Marloes Mere


Marloes Mere is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since November 1985 in an attempt to protect its fragile biological elements. The site has an area of 17.17 hectares and is managed by Natural Resources Wales.

Type

This site is notable for its wet acidic vegetation. It lies in a hollow on the Marloes peninsula lined with glacial silt and clay and each winter the pasture floods. Such pasture is rare in West Wales. Scarce plants occur and the shallow winter waters and ponds are frequented by waterfowl.
The mere was common land until 1811; at that time Richard Fenton mentioned that it abounded in medicinal leeches, from which the villagers derived a considerable trade.

Rare species

Rare plants include: