Jones's Mill – The Vera Jeans Nature Reserve

Jones’s Mill is a quiet and secluded Nature Reserve to the east of Pewsey in central Wiltshire. With its network of ditches, ridges and furrows; evidence of their past use as traditional water meadows; it is the County’s only fenland Nature Reserve. The mineral-rich, spring fed waters, fiver degrees warmer than that in the river, were used to produce an early flush of grass at the start of the season.

It is a beautiful, secluded spot for a walk, with much to see including the Belted Galloway cattle that graze its wet meadows. The Reserve is criss-crossed with paths, giving good access to most areas, but the peaty soil remains wet underfoot for most of the year, making wellies the footwear of choice even in summer.

Wildlife

From the plants, such as Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) and Great Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia); through to insects and birds, such as the Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), there is much to see at Jones’s Mill. Rare plants include the Bog Pimpernel (Anagallis tenella) and Flea Sedge (Carex pulicaris). In areas where the Belted Galloways have managed to keep the vegetation short, the tall spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) and Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) can be seen.

History and management

The fields were deliberately flooded, using the ditches and furrows, by a skilled worker known as a “drowner”, until they fell into disuse in the late 19th century. From then on they were used for grazing, apart from a forty-year spell when they were used to grow watercress. This plant of shallow, flowing water continues to thrive at Jones’s Mill, although commercial growing stopped over 50 years ago.

Some of the rich plant life here, in particular the tall spikes of the orchids, and the powerfully-scented Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), owe their wellbeing to the Belted Galloways. This herd of shaggy-coated rare breed cattle, which thrives on the exposed hillsides of south-western Scotland, is happy to graze on the rough, coarse vegetation that grows on the fen, helping to maintain a rich variety of plants.

Other information:

Dogs are allowed, but must be on a short leash at all times of year due to grazing animals.
Best time to visit: All year, but especially April – June.
Habitat: Wet grassland, streams and wet woodland
Specialties of the reserve: Snipe in winter, Bog Pimpernel, Flea Sedge and Yellow Iris.
Location: From Pewsey, take the Burbage road (B3087). Turn left down Dursden Lane, just before a white cottage. Reserve entrance close to small lay-by, just over the railway bridge. Alternatively, walk from Pewsey via Hollybusy Lane, or along the Kennet and Avon Canal. To get to the canal, head out of Pewsey on the Marlborough road (A345). Car parking is available at Pewsey Wharf. Follow canal towpath towards Wootton Rivers. After 15 minutes, turn right just after the bridge across the canal. Enter the reserve through the kissing gate. Not suitable for wheelchair users. Grid reference SU169611.