Oxhouse Farm
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP295507 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 5.57 | 2023-09-06 |
| SP299508 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 6.31 | 2023-09-06 |
| SP301507 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 3.34 | 2023-09-06 |
| SP306506 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 1.95 | 2023-09-06 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Limestone
Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| kestrel | Breeding |
| nightingale | Breeding |
| sparrowhawk | Breeding |
Description
Area, 17.4 ha. 43 ac. Description Oxhouse Farm lies in the valley of the River Dene in south Warwickshire. The site comprises three herb rich meadows and the adjacent railway line which was abandoned in1966. It lies on beds of shales, mudstones and limestones of the Upper Rhaetic which have given rise to alkaline soils favouring a limestone flora. The grassland is characterised by upright brome Bromus erectus and tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum which are found together with typical calcicolous species such as quaking grass Briza media and glaucous sedge Carex flacca. The banks of the railway line with their shallow soils are species rich with locally abundant salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, cowslips Primula veris and wild basil Clinopodium vulgare. Noteworthy species are yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata, spiny rest-harrow Ononis spinosa, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria and strawberry clover Trifolium fragiferum with colonies of dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria and the scarce fine leaved vetch Vicia tenuifolia. Along the trackway thirty seven species of grass have been recorded including large colonies of rat’s tail fescue Vulpia myuros and fern grass Catapodium rigidum. A species rich shrub layer lines each side of the track with hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, blackthorn Prunus spinosa and traveller’s joy Clematis vitalba occurring commonly and also wild privet Ligustrum vulgare, dogwood Cornus sanguinea, wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana and willows Salix cinerea and Salix aurita. The eastern grazed field is species rich with abundant knapweed Centaurea nigra and C. scabiosa, woolly thistle Cirsium eriophorum and devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis. The western field is old ridge and furrow with lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria, knapweeds and wild carrot Daucus carota on the dry ridges and damp loving species in the furrows. The central field is not as species rich as the others but includes typical communities of cowslips, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, spiny rest harrow and woolly thistle. All three fields are surrounded by wide hedgerows with numerous cliff shrubs. At their lower ends is the alluvial flood plain of the River Dene. The meadows this supports all slope gently down to the communities of meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria and meadow cranesbill Geranium pratense as well as scattered scrub. The mosaic of grassland, scrub and hedgerow has provided an important habitat for invertebrates particularly butterflies. Twenty six species are regularly present, amongst them marbled white, dark green fritillary, brown argus and white-letter hairstreak. The meadows are also covered by numerous ant hills. Another notable feature of Oxhouse Farm is the farmland bird community with many warblers breeding in hedgerows and along the railway line and regular breeding records of nightingale, all three woodpecker, green woodpecker, greater spotted woodpecker and lesser spotted woodpecker and several birds of prey including sparrowhawk and kestrel.
Species mentioned
Show the 37 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp. |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Crataegus spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Prunus spinosa, Salix spp. |
| Least minor Photedes captiuncula |
Endangered | Carex flacca |
| Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa |
| Sussex emerald Thalera fimbrialis |
Endangered | Daucus carota |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Poterium sanguisorba |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp., Viburnum lantana |
| Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta |
Vulnerable | Salix cinerea, Salix spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Salix spp. |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Scabiosa columbaria, Succisa pratensis |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Galium spp., Salix spp. |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Trifolium spp. |
| White-line dart Euxoa tritici |
Vulnerable | Galium verum |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Ononis spp. |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Agrimonia eupatoria, Poterium sanguisorba |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Genista tinctoria |
| Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Salix spp. |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp., Trifolium spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Purple emperor Apatura iris |
Near Threatened | Salix cinerea |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa, Salix aurita, Salix cinerea |
| Minor shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis |
Near Threatened | Salix aurita, Salix cinerea |
| Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata |
Near Threatened | Trifolium spp. |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Dingy mocha Cyclophora pendularia |
Near Threatened | Salix aurita, Salix cinerea |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp. |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Salix spp. |
| White-spotted pug Eupithecia tripunctaria |
Near Threatened | Daucus carota |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Salix spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Carex flacca |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Daucus carota |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Galium 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
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 9 species from the description above: Brachypodium pinnatum, Clematis vitalba, Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Ligustrum vulgare, Poterium sanguisorba, Prunus spinosa, Salix cinerea, Viburnum lantana
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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Matches 4 species from the description above: Carex flacca, Filipendula ulmaria, Salix cinerea, Succisa pratensis
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 2 species from the description above: Filipendula ulmaria, Prunus spinosa
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
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub
Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub
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