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St Mary's Church

📷 Basher Eyre · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome

Getting here

50.80030, -2.23383

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
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
🛝Playground on site — 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
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Playground

Best for

10 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 — Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow +59 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow +59 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Black Medick, Hogweed, White Clover +104 more · last seen 2023; Plants — Black Medick, Hogweed, White Clover +104 more · last seen 2023

Free

Playgrounds

Strong match

playground

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Hogweed, Bramble, Common Nettle +8 more foraging species

Varies

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Peacock, Large White, Small White +31 more · last seen 2024; Insects — Peacock, Large White, Small White +31 more · last seen 2024

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

2 signed routes nearby · 9 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Jubilee Trail (Dorset)Walking route

Named routeRegional walking route

The Hardy WayWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Dolway Lanepublic footpath · 99 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 99 mSurface asphaltPath type: unclassified

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

North Dorset Cycle WayCycling route

Named routeRegional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

1,915 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

1,915 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds16 species

summerautumn

2025

Tawny Owl · Carrion Crow · Herring Gull · Jackdaw · Rook +11

Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2024
MagpiePica pica2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2022
Little OwlAthene noctua2020
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra2019

🦌

Mammals6 species

autumn

2025

Rabbit · Badger · Hedgehog · Indet. Deer · Hazel Dormouse +1

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2019
BadgerMeles meles
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2022
Indet. DeerCervidae2023
Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius2020
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2019

🐝

Insects16 species

summer

2024

Small White · Red Admiral · Large White · Swollen-thighed Beetle · Black Oil-beetle +11

Small WhitePieris rapae2019
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2019
Large WhitePieris brassicae2019
Swollen-thighed BeetleOedemera nobilis
Black Oil-beetleMeloe proscarabaeus2021
Ctenophora flaveolataCtenophora flaveolata2021
Ashy Mining BeeAndrena cineraria2021
Painted LadyVanessa cardui2019
Common BluePolyommatus icarus2019
PeacockAglais io2019
Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia2019
RingletAphantopus hyperantus2019
Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2019
CommaPolygonia c-album2019
Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea2019
PhilaenusPhilaenus2019

🌿

Plants70 species

springsummer

2023

Black Medick · White Clover · Hogweed · Red Clover · Plantain +65

Black MedickMedicago lupulina
White CloverTrifolium repens
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
PlantainPlantago
BrambleRubus fruticosus2022
Cat's-earHypochaeris radicata2022
Common NettleUrtica dioica
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea2022
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
Bloody Crane's-billGeranium sanguineum
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
DaisyBellis perennis
Field MadderSherardia arvensis
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Bulbous ButtercupRanunculus bulbosus
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris2022
Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris2022
ConvolvulusConvolvulus2022
Hoary RagwortJacobaea erucifolia2021
AgrimonyAgrimonia eupatoria2021
Curled Dock / Broad-leaved DockRumex crispus/obtusifolius2021
Curled DockRumex crispus2021
YarrowAchillea millefolium2019
BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta2019
Great MulleinVerbascum thapsus2019
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata2019
Wood SpeedwellVeronica montana2019
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum2019
Horse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanum2019
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Lesser StitchwortStellaria graminea
DandelionTaraxacum
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
CleaversGalium aparine2022
BryoniaBryonia2022
SilverweedPotentilla anserina2022
Stinking IrisIris foetidissima2022
ButtercupRanunculus2022
Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula2022
Hound's-tongueCynoglossum officinale2022
RamsonsAllium ursinum2022
Red CampionSilene dioica2022
Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis2022
Common PoppyPapaver rhoeas2022
PlatanaceaePlatanaceae2021
SpeedwellVeronica2021
Common SedgeCarex nigra2021
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans2021
Wood AvensGeum urbanum2021
Black BryonyTamus communis2021
Stinking ChamomileAnthemis cotula2021
Giant HogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum2021
Hedge BedstrawGalium album2021
VervainVerbena officinalis2021
Wood Crane's-billGeranium sylvaticum2021
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense2021
Scarlet PimpernelLysimachia arvensis2021
Wood AnemoneAnemone nemorosa2019
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum2019
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum2019
Yellow ArchangelLamiastrum galeobdolon2019
Greater StitchwortStellaria holostea2019
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys2019
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca2019
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis2019
Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum2019
Sticky Mouse-earCerastium glomeratum2019
Common MallowMalva sylvestris2019
Beaked Hawk's-beardCrepis vesicaria2019

