I had heard of Ramsbury so many times over the years of living in Wiltshire but my visit to the meadow was also my first time to this quaint little village.
Ramsbury may be small with a population of less than 2,000 but it has its very own Bishop. Ramsbury doesn't have a cathedral of course, the office holder is a suffragan bishop - essentially he is the number two to the Bishop of Salisbury. But the first Bishop of Ramsbury was Aethelstan in 909 so this seat, and this village has some history. Littlecote Roman Villa is nearby which has a provenance back to the second century AD.
If you look at the map this whole area sits along the River Kennet and is full of water inlets, tributaries and flood plains. This abundance of water has attracted human civilisation for hundreds if not thousands of years. So while Ramsbury might be a quaint English village today, it's rich history tells us that it is much more than that.
The meadow itself is on a flood plain of the River so it can be damp underfoot. There are some high quality boardwalks available to keep the feet dry if it is really damp underfoot. The site is reminiscent of Conigre Mead in Melksham, which also adjoins a river. The boardwalks will take you to a dipping pond, the River Kennet and there is a circular walk through the meadow.
Truth be told this is a small site, but if you are in the area visiting Ramsbury and exploring it's glorious history and Roman heritage, a visit to the meadow will enhance your experience of this wonderful part of Wiltshire.
Access Information
Ramsbury is on the outer edge of North East Wiltshire, in between Marlborough and Hungerford, close to the Berkshire border. Follow the A4 out of Marlborough and it is signposted from there.
More information and a reserve leaflet with a map of the site can be found here: Ramsbury Meadow
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