Fancott Woods and Meadows

Also within

Bedfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Description

Area, 13.26 hectares 32.76 ac Description Fancott meadows are mainly ancient ridge and furrow, exhibiting the characteristic species richness of unimproved neutral grassland traditionally managed for hay and grazing. Such grasslands are confined to the south of the country where they have been severely reduced by changes in agricultural practice. Part of the site is surrounded by a strip of semi natural woodland with a varied ground flora and providing shelter for the meadow. The meadows exhibit a variety of vegetation types chiefly dependent on the drainage conditions. The wettest parts are dominated by meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria with ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and a good population of common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii. The drier grassland has mostly red fescue Festuca rubra with quaking grass Briza media, crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, meadow fescue Schedonorus pratensis, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, sedges Carex spp. and a rich variety of herbs, including species characteristic of old meadows and now uncommon in the county such as pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and green winged orchid Anacamptis morio for which Fancott meadows are the best known site in Bedfordshire. The open woodland canopy is dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior with other species including pedunculate oak Quercus robur and alder Alnus glutinosa in the wetter area. The shrub laying is variable and includes field maple Acer campestre and hazel Corylus avellana over a ground flora with bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, primrose Primula vulgaris and wood sanicle Sanicula europaea. The wood is the only recorded site in the county for the hybrid sedge Carex pseudaxillaris. A small pond in the meadow provides additional interest.

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.