Geddington Chase
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP904847 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 39.13 | 2011-06-29 |
Habitats
Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland, Mixed scrub, Montane scrub
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Glacial Till
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Area, 38.8 hectares 95.9 ac Description Geddington Chase is the third largest extant ancient wood in Northamptonshire and was formerly part of the once extensive Royal Forest of Rockingham. The bulk of the Chase is now commercially reafforested and the SSSI defines the biggest discrete block of remaining semi natural broad leaved woodland. The site is a good example of the wet ash maple woods of the Midland Boulder clay, a type which has declined significantly in the county in the last 40 years. In places the original coppice with standards structure is well preserved and elsewhere oak ash high forest provides a contrasting habitat. The tree canopy is predominantly pedunculate oak Quercus robur and ash Fraxinus excelsior over a mixed scrub and coppice layer of hazel Corylus avellana, midland hawthorn Crataegus lsevigata, field maple Acer campestre, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and grey willow Salix cinerea. Mixed plantations occur in some areas. The ground flora is typically diverse with bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, ramsons Allium ursinum and yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon all locally dominant. The wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus which is rare in Northamptonshire, occurs sparsely. Some of the rides contain botanically rich permanent grassland with characteristic species such as sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, field wood rush Luzula campestris, lady’s mantle Alchemilla vestita, cowslip Primula veris and pignut Conopodium majus. The whole complex supports a wide range of common birds and insects.
Species mentioned
Show the 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| tufted hair grass | Deschampsia cespitosa | LC | grass | poaceae |
| lady's mantle | Alchemilla vestita | Not listed in GB list | herb | rosaceae |
| ramson | Allium ursinum | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| pignut | Conopodium majus | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| yellow archangel | Lamiastrum galeobdolon | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| dog's mercury | Mercurialis perennis | LC | herb | euphorbiaceae |
| wild daffodil | Narcissus pseudonarcissus | LC | herb | amaryllidaceae |
| cowslip | Primula veris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| field wood rush | Luzula campestris | LC | rush | juncaceae |
| dogwood | Cornus sanguinea | LC | shrub | cornaceae |
| blackthorn | Prunus spinosa | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| field maple | Acer campestre | LC | tree | aceraceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| grey willow | Salix cinerea | 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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata |
Endangered | Acer campestre |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp. |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta |
Vulnerable | Salix cinerea, Salix spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| The anomalous Stilbia anomala |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa |
| Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Purple emperor Apatura iris |
Near Threatened | Salix cinerea |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa, Salix cinerea |
| Minor shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis |
Near Threatened | Salix cinerea |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Dingy mocha Cyclophora pendularia |
Near Threatened | Salix cinerea |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Salix spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Hyacinthoides non-scripta |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa, Salix spp. |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix 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 |
| Red carpet Xanthorhoe decoloraria |
Near Threatened | Alchemilla 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: Allium ursinum, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Quercus robur, Salix cinerea
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: Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, 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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Matches 3 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Salix cinerea
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