Essex Wildlife Trust, Abbotts Hall Farm, Gt Wigborough, Colchester, Essex CO5 7RZ
Pelham
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48 acres, Agreement
Grid ref: TL 457 286 (click for O/S map)
Last updated 20/7/2008
Pelham straddles the Essex/Hertfordshire border between the villages of Berden and Stocking Pelham. The reserve surrounds one of the National Grid Company's major sub-stations and is an educational reserve with a well-equipped Field Centre running daily courses for school groups and occasional courses for adults. The Centre is staffed and supported by the Essex and Hertfordshire County Councils and the National Grid Company.
Pelham has extensive meadows supporting cowslips, adderstongue fern and five species of orchids. Along the northern edge lies an ancient moat, now broken into a series of ponds. It has mixed deciduous woodland planted in the early 1970s as screens to the sub-station and also two areas of old secondary woodland. The western edge of the site consists of an ancient hedge: the parish boundary between Stocking Pelham and Berden.
The meadows on the west of the site (Dove House Green and Dove House Field - approx. 10 acres) are cut once yearly in late summer and the hay crop composted for tree mulch. Other meadows are left as rank grassland and open scrub. Old Orchard Wood, an area of old secondary woodland to the north is coppiced as is a small area of hazel to the south. The deciduous plantations are thinned rather than coppiced in order to maintain the screen to the sub-station.
The meadows on the west of the site (Dove House Green and Dove House Field approx. 10 acres) are cut once yearly in late summer and the hay crop composted for tree mulch. Other meadows are left as rank grassland and open scrub. Old Orchard Wood, an area of old secondary woodland to the north is coppiced as is a small area of hazel to the south. The deciduous plantations are thinned rather than coppiced in order to maintain the screen to the sub-station.
Visiting
From Saffron Walden or Bishop's Stortford head towards Newport. Take the B1038 to Clavering then turn left to Berden. From Berden head for Stocking Pelham. The reserve is down an access road on the left before you reach Stocking Pelham. Look out for the National Grid sign.
Visits by appointment only: call 01279 777 680 or richard.wren@essexcc.gov.uk. During non-school times the access gate is locked but there is a footpath and stile from Crabbs Green.
June for bee, spotted and marsh orchids; July/August for meadow and pondside insects.