Just off the centre of the town of Sturminster Newton, this local nature reserve of meadows, hedges, ditches and ponds is the last remnant of the grazing land associated with the Sturminster Livestock Market, once the largest in the south west. Now it is surrounded by housing and industrial units and it provides a haven for wildlife such as the internationally protected Great Crested Newt, numerous species of wildflowers and nesting sites for birds.
| Nearest town | Sturminster Newton |
|---|---|
| Look out for |
Great Crested Newt, Ragged Robin, Meadow Sweet |
| Habitats | Laid Hedgerows, Hay Meadows, ditches and ponds |
| Site designations |
Site of Nature Conservation Interest and Local Nature Reserve |
| Nearest bus stop | Butts Pond Road |
| Nearest train station | Gillingham (9 miles) |
| Grid reference | ST 789 147 |
| Postcode | DT10 1AZ |
| what3words | mental.bolt.sometimes exile.blanket.ramps zoomed.nature.suave |
| Size | 1.62 hectares |
| Parking | Adjacent to the site |
| Accessibility | Disabled access |
| Owner | Sturminster Newton Town Council |
| Managed by | Dorset Council (Area Greenspace Management Team - North) |
| How to get there | Main entrance off Butts Pond Industrial Estate Road or Selwood Close, Sturminster Newton |