North Meadow

**  Notice from Natural England wef 13th April 2023**

Due to the unseasonal flooding of North Meadow National Nature Reserve at present, Natural England are temporarily closing the site. The closure will be in place until the floodwaters have receded and ground conditions have improved to such an extent that people accessing the site will not cause damage to the sensitive habitats for which the site is internationally important. This closure does not apply to public rights of way.

North Meadow National Nature Reserve is about 15 minutes walk north west of Cricklade town centre; the NNR has a great variety of wildflowers and is of international importance as one of the finest examples of a lowland hay meadow in Europe. It is protected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Around 80% of Britain’s snakehead fritillaries grow here.

North Meadow is common land, for hundreds of years the townspeople of Cricklade have had the right to graze livestock from 12 August to 12 February. In the middle ages the Manorial Court Leet, a form of local government, came into being; today Cricklade still retains its ancient Court Leet, and appoints a Hayward who supervises the grazing of the meadow. The hay is cut after 1 July when the wildflowers have set seed. During the winter the Rivers Thames and Churn frequently flood the meadow which is vital to the growth of many plants and helps to maintain the great variety of species at North Meadow.

Natural England has owned most of the meadow since the early 1970s and works closely with the Court Leet and residents of Cricklade to ensure traditional management continues. Today the people of Cricklade are involved with the meadow in other ways as well, through local groups and volunteer teams carrying out surveys and practical work. In 2008 North Meadow won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom Discretionary Award for Conservation and The Environment.

A series of guided walks are run throughout the year particularly during April when the snakes head fritillaries put on their spectacular display.

April 2022 - Cricklade Bloomers Tea Rooms will be open on 16th/17th April and 23rd/24th April in Thames Hall between 11am-4pm 

For more information about North Meadow NNR, tel: 07795 3216191, or Senior Reserves Manager 01452 813982