The Patch

The first mention of Four Marks appears in a document c.1550, albeit spelt differently. The heading of the page can be translated as ‘Perambulation of the Manor of Alresford’ and consists of a description of the boundaries. The reference to Four Marks translates roughly as “a certain vacant piece of land called Fowrem’kes near Bookmere and so called Fowrem’kes because adjoining tithings abut there namely the tithings of Medsted Ropley Faryngdon & Chawton”. There were thus borders (marks in Old English) extending in four directions, called a quadripoint.

Four Marks was originally settled by veterans of the Crimean War, which ended in 1856, who were allocated plots for their smallholdings, and was the site of a telegraph.  According to Bartholomew’s Gazetteer, the village of Four Marks is the only so named place in the United Kingdom.


The area was well known as Four Marks and even had its own post office and facility for cancelling stamps. The first mention of the post office is a record in the proof books of the General Post Office of the issue of a rubber datestamp on 25 March 1897.  Four Marks did not become a parish until 1932 when seven parishes were annexed to create it. It included parts of the above-mentioned parishes i.e. Medstead, Ropley, Farringdon and Chawton, Kitwood, East Tisted and Newton Valence. 

My patch extends south east  from a northerly limit of the A31 across to almost the A32.  It takes in several ancient woodlands in Old Down, Dogford, Winchester, Lord's Wood and Plash Wood, the only water area in Swellinghill Pond and plenty of arable fields and grass pastures.

Some of the fields described early on in the blog have since disappeared taken over by large housing estate, notable is a large field off Brislands lane that was a very good site for butterflies in the summer.

Farming practice has changed as well.  Early on wildlife strips were left all around the fields but recently the farmers have taken to ploughing right up field edges removing habitat for Yellowhammer and Partridges.

Another good meadow for butterflies was the grass land either side of the footpath from Kitwood leading into Old Down Wood.  This though is now cut frequently by the owner removing all the wild flowers that grew there.

If you are visiting the area please ensure you stick to all the footpaths of which there are many in the area

Here an aerial view of the patch


Whilst anything can turn up within the borders of the patch, whether that be also flying over or heard,  there are some important locations and I have listed these with photographs and information on where and what maybe found.

Lets start with the place nearest to home my garden

The Garden


There are feeders in the trees on both sides of the garden, while lower down there is a pond and waterfall that is a major attraction for the birds with the normal visitors using it to bathe and drink, probably the rarest being a pair of Blackcap.

The bottom of the garden is left wild with trees, and ferns dominating with old logs scattered about.  July last year saw a female Stag Beetle appear.  The top part of the garden is more formal, but is the best place for the moth trap at night.

What you can't see are the Hosue Martin nests at the apex of the eaves on both sides of the house.

Due to the availability of food throughout the year no bird nests in the garden but a lot come for food and once the young have fledged these are brought to the garden to feed.  Its not a large garden but it provides everything wildlife wants, cover, water and food.  There is always something to see everyday of the year and from a garden you can't ask for anything else.

Old Down Wood


Old Down is the largest piece of woodland on the patch, it was once part of a large area of ancient woodland that was linked to the other woods in the area, notably Winchester, Dogford, Lord's and Plash Wood.  Over time the woods were cut down to support construction and boat building with the remaining land turned over to fields and hedgerows.  Evidence of their past can be seen along the lanes with bluebells and wood anemones flowering, plants that would normally be seen in woodland.

There are four main entrances into Old Down Wood as can be seen on the above photograph, the most popular is from the north in Brislands lane, a tarmac lane initially, leading into a tree lined footpath.


On the eastern side of the wood, a path crosses the field from Gradwell Lane.


The path opens up and winds through larch and oak plantations.


Its a longer walk for the southern entrance or exit across the field from Kitwood Lane.


In the west the footpath enters the wood from the Desmond Paddocks.


In the south the entrance passes Old Down Cottage from Swellinghill Lane.


The two footpaths running north-south and east-west cross in the middle of the wood.  Here looking west


And here looking to the east, turn left for Brislands Lane and right for Old Down Cottage, straight on and you will come out onto Gradwell Lane.


