← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Rectory Meadow

2 ha

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome2 ha

Getting here

51.97817, 0.58721

Open directionsv

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
🛝Playground 144m away — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
🛝Playground 144m away — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

ParkingPlayground

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Blue Tit, Blackbird, Swift +66 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Blue Tit, Blackbird, Swift +66 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Yellow Underwing +117 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Yellow Underwing +117 more · last seen 2025

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Playgrounds

Strong match

playground

Free

Family friendly

Good match

playground

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby · 26 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Colne Valley PathWalking route37 km

Named routeLength 37 kmLocal walking route

Oxford Meadowpublic footpath · 14 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 14 mPath type: residential

🐴

Horse riding

1 public path nearby

Public paths

Oxford Lanebyway open to all traffic · 666 m

Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 666 mSurface dirtPath type: track

Wildlife to spot

14,292 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

14,292 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds72 species

winterspringautumn

2026

Blue Tit · Blackbird · Buzzard · Swift · Robin +67

Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
SwiftApus apus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2024
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2024
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2024
Red KiteMilvus milvus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2024
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
JayGarrulus glandarius2024
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2021
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2021
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2024
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2021
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2021
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2022
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2024
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2023
Coal TitPeriparus ater2021
WhitethroatCurruca communis2021
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2021
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus2021
Barn OwlTyto alba2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2024
TealAnas crecca2023
Common GullLarus canus2023
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
Anas platyrhynchos xAnas platyrhynchos x2022
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2021
RavenCorvus corax2021
SwallowHirundo rustica2021
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2021
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2021
Passer domesticus domesticusPasser domesticus domesticus2020

🦌

Mammals6 species

spring

2024

Muntjac · American Mink · Otter · Grey Squirrel · Bat +1

MuntjacMuntiacus reevesi
American MinkNeovison vison2021
OtterLutra lutra2023
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2020
BatChiroptera2020
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2020

🦎

Reptiles2 species

summer

2024

Common Lizard · Grass Snake

Common LizardZootoca vivipara
Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica

🐸

Amphibians2 species

springautumn

2025

Smooth Newt · Common Frog

Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
Common FrogRana temporaria2024

🐝

Insects120 species

autumn

2025

Large Yellow Underwing · Setaceous Hebrew Character · Lesser Yellow Underwing · Lunar Underwing · Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing +115

Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronuba2019
Setaceous Hebrew CharacterXestia c-nigrum2019
Lesser Yellow UnderwingNoctua comes2019
Lunar UnderwingAnchoscelis lunosa2019
Broad-bordered Yellow UnderwingNoctua fimbriata2019
Square-spot RusticXestia xanthographa2019
SallowCirrhia icteritia2019
Pale Mottled WillowCaradrina clavipalpis2019
November MothEpirrita dilutata2019
Flounced RusticLuperina testacea2019
Willow BeautyPeribatodes rhomboidaria2019
Beaded ChestnutAgrochola lychnidis2019
Green-brindled CrescentAllophyes oxyacanthae2019
Winter MothOperophtera brumata2019
Black RusticAporophyla nigra2019
Brown-Spot PinionAnchoscelis litura2019
MallowLarentia clavaria2019
Silver YAutographa gamma2019
Vine's RusticHoplodrina ambigua2019
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalis2021
Feathered ThornColotois pennaria2019
Large WainscotRhizedra lutosa2019
Merveille du JourGriposia aprilina2019
Shuttle-shaped DartAgrotis puta2019
Red-Line QuakerLeptologia lota2019
Large RanunculusPolymixis flavicincta2019
Autumnal RusticEugnorisma glareosa2019
Brindled GreenDryobotodes eremita2019
Turnip MothAgrotis segetum2019
SnoutHypena proboscidalis2019
Common WainscotMythimna pallens2019
Red-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa serraticornis2024
Rosemary BeetleChrysolina americana2020
Barred SallowTiliacea aurago2019
Angle ShadesPhlogophora meticulosa2019
Dusky ThornEnnomos fuscantaria2019
Light EmeraldCampaea margaritaria2019
14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecimpunctata2024
Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina2024
Mottled UmberErannis defoliaria2019
December MothPoecilocampa populi2019
SprawlerAsteroscopus sphinx2019
White-pointMythimna albipuncta2019
RusticHoplodrina blanda2019
Burnished BrassDiachrysia chrysitis2019
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow UnderwingNoctua janthe2019
Hairy ShieldbugDolycoris baccarum2024
24-spot LadybirdSubcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata2024
Rhombic LeatherbugSyromastus rhombeus2023
Lily BeetleLilioceris lilii2021
Dark Bush-cricketPholidoptera griseoaptera2020
Wasp BeetleClytus arietis2020
Black-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa coccinea2020
Yellow-Line QuakerLeptologia macilenta2019
Dark ChestnutConistra ligula2019
Grey Shoulder-knotLithophane ornitopus2019
Blair's Shoulder-knotLithophane leautieri2019
Deep-brown DartAporophyla lueneburgensis2019
Common Marbled CarpetDysstroma truncata2019
Spruce CarpetThera britannica2019
Least CarpetIdaea rusticata2019
Smoky WainscotMythimna impura2019
Orange SallowTiliacea citrago2019
Garden CarpetXanthorhoe fluctuata2019
Heart & DartAgrotis exclamationis2019
Dark ArchesApamea monoglypha2019
Buff ErmineSpilosoma lutea2019
Western Conifer Seed BugLeptoglossus occidentalis2019
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus
Purple EmperorApatura iris
CommaPolygonia c-album
Swollen-thighed BeetleOedemera nobilis2024
Polydrusus formosusPolydrusus formosus2024
Xanthogramma pedissequumXanthogramma pedissequum2024
Sphaerophoria scriptaSphaerophoria scripta2024
SyrphusSyrphus2024
Common Leaf WeevilPhyllobius pyri2024
Green Nettle WeevilPhyllobius pomaceus2024
Graphopsocus cruciatusGraphopsocus cruciatus2024
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2024
Ridge-saddled Carpenter BeeHeriades truncorum2021
Volucella pellucensVolucella pellucens2021
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus2021
Batman HoverflyMyathropa florea2020
Speckled Bush-cricketLeptophyes punctatissima2020
Pseudovadonia lividaPseudovadonia livida2020
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2020
Nettle GroundbugHeterogaster urticae2020
Welsh ChaferHoplia philanthus2020
Chrysolina oricalciaChrysolina oricalcia2020
Grammoptera ruficornisGrammoptera ruficornis2020
Dock BugCoreus marginatus2020
Cabbage BugEurydema (Eurydema) oleracea2020
Hairy-footed Flower BeeAnthophora plumipes2020
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major2020
Pied ShieldbugTritomegas bicolor2020
Black Carrion BeetlePhosphuga atrata2020
Trichocera annulataTrichocera annulata2019
BrickSunira circellaris2019
SatelliteEupsilia transversa2019
Bulrush WainscotNonagria typhae2019
Lype phaeopa/reductaLype phaeopa/reducta2019
Molanna angustataMolanna angustata2019
Small Square-spotDiarsia rubi2019
Red-green CarpetChloroclysta siterata2019
Pink-barred SallowXanthia togata2019
Bright-line Brown-eyeLacanobia oleracea2019
Feathered GothicTholera decimalis2019
Brimstone MothOpisthograptis luteolata2019
NutmegAnarta trifolii2019
Oak Hook-tipWatsonalla binaria2019
Svensson's Copper UnderwingAmphipyra berbera2019
Poplar Hawk-mothLaothoe populi2019
Large NutmegApamea anceps2019
Cloaked MinorMesoligia furuncula2019
Mottled RusticCaradrina morpheus2019
Flame ShoulderOchropleura plecta2019
V-pugChloroclystis v-ata2019
Canary-shouldered ThornEnnomos alniaria2019
VestalRhodometra sacraria2019

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

14,292 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds72 species

winterspringautumn

2026

Blue Tit · Blackbird · Buzzard · Swift · Robin +67

Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
SwiftApus apus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2024
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2024
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2024
Red KiteMilvus milvus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2024
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
JayGarrulus glandarius2024
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2021
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2021
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2024
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2021
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2021
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2022
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2024
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2023
Coal TitPeriparus ater2021
WhitethroatCurruca communis2021
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2021
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus2021
Barn OwlTyto alba2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2024
TealAnas crecca2023
Common GullLarus canus2023
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2023
Anas platyrhynchos xAnas platyrhynchos x2022
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2021
RavenCorvus corax2021
SwallowHirundo rustica2021
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2021
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2021
Passer domesticus domesticusPasser domesticus domesticus2020

🦌

Mammals6 species

spring

2024

Muntjac · American Mink · Otter · Grey Squirrel · Bat +1

MuntjacMuntiacus reevesi
American MinkNeovison vison2021
OtterLutra lutra2023
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2020
BatChiroptera2020
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2020

🦎

Reptiles2 species

summer

2024

Common Lizard · Grass Snake

Common LizardZootoca vivipara
Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica

🐸

Amphibians2 species

springautumn

2025

Smooth Newt · Common Frog

Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
Common FrogRana temporaria2024

🐝

Insects120 species

autumn

2025

Large Yellow Underwing · Setaceous Hebrew Character · Lesser Yellow Underwing · Lunar Underwing · Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing +115

Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronuba2019
Setaceous Hebrew CharacterXestia c-nigrum2019
Lesser Yellow UnderwingNoctua comes2019
Lunar UnderwingAnchoscelis lunosa2019
Broad-bordered Yellow UnderwingNoctua fimbriata2019
Square-spot RusticXestia xanthographa2019
SallowCirrhia icteritia2019
Pale Mottled WillowCaradrina clavipalpis2019
November MothEpirrita dilutata2019
Flounced RusticLuperina testacea2019
Willow BeautyPeribatodes rhomboidaria2019
Beaded ChestnutAgrochola lychnidis2019
Green-brindled CrescentAllophyes oxyacanthae2019
Winter MothOperophtera brumata2019
Black RusticAporophyla nigra2019
Brown-Spot PinionAnchoscelis litura2019
MallowLarentia clavaria2019
Silver YAutographa gamma2019
Vine's RusticHoplodrina ambigua2019
Box Tree MothCydalima perspectalis2021
Feathered ThornColotois pennaria2019
Large WainscotRhizedra lutosa2019
Merveille du JourGriposia aprilina2019
Shuttle-shaped DartAgrotis puta2019
Red-Line QuakerLeptologia lota2019
Large RanunculusPolymixis flavicincta2019
Autumnal RusticEugnorisma glareosa2019
Brindled GreenDryobotodes eremita2019
Turnip MothAgrotis segetum2019
SnoutHypena proboscidalis2019
Common WainscotMythimna pallens2019
Red-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa serraticornis2024
Rosemary BeetleChrysolina americana2020
Barred SallowTiliacea aurago2019
Angle ShadesPhlogophora meticulosa2019
Dusky ThornEnnomos fuscantaria2019
Light EmeraldCampaea margaritaria2019
14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecimpunctata2024
Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina2024
Mottled UmberErannis defoliaria2019
December MothPoecilocampa populi2019
SprawlerAsteroscopus sphinx2019
White-pointMythimna albipuncta2019
RusticHoplodrina blanda2019
Burnished BrassDiachrysia chrysitis2019
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow UnderwingNoctua janthe2019
Hairy ShieldbugDolycoris baccarum2024
24-spot LadybirdSubcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata2024
Rhombic LeatherbugSyromastus rhombeus2023
Lily BeetleLilioceris lilii2021
Dark Bush-cricketPholidoptera griseoaptera2020
Wasp BeetleClytus arietis2020
Black-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa coccinea2020
Yellow-Line QuakerLeptologia macilenta2019
Dark ChestnutConistra ligula2019
Grey Shoulder-knotLithophane ornitopus2019
Blair's Shoulder-knotLithophane leautieri2019
Deep-brown DartAporophyla lueneburgensis2019
Common Marbled CarpetDysstroma truncata2019
Spruce CarpetThera britannica2019
Least CarpetIdaea rusticata2019
Smoky WainscotMythimna impura2019
Orange SallowTiliacea citrago2019
Garden CarpetXanthorhoe fluctuata2019
Heart & DartAgrotis exclamationis2019
Dark ArchesApamea monoglypha2019
Buff ErmineSpilosoma lutea2019
Western Conifer Seed BugLeptoglossus occidentalis2019
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus
Purple EmperorApatura iris
CommaPolygonia c-album
Swollen-thighed BeetleOedemera nobilis2024
Polydrusus formosusPolydrusus formosus2024
Xanthogramma pedissequumXanthogramma pedissequum2024
Sphaerophoria scriptaSphaerophoria scripta2024
SyrphusSyrphus2024
Common Leaf WeevilPhyllobius pyri2024
Green Nettle WeevilPhyllobius pomaceus2024
Graphopsocus cruciatusGraphopsocus cruciatus2024
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2024
Ridge-saddled Carpenter BeeHeriades truncorum2021
Volucella pellucensVolucella pellucens2021
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus2021
Batman HoverflyMyathropa florea2020
Speckled Bush-cricketLeptophyes punctatissima2020
Pseudovadonia lividaPseudovadonia livida2020
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2020
Nettle GroundbugHeterogaster urticae2020
Welsh ChaferHoplia philanthus2020
Chrysolina oricalciaChrysolina oricalcia2020
Grammoptera ruficornisGrammoptera ruficornis2020
Dock BugCoreus marginatus2020
Cabbage BugEurydema (Eurydema) oleracea2020
Hairy-footed Flower BeeAnthophora plumipes2020
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major2020
Pied ShieldbugTritomegas bicolor2020
Black Carrion BeetlePhosphuga atrata2020
Trichocera annulataTrichocera annulata2019
BrickSunira circellaris2019
SatelliteEupsilia transversa2019
Bulrush WainscotNonagria typhae2019
Lype phaeopa/reductaLype phaeopa/reducta2019
Molanna angustataMolanna angustata2019
Small Square-spotDiarsia rubi2019
Red-green CarpetChloroclysta siterata2019
Pink-barred SallowXanthia togata2019
Bright-line Brown-eyeLacanobia oleracea2019
Feathered GothicTholera decimalis2019
Brimstone MothOpisthograptis luteolata2019
NutmegAnarta trifolii2019
Oak Hook-tipWatsonalla binaria2019
Svensson's Copper UnderwingAmphipyra berbera2019
Poplar Hawk-mothLaothoe populi2019
Large NutmegApamea anceps2019
Cloaked MinorMesoligia furuncula2019
Mottled RusticCaradrina morpheus2019
Flame ShoulderOchropleura plecta2019
V-pugChloroclystis v-ata2019
Canary-shouldered ThornEnnomos alniaria2019
VestalRhodometra sacraria2019

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Glyn Baker · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Rectory Road

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✦GOSFIELD HALLHistoric site4.6 km→🌱Gosfield Lake ResortUrban park4.9 km→🌱Memorial Hall GardenUrban park1.4 km→🌱The MeadowUrban park1.3 km→⛪St Nicholas's ChurchReligious grounds1.5 km→🌱Deer ParkUrban park1.9 km→

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