Redgate Woods and Mansey Common

Also within

Nottinghamshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description The site comprises some of the best remaining examples of broad leaved semi natural woodland and neutral grassland in Nottinghamshire and is representative of woodland and grassland developed on the Midland clays. Biology Redgate Woods, A fine example of an ash elm wood developed in part on stiff clays of the Triassic Keuper Marl. The variation in past management together with the range of soil type, slope and aspect present is reflected in the diversity of the stand types and variation in shrub and field layer vegetation. Characteristically, the semi natural stands are dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior, wych elm Ulmus glabra, pedunculate oak Quercus robur and silver birch Betula pendula although, locally, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus is common. hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, hazel Corylus avellana, field maple Acer campestre and privet Ligustrum vulgare are the most frequent shrubs, while the ground layer in some areas is dominated by honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum and bramble Rubus fruticosus and in others by bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta or dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis. The ground vegetation is very diverse, including a wide range of typical ancient woodland species. Additional interest is provided by the presence of species rich glades and by the quality of the breeding bird populations. Mansey Common, A good example of species rich neutral grassland characteristic of rough pasture developed on stiff clay soils. The sward is dominated by tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa with Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and red fescue Festuca rubra also common. Typical plants of this community are lady's bedstraw Galium verum, betony Betonica officinalis, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus and knapweed Centaurea nigra. Additional interest is provided by the adjoining section of Dumble; a narrow, steep sided, wooded valley which possesses a ground flora similar to the flushed slopes of ancient woodland.

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.