Groby Community Meadow

The 4-acre meadow, adjacent to Newtown Linford Lane, was purchased in 2011 by a consortium, made up of residents that bought shares at £200 each and Groby Parish Council.  A Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up that now owns the land and aims to:

• preserve the meadow, protect the local environment and encourage wildlife and wildflowers
• provide an amenity for parishioners and visitors to use with footpaths that link with existing paths
• protect it from commercialism

Dowry Furlong

Dowry Furlong Wildlife Area, adjacent to Groby Pool car park, has been managed as a hay meadow to increase the diversity of plant species and the hedges were managed to improve the wildlife value.  The Enclosure Acts of the late 18th century resulted in reorganisation of the large open fields and the planting of boundary hedges some of which are still existing on this site.

The meadow is believed to be part of the dowry that Sir William de Ferrers assigned to his wife Margaret in the 14th century.  This meadow is characterised by a ridge and furrow crop cultivation system that was typical of medieval ploughing techniques. The strip of land was ploughed first down the centre, then on alternate sides working outwards. The sod would always be turned inwards such that after several seasons of ploughing, a ridge would develop separated from its neighbour by a furrow.

The disused Groby Granite Railway line forms the western boundary and a short spur, between the car park and the meadow, served the disused Dowry Furlong granite quarry.