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

1,915 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds16 species

summerautumn

2025

Tawny Owl · Carrion Crow · Herring Gull · Jackdaw · Rook +11

Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2024
MagpiePica pica2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
House MartinDelichon urbicum2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2022
Little OwlAthene noctua2020
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra2019

🦌

Mammals6 species

autumn

2025

Rabbit · Badger · Hedgehog · Indet. Deer · Hazel Dormouse +1

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2019
BadgerMeles meles
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2022
Indet. DeerCervidae2023
Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius2020
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2019

🐝

Insects16 species

summer

2024

Small White · Red Admiral · Large White · Swollen-thighed Beetle · Black Oil-beetle +11

Small WhitePieris rapae2019
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2019
Large WhitePieris brassicae2019
Swollen-thighed BeetleOedemera nobilis
Black Oil-beetleMeloe proscarabaeus2021
Ctenophora flaveolataCtenophora flaveolata2021
Ashy Mining BeeAndrena cineraria2021
Painted LadyVanessa cardui2019
Common BluePolyommatus icarus2019
PeacockAglais io2019
Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia2019
RingletAphantopus hyperantus2019
Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2019
CommaPolygonia c-album2019
Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea2019
PhilaenusPhilaenus2019

🌿

Plants70 species

springsummer

2023

Black Medick · White Clover · Hogweed · Red Clover · Plantain +65

Black MedickMedicago lupulina
White CloverTrifolium repens
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
PlantainPlantago
BrambleRubus fruticosus2022
Cat's-earHypochaeris radicata2022
Common NettleUrtica dioica
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea2022
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
Bloody Crane's-billGeranium sanguineum
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
DaisyBellis perennis
Field MadderSherardia arvensis
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Bulbous ButtercupRanunculus bulbosus
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris2022
Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris2022
ConvolvulusConvolvulus2022
Hoary RagwortJacobaea erucifolia2021
AgrimonyAgrimonia eupatoria2021
Curled Dock / Broad-leaved DockRumex crispus/obtusifolius2021
Curled DockRumex crispus2021
YarrowAchillea millefolium2019
BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta2019
Great MulleinVerbascum thapsus2019
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata2019
Wood SpeedwellVeronica montana2019
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum2019
Horse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanum2019
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Lesser StitchwortStellaria graminea
DandelionTaraxacum
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
CleaversGalium aparine2022
BryoniaBryonia2022
SilverweedPotentilla anserina2022
Stinking IrisIris foetidissima2022
ButtercupRanunculus2022
Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula2022
Hound's-tongueCynoglossum officinale2022
RamsonsAllium ursinum2022
Red CampionSilene dioica2022
Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis2022
Common PoppyPapaver rhoeas2022
PlatanaceaePlatanaceae2021
SpeedwellVeronica2021
Common SedgeCarex nigra2021
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans2021
Wood AvensGeum urbanum2021
Black BryonyTamus communis2021
Stinking ChamomileAnthemis cotula2021
Giant HogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum2021
Hedge BedstrawGalium album2021
VervainVerbena officinalis2021
Wood Crane's-billGeranium sylvaticum2021
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense2021
Scarlet PimpernelLysimachia arvensis2021
Wood AnemoneAnemone nemorosa2019
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum2019
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum2019
Yellow ArchangelLamiastrum galeobdolon2019
Greater StitchwortStellaria holostea2019
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys2019
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca2019
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis2019
Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum2019
Sticky Mouse-earCerastium glomeratum2019
Common MallowMalva sylvestris2019
Beaked Hawk's-beardCrepis vesicaria2019

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Basher Eyre · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

St Mary's Church, Winterborne Whitechurch- memorial (iii)

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Millennium GreenUrban park3.5 km→🌱Jubilee OrchardUrban park3.5 km→✦Deserted town of Milton AbbasHistoric site4 km→✦Earthworks on Houghton South Down, including group of three round barrowsHistoric site4.5 km→✦Weatherby Castle, an Iron Age hillfort 1020m north west of Ashley Barn FarmHistoric site4.8 km→✦Weatherby CastleHistoric site4.8 km→

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