Great Mere Community Conservation Project
The Great Mere is an area of land belonging to the Parish Council of just over an acre on the site of an ancient mere (a lake or pond).
During the 17th century, the Great Mere was recorded as a watering place for the village animals alongside the road to Ludgershall.
By the middle of the 20th century it had fallen into disuse for this purpose and become stagnant and a potential health hazard, so it was filled in and left to regenerate.
Nature took its course ...
Thirty and more years passed......
Trees were planted and grew .....
Brambles and nettles florished .....
Wildlife made the area its home......
Wild plants colonised it ....
.... until in 2005 the Great Mere was mature enough to be developed as a conservation and leisure facility for the village community.
The Great Mere Community Group is working in partnership with the Parish Council by managing and developing the area to bring it into use for the village.
The Group is charged with conserving the natural resources of the area. Qualified botanists and arborists are being enlisted to ensure wildlife and wild plants are encouraged and to avoid destoying what is already there.
Work is being carried out by volunteer effort. There is plenty to do and skills from tree-felling to seed planting or financial administration to letter writing are in short supply.
If you like being in the open air and want to help, you can just turn up when you see us working there!
How do I get into the Great Mere?
Firstly, be aware as you come to find us that the Great Mere is private property and you enter at your own risk.
The best way is down the farm track opposite St. Andrew's Church, past the Wessex Water pumping station and then turn East along the bridleway towards the Ludgershall Road.
Be careful - the bridleway surface is fairly rough. The entrance to the Mere is through the gate about 100 metres east of the farm track.
Be sure to wear stout footware - the suface of the ground is overgrown and there are hidden burrows!
