Allington Meadows
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK870397 | — | Favourable | 3.86 | 2014-07-04 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| cuckoo | Unknown |
Description
Description This site is an outstanding example of a traditionally managed grassland, supporting plant communities typical of alluvial, calcareous clay and loam soils. Such grassland communities are now rare in the East Midlands as they are particularly vulnerable to agricultural improvement. Allington Meadows comprises five fields of varying size, enclosed by mature hedges with hedgerow trees. To the east, where the site is bordered by the Foston Beck, the hedge contains several fine crack willows. The southern most and largest, field has ridge and furrow topography and has been managed as a traditional hay meadow. A wide range of grasses occurs within the site, including meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, crested dog’s tail, Cynosurus cristatus, red fescue Festuca rubra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum. Associated herbs include common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, field wood rush Luzula campestris, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and cowslip Primula veris. Where the soils are wetter, particularly in the furrows of the southern most field, herbs such as cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi and creeping jenny Lysimachia nummularia occur. Drier areas support plants characteristic of loamy soils, including lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, meadow saxifrage Saxifraga granulataa, common sorrel Rumex acetosa and bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus. A number of meadow and pasture plants which now have a restricted distribution occur within the site. These include pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, betony Betonica officinalis and saw wort Serratula tinctoria.
Species mentioned
Show the 22 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects 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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa |
Critically Endangered | Serratula tinctoria |
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus |
| New forest Zygaena viciae |
Critically Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria |
Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Wood white Leptidea sinapis |
Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Filipendula ulmaria, Rumex acetosa |
| Fiery clearwing Pyropteron chrysidiformis |
Endangered | Rumex acetosa |
| Slender scotch Zygaena loti |
Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Lotus corniculatus, Serratula tinctoria |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Rumex spp. |
| Dingy skipper Erynnis tages |
Vulnerable | Lotus corniculatus |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Galium spp. |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Rumex spp. |
| White-line dart Euxoa tritici |
Vulnerable | Galium verum |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca rubra |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Lotus corniculatus |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Ranunculus spp., Rumex spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp. |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Galium spp., Rumex spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Holcus lanatus |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Galium spp., Rumex spp. |
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
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 4 species from the description above: Festuca rubra, Filipendula ulmaria, Holcus lanatus, Rumex acetosa
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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 4 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Rumex acetosa
Show 40 indicator speciesHedera 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
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Holcus lanatus
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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