Colchester City Council

Lexden Park Local Nature Reserve at seven hectares is a relatively small reserve, with ancient woodland, a pond and meadow in the middle of the site. It is a haven for walkers and lovers of fauna and flora. Part of the site is designated a scheduled ancient monument which is the Lexden Dyke Middle.

Lexden Park site information (PDF, 1.73MB)

How to get there

By foot: Pedestrian entrances off of Church Lane and Endsleigh Meadow

By bike: Colchester by bike map.

By road: Small car park located off Church Lane, Colchester, CO3 4AA. A height barrier restricts access to vehicles under 2 metre in height.

Opening times

All day, every day.

Facilities and access

There is public access throughout the reserve. It can be accessed from two entry points along Church Lane and from Endsleigh Meadow (another open green space owned by Colchester City Council).
The footpaths around the meadow are flat and grassy (mown throughout the season). The paths in the wooded areas can be more challenging as they are steep in parts (with 3 sets of steps that are unsuitable for wheelchair users). Tree roots can provide trip hazards for the unwary.
There is a small section of boardwalk. Most footpaths are muddy during the winter and sustained periods of wet weather.
There are a number of benches located around the lower meadow with picnic tables near the car park.
Fishing, swimming and boating are not allowed in the pond and dog owners should keep dogs out of the water.
Visitors are not allowed to enter private woodland or our wildlife refuge area. They are closed to protect wildlife and Lexden Dyke earthworks

History, vegetation and wildlife

The monument Lexden Dyke Middle is part of the Iron Age territorial oppidum and Romano-British town of Camulodunum. The Lexden Dyke Middle and particularly the section alongside Lexden Park, is recognised as the best surviving example amongst the linear earthworks which defined the perimeter of the Iron Age settlement.

The lower part of the reserve (running alongside Church Lane) is mainly a species rich grassland meadow. The area is flat and rectangular in shape giving a clue to its previous use as football pitches for Endsleigh Institute up until the early 1970s.

The meadow contains Lady's bedstraw, Lesser stitchwort, Knapweed, Yellow rattle and Greater birds-foot trefoil. The pond is spring fed and is surrounded by trees and shrubs that shade the banks, the small island and inaccessible banks are popular with wildfowl, mainly mallards, coots and moorhens.

The (illegal) introduction of Koi carp has led to a reduction of amphibians and invertebrate so a small submerged wildlife retreat has been created. The area is fenced off to stop dogs gaining access, and surrounded by stones which stop fish gaining access. It is hoped that it will prove to be a haven for amphibians. The introduction of non-native fish most likely impacts the presence of other aquatic wildlife, whilst also adding more unwanted nutrients to the water. A recent arrival is the non-native duckweed Lemna minuta, which can cover the surface of the pond in the growing season.

The remainder of the reserve comprises of ancient woodland, oak is the dominant species with some a few hundred years old. Silver birch thrives in the area as does Beech, Rowan, and Sycamore. Horse and Sweet chestnut along with lime and pines were introduced many years ago. The understory is mainly Holly, Hawthorn and bramble. The wooded area puts on a vibrant bluebell display during April and May each year. There are numerous exotic tree species on site, indicating its history as a large manor house and gardens before becoming a school in the early 1900’s.

Our work

Occasional guided walks.
The meadow is cut on a rotational basis, 50% cut and removed from site each year. Self-seeded saplings are removed to keep the area as a meadow.
Two stag beetle pyramids were created from the timber created from tree felling on the 'successional woodland edge'.

Woodland management includes removal of the non-native species False acacia, Sycamore, Snowberry, Rhododendron and Laurel. The exotic planted trees around the meadow area are left as a reflection of its varied social history.

Once a year the boat is taken out onto the lake to remove all litter, the out-flow pipe is also checked and cleared. The non-native duckweed Lemna minuta is managed by Colchester City Council and volunteers work in the growing season to remove this to create areas of open water. There are plans to improve the pond for wildlife with bank improvements, silt removal and introduction of native water plants to take place.

Colchester Natural History Society lead events here with the countryside ranger team. From moth evenings to bat walks and more general wildlife events, they guide walks across the city. More information on their events can be found through their website.