Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve: History

A History of Tice's Meadow

Following the last Ice Age, the River Blackwater was much larger and during floods deposited gravel along its floodplain. It was subsequently reduced to its current state when the River Wey captured its headwater flowing from Alton, some 50,000 years ago, leaving a wide valley that was not prone to flooding, and therefore suitable for human occupation. A mammoth tusk found during quarrying on site in 2008 was dated to this period.

Preserved peat deposits from site were sampled and analysed by the University of Reading, prior to their destruction by quarrying. Results revealed that during the Middle to Late Mesolithic (circa 7,000 years ago), peat deposits formed on the valley floor, before development of an alder carr wet woodland. Fieldwork by the Surrey County Archaeology Unit found a background scatter of prehistoric worked flints on site, as well as pits containing an important deposit of Middle Bronze Age (circa 3,500 years ago) pottery and worked flints.

Archaeological surveys also revealed evidence of settlement during the late Iron Age to early Roman transition period (c100 A.D), with evidence of eighteen round houses, trackways, agriculture and pottery industry. Pollen analysis reveals the landscape consisted of open grassland, disturbed ground, and some evidence of cereal production.

The Saxon King Caedwalla founded a monastery in Farnham in 688 A.D, with the site of the current nature reserve forming part of the Manor of Farnham, under the diocese of Winchester. It remained in church hands for around one thousand years, with common grazing and tenant farmers, and some evidence of 16th and 17th century pottery production.

The Tithe Map of 1839 shows the site split into a number of separate enclosures, farmed by Richard Allden, Richard Crump and Thomas Stovold.

By the mid 1800s, the land now forming the nature reserve and the housing estate was known as Runfold Farm, and was farmed for hops and vegetables. The farm was owned by Henry Tice, Walter Tice, his widow Ada Hewett, and Alan Perrett Tice from 1851 until 1958. The hop drying kiln built by Walter Tice in 1884 is now the Badshot Lea Village Hall.

The London and South Western Railway constructed a railway line across the southern boundary of the site. Opening in 1849, the Tongham Loop was built to export hops and beer from Farnham to the mainline at Guildford. Following a decline in traffic due to Aldershot station opening, the last passenger service ran on 4th July 1937, with the line staying open for goods traffic until 1954. The southern boundary of the site is now marked by the A31 (Guildford Road) Runfold Diversion, opened in 1994.

In 1961 the Tice family sold the section of their farm lying north of the River Blackwater, known as “Farnham Field”, to Aldershot Borough Council who built the housing estate now known as the Tice's Meadow Estate. In 1973 the Tice family sold another portion of their land to Pioneer Aggregates, consisting mainly of water meadows to the south of the River Blackwater, known as 'The Moors', and on the east side, 'Tongham Moors'.

The 140 acre sand and gravel quarry, known as 'Runfold Farm Quarry' and then 'Farnham Quarry', and operated by Hanson Aggregates after they bought Pioneer, was operational between 1998 and 2010.

In the winter of 2004 reports of large numbers of Golden Plover on site attracted Kevin Duncan to visit for the first time and begin regular bird watching and recording. In 2006 the RSPB's 'Nature After Minerals' group used the site as a case study for wet meadow restoration. In 2009, following a recommendation from the Surrey Bird Club due to the importance of its bird assemblages, Guildford Borough Council adopted the site as an SNCI (Tongham Ponds and Tice's Meadow). The original restoration plan was to restore the site to agriculture and a landscaped lake, but following input from local bird watchers, the Surrey Bird Club, and Surrey County Council planning department, the restoration plan was changed to a wetland nature reserve.

Gravel extraction finished in 2010 and the majority of the site was restored by 2011, with the final phases of restoration finished in 2018 following numerous delays caused by flooding. Restoration included realignment of the River Blackwater by the Environment Agency in 2006 (western half) and 2013 (eastern half) to create a more natural course, and to alleviate flooding of the housing estate.

The site underwent a makeover in 2018 with the creation of the the Tice's Meadow Biodiversity Trail, for which the TMBG installed sixteen waymarker posts, six benches, six interpretation panels, and signage at each entrance. TMBG volunteers also constructed a woodland feeding station, swift tower and hibernacula. This £10,000 investment in infrastructure by the TMBG led to the site looking and feeling more like a publicly accessible nature reserve. The project won the 2018 HeidelbergCement International Quarry Life Award, beating projects based in one hundred quarries worldwide.

2018 also saw the TMBG design and install the shelter on top of Horton's Mound, which has proven popular with visitors, especially during inclement weather. The BVCP also installed the two bridges over the River Blackwater, making the site much more accessible.

The nature reserve was officially opened by the Mayor of Farnham and Hanson's Chief Executive in May 2018, at a well-attended ceremony for supporters and volunteers.

October 2019 saw the much-awaited installation of the Hanson Hide at the water's edge, affording previously unobtainable views of the Workings and Reed Beds. Working to Hanson's limited budget, the TMBG successfully delivered the hide project, from initial design, through to identification of a specialist fabricator, digging the foundations, building the piers, overseeing installation by Hanson's contractors, and installing the ramp. The hide formed the final piece of the restoration plan, and the site was signed off by Surrey County Council as restored in December 2019.

To the surprise of the TMBG and our partner organisations, Hanson put the site up for sale on the open-market in March 2019. A much protracted process saw Hanson refuse to liaise with the TMBG or offer assurances over the future of the site.

The TMBG led a campaign to Save Tice's Meadow, with our petition gaining over 11,000 signatures. The campaign received widespread press coverage and the backing of many of our partner organisations, local politicians and national groups.

Thankfully, in December 2021 the site was bought by Surrey County Council, with financial contributions from Hampshire County Council, Rushmoor Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, Guildford Borough Council, and Farnham Town Council.

Pages

History

A History of Tice's Meadow