Waggoners Wells
Encyclopedia
Ludshott Common and Waggoners Wells (the latter sometimes written with an apostrophe: Waggoners' Wells) is a National Trust
reserve consisting of heathland and a series of man-made ponds with a connecting stream set amongst woodland in a steep valley near Grayshott
in East Hampshire
, England
.
. It lies parallel to and south of the B3002 road between Headley Down to the west and Grayshott
to the east. It covers 285 hectares (704.2 acre) and is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI) and Special Protection Area
(SPA) due to the number of endangered species, including Woodlark
, Nightjar
and Dartford Warbler
. There are also a great many spiders and butterflies, including Silver-Studded Blue
, Grayling
and Green Hairstreak
.
Waggoners Wells is situated between Ludshott Common to the North West and Bramshott Common
to the South East. Vehicular access is via Waggoners Wells Lane from Grayshott. Historically the lane wound its way eastwards to join up with Kingswood Lane, and thence the London to Portsmouth road (A3
); but today only a footpath through the woodland remains.
The stream that emerges from the pond furthest to the south-west is called Cooper's Stream. The house situated at the bottom of the ponds is Summerden and is a private residence of the National Trust warden of the area. Near it is a wishing well, mentioned by Flora Thompson
in her writings of the locality. The stream flowing from Waggoners Wells runs west to Stanford, around the west of Headley, and eventually into the river Wey. The stream powered many mills that worked ironworks, including Headley mill. Paper mills were also run along the water that flowed from Waggoners Wells.
.
They were possibly originally intended as hammer ponds, that is, to serve the local iron industry, but they appear never to have been so used.
Ludshott Common owes its present state to the traditional use made of common land
by local people: to graze their cattle, pigs, sheep, and ponies and to collect gorse, heather, wood, and bracken for fuel, and for animal bedding and winter fodder. Such uses ceased around the beginning of the 20th century.
During second world war in the 1940s, Ludshott was used as a tank and maneuvers training ground, and the heather was largely turned to mud. The heather recovered, and was managed from the 1970s until today.
On 12 May 1980, 600 of the 695 acres (2.8 km²) were destroyed by a fire fanned by high winds. Residents of Seymour Road, Furze Hill and Pond Roads which bordered the common, to the west, in Headley Down
were evacuated. Firefighters bought the fire under control in just over seven hours at 19:55. Relief crews remained on site overnight controlling small outbreaks of fire and damping down, with further relief crews taking over at 06:00 the following morning.
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
reserve consisting of heathland and a series of man-made ponds with a connecting stream set amongst woodland in a steep valley near Grayshott
Grayshott
Grayshott is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is located on the Hampshire / Surrey border 2.4 miles northwest of Haslemere, approximately one hour by road from central London....
in East Hampshire
East Hampshire
East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Petersfield. Other towns are Alton, Horndean and Whitehill-Bordon....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Topography
Ludshott Common is one of the largest remaining areas of heathland in East HampshireEast Hampshire
East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Petersfield. Other towns are Alton, Horndean and Whitehill-Bordon....
. It lies parallel to and south of the B3002 road between Headley Down to the west and Grayshott
Grayshott
Grayshott is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is located on the Hampshire / Surrey border 2.4 miles northwest of Haslemere, approximately one hour by road from central London....
to the east. It covers 285 hectares (704.2 acre) and is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI) and Special Protection Area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
(SPA) due to the number of endangered species, including Woodlark
Woodlark
The Woodlark is the only lark in the genus Lullula. It breeds across most of Europe, the Middle East Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations of this passerine bird are more migratory, moving further south in winter...
, Nightjar
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
and Dartford Warbler
Dartford Warbler
The Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe, and northwestern Africa. Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy...
. There are also a great many spiders and butterflies, including Silver-Studded Blue
Silver-studded Blue
The Silver-studded Blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.-Appearance, behavior and distribution:So named due to the silvery blue metallic spots on the underside hind wings. The upperside are a rich, deep iridescent blue in the males with a black border and the characteristic Lycid white...
, Grayling
Grayling (butterfly)
The Grayling is a species in the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. It sometimes occurs in coastal areas of northeast Scotland such as the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve. It can also be found near the coast around England, such as Fire Beacon Hill...
and Green Hairstreak
Green Hairstreak
The Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.Callophrys rubi is found in Europe, North Africa, Russia, Asia Minor, Siberia, Amurland , Baluchistan and Chitral....
.
Waggoners Wells is situated between Ludshott Common to the North West and Bramshott Common
Bramshott Common
Bramshott Common is an expanse of heathland near Liphook, Hampshire, England.It was the site of Bramshott Camp. It is bisected by the A3 trunk road....
to the South East. Vehicular access is via Waggoners Wells Lane from Grayshott. Historically the lane wound its way eastwards to join up with Kingswood Lane, and thence the London to Portsmouth road (A3
A3 road
The A3, known as the Portsmouth Road for much of its length, is a dual carriageway, or expressway, which follows the historic route between London and Portsmouth passing close to Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield. For much of its length, it is classified as a trunk road...
); but today only a footpath through the woodland remains.
The stream that emerges from the pond furthest to the south-west is called Cooper's Stream. The house situated at the bottom of the ponds is Summerden and is a private residence of the National Trust warden of the area. Near it is a wishing well, mentioned by Flora Thompson
Flora Thompson
Flora Jane Thompson was an English novelist and poet famous for her semi-autobiographical trilogy about the English countryside, Lark Rise to Candleford.-Early life and family:...
in her writings of the locality. The stream flowing from Waggoners Wells runs west to Stanford, around the west of Headley, and eventually into the river Wey. The stream powered many mills that worked ironworks, including Headley mill. Paper mills were also run along the water that flowed from Waggoners Wells.
History
The original name of the series of ponds was Wakeners' Wells. The ponds were created in the 17th Century by the Hooke family of BramshottBramshott
Bramshott is a village in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It lies 0.9 miles north of Liphook.-Overview:The nearest railway station is 1.3 miles south of the village, at Liphook....
.
They were possibly originally intended as hammer ponds, that is, to serve the local iron industry, but they appear never to have been so used.
Ludshott Common owes its present state to the traditional use made of common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
by local people: to graze their cattle, pigs, sheep, and ponies and to collect gorse, heather, wood, and bracken for fuel, and for animal bedding and winter fodder. Such uses ceased around the beginning of the 20th century.
During second world war in the 1940s, Ludshott was used as a tank and maneuvers training ground, and the heather was largely turned to mud. The heather recovered, and was managed from the 1970s until today.
On 12 May 1980, 600 of the 695 acres (2.8 km²) were destroyed by a fire fanned by high winds. Residents of Seymour Road, Furze Hill and Pond Roads which bordered the common, to the west, in Headley Down
Headley Down
Headley Down is a hamlet within the civil parish of Headley in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England surrounded on two sides by National Trust land. It is south west of London and 2.9 miles east of Bordon...
were evacuated. Firefighters bought the fire under control in just over seven hours at 19:55. Relief crews remained on site overnight controlling small outbreaks of fire and damping down, with further relief crews taking over at 06:00 the following morning.