Hemingfold Meadow

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.9061, 0.5264

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ777148 Favourable 4.93 2020-07-14

Habitats

Hedgerow scrub

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
cuckoo Unknown

Description

Area, 4.91 ha. 12.13 ac. Description The site consists of two connected lowland meadows on Weald Clay. The meadows are rich in flowering plants and the grassland community present is of a nationally uncommon type. The botanical interest of the site has been retained by grazing and mowing regimes which are sympathetic to the local flora. In addition the meadows have not been fertilised or subject to any substantial agricultural improvement in recent years although the smaller, eastern meadow was ploughed 40 years ago. A discontinuous hedge separates the two meadows. Over 60 species of flowering plant have been recorded from the meadows, a remarkable number considering the small size of the site. The main sward forming species are black knapweed Centaurea nigra, cat's ear Hypochaeris radicata, Yorkshire fog grass Holcus lanatus, red fescue grass Festuca rubra and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum. Plants associated with old, undisturbed meadows are present and include common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis, pignut Conopodium majus, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor and primrose Primula vulgaris. The hedge consists of mature trees of pedunculate oak Quercus robur with an understorey which includes hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and hazel Corylus avellana.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus LC grass poaceae
cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis LC herb brassicaceae
black knapweed Centaurea nigra LC herb asteraceae
pignut Conopodium majus LC herb apiaceae
spotted orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii LC herb orchidaceae
cat's-ear Hypochaeris radicata LC herb asteraceae
oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare LC herb asteraceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor DD herb orobanchaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
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
Black-veined moth
Siona lineata
Critically Endangered Centaurea nigra
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus robur
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Endangered Primula vulgaris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Centaurea spp., Rhinanthus minor
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Festuca rubra
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, 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
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Festuca spp.
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Scarce forester
Jordanita globulariae
Near Threatened Centaurea nigra
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Holcus lanatus
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, Crataegus monogyna, Holcus lanatus, 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

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 4 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Hypochaeris radicata

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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus

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