Worcestershire Record No. 22 April 2007 p. 35

Terry Knight

The public footpath from South Littleton to Middle Littteton crosses an ancient pasture on medieval ridge and furrow known as "Cow Leasow" (more commonly called "The Cow Field") at Grid reference SP079466. In October of most years mushrooms can be found scattered across the field, sometimes forming quite big rings. On 18th October 1995 one such ring in about the centre of the field measured 18.5 metres in diameter. These mushrooms appear to be Field Mushrooms.

Clicking on the map will give a bigger picture, but it is a large file!

However, 2006 was an unusual year. In mid October there were noticeably more toadstools but very few mushrooms in most of the field. Instead the mushrooms were more or less confined to the west side in one nearly continuous irregular line stretching from the north end almost to the south end of the field, a distance of about a quarter of a kilometre. On 19th October this was surveyed for the record and the plan is reproduced here (with one dot representing one isolated fruiting head or a close cluster of them).

The field is grazed by sheep belonging to Mr. Keepence. He was not able to think of any treatment given to the west side that was any different to that given to the rest of the field.