Ancells Farm and Foxlease Meadow
Site description
Ancells Farm & Foxlease Meadows are the surviving remnants of what was once a much larger area of meadows dating back over 7 centuriess. With ancient and historic
hedgebanks thought to be over 700 years old, and individual boundary oaks over 500 years old, the sites still retain some of their traditional nature such as small irregular shapes and ditch and bank boundaries. Each meadow differes from all of its neighbours in is plant communities which has led to an extremely diverse site botanically.
It is this richness of plants that has led to the sites protection as a SSSI and what makes it arguably one of the best wet grassland and wet heath sites in the county. Specialist plants which thrive here are both round-leaved and oblong-leaved sundews, heath spotted orchid, meadow thistle, bog pimpernel and lousewort.
There are many excellent acidic ponds and ditches criss crossing the entire site which are home to many species of dragonfly and damselfly including the nationally rare small red damselfly, black darter dragonflies and emerald damselflies.
Summer update
Ancells Farm – As the ground water levels rise, re-filling the ditches and ponds, and the summer flowering plants all die back, Ancells Farm is now done for the year.
With the cattle leaving site for their winter grazing fields and all of the dragonfly and damselfy activity a thing of the summer past it is time for Ancells farm to reflect on the year gone and look froward to the year ahead.
The ponds have proven to be an excellent new addition to the reserve and will only get better with time. Some of the new ponds are now completely colonised with aquatic plants so providning excellent opportunities for dragonfly larvae to take refuge and shelter in, away from predation. The ponds edges have compeltely green over to the extent it is difficult to see where the diggers were driving only 7 months ago. Marsh pennywort, tormentil and bog pimpernel have all begun to colonise the newly created bare ground surrounding the new ponds which will hoepfully stay this way as the cattle really enjoy drinking from the ponds as opposed to drinking from the trough.
What little winter work that takes place on Ancells has already been completed with some more birch trees having been clreared off the central ditchline. This is to allow more light to the ditch to encourage more plant growth in the water and along its edges. It will also hoepfully open up the ditch for the resident dragonflies and damselflies so providing them even more habitats to colonise.
Foxlease Meadows – Having worked extremely hard with volunteers and contractors we
are really pleased to say that we have managed to increase the area of grazeable land on Foxlease Meadows by an additional 45 hectares since taking on the site in 2009. This means we can now begin to restore all of these new meadows to their former flower-rich glory, as well as start to spread cattle and pony dung across a much wider area. This dung is vital for bats living on the site as it provides a really important habitat for dung beetles which many of the bats found on the site, such as the serotine and noctule bats, feed upon.
In addition to this, as this update is written, we are on the verge of carrying out some very large scale habitat restoration works on site. Over the last 30-40 years, where there has been insufficient grazing, many tree seedlings have become established in what was once high qulaity wet heath or wildflower meadows. These seedlings have now become full grown trees and have massively reduced the extent of top quality habitat on these sites. During the winter months of 2011-2012 these trees are all being felled to restore the meadows and heaths to their former extents and in due course will enable the important species, such as meadow thistle and devil’s bit scabious, to recolonise and further improve this already amazing site.
With the exception this winter of the tree works taking place the only other work required on site will be that of moving the livestock herds around to ensure that all of the meadows have grazed and receive their dosage of dung. Role on Spring 2012, I have a great feeling about Foxlease Meadows and its new lease of life to come!
Habitats you will see
Ancells Farm and Foxlease Meadows are great examples of wet heathland/mire along with large areas of acid grassland. There are excellent networks of ditches criss-crossing the site as well as a series of new and old ponds of national imprtance for the insect communities they support.
Things to look out for and wildlife you will find
The sites heathland flowering plants really spring to life from May until July. In this time
you will see the lousewort, cross leaved heath, early marsh orchid, heath spotted orchid, common spotted orchid, petty whin, bog asphodel and both round-leaved and oblong-leaved sundews.
The dragonfly and damselfly populations are at their most diverse in July and August when you can expect to see up to eight different species on the same day, including the nationally rare small red damselfly.
A series of different herds graze Ancells Farm and Foxlease Meadows including belted galloway cattle, highland cattle, irish moiled cattle and New Forest ponies. All of these livestock over winter on the various layback fields surrounding the SSSI’s.
Stonechats are often heard making their classic call which sounds like two stones being hit together, hence their name. Other bird life you will see at the site includes lesser spotted woodpeckers, green woodpeckers, grey herons, reed and sedge warblers just to name a few.
Seasonal Information
The sites become very wet and boggy during the winter months and after periods of heavy rain so can almost be impassable at places. However, at Ancells Farm there is a short stretch of pathway and boardwalk which you will be able to use all year round and explore some of the reserve and the pond.
Cattle and Ponies graze the sites all year round although they leave the sensitive areas
of the site in the winter months and head to their layback fields. Throughout the year we therefore ask that all dogs visiting the site are kept on a lead and stay on the path. This is to prevent any unwanted interaction between the livestock and dogs, and also to prevent any ground nesting birds from being disturbed whilst they tend to their eggs or young in the nest.
Location
Ancells farm is situated on the northern edge of Fleet, in north east Hampshire. The entrance is off Ancells Road (Grid Ref. SU 823 557) and the nearest postcode is GU51 2XB. View a map to Ancells Farm.
Directions to Foxlease meadows to come shortly.
How to get there including public transport links
By Car: Ancells Farm is half a mile east of Fleet. From the M3 exit at Junction 4a, head south towards Fleet on the A327. Turn right onto the A3013, or Cove Road, and head towards Fleet. At the first roundabout you reach, turn right onto Ancells Road. Approximately 500 metres up the road on the right is small slope where there is very limited parking for vehicles visiting the site.
By Bus: A number of services run from Fleet to Farnborough, including 70, 71, 73 and 74. There is a bus stop on Ancells Road 100m south of the main reserve entrance.
By Train: Fleet train station is only a 25 minute walk from Ancells Farm wildlife reserve. Come out of the train station and head north, away from Fleet. At the first roundabout turn right onto the A3013, or Cove Road. Follow this for 500m and turn left at the next roundabout. Approximately 500 metres up the road on the right is small slope which leads to the reserves main entrance.
Contact information
The Reserve Officer can be contacted on 01256 381190 or by writing to Ancells Farm RO, The Old Cart Shed, Home Farm, Herriard, Hampshire, RG25 2PL.
