Oliver's Battery Countryside Group

Probably the Best Countryside Group in Oliver's Battery

Conservation Area

The Conservation Area is a plot of land adjoining Oliver's Battery Recreation Ground, leased from Winchester City Council by Olivers Battery Parish Council. It is managed for the benefit of wildlife and the community by the voluntary efforts of Oliver's Battery Countryside Group, on behalf of the Parish Council.

Location

The Conservation Area adjoins the south-east boundary of Oliver's Battery Recreation Ground. It is surrounded on three sides by fields used for grazing. The site is in quite an exposed position on the hillside facing Yew Hill.

There is a gate at the back of the Recreation Ground, which is at the south end of Compton Way. The formerly very rough section of Compton Way below Oliver's Battery Gardens has recently been resurfaced by the Parish Council for use by pedestrians and cyclists.
There is also a gate from the bridleway that runs down the Parish Boundary from Whiteshute to Yew Hill.
There is a car park at the Recreation Ground with access from Priors Way.
Links to on-line maps and aerial photos covering the site.

History

During the 20th century the site was used for treatment of sewage from the nearby caravan park. Subsequently it became disused and largely overgrown with brambles and thistles.

In 2005 Oliver's Battery Countryside Group began the voluntary task of converting it to an area of chalk grassland and native shrubs for wildlife and community use, on behalf of the Parish Council. Before work began, a survey of plants on the site was carried out in July 2005 by a local botanist. It was decided to clear much of the site of brambles before re-planting, leaving an area at one end untouched for existing wildlife and blackberry pickers.

Read about the continuing history of the Conservation Area here. Please let us know if you can fill in any information about the use and disuse of the site prior to 2005.