Hill Rise, Bedford

Coordinates: 52°08′55″N 0°28′14″W / 52.148712°N 0.470495°W / 52.148712; -0.470495
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hill Rise is a 0.9 hectare Local Nature Reserve (LNR) located in the Harpur area of Bedford. It is owned and managed by Bedford Borough Council.[1][2]

The site was the Bedfordshire Training Home for Girls, founded in 1882 to prepare poor girls for domestic service. This closed by the 1970s, and the land became a derelict dumping ground. In the 1990s local residents campaigned for the site to become an LNR, and this was achieved in 1996.[3] The small site is surrounded on three sides by houses, but it has a variety of habitats, woodland, meadow, scrub and two ponds. Wildlife includes muntjac deer, foxes, birds, dragonflies and butterflies.[1][4]

There is access from Park Road North.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Hill Rise". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Map of Hill Rise". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  3. ^ "History". Hill Rise Nature Reserve. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Welcome to Hill Rise Nature Reserve". Hill Rise Nature Reserve. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.

52°08′55″N 0°28′14″W / 52.148712°N 0.470495°W / 52.148712; -0.470495