Ashton Wold
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL091875 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 54.04 | 2011-01-04 |
Habitats
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| woodcock | Breeding |
Description
Area, 52.2 hectares 129 ac Description The central block of woodland which comprises Ashton Wold and Bluestone Covert is a good example of ancient secondary woodland which is developing into a ‘natural’ woodland. The woodland is growing over ridge and furrow and is known to date from before 1824. The tree canopy is made up of very large mature oaks Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior and occasional birch Betula pendula. Elm Ulmus sp. was at one time an important feature but was removed after it had been devastated by Dutch elm disease. The shrub layer is a very dense mixture of ash saplings, elm suckers, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata, hazel Corylus avellana and buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica. The ground flora is sparse. In places bramble Rubus fruticosus and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis predominates. Male fern Dryopteris filix-mas being especially common under the ash. Other typical herbs include ground ivy Glechoma hederacea, herb Bennet Geum urbanum, herb Robert Geranium robertianum and along some ride edges sanicle Sanicula europaea. Red currant Ribes sylvestris is also found occasionally. In the past the woodland has been noted for a number of species of rare butterflies and moths; these have been subject to reintroduction experiments in recent years. The surrounding plantation, scrub and fields add to the general diversity of the area. Most of the common woodland birds are well represented and there are recent breeding records for both woodcock and hawfinch.
Species mentioned
Show the 17 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hawfinch | Coccothraustes coccothraustes | EN (Breeding) | bird-finch | fringillidae |
| woodcock | Scolopax rusticola | LC (NonBreeding), VU (Breeding) | bird-woodcock | scolopacidae |
| male fern | Dryopteris filix-mas | LC | fern | dryopteridaceae |
| herb Robert | Geranium robertianum | LC | herb | geraniaceae |
| herb bennet | Geum urbanum | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| ground ivy | Glechoma hederacea | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| dog's mercury | Mercurialis perennis | LC | herb | euphorbiaceae |
| bramble | Rubus fruticosus | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| sanicle | Sanicula europaea | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| midland hawthorn | Crataegus laevigata | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica | LC | shrub | rhamnaceae |
| red currant | Ribes sylvestris | Not listed in GB list | shrub | grossulariaceae |
| birch | Betula pendula | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna, Rhamnus cathartica |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Rhamnus cathartica |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Geum urbanum, Rubus fruticosus |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Betula pendula, Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Kentish glory Endromis versicolora |
Near Threatened | Betula pendula |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Quercus 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 |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Crataegus spp., Quercus spp. |
| Clay fan-foot Paracolax tristalis |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Common fan-foot Pechipogo strigilata |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Frosted green Polyploca ridens |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Glechoma hederacea |
| 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 12 species from the description above: Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Dryopteris filix-mas, Fraxinus excelsior, Geranium robertianum, Geum urbanum, Glechoma hederacea, Mercurialis perennis, Quercus robur, Rhamnus cathartica
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
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 5 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Geranium robertianum, Geum urbanum, Mercurialis perennis
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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
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