Welcome to the Malmesbury River Valleys Trust website.

Introduction

The Trust was formed in 1992 to protect Conygre Mead and other areas of land within the river valleys surrounding Malmesbury.

The word “Conygre” means “where rabbits live”.  Before the Reformation the monks at the Abbey used this area as a food source, principally rabbits,  whilst ponds immediately adjacent to the river held fish.  In the mid nineteenth century the railway line was built crossing Conygre Mead.  The line was closed in 1962.  The site was then used as a rubbish dump until 1972 when the land was sold with outline planning permission to a private owner.  Fortunately the site was not developed and it was bought by the Trust in 1992 for £25,000.  Contributions towards the purchase came from Malmesbury Carnival Committee, the Civic Trust, North Wiltshire District Council, and from the Trust’s own members.

It has since flourished and now provides a peaceful haven of some 2.58 hectares for hundreds of different wildlife species and flora.The Trust was given the land at Wynyard Mill at Baskerville in 2002.  This consists of about 0.5 hectares overlooking the town.