Riverside Meadows, Crowmarsh
Riverside Meadows, three fields of floodplain meadow to the south of Wallingford Bridge Scheduled Ancient Monument, have been a strategically important crossing point on the border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex for centuries.
>> 2009 Events at Riverside Meadows, Crowmarsh
Managed by the Northmoor Trust
Due to their location, Riverside Meadows contain areas of historic and archaeological interest; in fact many of the landforms visible today are a product of historic land uses. In addition, floodplain meadows are now a rare and threatened habitat in Oxfordshire due to development and agricultural improvements.
In order to preserve these features, South Oxfordshire District Council purchased Riverside Meadows in May 2001 and the Northmoor Trust currently manages it to maintain and enhance biodiversity, protect the archaeology and for informal recreation.
Historical & Archaeological Interest
Historical and archaeological investigations have revealed Riverside Meadows and their surroundings to be a significant focal point for settlement, communication, ritual and strategic activity for at least 3,000 years. The prominent ditch running from Wallingford Bridge to the Thames is likely to be of Anglo-Saxon origin and may have formed part of the defences of the Saxon burh, excavated as an outwork for the Saxon bridgehead. For centuries the line of the ditch marked the boundary between Berkshire and Oxfordshire; today it is still the boundary between the parishes of Wallingford and Crowmarsh. In more recent times maps of 1876 show a series of linked ponds called the Jack Ponds in the field adjacent to the bridge. As a result of the historical and archaeological interest the whole site has been placed on the Sites and Monuments Register as an area of known archaeological interest.
Public Footpaths
Two public footpaths cross the site, one of which follows the Towing Path south along the eastern bank of the River Thames. The meadow immediately adjacent to the river is used for informal recreation and for staging the annual Rowing Club Regatta and the Wallingford Raft Race. The whole site is subject to frequent flooding during the winter months, during which time access becomes impossible.
Important Habitats
The three fields that make up the site are bordered by a mixture of ditches, hedgerows and mature trees that provide important habitats for many species. The vegetation of the ditch is comprised of wetland and wet grassland species including reed canary-grass, great willowherb, water mint, common fleabane, gipsywort, amphibious bistort and cuckoo flower. Reed warbler and snipe are known to use the area and the ditch has the potential to be used by water vole and otter. Although the ditches have silted up over the years they still provide a home for species such as the bank vole and the banded demoiselle.
Riverbank Plants
There are many characteristic riverbank plants thriving along the banks of the Thames providing a valuable habitat and nectar source for insects. Four areas of the bank, which were subject to heavy erosion, were fenced off in 2003. The fenced areas were planted with a mix of blackthorn, dogwood, hawthorn and alder in order to stabilise the bank and prevent further erosion. Initial indications suggest that these measures have proved very successful.
Wildflower Meadows
Wildflower rich flood meadows were once a common sight alongside the River Thames. Such meadows supported a huge variety of wildflowers, butterflies and many species of birds including curlew and snipe. Over the last 50 years most of these traditional meadows have been lost due to changes in agricultural practice. Now, however, Riverside Meadows are once again being managed using traditional methods to try to encourage wildflowers and other wildlife back to the site. A copy of the management plan can be viewed on the South Oxfordshire District Council Website.
If you would like more information about Riverside Meadows or would like to volunteer to look after this important area, please contact the Neighbourhood Wildlife Warden on 01865 409410 or email Lorretta Waters
