wessex Water
Wessex Water Services Limited, known as Wessex Water, is a water supply and sewerage utility company serving an area of the south west of England, covering 10,000 square kilometres including Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, most of Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire...
and came into use in 1978 as a balancing pond to control the surface water between the Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
to Bristol railway line and the new estates built to the south of Nailsea, preventing the flooding of the River Kenn. The lake is quite shallow, being at most about 2 metres deep and occupies an area of about 4 hectares. It is now a significant wildlife site, designated as a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
that attracts many water birds. The Lake is open to the public, but fishing is restricted. It is used by many people for walking, dog exercise, bird watching and fishing.
Jubilee Stone Wood and Badgers Wood Nature Reserves
Jubilee Stone Wood and Badgers Wood Nature Reserves (ST495679) are primarily broadleaf woodland with open areas of limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
grassland. Both reserves are located high above the historic village of Backwell
Backwell
Backwell is a suburban village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset and has a population of 5,455.It is south west of Bristol, on the A370 to Weston-super-Mare...
, North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
. They are home to many rare species including the Hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
Dormouse
Dormouse
Dormice are rodents of the family Gliridae. Dormice are mostly found in Europe, although some live in Africa and Asia. They are particularly known for their long periods of hibernation...
, Greater Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
The Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
and the Yellow Birds-nest plant (Monotropa hypopitys
Monotropa hypopitys
Monotropa hypopitys, also known as Dutchman's Pipe, Yellow Bird's-nest or Pinesap, is a herbaceous perennial plant, formerly classified in the families Monotropaceae or Pyrolaceae, but now included within the subfamily Monotropoidiae of the blueberry family...
). They also have some fascinating archaeology dating back over 5000 years with an adjacent Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
human burial cave, a 14th century Rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
warren and cottage, 17th century lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
mines and a 19th century limekiln
Limekiln
A lime kiln is used to produce quicklime through the calcination of limestone . The chemical equation for this reaction is...
.
Nowhere Wood
Nowhere Wood is a small wood, also known as Trendlewood (ST480703). The name Trendlewood appears to mean ‘round wood’ and the name Nowhere Wood is derived from a small hamlet linked to the village by Nowhere Lane that still runs through the wood. The wood contains several PennantPennant Measures
The Pennant Measures are a sequence of sedimentary rocks of the South Wales Coalfield. They are also referred to as the Upper Coal Measures and are assigned to the Westphalian 'C' and Westphalian 'D' stages of the Carboniferous Period....
Sandstone quarries, abandoned about 1900. The trees and shrubs have grown to cover the spoil heaps, and vegetation overhangs the rock face. Squirrels have built their drays in the trees and at dusk the bats come out to forage. A group, The Friends of Nowhere Wood, has now been established to restore the wood and to encourage the wildlife.
Tyntesfield
TyntesfieldTyntesfield
Tyntesfield is a Victorian Gothic Revival estate near Wraxall, North Somerset, England, near Nailsea, seven miles from Bristol.The house was acquired by the National Trust in June 2002 after a fund raising campaign to prevent it being sold to private interests and ensure it be opened to the public...
(ST505712), formerly the home of the Gibbs family, came on to the market in 2002 and was acquired by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and many local private benefactors. It is surrounded by 200 Ha of gardens, farmland and unspoilt woodland. Much of this still remains to be explored, though it is clear that there is considerable potential for wildlife. The buildings contain several bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
roosts and eight species of bat are known to live in this area, notably the Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Lesser horseshoe bat
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat , is a type of European bat related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat...
s (Rhinolophus hipposideros), which roost in the courtyard. Over 90 individuals of this endangered species have been counted there. Other bat species found include the Greater Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
The Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
(Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), Brown Long-eared Bat
Brown long-eared bat
The brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat is a fairly large European bat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold...
(Plecotus auritus), and Serotine Bat
Serotine bat
The serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus is a fairly large European bat with quite large ears. It has a wingspan of around 370mm and often hunts in woodland. It sometimes roosts in buildings, hanging upside down, in small groups or individually...
(Eptesicus serotinus), Whiskered Bat
Whiskered bat
The whiskered bats Myotis mystacinus and related species, are small European bats with long fur. Although uncommon, M. mystacinus is often found around human habitation and around water; it is similar to Brandt's bat Myotis brandtii, from which it was distinguished as a separate species only in...
(Myotis sp), and the two Pipistrelle species, (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus). The female Glow Worm (Lampyris noctiluca) may be seen on a warm June night in the area close to the house at Tyntesfield. These beetles are in rapid decline, probably due to the increase in urban lights that may distract the males. Their food is mainly snails and slugs, which are in plentiful supply in this area. The orchid Autumn Ladies Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) grows in the lawn outside the main house.
Towerhouse Wood
Towerhouse Wood (ST475719) is a site of semi-natural ancient woodlandAncient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
about 1 km to the north of Nailsea owned by The Woodland Trust
Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is a conservation charity in the United Kingdom concerned with the protection and sympathetic management of native woodland heritage.-History:...
which is famous for its Bluebells
Common Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:...
, veteran Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s and for its pond, which is constantly producing bubbles of gas. Unfortunately, the Wood is being invaded by alien trees and shrubs that could overwhelm our native plants if they are not controlled. A large variety of wild animals are found in the Wood, now including Dormice, Rabbits, Roe Deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, Badgers, Grey Squirrels, and five species of bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
. A lime kiln marked on a map dated 1769 is found on private land in the NW corner of the wood. To the south of the Wood there is a Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
site first studied in 1956 which yielded many worked flints.
St George’s Flower Bank
St George’s Flower Bank (ST 507753), which is adjacent to the main PortisheadPortishead, Somerset
Portishead is a coastal town on the Severn Estuary within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset England. It has a population of 22,000, an increase of over 3,000 since the 2001 census, with a growth rate of 40 per cent, considerably in excess...
to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
road (A369), is owned by North Somerset Council and managed by volunteers. Seeds that lay dormant in the ‘seed-bank’ until the soil was disturbed, produced wildflowers that have become rare in other places. The site is managed as a traditional hay meadow, scything, and removing the grass in late July. Scrub and trees that normally cover roadsides are kept in check, and this management has produced a site that has now been officially designated as a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
.