Wellow Park

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.1965, -0.9776

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (6) Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SK675668 Unfavourable Recovering 20.45 2009-12-08
SK678671 Unfavourable Recovering 16.54 2009-12-08
SK682668 Unfavourable Recovering 22.18 2009-12-08
SK684672 Unfavourable Recovering 27.75 2008-12-23
SK689670 Unfavourable Recovering 14.25 2009-12-08
SK689673 Unfavourable Recovering 27.97 2008-02-22
SK693669 Favourable 6.37 2008-06-15

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description The site comprises the largest remaining example of ash wych elm woodland in Nottinghamshire and is representative of semi natural woodland developed on somewhat base rich clays in the North Midlands. Biology A fine example of semi natural broad leaved woodland developed partly on a north west facing slope on soils derived from the Triassic Keuper Waterstones and partly on fairly level ground on soils derived from the Triassic Keuper Marls. On the slope, the woodland is dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior, wych elm Ulmus glabra and small leaved lime Tilia cordata with a shrub layer characterised by the abundance of hazel Corylus avellana, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and sloe Prunus spinosa. The ground vegetation is locally dominated by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, but is very diverse containing a large number of plants indicative of ancient woodland including ramsons Allium ursinum, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella, primrose Primula vulgaris and giant bellflower Campanula latifolia. On higher, more level, ground to the south the original woodland is replaced by a species rich scrub which has developed following a felling operation. Regrowth of Tilia cordata is a notable element of this scrub as are occasional groves of wild service tree Sorbus torminalis. A number of small watercourses and drainage ditches occur on the site. On the slopes certain of the watercourses have been colonised locally by the opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, while on the higher, level ground drainage ditches are used as breeding sites by amphibia. Additional interest is provided by the numbers and variety of wintering bird species, the quality of the breeding bird community and the diversity of the invertebrate populations.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
ramson Allium ursinum LC herb liliaceae
wood anemone Anemone nemorosa LC herb ranunculaceae
giant bellflower Campanula latifolia VU herb campanulaceae
opposite-leaved golden- saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium LC herb saxifragaceae
yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon LC herb lamiaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella LC herb oxalidaceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
lime small leaved Tilia cordata LC tree malvaceae
wych elm Ulmus glabra LC tree ulmaceae

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
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp.
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Endangered Primula vulgaris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Ulmus spp.
Black hairstreak
Satyrium pruni
Endangered Prunus spinosa
White-letter hairstreak
Satyrium w-album
Endangered Ulmus glabra, Ulmus spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Tilia spp., Ulmus spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Ulmus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Ulmus spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Ulmus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Tilia spp., Ulmus glabra
Brown hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Vulnerable Prunus spinosa
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Ulmus spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Prunus spinosa
Dusky-lemon sallow
Cirrhia gilvago
Near Threatened Ulmus glabra
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Ulmus glabra
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Ulmus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Tilia spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Ulmus spp.
Scarce hook-tip
Sabra harpagula
Near Threatened Tilia cordata

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 8 species from the description above: Allium ursinum, Anemone nemorosa, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Ulmus glabra

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 4 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Mercurialis perennis, Oxalis acetosella, Prunus spinosa

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Anemone nemorosa, Oxalis acetosella

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis