Parsonage Down, Nature reserve in Wiltshire, England
Parsonage Down is a protected site near Amesbury featuring chalk grassland with diverse plant life. The landscape supports various habitats across the reserve where specialized species thrive.
The site gained protected status in 1971 as a location of special scientific interest, marking a turning point in land use. This designation shifted focus from agricultural activity toward environmental preservation.
Natural England manages this protected area, maintaining the oldest registered herd of English Longhorn cattle in the United Kingdom.
You can walk through the site on marked paths that help you explore the different habitats without disturbing sensitive areas. Access is open, but walking carefully to protect the grassland is important.
The reserve holds one of northwestern Europe's largest populations of burnt orchid. This rare plant thrives particularly well on the chalk grassland here.
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