In 1997, a small group of parishioners led by Sean Crossman formed a charity, the Combe St. Nicholas Parochial Trust, to acquire and manage the land for the benefit of the community. Money was donated by parishioners to acquire the land and start the clearance of 15 years of scrub and weed growth. About three years later a grant of £6,000 was made by South Somerset District Council to enable conservation projects to go ahead, including path laying, fence construction, new entrances, hedge laying and planting.

Since the formation of the Trust volunteers have met on Saturday mornings to undertake works at the site, including the clearance of scrub, hedge laying and planting. Fences have been erected and bridges built. The grass is kept under control regularly with the use of sheep.

The copse at the top of the field has over a hundred trees. Plans are in hand to thin these out in due course and it anticipated that approximately a third will be thinned over the next few years.

The stream that now feeds the pond at the bottom of the Meade originally followed a course at a higher point and the leat holding the stream fed a corn mill lower down in Wadeford. The site of the leat can be seen near the bridge at the top of the field leading to the large tree at the base of the mound. At times there has been a lack of water in the pond. The Trust has consulted experts from the Somerset Wildlife Trust and concluded that it was necessary to reduce the size of the pond. This work has now been carried out. The source of the stream lies in a field above the village off Combe Head. For further information see Combe’s stream and local rainfall data.

There is some evidence that the mound dominating the field may have been fortified at some stage and there have been finds to indicate ancient industrial activity. At one time a public house, the Golden Hart, was located at a point just inside the entrance near the pond. The pub burned down in 1893.

Visitors will see a stone cairn with a memorial at the upper entrance to the Meade. This is in memory of the Symes brothers, Frank, Jack and Charlie, who gave their lives in the Second World War. They used to run a workshop previously situated near the memorial at top of the field by the road.

Visitors are encouraged. Children must be supervised for health and safety reasons. Due to the frequent presence of sheep no dogs are allowed.