Water meadows are a threatened habitat across Hampshire and the UK, and they form an important part of the county’s natural heritage. The presence of the River Meon, a rare chalk stream, running through the site makes Court House Meadows particularly ecologically valuable.  

The 8.66-hectare (21.4-acre) site, just south of West Meon village, will be managed to support wildlife, restore the river’s natural floodplain, and enhance one of Hampshire’s rarest chalk stream habitats.  

Court House Meadows will offer a haven for mammals including endangered water voles, overwintering wading birds such as snipe, amphibians including newts, insects including dragonflies, and aquatic life such as brown trout. The open grassland and river corridor will also support a diversity of meadow plants. 

 As a sanctuary site, Court House Meadows will not be open to the public, ensuring that the sensitive habitats and vulnerable species can thrive with minimal disturbance. The Trust will protect these habitats by implementing conservation measures and habitat management to safeguard wildlife and restore the river and floodplain. 

John Durnell, Senior Director of Operations at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “Securing Court House Meadows is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect an ecologically important site in the heart of the Meon Valley. With restoration work possible on both the land and the River Meon, this rare chalk stream site will be able to flourish, help restore the floodplain to a more natural state, strengthen wildlife connections in the surrounding area, and create a space where species can thrive again. 

 “We can give space back to species including our much-loved water vole, whose habitat has dramatically declined, which makes sites like this so crucial for their survival. I am deeply grateful to our partners and Trust members and supporters who made this possible. Their support is directly contributing to this land functioning more naturally for wildlife.” 

Chalk streams are among the rarest habitats in the world, with only around 200 globally, 80% of which are found in southern England. The River Meon is described as one of Hampshire’s “Cinderella chalk streams” and is often cited as the best example of a chalk stream in the country. Protecting Court House Meadows will help safeguard the river’s clear waters, rich biodiversity, and natural floodplain function. 

 By restoring the floodplain, the site will enhance habitats for wildlife, slow and store water, reduce flood risk downstream for local communities and improve water quality. 

The acquisition has been made possible thanks to generous support from the South Downs National Park Authority and the South Downs Trust alongside pledges from local supporters, and an overwhelming response to the Trust’s public fundraising appeal which received more than 1,000 donations from Trust members and the local community.  

The new site strengthens the Trust’s landholding in the Meon Valley, contributing to a more resilient landscape by adding to a network of other nearby Trust-owned sites, including St Clair’s Meadow, Bere Copse, Shutts Copse and Chappetts Copse Nature Reserves. 

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