Wallingford Castle Meadows
There is not much of Wallingford Castle left above ground but the green mounds that you can see are the remains of what was one of the largest, strongest and most important castles in England....
The Castle was demolished after the Civil War in 1652, the land eventually becoming part of a Victorian estate and subsequently a dairy farm.
The land was purchased by South Oxfordshire District Council in 1999 and is being managed as an area for informal recreation, for people to see the castle remains and for wildlife.
>>Click to view Wallingford Castle Meadows in 2007 image
Managed by the Northmoor Trust
The Northmoor Trust is involved, at the request of the District Council, because of our experience of managing public sites with complex influences. In this case there are potential conflicts between the need to protect the Castle, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the need to provide safe public access and appropriate wildlife conservation. A detailed site management plan which aims to resolve these conflicts is posted on the South Oxfordshire District Council website.
Wallingford Castle
The building of Wallingford Castle commenced in 1067, on the orders of William the Conqueror, to defend the important river crossing over the Thames. The castle was then extended by King John at the start of the 13th century to include three walls and moats, eventually becoming one of the largest castles in England. In fact the castle was so strong that it has very little military history and was mostly used as a prison. The Castle was a Royalist stronghold during the Civil War and was not captured, despite a long siege by Parliamentary forces, so was subsequently demolished. The land was sold from the Crown Estate in 1806 and in the 1830’s came to the Hedges family, who landscaped the site and built a mansion on what is now Castle Gardens. The land was used for dairy farming from the 1960’s until it was sold in 1999.
Wildlife Habitats
There are some important wildlife habitats present, especially the ditches and deadwood from the mature parkland trees. The ditches are home to a small population of now rare water voles and are also used by water shrews and kingfishers. The standing and lying deadwood piles on the site provide two different habitats for a wide range of invertebrates, which in turn are food for woodpeckers and bats. Castle Meadows includes two floodplain meadows, a rare and threatened habitat in the Thames Valley. These meadows have lost a lot of their species richness due to agricultural 'improvement'. We are hoping that by reverting to traditional hay meadow management we can encourage some of the typical plants, insects, and birds to return.
An Educational and Recreational Resource
By providing access and interpretation on all aspects of the Castle Meadows site it is hoped that this will become a highly prized educational and recreational resource for the local community, as well as an example of good conservation management and a haven for wildlife.
A self-guided walk leaflet is available from Wallingford Tourist Information Centre, Wallingford Museum and on site.
Executive Summary of Wallingford Castle Meadows Management Plan April 2006 - April 2011 (pdf)
If you would like more information about Wallingford Castle Meadows or would like to become involved in looking after this important area, please contact the Neighbourhood Wildlife Warden on 01865 409410 or email Lorretta Waters
