Silchester is a village and civil parish about 8 miles (13 km) north of Basingstoke in Hampshire. It is adjacent to the county boundary with Berkshire and about 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Reading.
Silchester is most notable for the archaeological site and Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum, which was first occupied by the Romans in about AD 45 and includes what is considered the best-preserved Roman wall in Great Britain.
The Silchester Village Sign and its meaning
The Kestrel – local bird of prey a permanent inhabitant of the Common and representative of the wide diversity of animal species around the village and common.
Ears of Wheat – this aspect of the sign recognises the importance of the local farming community in the history and development of the village through the ages.
The Orchid and poppy – representative of the many species of orchids (some increasingly rare ones) to be found on Silchester Common (part of the SSSI) and of the wide range of wild flowers found around the village and the Common
The Church – St Mary The Virgin Parish Church, erected on a site with history dating back to pagan worship pre Christianity. The church building as it exists today is largely thought to date back to the 12th Century.
The Yew tree located in the church yard at St Mary The Virgin is believed to be over 400 years old. Yew trees were often found in village communities in history – behind a boundary wall, in order to prevent their being eaten by free roaming cattle, since their leaves are highly poisonous.
The Wall – the oldest part of the history and origins of Silchester as a settlement for over 2000 years. The walls were built by the Romans for defensive purposes around a major market town – Calleva. Even today, in places the walls survive remarkably intact and up to 4m high.
Please note that if you visit the wall, the car park has a 1.8m high entry height barrier. This can be removed to allow coach and minibus access but you will need to ring 01189 700132 at least 48 hours prior to your visit to arrange this.
The Pond and Bullrushes – Silchester and the surrounding Common sit on a geology comprising predominantly gravel, flint and clay. The ponds form where clay lenses allow water to collect and stand. Bullrushes can be seen at some of the permanent and ephemeral ponds around the village.
The sign was constructed and erected in June 2000 with funding through the BDBC Millennium Grants scheme.
Silchester Common
Click here for the Silchester Common Byelaws – Bye Laws – Silchester
Silchester Common lies between the villages of Silchester and Pamber Heath and is part of a large Site of Special Scientific Interest which covers 306 ha. This extensive and diverse area is of great value for the recreation of local residents and has long been recognised for its rich flora and fauna. The varied habitats of the area support a corresponding variety of plant and animal life, with many rare species present, making this one of the best sites of its size in Hampshire.
Silchester Common itself is 56 ha in total and is one of a few surviving tracts of heathland in the Thames Valley region of North Hampshire. It is owned and looked after by Silchester Parish Council. An internationally endangered habitat, approximately 90% of the heathland in north Hampshire existing at the end of the 18th century has been destroyed. The area covered by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has lost 98% of its former heaths and currently half of the remaining 160 ha are now severely degraded by abuse or neglect. In an attempt to recover from this position the common is now actively managed by the Council.
Silchester Common is owned and managed by the Parish Council. In recent years there has been a policy of active management of the common to maintain the unique features which have resulted in its SSSI status. There used to be a formal subcommittee of the Council to carry out the management function at arm’s length from the main Council but since 2016 the Council have directly managed the common with advice from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The effectiveness of this arrangement is being kept under review and a small working group of parish councillors is taking this forward with advice from the local wildlife trust and Natural England.
Funding to manage the Common comes principally from Natural England where the Council have a High Level Stewardship scheme that runs until 2021. This has enabled the Council to employ contractors to cut down gorse and shrubbery to return the land to heathland. Funding also comes from the Rural Payments Agency to help fund the cattle whose grazing also helps keep down excessive vegetation.
The use of contractors is supplemented by an active volunteer scheme where once a month during the winter season work parties are held. Further details are provided Here. New volunteers are always welcome and if interested please contact the Clerk.