McIlroy Park explained

McIlroy Park
Type:	Local Nature Reserve
Grid Ref Uk:	SU 677 743
Location:	Reading, Berkshire
Area:	12ha
Manager:	Reading Borough Council

McIlroy Park is a 12abbr=offNaNabbr=off Local Nature Reserve in Tilehurst, a suburb of Reading in Berkshire. It is owned and managed by Reading Borough Council.^{[1] [2]} Along with Blundells Copse and Lousehill Copse it is part of West Reading Woodlands.^[3]

Geography and site

McIlroy Park is located on a steep hill and features a large species-rich grassland field and a large block of mixed deciduous woodland.^[4] There are two ancient sunken paths that pass through the woodland.^[5] There are old chalk pits in the west woodland area from the old clay extraction industry and a possible Saxon mound on its eastern edge.^[1]

McIlroy Park abuts, and is contiguous with another local nature reserve called Round Copse.^[5]

History

The land for the reservation was donated by William Mcilroy, who owned a department store in Reading, and was mayor of the town.^[6]

In 1992 site was designated a local nature reserve.^[7]

Fauna

The site has the following fauna:^{[5] [8] [9]}

Birds

• Red kite
• Common buzzard
• Common kestrel
• Common starling
• Common whitethroat
• Fieldfare
• European green woodpecker
• Dunnock
• House sparrow
• Mistle thrush
• Redwing
• Song thrush
• Willow warbler
• Eurasian sparrowhawk
• Eurasian jay

Invertebrates

• Cinnabar moth
• Bombus ruderarius
• Scotopteryx chenopodiata
• Gatekeeper
• Holly blue
• Meadow brown
• Lycaena phlaeas
• Speckled wood

Flora

The site has the following flora:^{[1] [5] [9] [10]}

Trees

• Acer campestre
• Quercus robur
• Fraxinus
• Hazel
• Ilex aquifolium
• Prunus avium

Plants

• Hyacinthoides non-scripta
• Catnip
• Mercurialis perennis
• Holcus mollis
• Melica uniflora
• Milium effusum
• Luzula pilosa
• Moehringia trinervia
• Calluna
• Ruscus aculeatus

Fungi

• Xylaria polymorpha

References

51.4639°N -1.0257°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: McIlroy Park. Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. 2 November 2019.
2. Web site: Map of McIlroy Park. Local Nature Reserves . Natural England. 2 November 2019.
3. Web site: UK - McIlroy Park (Part of West Reading Woodlands) Nature Reserve in Reading - Walking . Freedom2explore.com . 2017-04-07.
4. Web site: Reading Borough Council . Reading.gov.uk . 2017-02-13 . 2017-04-07.
5. Web site: WPG Management Plan . Forestry Commission . 2017-04-07.
6. Book: Exploring the Thames Wilderness: A Guide to the Natural Thames - Richard Mayon-White, Wendy Yorke - Google Books . 4 July 2013. 9781408181126 . 2017-04-07. Mayon-White . Richard . Yorke . Wendy .
7. Web site: Friends of McIlroy Park . Econetreading.org.uk . 2017-04-07.
8. Web site: 15:06, 24 SEP 2014 . Rural Reading: McIlroy Park is one of Reading's hidden gems - Adrian Lawson . Get Reading . 2014-09-24 . 2017-04-07.
9. Web site: The Reading Naturalist No. 57 . Reading and District Natural History Society . 2017-04-07.
10. Web site: Aspects of Suburban Landscapes . Historic England . 2017-04-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170410133019/https://content.historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/aspects-of-suburban-landscapes/aspects-suburban-landscapes.pdf/ . 2017-04-10 . dead .