PREES HEAThCOMMON

Bronze Age pottery found on the common comes from a burial

Just south of Whitchurch is Prees Heath Common, of which 155 acres (just less than half) is jointly managed by Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation. This ancient common land has a long and fascinating history, and is now home to the last colony of one of Shropshire's rarest butterflies. The common has always been important to local residents, who campaigned for many years to restore the Common's ancient heathland and keep open it for visitors. The Meres and Mosses Landscape Partnership has been working with the local community on new heritage and conservation projects.

Butterfly Reserve and Historical landscapeWritten and Illustrated by

John G. SwoggerWith

Kirsty Brown

The heathland supports a wide range of native plants...

Agriculture, forestry and development have left the common as one of the last surviving remnants of lowland sandy heath.

Two kinds of heathland heather are important, as they support the Silver-studded Blue butterfly.

Ling Heather

This is one of Shropshire's rarest butterflies, but you can see them on the Common in June and July. In the evenings

you can sometimes see them gathering into communal roosts.

The butterfly is named for the black and silver marks on its wings

Managing the heathland protects the habitat of both species.Females lay their eggs on the heather, and they hatch in April and May.

The caterpillars are protected from predators by Black Ants. They pupate in the ants' nests and

emerge in June and July as butterflies.It also protects the Common's human history and archaeology, which

stretches back over three thousand years to the Bronze Age.

Without the local community, Prees Heath Common reserve would not exist. It's historical and natural heritage is being cared for thanks to the help and support of Butterfly Conservation members, Prees Heath commoners and many, many local volunteers.

If you would like to help preserve the unique heritage and habitat of Prees Heath Common for future generations, and are interested in volunteering, then please get in touch.

... and wildlife.

caterpillar Black Ant

During the Civil War it was a muster site for Royalist troops heading to Beeston Castle...

... it housed a training and demob camp during World War One...

... and was an airfield for bombers during World War Two.

Bell Heather

female

Prees Heath Control Tower - recently restored

Skylark

Cinnabar moth

Reed bunting

Heather

Alder and Willow