The meadow covers 18.5 acres representing the last refuge on Kingsmoor still preserved by traditional farming methods. Historically, the Tythe Map of 1840 mentions it as "the medow". The 76 year old owner , is retiring from farming and needs to sell. He has been approached already by neighbouring "intensive" farmers who want to buy and expand into this land. Ted appreciates the wildlife importance and has never used chemicals or artificial fertilisers as modern methods would require.
Ted also mows late and only once a year, This method retains a flower rich grassland and allows time for the open ground "nesting" wildlife to reproduce, explaining the presence of skylarks and brown hares. Butterflies thrive in this rare chemical free land, herons fish in the watercourses, badgers, foxes, and songbirds occupy the hedges that may soon be "grubbed out". Hawks and owls roost in the trees as do visiting redwing and fieldfare, roe deer shelter here when traversing between the small hills nearby to the north and south of this varied and isolated cover. Snipe have also been noticed.
Ted could put this land up for auction now but is willing to negotiate with our group of local people for an option to purchase in an attempt to save the meadow. This exclusive option will end on 1st September 1998 by which time he will have to sell on the open market if we fail to raise the £3,000 per acre required to purchase.
To raise the funds and buy the meadow as a charity would be of great benefit to all. The local Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT) surveyed the site and feel that with continued care it can be brought to county "wildlife site" status. The SWT director, Roger Martin, intends to be patron of the charity we are setting up to raise funds. SWT are willing to advise our team of local volunteers in management and additional habitat creation on this significantly sized meadow if we are successful in protecting it as a nature reserve.
The meadow is a potential amenity that could be enjoyed by all without disturbance to the wildlife, as viewing could be restricted to a newly reopened footpath that runs just inside the south hedges. The habitat is suitable to provide for otters along the flowing north rhine that joins the Kings Sedgemoor river nearby to the west. The village school is in walking distance, the headmaster has visited the site and feels it has great educational value and is keen to see it preserved as a resource.
This meadowland is truly unique representing an "island of life" surviving among a landscape now without "hedges", all removed for intensive chemical reliant farming, that excludes wildlife and sadly is threating to absorb this important refuge.