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Location This nature reserve lies 3.5km (2 miles) west south west of Blackburn city centre, off the A674 Chorley Road, It is adjacent to the Pleasington cemetery and crematorium. It is not directly accessible by vehicle from Pleasington village. |
Access The nature reserve is open at any reasonable time. However, as it is located next to a crematorium and cemetery, please observe appropriate respect and decorum during funeral services. If large groups are visiting midweek please contact The Wildlife Trust's HQ with at least two week's notice. Status The Wildlife Trust has managed this 4 ha reserve, owned by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, informally since 1987. Negotiations are underway to formalise the situation. |
Pleasington Old Hall Wood and Wildlife Garden
Nearest town: Fenniscliffe, Blackburn
Grid reference: SD 646270, Landranger 103, Explorer 287
Pleasington Old Hall Wood is a narrow strip of mixed woodland through which a stream runs from north to south. To the north there is a Victorian walled garden which has been converted into a wildlife garden.
The woodland has a healthy structure of tree, scrub and herb layers. Dense rhododendron and invasive Japanese knotweed have been removed and a variety of native trees have been planted including rowan, hazel, ash, wild cherry and alder. These will grow to support the present mixed deciduous canopy and supplement natural regeneration.
Lemon-scented, broad buckler and lady fern are all found in the woodland. Snowdrop, bluebell, wood-sorrel and pink purslane (introduced from North America) can be seen flowering in spring and the locally rare touch-me-not balsam occurs here in one of its two localities in Lancashire south of the Ribble.
The variety and varied structure of trees and shrubs provide nesting cover, and the large pond provides open water, for many species of bird. Look out for nuthatches, garden and willow warblers, thrushes, mallards and moorhens. Hawfinches are usually present in spring, although they can be difficult to see!
The walled garden, which had previously fallen into ruin, was restored and redesigned in the late 1980s to demonstrate wildlife gardening techniques. Its sheltered aspect and high temperature ensures that the garden is attractive to insects, especially butterflies and dragonflies. Successful management encouraged up to twelve species of butterfly and seven species of dragonfly.
Three of the four central meadow beds were seeded and subjected to different mowing regimes to produce differing grassland wildflower communities and attract a cross-section of grassland insects. The fourth was "ploughed" and sown with "cornfield weeds": cornflower, corn marigold, corncockle and corn poppy. Further habitat diversity was provided by a creating a pond, and establishing tall herb (nettles, rosebay willowherb, etc.) and hedgebank communities alongside the more traditional ornamental garden areas. Flowering plants were introduced into the walled garden specifically to encourage wildlife. Greater spearwort, water soldier and fringed water-lily, have been planted in the pond to create a desirable habitat for aquatic insects and amphibians to breed in. Buddleia and nettles are ideal plants for peacocks, small tortoiseshell and red admiral butterflies, while creeping thistle was retained for painted lady butterflies. Jack-by-the-hedge and cuckooflower have been planted in the eastern part of the garden to attract breeding orange tip butterflies, whose caterpillars feed on these plants.
