McIlroy Park

View of Reading from McIlroy Park

McIlroy Park is a local nature reserve in Tilehurst, Berkshire, England.[1] The nature reserve is under the management of the Reading Borough Council.[2] Along with Blundells Copse and Lousehill Copse it is part of West Reading Woodlands.[3]

Geography and site

View across the grassland

The site covers 11.98 hectares.[1] McIlroy Park is located on a steep hill and features a large species-rich grassland field and a large block of mixed deciduous woodland.[4] There are two ancient sunken paths that pass through the woodland.[5] There are old chalk pits in the west woodland area from the old clay extraction industry and a possible Saxon mound on its eastern edge.[2]

McIlroy Park abuts, and is contiguous with another local nature reserve called Round Copse.[5]

History

The land for the reservation was donated by William Mcilroy, who owned a department store in Reading, and was mayor of the town.[6]

In 1992 site was designated a local nature reserve.[7]

Fauna

The site has the following fauna:[5][8][9]

Birds

Invertebrates

Flora

Bluebells in McIlroy Park

The site has the following flora:[2][5][9][10]

Trees

Plants

Fungi

References

  1. 1 2 "Magic Map Application". Magic.defra.gov.uk. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  2. 1 2 3 "Natural England - Special Sites". Lnr.naturalengland.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  3. ↑ "UK - McIlroy Park (Part of West Reading Woodlands) Nature Reserve in Reading - Walking". Freedom2explore.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  4. ↑ "Reading Borough Council". Reading.gov.uk. 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "WPG Management Plan" (PDF). Forestry Commission. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  6. ↑ "Exploring the Thames Wilderness: A Guide to the Natural Thames - Richard Mayon-White, Wendy Yorke - Google Books". Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  7. ↑ "Friends of McIlroy Park". Econetreading.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  8. ↑ 15:06, 24 SEP 2014 (2014-09-24). "Rural Reading: McIlroy Park is one of Reading's hidden gems - Adrian Lawson". Get Reading. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  9. 1 2 "The Reading Naturalist No. 57" (PDF). Reading and District Natural History Society. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  10. ↑ "Aspects of Suburban Landscapes". Historic England. Retrieved 2017-04-09.

Coordinates: 51°27′50″N 1°01′33″W / 51.4639°N 1.0257°W / 51.4639; -1.0257

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