Roughdown Common facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Sign at the entrance to Roughdown Common nature reserve, Hemel Hempstead, UK.
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| Area of Search | Hertfordshire |
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| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 3.6 hectares |
| Notification | 1985 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Roughdown Common is a special natural area in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. It's officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its important plants and animals. The Common covers about 3.6 hectares, which is roughly the size of five football fields.
This land is also a type of public land called "Common land." It's owned by the Box Moor Trust, which bought it way back in 1886. Roughdown Common is part of the beautiful Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a special place known for its lovely landscapes. The Common itself is a steep chalk hill located in the southern part of Hemel Hempstead.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Roughdown Common's History
Roughdown Common wasn't always just a natural space. Long ago, it was a big chalk quarry. This means people dug out chalk from the ground here. There was even a special type of mine called a "pillar and stall" mine. You can still see an entrance to this mine, but it's sealed off to keep people safe.
Life on the Common Through the Years
During the time the Grand Union Canal was being built nearby, the workers, called "navvies," lived in a camp right here on Roughdown Common.
The Common was also a place for fun! In 1809, a big fair was held in the old chalk pit. Later, in 1939, the first football match was played on the site. Young people who had been sent away from London during the war, called evacuees, were the players. After the war, in 1946, prisoners of war from a nearby camp helped clear the land.
Roughdown Common Today: A Home for Nature
Roughdown Common is very special because it has a rare type of grassland. This is called "calcareous grassland," which means the soil has a lot of chalk or lime. It's one of the few places in Hertfordshire where you can find this kind of natural grassland that hasn't been changed by farming.
Amazing Plants and Animals
You'll find different types of grasses here, like meadow fescue and meadow oat-grass. But the Common is also home to beautiful orchids, including Common Spotted, Fly, and Pyramid varieties. Another important plant is the common juniper. Roughdown Common is the only place in Hertfordshire where juniper plants grow naturally on their own!
To help keep the grassland healthy, sheep sometimes graze here. In 2016, something exciting happened: the Jersey Mocha moth was seen on the Common for the very first time in the county!
A Safe Place for Bats
The old mine entrances were sealed in 1994. Instead of people going in, the mine became a safe place for bats to sleep during winter. This is called a "hibernaculum." A small group of Brown long-eared bats now calls this mine home.
Visiting Roughdown Common
Roughdown Common is always open for visitors. You can get there by following footpaths that start near the corner of Roughdown Road and Roughdown Avenue. There's also a helpful sign from the Box Moor Trust near the old quarry entrance, by the railway bridge.
Since 2017, the Box Moor Trust has been working with Natural England to clear some of the trees and bushes. This helps the special chalk-loving plants that used to grow here come back.
A Special Gin from the Common
In 2019, something unique happened! Juniper berries picked from Roughdown Common were used by a company called Puddingstone Distillery to make a special gin. This was done to celebrate the Box Moor Trust's 425th anniversary. It was the first gin ever made in Hertfordshire using local juniper!
