Brampton Wood

Also within

Cambridgeshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 132 hectares 324 ac Description This is one of the largest remaining blocks of ancient woodland in Cambridgeshire. Situated on the chalky Boulder Clay it is of the wet ash maple woodland type which is nationally restricted to heavy soils in lowland England. The rides support a rich neutral grassland flora, representing additional plant communities which are now uncommon in the county. The variety of habitat makes this a valuable site for invertebrates for which it is additionally noted. Parts of the woodland have been adversely modified by forestry activities but a large area remains as mixed coppice of ash Fraxinus excelsior, field maple Acer campestre and hazel Corylus avellana. Birch Betula sp. and aspen Populus tremula are also frequent throughout the wood, together with occasional oak Quercus robur standards. The woodland provides a rich ground flora of the dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta type. A variety of plants characteristic of ancient woodland sites are present including wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, wood sedge Carex sylvatica, remote sedge Carex remota, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, primrose Primula veris and violets Viola spp. The rides hold a diversity of grassland species, the dominant grasses being smooth meadow grass Poa pratensis, quaking grass Briza media, red fescue Festuca rubra, false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus. The variety of herbs include primrose, yellow pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, greater bird’s foot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor and devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.