Swineshead Wood

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.2896, -0.4450

Also within

Bedfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TL059668 Favourable 9.01 2011-05-03
TL062668 Favourable 12.85 2011-05-03

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 21.57 hectares 53.3 ac Description Swineshead Wood demonstrates the structural and biological diversity associated with ancient, semi-natural woodland. The wood is an example of ash/maple woodland, characteristic of heavy Oxford and Boulder Clay and has been managed in the past as coppice with standards. Uniformly wet, this site has a rich flora including species associated with ancient woodland sites. The woodland represents a habitat that has become increasingly scarce both within Bedfordshire and nationally. The woodland canopy is dominated by pedunculate oak Quercus robur and ash Fraxinus excelsior over a diverse shrub community with coppiced ash, field maple Acer campestre and hazel Corylus avellana which becomes locally dominant. Other species in the shrub layer include dogwood Cornus sanguinea, wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana, crab apple Malus sylvestris and midland hawthorn Cratagaeus laevigata. aspen Populus tremula forms small groves. bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis locally dominate the ground flora. Bramble Rubus fruticosus becomes common towards the eastern edge and primrose Primula vulgaris along the northern edge. Other species include the grasses false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, wood meadow grass Poa nemoralis, tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa and wood barley Hordelymus europaeus occurring here at one of its few county localities together with remote sedge Carex remota and wood sedge Carex sylvatica. Pendulous sedge Carex pendula is a feature of the damp rides together with species which include meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi, creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia and various rushes Juncus species. Additional habitat is provided by a green lane and hedge which borders the southern edge of the wood. Re presentation of details approved by Council.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
wood false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum LC grass poaceae
tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa LC grass poaceae
wood barley Hordelymus europaeus VU grass poaceae
wood meadow grass Poa nemoralis LC grass poaceae
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
creeping-Jenny Lysimachia nummularia LC herb primulaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi LC herb carophyllaceae
pendulous sedge Carex pendula LC sedge cyperaceae
remote sedge Carex remota LC sedge cyperaceae
wood sedge Carex sylvatica LC sedge cyperaceae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana LC shrub caprifoliaceae
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
aspen Populus tremula LC tree salicaceae
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
Dark bordered beauty
Epione vespertaria
Endangered Populus tremula
Maple pug
Eupithecia inturbata
Endangered Acer campestre
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Malus spp.
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Endangered Primula vulgaris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Filipendula ulmaria, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Populus spp., Quercus spp., Viburnum lantana
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Rubus fruticosus
Scarce chocolate-tip
Clostera anachoreta
Vulnerable Populus spp., Populus tremula
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Populus tremula, Quercus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Filipendula ulmaria
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Brachypodium sylvaticum, Deschampsia cespitosa
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Populus spp., Quercus spp.
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Rubus fruticosus
The anomalous
Stilbia anomala
Vulnerable Deschampsia cespitosa
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Malus sylvestris, Populus spp., Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus robur
No common name
Zeugophora turneri
Vulnerable Populus tremula
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Purple emperor
Apatura iris
Near Threatened Populus tremula
Minor shoulder-knot
Brachylomia viminalis
Near Threatened Populus tremula
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Populus spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Poa spp.
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Populus 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 Populus tremula
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened 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 9 species from the description above: Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Malus sylvestris, Mercurialis perennis, Quercus robur, Viburnum lantana

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 6 species from the description above: Acer campestre, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Corylus avellana, Filipendula ulmaria, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis

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

Matches 1 species from the description above: Brachypodium sylvaticum

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