Eridge Green

Also within

East Sussex County High Weald Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Sandstone

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Area, 8.4 ha. 20.7 ac. Description This area of ancient woodland lies on Grinstead clays with outcrops of Tunbridge Wells sandstone. The sandstone outcrops support an unusual flora. Eridge Green is shown as woodland on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1816 and it is likely that woodland cover has been maintained since at least the Middle Ages. The majority of the wood, however, has been modified by broadleaved and conifer plantations and rhododendron is widespread. The woodland canopy helps retain a microclimate of high humidity which favours the sand rock flora. The sandstone outcrops form a cliff face up to 10 metres high. The red or yellow sandstones have been weathered to a dark brown or black by re-deposited iron oxides. Notable species recorded from the rocks include the Tunbridge filmy fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense, the mosses Dicranum scottianum arid Orthodontium gracile and the liverworts Scapania umbrosa, S. gracilis and Harpanthus scutatus. Only the woodland on steep slopes above the rocks is unmodified with mature beech Fagus sylvatica occurring with holly Ilex aquifolium and yew Taxus baccata above a sparse ground flora of bramble Rubus fruticosus. Elsewhere rhododendron and planted sweet chestnut Castanea sativa and larch Larix decidua are fairly widespread amongst the indigenous pedunculate oak Quercus robur, hazel Corylus avellana, birch Betula pendula, ash Fraxinus excelsior, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus and beech. Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta and dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis form a dense ground flora in places. The woodland rides support a flora which includes water pepper Polygonum hydropiper and corn mint Mentha arvensis. A small stream runs through the site but is heavily shaded by trees and contains little vegetation.

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