Whiteshill Common is located in the village of Hambrook in the Parish of Winterbourne at grid reference ST646791.
The ‘Small Common’ is the area separated from the main section of Whiteshill Common by Worrells Lane, and is located to the South of Worrells Lane:
Until 2020, the Small Common comprised grass frequently mown through the summer months with a few trees on the west side and a small area of woodland on the east side.
Thanks to a grant from UWE Bristol and the Quartet Foundation, Winterbourne and Frome Valley Environmental Group was able to run a consultation with local residents in 2019 and 2020. The group worked with Winterbourne Parish Council to agree a plan to turn part of the Small Common into a wildflower meadow, with the aim of improving local biodiversity as well as improving local amenity and providing opportunities to increase ecological awareness.
Since Spring 2020, two sections of the Small Common (approximate extent shown below) have been left unmown, with the exception of a late Summer cut of the wildflowers and grass in September 2020.
The unmown sections quickly grew into a nectar rich wildflower area, pictured below. Over 65 plant species were recorded during August 2020 and are listed at the end of this document.
In Autumn 2020, Winterbourne and Frome Valley Environment Group held a work party to add wildflower plugs and potted wildflower plants to the meadow (including mallow, toadflax, cowslip, self heal, kidney vetch, field scabious, wild marjoram, salad burnet and clustered bellflower). At the time of writing (May 2021) we have an abundance of cowslips, dandelions and buttercups flowering, and we are looking forward to seeing more wildflowers coming into bloom (and pollinators enjoying them) as the season progresses.
We now have an abundance of cowslips, dandelions and buttercups flowering, which are fantastic for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and wasps. The abundance of insects are also appreciated by the renowned colony of house martins at Hambrook School, who are seen swooping over the meadow in the summer.
Wildflower species observed on the Small Common at Whiteshill, Hambrook, July 2020, by Sarah Beetham
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup
- Ranunculus bulbosus Bulbous Buttercup
- Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup
- Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup
- Aquilegia vulgaris Columbine
- Caryophyllaceae - Campion
- Silene dioica Red Campion
- Stellaria media Chickweed
- Cerastium fontanum Mouse-ear
- Polygonaceae - Dock
- Rumex acetosa Sorrel
- Brassicaceae - Cabbage
- Cardamine pratensis Lady’s Smock
- Erophila verna Whitlow Grass
- Capsella bursa-pastoris Shepherd’s Purse
- Lunaria annua Honesty (east)
- Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard (east)
- Primulaceae - Primrose
- Primula vulgaris Primrose
- Rosaceae - Rose
- Potentilla reptans Cinquefoil
- Geum urbanum Wood Avens (east)
- Rubus fruticosus Bramble (east)
- Sanguisorba minor Salad Burnet
- Fabaceae - Pea
- Medicago arabica Spotted Medick
- Medicage lupulina Black Medick
- Trifolium dubium Lesser Trefoil
- Trifolium pratense Red Clover
- Trifolium repens White Clover
- Lotus corniculatus Birdsfoot Trefoil
- Geraniaceae - Cranesbill
- Geranium robertianum Herb Robert
- Geranium molle Dove’s-foot Cranesbill
- Apiaceae - Carrot
- Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley
- Oenanthe pimpinelloides Corky-fruited Water-dropwort
- Boroginaceae - Borage
- Myosotis Forget-me-not
- Veronica arvensis Wall Speedwell
- Veronica hederifolia Thyme-leaved Speedwell
- Pulmonaria officinalis Lungwort (east)
- Rubiaceae - Bedstraw
- Galium aparine Cleavers
- Lamiaceae - Dead-nettle
- Lamium purpureum Red Deadnettle
- Lamium album White Deadnettle
- Glechoma hederaceae Ground Ivy (east)
- Violaceae - Violet
- Viola riviniana Dog Violet
- Viola odorata Sweet Violet (wood)
- Asteraceae - Daisy
- Senecio vulgaris Groundsel
- Taraxacum Dandelion
- Achillea millefolium Yarrow
- Leontodon hispidus Rough Hawkbit
- Circium vulgare Spear Thistle
- Centaurea nigra Knapweed
- Sonchus asper Prickly Sowthistle
- Crepis capillaris Smooth Hawksbeard
- Pilosella officinarum Mouse-ear Hawkweed
- Araceae - Arum
- Arum maculatum Lords-and-ladies
- Plantanigaceae - Plantain
- Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain
