Staffhurst Wood

Also within

Surrey County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Coppiced woodland

Description

Description Staffhurst Wood is an ancient wooded common lying on the Weald Clay. Historical information indicates that the site has been continuously wooded since Saxon times. Past woodland management has resulted in a structurally diverse site with many old trees remaining. Little or no replanting has occurred in recent times and thus a complex mosaic of semi natural stand types has been maintained. The canopy is composed largely of pedunculate oak Quercus robur which occurs in pure stands or in association with birch Betula spp., beech Fagus sylvatica ash Fraxinus excelsior and wild service tree Sorbus torminalis. hazel Corylus avellana coppice occurs throughout, except in areas dominated by beech. hornbeam Carpinus betulus coppice is frequent, especially in the western part of the wood. Some parts of the site support a sparse ground flora of bracken Pteridium aquilinum, other areas are carpeted with bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, bramble Rubus fruticosus, wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella and ferns Dryopteris spp. In damper hollows the ground flora is rich and includes primrose Primula vulgaris, yellow pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, bugle Ajuga reptans and thin spiked wood sedge Carex strigosa which is rare in Surrey. More base rich areas in the south eastern part of the wood are characterised by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum and sanicle Sanicula europaea. The old oak trees support a rich lichen flora including Pertusaria coccodes, P. hemisphaerica and Cetraria glauca which is usually found in western Britain. Staffhurst Wood supports an outstanding moth fauna Lepidoptera including six uncommon species. One of these Orthosia populeti has its best known English location at this site.

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.

Plant communities