Marston Thrift

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.0651, -0.5832

Also within

Bedfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (3)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP971416 Favourable 18.76 2020-10-01
SP972421 Favourable 5.42 2020-10-01
SP973415 Favourable 13.47 2020-10-01

Description

Area, 37.41 hectares 92.44 ac Description Marston thrift is an example of ash/maple woodland, characteristic of the heavy Oxford and Boulder Clays. It represents a habitat which has become increasingly scarce in Bedfordshire and over its natural range in lowland England. The wood is characteristic of an ancient, semi natural woodland, formerly managed as coppice with standards. The wood is benefiting from the re establishment of this traditional form of management in some areas. The tree canopy consists mainly of overgrown ash Fraxinus excelsior coppice with pedunculate oak Quercus robur over a shrub layer dominated by coppiced hazel Corylus avellana and a good variety of other species including field maple Acer campestre, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, privet Ligustrum vulgare, crab apple Malus sylvestris, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata. The ground flora is characteristic of the dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis/bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta association, limited by shading in much of the wood but including species associated with ancient woodland sites such as yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides, wood millet Milium effusum and wood melick Melica uniflora. An outlying population of Forster’s wood rush Luzula forsteri occurs here at its only known station in Bedfordshire. Additional habitats are provided by the rides which support damp grassland communities, often dominated by pendulous sedge Carex pendula in the wettest parts with other species including tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, rushes Juncus spp., meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, greater bird’s foot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus and common centaury Centaurium erythraea. Marston thrift is an important site in Bedfordshire for butterflies, including species that are locally uncommon e.g. purple hairstreak Favonius quercus and a national rarity at its only known site in the county. The western meadow consists of a small valley whose steep sides support a similar short acidic grassland community with moss carpets. There is some variation and additional species including brown bent grass Agrostis canina, harebell Campanula rotundifolia and the hawkeed Hieracium subaudum. Another moss is also found, neat feather moss, Pseudoscleropodium purum growing in areas of slightly longer more neutral grassland. Scrub is scattered within the site and parts of the western valley slope have invasive bracken Pteridium aquilinum where the grassland is not cut for hay as elsewhere.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
purple hairstreak Favonius quercus LC butterfly lycaenidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
velvet bent Agrostis canina LC grass poaceae
wood false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum LC grass poaceae
tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa LC grass poaceae
wood melick Melica uniflora NT grass poaceae
wood millet Milium effusum LC grass poaceae
wood anemone Anemone nemorosa LC herb ranunculaceae
harebell Campanula rotundifolia LC herb campanulaceae
common centuary Centaurium erythraea LC herb gentianaceae
wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides LC herb euphorbiaceae
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
Autumn hawkweed Hieracium subaudum Not listed in GB list herb asteraceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon LC herb lamiaceae
greater bird's-foot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus LC herb fabaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
neat feather moss Pseudoscleropodium purum LC moss hypnales
southern woodrush Luzula forsteri LC rush juncaceae
pendulous sedge Carex pendula LC sedge cyperaceae
midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata LC shrub rosaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
wild privet Ligustrum vulgare LC shrub oleaceae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
crab apple Malus sylvestris LC tree rosaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Chequered skipper
Carterocephalus palaemon
Endangered Brachypodium sylvaticum
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus robur
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp.
Maple pug
Eupithecia inturbata
Endangered Acer campestre
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna, Malus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp.
Wood white
Leptidea sinapis
Endangered Lotus pedunculatus
Glanville fritillary
Melitaea cinxia
Endangered Hieracium spp.
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Black hairstreak
Satyrium pruni
Endangered Prunus spinosa
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Hieracium spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Pteridium aquilinum
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Dingy skipper
Erynnis tages
Vulnerable Lotus pedunculatus
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Filipendula ulmaria, Hieracium spp.
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Brachypodium sylvaticum, Deschampsia cespitosa
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
The anomalous
Stilbia anomala
Vulnerable Deschampsia cespitosa
Brown hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Vulnerable Prunus spinosa
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Malus sylvestris, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Prunus spinosa, Pteridium aquilinum
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Agrostis spp.
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Broad-barred white
Hecatera bicolorata
Near Threatened Hieracium spp.
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Agrostis spp., Brachypodium sylvaticum
Clay fan-foot
Paracolax tristalis
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Common fan-foot
Pechipogo strigilata
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Frosted green
Polyploca ridens
Near Threatened Quercus robur

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.

Plant communities

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 13 species from the description above: Anemone nemorosa, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Corylus avellana, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Ligustrum vulgare, Malus sylvestris, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Pteridium aquilinum, Quercus robur

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 8 species from the description above: Acer campestre, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Corylus avellana, Filipendula ulmaria, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Pteridium aquilinum

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Matches 8 species from the description above: Anemone nemorosa, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Pteridium aquilinum, Quercus robur

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 5 species from the description above: Agrostis canina, Anemone nemorosa, Campanula rotundifolia, Deschampsia cespitosa, Filipendula ulmaria

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis