Hayley Wood

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.1596, -0.1140

Also within

Cambridgeshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TL291529 Favourable 51.69 2011-05-13

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 52.1 hectares 128.7 ac Description Hayley Wood is one of the largest oxlip Primula elatior woods on the chalky Boulder Clay in Britain. Most of the wood is primary and has a recorded history of over 700 years. Structurally, the wood is coppice with standards of field maple Acer campestre, ash Fraxinus excelsior, hazel Corylus avellana and hawthorn Crataegus spp. below a canopy of pendunculate oak Quercus robur. Small areas have been invaded by small leaved elm Ulmus minor. The soil is heavy and frequently waterlogged, favouring oxlip and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria in the wettest areas with bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon present in the drier parts. Many typicAsperula cyanchicaal ancient woodland plants occur as well as some local ones such as bird’s nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis and pale sedge Carex pallescens. The rides and adjacent grass tracks also hold a rich vascular plant flora. The old parish boundary hedge to the north is also of high wildlife value and is estimated to date from at least the 11th Century. Ponds are present in the wood and these provide an additional habitat of general wildlife value.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon LC herb lamiaceae
birdsnest orchid Neottia nidus-avis VU herb orchidaceae
oxlip Primula elatior LC herb primulaceae
pale sedge Carex pallescens VU sedge cyperaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae
small leaved elm Ulmus minor LC tree ulmaceae

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
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus robur
Maple pug
Eupithecia inturbata
Endangered Acer campestre
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Filipendula ulmaria, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
White-letter hairstreak
Satyrium w-album
Endangered Ulmus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Ulmus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Filipendula ulmaria
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp.
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp.
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Ulmus 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
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
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 4 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, 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 4 species from the description above: Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Filipendula ulmaria, Hyacinthoides non-scripta

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

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum