Woodstock Town Council

you are at the environment page

Woodstock's environment portfolio includes natural habitats at:- 

The towns watermeadows, and
Budds Close Nature Reserve (OWL),

Children's play areas at
New Road,
Budds Close and
Old Woodstock

Cemeteries at
Green Lane (Lawn Cemetery)
Hensington Road
St Mary Magdalene Church (closed cemetery)

The Woodstock Town Watermeadows

The water meadows are a unique feature in the heart of the town providing a valuable habitat for birds, small mammals, and plants from small aquatic species to mature trees.  It covers 5.5 hectares of land on the flood plain of the River Glyme and is easily accessible to the public as an area of quiet tranquillity.  It is bounded on the north by the mill stream which, these days, carries most of the water through and under the main A44 road and in to the Blenheim Lake by the seven arches bridge.  On the south side it is bounded by the more modest flows of the residual Glyme river.  The watermeadows are frequently flooded in winter although drier areas have been set aside for managed grazing.  The area is home to a large number of pollarded willows, white poplar and more recently planted species.  Whilst the Watermeadows Management Committee are committed to retaining the natural characteristics of the area there is a need for regular maintenance, particularly the requirement to keep to reasonable levels, the amount of Himalayan Balsam which if left unattended would swamp other plant life in the meadow.

Budds Close Nature Reserve (OWL)

In 2005 the Council acquired the old railway line (Old Woodstock Line - OWL) which has lain abandoned for many years at the back of Budds Close off Banbury Road.  Under the leadership of Oxfordshire Councty Council's Wychwood Project staff and the efforts of the voluntary warden Bob Pomfret and others, the area has been developed into a small linear nature reserve.

Play Areas

The children's play areas conform to current regulations and safety standards and are regularly inspected by the Town Council's environmental warden

Cemeteries

The Council is conscious that it will soon need to find a new cemetery site as the current lawn cemetery becomes full

back to top