Harnham Water Meadows event to take place this month

The historic event which dates back to the 17th century provided grazing, hay and crafting materials while acting as an important flood defence for the city. 

It remains a valuable flood defence and the up-coming event enables people to watch as the meadows are drowned as water is released from the River Nadder into the River Avon. 

Harnham Water Meadows (Image: Roger Elliot)Read more: What has been achieved so far at the Salisbury River Park Project?

Gabrielle Edwards said: "The so-called Public Drownings are demonstrations put on by the Harnham Water Meadows Trust to show how the Meadows were deliberately flooded once they had been reshaped for the purpose and to explain why there was such advantage to the land owners.

"Visitors to observe these demonstrations should be aware that the Meadows are both damp and uneven."

The water meadows sit at the confluence of the two rivers between West Harnham and Salisbury, it includes about 100 acres of historic bedwork water meadows. Harnham Water Meadows Trust owns about 50 per cent of the meadows but manages all of them. 

There are two events taking place. 

The first event is on Saturday, January 27 and the second is on Saturday, February 10.

Starting at 10am, there will be a brief talk on the meadows and its history followed by a walk to the demonstration area. 

Rose Cottage will be open to visitors, and light refreshments will be available.