The wood consists of mainly of Beech and Oak but there are also good amounts of Ash, Larch, Scots Pine, Sweet Chestnut, Hazel and Cherry.  Early spring the Beech Trees are at their best with lime green leaves contrasting with the dark trunks.


With a predominance of Beech trees there is an excellent show of bluebells in spring attracting many visitors to the wood.




Only recently have we started to see the impact of Ash die back disease, unfortunately this group of Ash trees having about 50% showing symptoms with many dead.


During the winter months the woods are quiet with only the calls of crows and roving parties of mixed tit flocks.  In a good year Crossbills, and Lesser Redpolls can be found in the Larch plantations such as these, a check of Goldfinch flocks is a good way to find them.


Brambling are also occasionally to be found with the Chaffinch flocks feeding on the Beech mast. 


Up to 2012 there were one or two Willow Tits present  but these have not been seen since.

The summer brings breeding birds such as Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Tawny Owl and Buzzard.  Ravens have been know to nest on one or two years.  In more recent times Firecrests have become a lot more regular and I suspect they also breed in the wood now, and Red Kite is also now a possibility.

It is also a good place to find butterflies.  Aside from the commoner species such as the whites, Holly Blue, Peacock, Red Admiral and Orange Tip, there have been regular sightings of White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Green Hairstreak, Large, Small and Essex Skipper.  These butterflies are found along the wider paths and in the more open spots.  Such as around the Kitwood entrance.


And along the path that leads to Old Down Cottage


Around the edges of the wood and into the fields are good for Marbled White, Common Blue, Small Copper and infrequently Brown Argus.

Before the canopy closes over in early summer, April to early May see the woods, not only carpeted with bluebells, but also Wood Anemones, Greater Stitchwort, Ransoms, Dog Mercury and Solomon's Seal.  With some careful searching in early May it is also possible to find a few Early Purple Orchids.


Mammals are a lot harder to find, the easiest to see are the Roe Deer but sightings have declined recently, in certain years you can come across female Roe Deer with kids.  After dark there is Fox and Badger about and of course there is always the Grey Squirrels

Swelling Hill Pond


The pond is the only significant piece of water in the area.  Seen here in late winter water levels can be high.  There is no natural spring and the pond depends heavily on rainfall.


Through the year there are a few Mallard, but in autumn the numbers can increase, in 2015 there was a count of 65.  Other significant water birds include Grey Heron, Moorhen, a Coot that stayed for a month in the spring of 2015 and a male Tufted Duck that joined up with a significant winter flock of Mallard in the winter of 2020/21


A single Green Sandpiper was present for a day in April 2017, and Grey Wagtail are seen occasionally.  The far corner in this photograph usually having exposed mud that is the attraction.


Insects include Common Darter, Emperor Dragonfly, Southern and Migrant Hawkers, Large Red, Blue tailed, Azure and Common Blue Damselflies.  These can usually be found around the vegetation that lines and extends into the water.  The pond itself holds good numbers of Common Carp


Plash Wood, Rotherfield Estate Lye Way Bridleway and Mountains Plantation


Plash Wood is not accessible to the public but in the late summer evenings Woodcock can be seen roding around the area and no doubt breed in the wood.  Red Kite have also been known to nest in the wood.  The Plantations are good for Firecrest and Grey Partridge.  Barn Owl was present up to 2015, but has been rare since.


On the Mountains plantation Roe Deer are common and Muntjac have also been seen.  This is a very good place to see Brown Hare.  Stonechat have been present over winter and in the summer a Tree Pipit has been singing from the top of the pine trees.  In Spring the sides of the plantation are covered in Cowslips and later in June Common Spotted Orchids.


The Lye Way Bridleway is a sheltered spot and if there are no trail bikes and is dry it is a good spot for spring butterflies such as Orange Tip and Holly Blue.


The open fields of the Rotherfield estate are good for winter thrushes, Grey and Red-legged Partridge, Buzzard and Red Kite.  Marbled White butterflies are prolific in summer.



