Hanger Wood

Also within

Bedfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 24.12 hectares 59.60 ac Description Hanger Wood is located approximately one kilometre east of the village of Stagsden in north west Bedfordshire. Situated on the poorly drained soils of the boulder clay, the wood extends along the gentle north west facing slope of a narrow ridge. It represents a habitat which is very scarce in Bedfordshire, a poorly wooded county and which has generally declined throughout its range in lowland England. Hanger Wood is one of the best remaining examples of wet ash maple woodland in Bedfordshire exhibiting a flora characteristic of the heavy, slightly basic clay soils. The wood is typical of an ancient, semi natural woodland, formerly managed as coppice with standards with a rich variety of shrubs and adiverse ground flora including species uncommon in the county. Mature pedunculate oak Quercus robur and ash Fraxinus excelsior standards dominate the canopy together with overgrown ash coppice and field maple Acer campestre. The diverse shrub layer is dominated by coppiced hazel Corylus avellana in association with hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata, a species strongly associated with ancient woodland sites. Other species include dogwood Cornus sanguinea, privet Ligustrum vulgare, guelder rose Viburnum opulus and holly Ilex aquifolium. blackthorn Prunus spinosa locally forms dense thickets while wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana and spindle Euonymus europaeus are mainly restricted to the wood margins. Dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta characteristically dominate the ground flora with bramble Rubus fruticosus locally abundant where conditions are slightly drier. Other species also characteristic of ancient woodlands include wood sedge Carex sylvatica, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, wood melick Melica uniflora, wood millet Milium effusum and herb paris Paris quadrifolia, a species uncommon in the county. Additional habitats are provided by the rides which support marshy grassland communities, often dominated by pendulous sedge Carex pendula with meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, valerian Valeriana officinalis, angelica Angelica sylvestris and false fox sedge Carex otrubae.

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.