Fulbourn Fen

Fulbourn Fen is a 27.3-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Fulbourn in Cambridgeshire. It lies on ancient meadows of calcareous loam and peat that have never been intensively farmed. The site is privately owned and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Access is by a track from Stonebridge Lane. Eight woods and five meadows make up the landscape, each with its own name. The fen supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Drier areas contain cowslip and salad burnet, while wetter parts grow tall fen vegetation. One of the meadows, Moat Meadow, holds the remains of Zouches Manor. This was one of the Five Manors of Fulbourn, built by Alan la Zouche, Earl of Brittany. The moated earthworks still mark the site of the old Saxon manor. Visitors follow the track from Stonebridge Lane into the fen. They pass through woods such as The Cringles, Moat Wood and Hancock’s Wood. Meadows like Ox Meadow and Four Acre stretch open beside the paths. The remains of Zouches Manor lie near Moat Meadow, offering a quiet reminder of the past. The varied habitats provide peaceful walking among wildflowers and wetland plants.