Bradfield Woods

Also within

Suffolk County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Bracken scrub, Coppiced woodland, Hedgerow scrub

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 83.0 ha. 205.0 ac. Description These woods are almost entirely of ancient origin and contain the largest area of actively worked coppice with standards woodland in Suffolk. Felsham Hall Wood and Monk’s Park, a compartmented former deer park, have a long history of continuous coppicing dating from before 1252 and this, coupled with their great complexity of soil types and drainage has produced a tremendous diversity of species that would otherwise be unable to co exist. Over 370 species of plants have been recorded, a total surpassed only in two or three other locations. Chensil Grove and Hedge Wood are satellites to this main area of woodland. Felsham Hall Wood and Monk’s Park contain a complex mosaic of stand types including extensive areas of plateau alder woodland and acid pedunculate oak hazel ash woodland with patches of wet ash maple, acid birch ash lime and lowland hazel pedunculate oak woodland on the more acidic soils. Standards are mainly of oak Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior, silver birch Betula pendula and alder Alnus glutinosa and are mostly less than 70 years old. They form a sparse canopy over a mixed coppice that varies from newly cut to about 30 years growth, in irregular panels. Ash, field maple Acer campestre, cherry Prunus avium and hazel Corylus avellana predominate on calcareous boulder clay soils, whilst the more acidic soils support alder, silver birch, downy birch Betula pubescens, small leaved lime Tilia cordata, hornbeam Carpinus betulus and various species of elm and sallow. Associated shrubs include wild crab apple Malus sylvestris, midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata, spindle tree Euonymus europaeus and holly Ilex aquifolium. A number of older, pollard trees are found on the boundary banks. An immensely rich flora has developed under the influence of coppicing. Dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis or bramble Rubus fruticosus are generally dominant beneath mature coppice with areas of bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, primrose Primula vulgaris, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella. Bracken glades have developed on sand lenses and woodland clearings beneath scattered silver birch and hawthorn. Elsewhere there are large numbers of many rare and uncommon ancient woodland plants such as oxlip Primula elatior, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, ramsons Allium ursinum, water avens Geum rivale, wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides and several species of orchids. A very long list of fungal species has also been recorded in the woods, including two species not previously recorded elsewhere in Britain. The rides are wide and well maintained with a distinctive flora that includes pendulous sedge Carex pendula, hairy wood rush Luzula pilosa, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and nettle leaved bellflower Campanula trachelium. They provide a valuable habitat for insects, particularly moths and butterflies and species of note include the white admiral and green and purple hairstreak butterflies. The woods support a range of woodland birds, including a substantial breeding population of nightingales. Other notable animal species include the dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius which, along with other small mammal species, appears to be favoured by the coppice management. Additional variety is provided by a substantial pond and by a glade known as Hewitt’s Meadow. There are also many small streams, pools and temporary wet hollows which support bryophytes, ferns and other plants requiring high humidity.

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