West Park Meadows is a nature reserve located off West Road, between Chaddesden and Spondon.
The site has different habitats which are important for wildlife. You will see areas of grassland, hedges, scrub, a pond and woodland - all in an area of less than four hectares! The rocks under your feet here are all soft red clays, called Mercian Mudstone. These clays hold water, making the soil fairly wet.
The area is also an important area of open space for local people. A number of footpaths let you get to the site.
Since 1993, Derby City Council has worked with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England and local people to improve and manage the site.
The Council declared the site a Local Nature Reserve on 18 November 1998.
History of West Park Meadows
Until the late 18th Century, Spondon was located within seven parcels of land. This land stretched from Locko Park to the River Derwent and from Raynesway to Ockbrook. Three were open arable fields: Derby Field, Brook Field and Burrow Field. Two were areas of pastureland: The Leys and Waste. One was an area of common land: Moor. The other was common meadow.
Under the Enclosure Act of 1789, the first six were fenced off to make smaller, private fields. West Park Meadows was contained in Derby Field.
At this time, a property known as Spondon Field House stood to the east of the site, on land where West Park Community School now is.
Owned by the Osborne family, the house was rebuilt in about 1814. It stood at the top of what was then known as Brandy Lane, now Park Road.
Within the grounds were three fish ponds, dating from the thirteenth century. These provided food for the village. There is only one pond remaining today.
The parkland, where the house was built, stretched from West Road to Derby Road. The footpath along the northern boundary was the route for bringing coffins from Chaddesden for burial in Spondon Churchyard. Before 1347, burial rights had not been granted in Chaddesden.
In 1850, Frederick Arkwright, a member of the Arkwright family of Cromford, bought Spondon Field House. By 1870, it had been sold to Horace Devas. It remained the residence of the Devas family until the early 1920s. During their residence, the name of the house was changed to 'The Hall'. After the First World War, the house fell rapidly into disuse. It was demolished in the 1930s for safety reasons.
All you can now see of the property, other than parts of the old boundary wall, are the two gate pillars which formed the main entrance. It was thought these pillars used to be sited at St. Helen's House on King Street in Derby. But now it is thought they were built specially for the house, probably after it was acquired by the Devas family. The gate pillars are Grade II* listed structures. Today, they form the entrance to West Park Community School on Park Road.
If you would like to know more, then download a copy of our West Park Meadows Local Nature Reserve leaflet 
263kb designed by pupils from West Park Community School. For leaflets on other areas of natural history in the city, then visit our walks and nature trails webpage.
You can also visit the wildlife and geology displays at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery, or contact the Derby Natural History Society 
or the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust for information on natural history in the city.
A management plan for West Park Meadows Local Nature Reserve 1.61mb has been produced by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust for the Council.
For further information contact
Derby City Council
Regeneration and Community
Roman House
Friar Gate
Derby DE1 1XB
Telephone 01332 255021 Minicom 01332 256666 Fax 01332 255989 email wildderby@derby.gov.uk