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Welford Parish Council

Local Information

​Marsh Common

Information about ​Marsh Common

Marsh Common, in Weston near Welford, has undergone a considerable transformation since the Parish Council voted to take on its maintenance in November 2020.

Work has been carried out in order to preserve this special place and to facilitate public access. Wet woodland habitat such as this is increasingly rare nowadays and provides an important home to an array of wildlife.
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Paul St Pierre of the Environment Agency explains; “In addition to creating and supporting the River Lambourn itself, the springs which feed the river along its length also create important wetlands adjacent to the river. These wetlands are generally labelled as ‘fen/swamp’ or as ‘wet woodland’.

Marsh Common Welford - Wild Grasses

“Depending on the strength of the spring, these wetlands can be seasonal or permanent, most commonly they just fluctuate in extent and degree of wetness. The wetlands within the valley bottom support a wide range of plant and animal species, including amphibians and reptiles, a multitude of rare and sensitive invertebrates, and many grasses, wildflowers and fungi.
“One particular species which occupies these calcareous wetlands is Desmoulins Whorl Snail (Vertigo moulinisana). This species is often locally called the ‘Newbury Bypass Snail’ as it was the protected species which held up the construction of the A34. Desmoulins are a very small species with a max shell size of about 2.5mm.

Marsh Common Welford - River Lambourn

“These wetlands are so important that many are also designated as separate SSSI’s and SACs within the valley. The wetlands play an important role in supporting the river ecology – for example, many of the juvenile fish species will take refuge in these areas, especially during high flows. As well as ecological value these wetlands play an important role in storing water during high flows, reducing flood risk downstream, and also store significant quantities of carbon – restoring healthy wetlands is a key objective of the UK’s approach to tackling climate change.

Marsh Common Welford - Greater Tussock Sedge

“Marsh Common at Weston is an excellent mosaic of deep and shallow pools, with an extensive population of swamp and fen plant species such as the impressive Greater Tussock Sedge. There are stands of willow scrub, which are very attractive to many of our migrant and resident warbler species such as willow warblers, white throats and black caps. It is also perfect habitat for the rare and declining nightingale. The pools will attract many species of amphibians – frogs, toads and newts – in the spring – with the surrounding scrub and wetland plants providing excellent habitat for foraging adults as they emerge from the pools. The extensive pasture, hedgerows, and areas of scrub along the Lambourn Valley will support many small mammals, which in turn will attract owls. It’s a very beautiful and sensitive area of habitat within the Lambourn Valley.”
Unfortunately, over time this important habitat and area of Open Access Land had become rundown, partially blockaded and evidently used as a place to dump and burn waste. When this was brought to the attention of the Parish Council in 2020, it was decided the council would carry out cleanup and maintenance works to facilitate public access. The vital importance of access to open space could not have been more clearly highlighted than it has during the recent pandemic, so this made restoring the common a priority for the Parish Council.

Marsh Common Welford - Fly Tipping

​While clearing the common metal sheeting, old bricks, burn pits, mattress springs and various other discarded items were uncovered. Several trailer loads of detritus were removed by Councillors and volunteers.

Marsh Common Welford - Clean Up by Volunteers

Marsh Common Welford - Lockdown 2020 Party, Mens Toilet Sign, No Picnic Sign

Apparent evidence of a recent party/festival was also found, including signs proclaiming “No Trespassers” and “No Picnic Area”. It is important to note that the public are indeed entitled to access the common, as it is Open Access Land, where ‘right to roam’ applies, and therefore the perfect place for a picnic (as long as litter is not left behind).

​Since clearing the common, and with the installation of a new sign and footbridge, the area has been given a new lease of life, at the heart of our parish, as an important and cherished open space for everyone.

