Ferndown Common
Ferndown Common lies between the Ringwood and Wimborne roads in the parish of Hampreston.
Ownership and Managers
Wimborne Estate. Leased to Herpetological Conservation Trust.
Size
64.49 Ha
Site Description
The land adjacent to Ferndown Common is used as follows: housing to the south east, playing fields to the east and north east. There are houses, an electricity sub-station, car park and caravan site to the north. To the west there is fruit growing, a set aside field used by the public, pony paddocks and woodland.
The site is very flat at about 30 meters above sea level. On the south west fringe there is a steep escarpment down to the Stour valley. Consequently this was a well used route in the past and there are several bronze age tumuli holding urns of cremated remains, (1200-650 BC).
There are also several small clay/gravel pits including steep sided well hidden ones in the area opposite the schools and several ponds.
There is also an extensive network of boundary banks which date back to the enclosure acts of the 18th & 19th centuries with some irregular ones in the centre which are much older (pre 1600).
There are some areas of ridge and furrow where some cultivation was attempted during wartime.
It has been designated a Town Green in 2003 but it is not clear how this will affect the management and use of the site.