Plain Farm, Charlwood and Lye Way Lane


The fields around Plain Farm are good for both Grey and Red-legged Partridge.  Around the cottages are hold colonies of House Sparrow while the hedgerows and wildlife strips have good numbers of Linnet, Yellowhammer and Chaffinch.  In spring this is the most reliable spot for a passage Willow Warbler, while Whitethroat breed.  


Brown Hare and Roe Deer can be seen almost anywhere.  Winchester Wood is good for Brambling in the winter.


The fields around Charlwood can support very large flocks of Golden Plover in the winter, their presence though is intermittent.  Kestrel, Buzzard and Red Kite are almost always present.


The footpath from Charlwood across the fields can produce Redstart and Whinchat on passage.


Lye Way Lane is probably the best place to find a Wheatear on passage in both spring and autumn.  In spring they can be found in amongst the sheep and lambs, while in autumn they prefer the ploughed fields


Late April always seems to turn up good passage birds here with regular Whitethroat and Redstart and Whinchat.  Yellowhammer are present all the year round while both Grey and Red-legged Partridges can be found around the farm buildings.



Andrew's Lane and Lye Way Road


Andrew's Lane is a narrow hedgerow lined lane that opens out into paddocks.  It was here that I found a Ring Ouzel in April 2014, but it is good for both Green and Great spotted Woodpecker, Swallows around the horse stables and Stock Dove.


The Desmond Paddocks are good in the winter and spring for wandering Mediterranean, Lesser Black-backed  and Common Gulls, plus Raven at the start of spring as the lambing season begins.  Meadow Pipits can be seen on passage and there have been sightings of Redstart and Stonechat, but irregular, around the hedges in the autumn.


The fields around Lye Way Road are good in winter for Golden Plover and Lapwing, and in spring Wheatear can be found if the crops are low.  In summer the footpath leading from the top of Andrew's Lane north is good for Marbled White, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Meadow Brown butterflies.




Weathermore Lane, Lords Wood, Kitwood Lane

Accessed from Telegraph Lane a footpath leads to Weathermore Lane through stands of Ash Beech and Birch trees.  Winter thrushes can be seen feeding in the leaf litter and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker are easy to spot in the winter.


Weathermore Lane is covered by gnarled oak boughs stretching across the lane to form a canopy, in early spring the moss stands out in the sunshine.  Nuthatches call from the tree tops, Marsh Tits are common and in winter it is a good place for Lesser Redpoll.


Weathermore Lane comes out onto Brightstone Lane and just to confirm the fact that anything can turn up the site of a fly over of a flock of Black-tailed Godwits in 2015.  Lord's Wood  has changed over the years, when I first visited it was a very damp place and difficult to walk through but over the last few years new paths have been laid and it is easier to navigate.  A mixture of both conifers and deciduous trees bluebells can be found in spring.  The highlight here has been Crossbills in the pine and larch trees.


From Lords Wood the path winds up a Hazel lined path.  On either side are fields where Red-legged Partridges and Pheasants can be seen.  Buzzards and Red Kite are regular overhead, with the occasional Raven.  The fields leading to Headmore Lane have seen Redstart, Whinchat and Yellow Wagtail on autmun passage.

Brislands Lane to Gilbert Street

Brislands Lane starts as a part of the village with significant Oak and Ash trees lining the lane.  Here, in winter Redwing and Fieldfare can be seen in the paddocks, and Bullfinches hide amongst the scrub.  In spring both Goldcrest and Firecrest are regular singing from within the gardens.


The lane quickly opens out with fields on either side as you approach Old Down Wood.  The hedgerows are good for Whitethroat and Yellowhammer in spring, while the verge is lined with Lesser Celandine, Wood Anemone and Bluebells before the Bracken and Cow Parsley take over into summer.


The lane winds down hill to Gilbert Street with views across to Old Down.  The verges are lined with Ransoms and can good for early spring butterflies such as Red Admiral, Peacock, Green-veined White and Orange Tip.  


In the fields are the occasional Red-legged Partridges and depending on the crop planting both Redwing and Fieldfare in spring.  The barns also hold a large colony of House Sparrows and is a reliable spot for both Pied and Grey Wagtail in winter.


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