An ancient and atmospheric site with a wonderful variety of chalk grassland flowers and butterflies
Jim Asher
Once widespread over the Downs, flower-rich chalk grassland such as that preserved at Seven Barrows, has suffered drastic declines due to intensive farming.
Bronze Age beginnings
Seven Barrows may have been one of the first areas to have been cleared by early humans. Now nationally important, the burial mounds, or 'barrows', that give Seven Barrows its name probably helped this area survive, their presence making the ground difficult to plough.
Flowers and butterflies
More than 150 plant species have been recorded here, including horseshoe vetch, chalk milkwort, fragrant orchid, the delicate blue harebell and the purple-blue clustered bellflower. Its notable butterfly list features the nationally rare marsh fritillary, the chalkhill blue, small blue and the brown argus.
Species and habitats
- Habitats
- Grassland
- Species
- Rock-rose, Devil's-bit Scabious, Fairy Flax, Harebell, Kidney Vetch, Salad Burnet, Wild Marjoram, Wild Thyme, Brown Argus, Marbled White, Yellowhammer
Nearby nature reserves
- Watts Bank
- 3 miles - Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
- Letcombe Valley
- 3 miles - Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
- High Clear Down
- 7 miles - Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
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