Introduction
The Lackham Estate comprises 234.20 ha of land belonging to the Wiltshire
College. An additional 101 ha is rented at nearby Wick Farm. The Estate
is an intensively utilised piece of land, managed for multi-purpose
objectives. The bulk of the land is in agricultural production, with
education, recreation, forestry, game, and wildlife management being
the other main interests.
The agricultural concern consists of approximately 295 ha of productive
land, almost 50 ha being permanent pasture and the rest growing winter
wheat, winter barley, maize, peas, and temporary grass leys. The farm
supports a 140 head dairy herd with replacements, 20 pedigree Limousins,
a beef unit, 400 sheep with replacements, and an outdoor pig unit. There
are also a number of rare and exotic breeds of livestock on the Estate,
though these do not form part of the commercial farm business.
Conservation and amenity benefits of the proposals
2.1 Landscape
2.1.1 Inherent value:
- The Wiltshire College farmland forms part of the important local
landscape between the floodplains of the River Avon, which acts as
a natural boundary on three sides of the main part of the Estate,
to the main London-southwest railway line.
- The Estate lies either side of the busy A350 trunk road and as
such is highly visible to the wider public. In addition, the main
London to Bristol railway forms one of the Estate boundaries and runs
through the middle of Wick Farm.
- Many traditional landscape features have been retained on the Estate,
such as an old orchard, willow pollards along the banks of watercourses,
ancient hedgerows, and veteran trees. An interesting arboretum runs
the length of the main drive and, although the parkland has been separated
by fences into smaller fields, the aspect remains open and the "feel"
of parkland has been retained.
2.1.2 Proposed enhancements:
- Much of the traditional pasture and flood plain will be managed
under an extensive grazing regime, in an effort to encourage wildflowers
to thrive and create a more attractive landscape.
- A programme of hedgerow restoration is proposed in order to maintain
traditional boundary patterns.
- A number of willows will be planted alongside watercourses to replace
those lost over the years. An ongoing programme of willow pollarding
will also continue to retain those remaining ancient specimens.
- Parkland and veteran trees in arable fields will be protected by
6 m grass margins to prevent damage from agricultural operations and
so prolong the life of these important landscape features.
- The old orchard will be restored, subject to the recommendations
of an orchard management plan.
- A new pond will be created adjacent to the back drive, and the
surrounding area landscaped with new plantings of trees and shrubs.
- A network of permanent grass margins will be established around
arable fields alongside hedges and woodland. These will enhance the
semi-natural appearance of the farm and soften the interface between
field boundaries and arable crops.
2.2 Wildlife
2.2.1 Inherent value:
- The Estate is bordered on three sides by the River Avon, and much
of the grassland alongside the river is subject to seasonal flooding.
While the majority of this land has been managed fairly extensively
in the past, remnants of botanically rich floodplain habitat can still
be found. In one such area is a relatively recent pond which has been
so well colonised by aquatic and semi-aquatic species that it was
the subject of a film on dragonflies and their habits.
- Other areas of old pasture also remain on the Estate and these,
along with the floodplain, form a significant proportion of the national
resource of lowland "meadow".
- A number of veteran trees can be found on the Estate, many associated
with what was parkland. These support an enormous diversity of invertebrates
and are thus an extremely important habitat.
- The Estate retains pockets of interesting woodland, including an
area of traditionally managed hazel coppice with standards, and a
piece of ancient woodland. A diverse ground flora has been recorded
in the woodland, including Solomon's seal, herb Paris, orchid species,
moschatel, bluebell, dog's mercury, wood anemone, and stinkhorn fungus.
Animals associated with the woodland include nesting buzzard and heron,
woodcock, tree creeper, goldcrest, owl species, woodpeckers, jays,
shrews, adders, grass snakes, and deer.
- All of the hedgerows on the Estate have been surveyed and while
many are estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old, some may be
far more ancient, even as old as 800 years. Many of these hedges contain
in excess of the number of woody species required for them to be classed
as a UK BAP priority habitat. They also support an enormous number
of herbaceous plants and animal species, and provide important wildlife
corridors linking other habitats.
- A recent bat survey on the Estate recorded no less than 17 roosts,
with the following species being positively identified: soprano pipistrelle,
common pipistrelle, natterer, noctule, serotine, brown long-eared,
dorbenton, greater horseshoe (a BAP priority species), whiskered,
and Brandt's.
- A butterfly survey revealed an equally impressive range of species,
including comma, Duke of Burgundy (a nationally scarce species), holly
blue, small copper, grizzled skipper (a locally declining species),
dingy skipper (also locally declining), painted lady, red admiral,
small heath, and wall.
- Other interesting records include a large population of great-crested
newts associated with the ponds in Rake Pond Wood, an abundance of
brown hares, and historical records of water vole at nearby Reybridge.
2.2.2 Proposed enhancements:
- While the grassland on the Estate is generally relatively poor
in broadleaved species, traditional grasses are well represented and
it is hoped that with a return to a more extensive management regime
diversity will improve. (It is encouraging to note that this approach
has been very successful on a small area of the floodplain where more
sympathetic management over recent years has led to the re-appearance
of many species typical of wet grassland, including cuckoo flower,
ragged robin, rushes and sedges, as well as a range of associated
invertebrates.)
- A network of permanent grass margins around arable fields will
buffer old hedgerows, woodland, veteran trees, and watercourses across
the farm.
- Appropriately managed field margins will also provide habitat for
ground-nesting birds, invertebrates, and small mammals. Grass strips
will act as corridors for wildlife, and foraging areas for predatory
birds and bats, particularly where they are associated with mature
bushy hedges and/or running watercourses.
- Restored hedgerows will act as corridors for plants and animals,
and provide habitat for a range of wildlife.
- A number of pillboxes are scattered around the Estate and while
these are protected to a degree as historic features it is anticipated
that approval could be gained for one or two to be converted into
bat hibernacula. This proposal has the support of the Wiltshire Bat
Group, though as yet no specifications or costings have been produced.
- As has been mentioned already, proposals are included in the Application
for tree planting, pond creation, willow pollarding, and orchard restoration.
These activities will all help to retain and extend existing habitat
and enable a wide range of species to continue to utilise the Estate.
2.3 History
2.3.1 Inherent value:
- Lackham is a settlement with Medieval origins and was recorded
in the Domesday Book. A comprehensive history of the house and land
which formed the Lackham Estate can be found in the college library.
- Many of the historic landscape features associated with the Estate
have been more or less retained, including the house and formal gardens,
the parkland trees and the carp ponds.
- Medieval settlements have also been located on the sites of Notton
Farm (part of the Estate), and Wick Farm, and a number of interesting
artefacts and features have been recorded across the college land
(see attached report from the County Archaeologist).
- The course of a Roman road runs along the southern boundary of
Wick Farm.
- Much of the traditional pattern of field boundaries has been retained
across the farm, as can be verified from the figures given above of
records of hedgerows up to 800 years old.
- As stated earlier, ancient woodland and veteran trees, as well
as an old orchard have been retained across the Estate.
2.3.2 Proposed enhancements:
- The course of the Roman road will be protected from continued damage
from agricultural activities such as ploughing by the establishment
of a permanent grass margin along its length.
- The bund and sluice(s) in the old carp ponds will be restored (subject
to the recommendations of a management plan to be prepared in the
first year of the Agreement).
- A hedgerow restoration programme will ensure that ancient hedges
are preserved, and many of those around arable fields will be protected
by permanent grass margins.
- Ancient woodland and veteran trees will also be protected by grass
margins.
- An orchard restoration plan will be prepared and implemented.
2.4 Public access/benefits
2.4.1 Inherent value:
- The Estate is a vital educational resource for the agriculture and
countryside students attending the college, and is also used by visiting
school groups as part of National Curriculum studies.
- In addition, thousands of people visit the Estate every year, either
as students or parents of students, or as visitors to the many open
days and special events that take place at the college or the farm.
- The Estate also houses a museum of rural life, which contains many
interesting exhibits. This and the extensive formal gardens attract
additional visitors and school parties.
- Two public footpaths cross the Estate from north to south, and
others run across Wick Farm. Both sites are also visited by the many
anglers taking advantage of the facilities on the River Avon and the
lake at Wick Farm.
- Four waymarked circular walks, catering for a range of abilities
and interests, have been established across the Estate. These cover
the farm, the woodland, the riverside and the formal gardens, and
are furnished with bespoke interpretation boards as well as information
points concerning the species likely to be found in a particular area.
2.4.2 Proposed enhancements:
- As public access to the farm is already extensive, additional permissive
paths or open areas are considered neither appropriate nor value for
money in this case.
- However, the proposals outlined above would greatly enhance public
enjoyment of the area. This would be true for the many thousands of
people who visit the college every year, for those who drive past,
and for local people too.
- The Estate and associated land is used for a wide range of educational
purposes: for students of the college; visiting school parties and
special interest groups; and farmers attending demonstrations, meetings,
and short courses. It is anticipated that activities on the farm carried
out under a Countryside Stewardship Agreement would feature in this
context, and therefore the college would become an ambassador for
the Scheme which, hopefully, would lead to increasing awareness of
the need to conserve and enhance the landscape, wildlife, history
and public enjoyment of the countryside.
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