Old Hill NNR Open Access land Minor road Bridleway S Footpath ou th Way D ow National Trail n P s Monarch’s Way W ay Easy access trail Circular walk Car park P Disabled parking (RADAR key) Hill fort/Tumulus National Nature Reserve

Old Winchester

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's W The Seven a Wells y Front cover photograph: Herdwick sheep graze the ramparts over 200m 150-200m © Barry Proctor 100-150m 50-100m 0 500m Based upon Ordnance Survey material on behalf of HMSO. Height above sea level cCrown copyright and database right 2013. All rights reserved. in metres Natural OS licence number 100022021

A272 Natural England is here to secure a healthy natural South Downs National Park environment for people to enjoy, where wildlife Access for visitors is protected and England’s traditional landscapes Riv er M e on are safeguarded for future generations.

You are welcome to visit A32 Old Winchester ISBN 978-1-84754-271-7 Catalogue Code: NE401 the reserve on foot at Exton Hill NNR any time, but dogs must B3035 Natural England publications are available as accessible pdfs from:

0 2km always be kept under B2150 www.naturalengland.org.uk/publications c Crown copyright and database right 2013. close control and on a Natural England OS licence no. 100022021 Should an alternative format of this lead when sheep are present to avoid publication be required, please contact disturbing the livestock and wildlife. our enquiries line for more information: 0845 600 3078 or email The main car park at the northern end of the [email protected] reserve gives access to the picnic area and Printed on stock comprising 75% recycled fi bre. interpretive unit. RADAR key holders may www.naturalengland.org.uk use the car park which is accessible from the north gate and follow the Easy Access Trail to This note/report/publication is published by Natural the hill fort. There is also parking for disabled England under the Open Government Licence for public sector information. You are encouraged to use, visitors at the viewpoint along the lane. and reuse, information subject to certain conditions.

For details of the licence visit Further information can be www.naturalengland.org.uk/copyright Natural England photographs are only available for non-commercial purposes. If any other information, obtained from Natural England such as maps or data, cannot be used commercially this on 0300 060 6000 will be made clear within the note/report/publication. Introduction: Archaeology: Wildlife: Old Winchester Hill occupies a prominent and Bronze Age burial mounds for important Several types of orchids can be seen here visually attractive site, which has been enjoyed members of the local society were erected including greater-butterfl y, bee, frog, fl y, by generations of Hampshire people. A circular prominently on the crest of the hill between common spotted and fragrant orchids, all footpath takes in steep slopes and woodland, 4500 and 3500 years ago. These barrows of which are found on the slopes around or you can keep on level ground by following can now be seen as large grassy lumps in the hill fort in May and June. Field fl eawort the hill fort route at the top of the hill. Visitors groups to the west of, and within, a later also fl owers at this time of year amongst the can also join the - please hill fort. There are also some smaller huge population of cowslips. follow the signs on site. mounds, which were partially engulfed when the southern and western ramparts Ox-eye daisies are in fl ower during July, of the fort were constructed some 2500 as well as the rare round-headed rampion years ago. The hill fort also overlies a pattern that occurs in magnifi cent numbers on the of pre-historic fi elds. south-facing slope of the hill fort. Later, you can see small and devil’s bit scabious The fort is believed to have provided a along with autumn lady’s tresses. Look out,

© Natural England defended settlement for a Celtic chieftain. too, for juniper bushes on the southern Its defences comprise a single bank and slope of the hill fort. Elsewhere, scrub and ditch enclosing about four hectares. Within woodland provide contrasting habitats the fort itself, you can still see the site of for wildlife. the huts as subtle hollows. Old Winchester Hill Insects and butterfl ies like the chalkhill blue Some of the smaller hollows were created can be seen in huge numbers during the The site is ideal for a wide range of plants during World War II, when the army used the summer months, whilst dormice, badgers and animals. The fl ower rich grasslands have hill as a mortar fi ring range. Some sections and deer live in the woodland. developed on the thin chalky soils that are low were never fully cleared of ordnance so, for in nutrients, and prevent vigorous species from your safety, please keep to the well-marked dominating the fi ner herbs. There are distinct paths that avoid these areas. differences between the plants found on the warm, dry, south-facing slopes and those on the steep north-facing area, and in the Please report any metallic or suspicious objects, either to the voluntary wardens, Management coombes, which are much damper. Natural England staff, or to the Police on 101. Do not pick them up. Old Winchester Hill needs constant management to conserve the variety of habitats, and to maintain the grassland © Rob Wolstenholme © Rob Wolstenholme that has been created by centuries of livestock grazing. We achieve this by © M.P.Blacknell continuing the traditional sheep grazing, and by mechanically clearing some areas of scrub during the winter. Our management work helps to provide ideal conditions for Dark green fritillary Badger Early Purple Orchid a wonderful diversity of wildlife.