First Church Meadow

Pond Area

The pond itself was thought not to be releatively unimportant as it is mainly fed by run-off and can dry out, even in winter.
Its main contribution seemed to be in relation to the Snake's-Head Fritillaries - these seem to flourish in the damper areas of the meadow, particularly down slope of where the pond is.
However in 2007 a survey of Great Crested Newts revealed that the larval stages were present in the pond (probably linked to the presence of the Great Crested Newts in the Rookery Farm pond system adjacent to the reserve entrance) and so the Trust is now working on a plan to encourage the newt population.In November 2007 the pond was deepened Click here to see some photos

Pond - view in May The pond contains Bullrush (Schoenoplectus lacustris) and Water Mint (Mentha aquatica). This mint can attract large numbers of butterflies in the summer. Dewberry (Rubus caesius), which is bramble-like, grows around the fringes of the pond. Water mint with small tortoiseshell

Pond - view in May Water Mint with Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

Here are some plants that occur throughout the meadows (not just in the pond area) along with a few notes that may be useful...

Bugle Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
Flowering in April to June the blue colouration makes this little plant stand out although it is only a few inches tall.
The name "bugle" is obscure but it is not thought to be connected with the wind instrument!
In some parts of Germany it was thought that to pick them and bring them indoors would cause fire!

Cowslip Cowslip (Primula veris)
Flowers March to June.
Not the most elegant of names as it is thought to derive from 'cow dung' or 'cow pat' because they were found in meadows where cows would have grazed!
The nodding flowers were supposed to resemble the bunch of keys that were the badge of St Peter and some of its more local names reflect this.

Knapweed Black or Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
Flowers July to September.
Black because of the dark bract-like appendages below the flower. Also known as "hardheads".
A universal species of English grassland.

Crested Dog's Tail Crested Dog's Tail (Cynosurus cristatus)
Flowers June to August.
Obviously grasses are an important constituent of the meadows.
This grass, together with the above species, lends it's name to the National Vegetation Description of the type of meadow that is medium rich in nutrients (mesotrophic) i.e. the "crested dog's tail - common knapweed community" classified as type MG5.

Sweet Vernal Grass Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum oderatum)
Flowers April to July.
A lovely name and the grass contains coumarin which (to me) has a sweet pleasant taste and gives the hay a nice smell too. Unfortunately it isn't so tempting to livestock and so is not considered a particularly good or productive grass for a hay crop.

Narcissus Van Sion Narcissus Van Sion
Flowers March to May.
This daffodil is found in quite large amounts over the reserve. It is thought to be a garden escape (either the seeds or bulbs getting in from nearby gardens) and has a very split and doubled trumpet as can be seen from this close-up shot.
It is a fancy old daffodil also known as Telamonius plenus and is said to have been introduced into Britain in about 1620.
Apparently it can be found in the hedgerows and ditches right from here to Monewden church, well over a mile away, and some say it grows on the graves of some of the former Martin family (but I have not checked that one out)!
I have also been told that this is the only site where the daffodil can be found growing as part of a meadow population!

Narcissus Van Sion Cuckooflower or Lady's-smock (Cardamine pratensis)
Flowers April to June.
The name may suggest to the romantic the innocent pictures of milkmaids and cuckoos singing in the Spring but Geoffrey Grigson in the Englishman's Flora thinks the name derives from much "earthier" associations where the cuckoo was more to do with cuckold and the smock part of the name more in line with the way a "skirt" or "piece of skirt" is used today (and if you think that's a bit strong then steer well clear of the Early-purple Orchid - see the Far NorthEast corner)!!

Devil's-bit Scabious Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)
Flowers June to October.
According to Geoffrey Grigson it has an abruptly ending rootstock and either the Devil was envious of it's virtue and bit it off or he was able to exert his power through the root but the Virgin Mary intervened and stopped it - so in his annoyance the Devil took a bite out of the root!
The Grete Heball of 1526 therefore thought the plant was less curative than it could be but in Culpepper's English Physitian Enlarged the ailment's for which it was prescribed included the plague, fever, poison, the bite of venomous beasts, bruises, falls, clotted blood, swellings of the throat, wind, worms, wounds, scurf, dandruff, pimples... and freckles!!

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	The pond contains Bullrush (Schoenoplectus lacustris) and Water Mint (Mentha aquatica). This mint can attract large numbers of butterflies in the summer. Dewberry (Rubus caesius), which is bramble-like, grows around the fringes of the pond.
Pond - view in May		Water Mint with Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

	Bugle (Ajuga reptans) Flowering in April to June the blue colouration makes this little plant stand out although it is only a few inches tall. The name "bugle" is obscure but it is not thought to be connected with the wind instrument! In some parts of Germany it was thought that to pick them and bring them indoors would cause fire!
	Cowslip (Primula veris) Flowers March to June. Not the most elegant of names as it is thought to derive from 'cow dung' or 'cow pat' because they were found in meadows where cows would have grazed! The nodding flowers were supposed to resemble the bunch of keys that were the badge of St Peter and some of its more local names reflect this.
	Black or Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) Flowers July to September. Black because of the dark bract-like appendages below the flower. Also known as "hardheads". A universal species of English grassland.
	Crested Dog's Tail (Cynosurus cristatus) Flowers June to August. Obviously grasses are an important constituent of the meadows. This grass, together with the above species, lends it's name to the National Vegetation Description of the type of meadow that is medium rich in nutrients (mesotrophic) i.e. the "crested dog's tail - common knapweed community" classified as type MG5.
	Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum oderatum) Flowers April to July. A lovely name and the grass contains coumarin which (to me) has a sweet pleasant taste and gives the hay a nice smell too. Unfortunately it isn't so tempting to livestock and so is not considered a particularly good or productive grass for a hay crop.
	Narcissus Van Sion Flowers March to May. This daffodil is found in quite large amounts over the reserve. It is thought to be a garden escape (either the seeds or bulbs getting in from nearby gardens) and has a very split and doubled trumpet as can be seen from this close-up shot. It is a fancy old daffodil also known as Telamonius plenus and is said to have been introduced into Britain in about 1620. Apparently it can be found in the hedgerows and ditches right from here to Monewden church, well over a mile away, and some say it grows on the graves of some of the former Martin family (but I have not checked that one out)! I have also been told that this is the only site where the daffodil can be found growing as part of a meadow population!
	Cuckooflower or Lady's-smock (Cardamine pratensis) Flowers April to June. The name may suggest to the romantic the innocent pictures of milkmaids and cuckoos singing in the Spring but Geoffrey Grigson in the Englishman's Flora thinks the name derives from much "earthier" associations where the cuckoo was more to do with cuckold and the smock part of the name more in line with the way a "skirt" or "piece of skirt" is used today (and if you think that's a bit strong then steer well clear of the Early-purple Orchid - see the Far NorthEast corner)!!
	Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) Flowers June to October. According to Geoffrey Grigson it has an abruptly ending rootstock and either the Devil was envious of it's virtue and bit it off or he was able to exert his power through the root but the Virgin Mary intervened and stopped it - so in his annoyance the Devil took a bite out of the root! The Grete Heball of 1526 therefore thought the plant was less curative than it could be but in Culpepper's English Physitian Enlarged the ailment's for which it was prescribed included the plague, fever, poison, the bite of venomous beasts, bruises, falls, clotted blood, swellings of the throat, wind, worms, wounds, scurf, dandruff, pimples... and freckles!!