Plashett Park Wood

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.9215, 0.0774

Also within

East Sussex County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ461156 Favourable 157.61 2021-12-14

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
nightingale Breeding
nightjar Breeding

Description

Description This area of ancient woodland on Weald clays contains a rich community of breeding birds. In addition it includes a number of plants and invertebrates which have a nationally restricted distribution. The wood appears on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1816 with much the same shape and extent as at present and it is likely that continuous woodland cover has been maintained since at least the Middle Ages. Although some parts of the wood have been modified by conifer planting the bulk is semi natural. Two nationally uncommon stand types dominate most of the wood and the long term lack of disturbance has allowed the development of a rich flora and fauna. The two predominant stand types are pedunculate oak / hornbeam with birch and hazel and hazel / sessile oak. Both are nationally uncommon and the association of the two is particularly notable. The hazel Corylus avellana and the hornbeam Carpinus betulus have been coppiced in the past. A feature of the wood is the comprehensive ride system which extends throughout, including the coniferous plantations. These rides are lined by goat willow Salix caprea, aspen Populus tremula, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and birch Betula pendula. Alder Alnus glutinosa and ash Fraxinus excelsior line the small ditches and the occasional areas of impeded drainage. Several rare species occur in Plashett Wood. The spiked rampion Phyteuma spicatumis a nationally rare plant which occurs only in Sussex. The lily of the valley Convallaria majalis, although less uncommon, is also well represented. The scrub bordered rides and ancient woodland foster important butterfly and moth populations. Particularly notable are the broad bordered bee hawk moth and purple emperor butterfly. Also among the 25 species of butterfly present are white admiral, purple hairstreak, pearl bordered fritillary and silver washed fritillary. The 67 species of bird which breed include barn owl, little owl, nightjar, nightingale, all 3 woodpecker and the rare woodlark. This number of breeding species is exceptional.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
woodlark Lullula arborea VU (Breeding) bird-lark alaudidae
nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus LC (Breeding) bird-nightjar caprimulgidae
little owl Athene noctua Not listed in GB list bird-owl strigidae
barn owl Tyto alba LC (Breeding) bird-owl tytonidae
nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos VU (Breeding) bird-robin muscicapidae
lilly of the valley Convallaria majalis LC herb liliaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
alder Alnus glutinosa LC tree salicaceae
birch Betula pendula LC tree betulaceae
hornbeam Carpinus betulus LC tree betulaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
aspen Populus tremula LC tree salicaceae
goat willow Salix caprea LC tree shrub salicaceae

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.
Dark bordered beauty
Epione vespertaria
Endangered Populus tremula
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp.
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Alnus glutinosa, Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Salix spp.
Black hairstreak
Satyrium pruni
Endangered Prunus spinosa
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Salix caprea
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Populus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Betula spp.
Scarce chocolate-tip
Clostera anachoreta
Vulnerable Populus spp., Populus tremula, Salix spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Betula spp., Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Populus tremula, Prunus spinosa, Salix spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Salix spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Populus spp., Prunus spinosa, Salix caprea
Brown hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Vulnerable Prunus spinosa
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Populus spp., Prunus spinosa, Salix spp.
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Betula pendula
No common name
Zeugophora turneri
Vulnerable Populus tremula
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Salix caprea
Purple emperor
Apatura iris
Near Threatened Populus tremula, Salix caprea
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Prunus spinosa
Minor shoulder-knot
Brachylomia viminalis
Near Threatened Populus tremula, Salix caprea
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Populus spp., Salix spp.
Dingy mocha
Cyclophora pendularia
Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa, Salix caprea
Kentish glory
Endromis versicolora
Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa, Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Populus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Betula spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Betula spp.
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Populus tremula, Prunus spinosa, Salix spp.
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Salix spp.
White prominent
Leucodonta bicoloria
Regionally Extinct Betula 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 5 species from the description above: Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa

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 2 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, 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

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