Marsh Common Welford - Wooden Bridge

The Parish Council would like to thank parishioners, the Environment Agency and West Berkshire Council for the crucial help and support we have received during this endeavour.
The common is accessible via the footpath which heads north from Weston Mill (WELF/27/1), via the five bar wooden gate on the Lambourn Road. Alternatively, it can be accessed via the footpath heading east from Elton (WELF/16/2).
Please note barbeques and fires are not permitted and dogs must be kept on a lead of no more than 2 metres long to protect ground-nesting birds.
Marsh Common Welford - Signage for Visitors, Kingfisher Sign
​It has been a busy time over the Autumn and Winter at Marsh Common in Weston. The Parish Council and volunteers have been hard at work adding and improving habitat to further encourage wildlife on the common. Bat and bird boxes have been installed, as have an extensive bug hotel, dormouse houses and a hedge for wildlife.

Bat Boxes
James Shipman, Chairman of the Berks & South Bucks Bat Group, gave a fascinating talk about bats at our November Parish meeting (and fortunately for us will be giving another at our Annual Parish Meeting on 25th May 2022). During the meeting James kindly donated a bat box to the Parish Council and later helped install it on Marsh Common.

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​The box is designed to mimic a small crevice that certain species prefer to roost in, similar to lifting bark on natural features. It can attract a variety of species including the Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule bat, Brown Long Eared bat and also, if we are lucky, the Barbastelle bat.

Bats play an important role in indicating changes in aspects of biodiversity but unfortunately in the UK bat populations have declined considerably over the last century. Bats are under threat from building and development work that affects roosts and loss of habitat. The Parish Council has committed to acquiring several more bat boxes for the common, one of which has also been recently installed. Our hope is these can provide additional habitat for the local bat population.

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​To further provide for the bats on the common, slots have been cut in the trunks of a pollarded willow tree. Cut at a specific height and location, it is hoped we may get Barbastelle or Pipistrelles using the holes for their roosts.

Dormouse Houses 
Two dormouse houses have also been installed on the common to provide a cosy home to hazel dormice. The hazel dormouse is one of Britain’s rarest mammals with numbers estimated to have fallen by 52% since 1995. The loss of ancient woodland and hedgerows across the UK is thought to be a major reason for this decline. Living mainly in branches in the woodland canopy, they rarely descend to ground level other than to hibernate.

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​Our dormouse houses are sited in hazel trees with the entrance at the rear of the house facing the trunk which makes it more difficult for birds to occupy. This offers safe access from the trunk of the tree which is the dormouse’s preferred route.

So rare are hazel dormice they are protected by law in the UK, and must not be handled or disturbed without a licence.

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​Hedge for Wildlife
​As part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, Parish Councillors and volunteers have planted a hedge for wildlife on the common, comprising of 200 native Blackthorn, Hornbeam, Field Maple, Hazel, Bird Cherry and Hawthorn trees. The hedge should provide flowers, nuts, sloes, hips and haws. Such diverse native hedgerows are great for wildlife, providing a haven for many insects, small mammals, reptiles and even amphibians. They are also good hunting grounds for predators seeking insects and other invertebrates and hedgerow berries provide birds with high-energy food in autumn and winter.
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​Bug Hotel 
Another new addition to Marsh Common is a fabulous 5 star bug hotel. Constructed using recycled and reclaimed materials, the bug hotel provides shelter for a wide variety of invertebrates as well as small mammals and even hedgehogs. For solitary bees, bug hotels and wildlife stacks provide a great place for them to live, lay their eggs and hibernate. Insects need safe spaces such as this to shelter, hide from predators and raise their young.

Logs have been cut and stacked in the bug house and elsewhere on the common as log piles are really important for wildlife. Centipedes, woodlice and beetles like to burrow into decaying wood and log piles may also attract birds, frogs and hedgehogs looking for sustenance.

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​Twigs and dry leaves have been added for ladybirds and lacewings who will love to crawl into the crevices and hide among the leaves. The tiled roof should keep the inhabitants relatively dry and provide shelter from bad weather for years to come.

All of these additions to the common are designed to help support the important ecosystem this amazing little open space provides and to help play a role in the battle against loss of habitat and climate change.

For more information about the Queen’s Green Canopy

For more information about Berks & South Bucks Bat Group

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