Nature Reserves

Wolfson College Water Meadows
Managed by:	Wolfson College
Nearest postcode:	OX2 6UD
OS grid reference:	SP 51635 08264
Usual work:	Fencing, Scrub clearing

Wolfson College Water Meadows is a remarkable site of special scientific interest (SSSI), situated in the flood plain of the Cherwell. These meadows have been utilized for centuries as pasture and hay meads, and continue to serve as a thriving habitat for a diverse range of flowers. Wolfson College currently owns and manages the meadows.

Water meadows were traditionally areas of grassland beside rivers or streams that were irrigated to produce abundant hay crops and lush pasture. The practice of "floating" or "drowning" the land was a skilled technique carried out by professionals known as "drowners", "meadmen", or "watermen". This method evolved over time and became more widely used during the 18th century. During the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century, rising food prices led landowners to employ "floating" to increase their crop yields. However, with the advent of new farming methods and increased international trade in the late 19th century, water meadows became obsolete.

For further information on water meadows and their operation, Historic England provides a useful resource at: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/iha-water-meadows/

In addition to their ecological significance, the Wolfson College Water Meadows are a valuable carbon store, estimated to contain between 400 and 800 tonnes of carbon in its 4-hectare area. More information on carbon storage in the meadows can be found here: https://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/carbon-storage-meadows

Directions

By road: leave Oxford on the A4165, Banbury Road. After approximately 1.5 km turn right on Linton Road. Wolfson college is at the end of Linton Road.

Parking: Please do not drive into the college. There is parking permitted on some of the residential streets such as Charlbury Road on Sundays indicated by "Mon-Sat" signs if you can find a space. Check the signs carefully. Once parked, turn right at the college entrance to follow a service road to the right, skirting the college to the south towards the river. After going through some gardens the footbridge should be visible, cross the footbridge.

On foot from the south: Leave the University Parks by the footbridge across the Cherwell. Follow the public footpath on the east bank of the Cherwell upstream, i.e., north. After approximately 1 km you'll come to the next bridge to span the river: the Wolfson College footbridge.

On foot from the north: Turn off Marston Ferry Road following the public footpath south on the east side of the Cherwell. When the path forks, bear right to keep close to the river. After about 0.5km you'll come to the Wolfson College footbridge.

Meet at the footbridge near the stile which leads to a permissive path across the meadow.