The Big Chalk

To the east of Bere Mill is a long river valley leading to the C14thSt Nicholas chapel. This perfect chalkland valley side carved by the   River Test has been subject to multiple farming ‘fashions’ over the years……common land which was enclosed in 1798; sheep grazing; more recently dairying, arable and rough grazing.

It is currently being restored through the cooperation of Bere Mill and neighbouring land owners as a natural chalk upland pasture under the aegis of the governments’s National Landscape Agency and their Big Chalk program. We aim to produce a natural parkland setting with wildflower meadows and extensive tree planting…….and low intensity cattle grazing.