Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island

The area of Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island date back to the Domesday period, and today, it is one of few areas of riverside grassland that has not been treated with weed killers or fertilisers, which means that a wide variety of plant species can thrive. The meadows are characterised by damp-loving plant species. Management of the meadows includes grazing, to improve the range of the grassland species , provide a more interesting and active landscape, and to encourage the reappearance of species such as marsh orchid and ragged robin Bats, snails, common reptiles, dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies are just some of the wildlife that has been seen in the meadows. It is claimed that Bingley Island gets its name from the Old English words ‘binnan ea ‘which means ‘within a river’. Bingley Island is still encircled by The Stour and its tributaries. The Great Stour Way, an attractive, three mile, traffic free route, runs through Whitehall Meadows following the course of the River Great Stour and linking Canterbury city centre with Chartham.Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island are linked to the city centre park, Westgate Gardens.