Port MEadow Inspection 2022

As usual the walk benefited from the attendance of Julian Cooper, the Ranger, who said that like me he never recalled seeing so many people on the Meadow. As this was the first visit to the Meadow by the new Sheriff Mike Rowley, Julian gave a brief introduction before we set off.

He described how the Meadow is both an Ancient Monument and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, qualifying by reason of features such as Iron Age earthworks and being the only place in the UK where you can rely on finding creeping marshwort (or apium repens). This is a bird watcher’s paradise, and we saw skylarks and oystercatchers among other birds, although we were too far north for the two nesting pairs of kingfishers.

As ever there was a report on current grazing: 230 cattle were there, plus 27 horses. The Hanson family, who are regular graziers, are prepared to put out more cattle if that would be beneficial. The state of the pasture was said to be good, although part only of the Meadow had been under water during the previous winter; flooding can help the Meadow to rest from being walked on and grazed. Thistle cutting was planned to take place shortly.

Four cattle were observed in the pound at the Wolvercote end of the Meadow. This is of course used to gather beasts on the occasion of the Sheriff’s early morning drive, but it was also intended as a place where sick beasts could be isolated. One animal was indeed awaiting the attendance of a vet. But when asked about the others, Julian snapped ‘They have testicles!’. His annoyance was understandable: I am no farmer, but have long known that it is impermissible to turn out entire animals on common land like Port Meadow. For me this indicates an irresponsible attitude to grazing.

s has already been mentioned, an unprecedented number of visitors were enjoying the amenity of the Meadow. Most were younger people, and Julian said this was a favourite resort of those who had completed their university exams – if weather permitted. Generally, he said, they caused little trouble. There were more problems a few weeks later, when school pupils had completed their exams. They were less able to cope with the effects of alcohol and more likely to leave litter and not respond to requests to leave the Meadow clean and tidy. If litter is left, he said, it is not cleared in sight of those who might deposit it, lest they take the attitude that any litter will just be cleared up. He and his team are, at any rate in mid-summer, out and about before six in the morning to clear up. In this they are assisted by the Port Meadow and Wolvercote Common Wombles.