Englemere Pond is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern outskirts of North Ascot in Berkshire. The site is also a Local Nature Reserve. It is owned by the Crown Estate and managed by Bracknell Forest Borough Council.
Geography
The nature reserve is situated between Martins Heron railway station and Ascot railway station. It features a shallow acidic lake and marsh land.
Name Probably compound of Old Saxon egela "leech", or even Old English *egele (unattested), similar to German Egel (Blutegel) "leech", followed by Old Saxon meri "lake" or Old English mere "lake, pool", hence the overall meaning of "leech pool". Moreover, the early forms of Inglemire (East Riding of Yorkshire, Yghelmar 1322; Iglemere / Inglemere 1408) are identical to the common Norman place names Iglemare and Inglemare and are explained as follows: a compound of the Old Norse word igill "leech" and mere "body of water".Richard Coates (University of the West of England), Azure Mouse, Bloater Hill, Goose Puddings, and One Land called the Cow: continuity and conundrums in Lincolnshire minor names, p. 109.
History
The land for most of its recorded history has been part of a great Royal Hunting Forest that surrounded Windsor Castle.
In 1990 the site was declared as a local nature reserve by Bracknell Forest Borough Council.
In August 2016 an unexploded old military shell was discovered in Englemere Pond and blown up in a controlled explosion by the police.
Fauna
The fauna of the reserve include the following:
Birds
Invertebrates
Reptiles, amphibians and other vertebrates
Grass snake Common toad Palmate newt Adders
Flora
The flora of the reserve include the following:
Trees Oak Scots pine Hornbeam Rowan Silver birch Willow Cherry Alder
Other
Drosera rotundifolia Calluna Erica cinerea Erica tetralix Reed
References