Pipewell Woods

Also within

Northamptonshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 81.0 hectares 200.1 ac Description Pipewell Woods consist of several small contiguous woodlands which together comprise one of the largest remaining remnants of the ancient Royal Forest of Rockingham. They lie on calcareous Boulder clay and constitute a good example of wet ash maple woodland both in its typical form and in a nationally rare form. The structure of the woods is interesting, being almost entirely coppice with standards under active management until very recently. This kind of woodland habitat is declining both nationally and within Northamptonshire and is of special interest for the history of its past management. The canopy is dominated by pedunculate oak Quercus robur with ash Fraxinus excelsior and occasionally birch Betula pendula present in some areas. The coppiced shrub layer is of various ages with the majority over mature and consists mainly of hazel Corylus avellana, field maple Acer campestre and ash, with dogwood Cornus sanguinea occurring occasionally. The ground flora is diverse and variable with dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and false brome grass Brachypodium sylvaticum occurring in the drier areas and tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, sedges and rushes found on the damper soils. The county rarities giant bellflower Campanula latifolia, herb paris Paris quadrifolia and wood speedwell Veronica montana have been recorded. Rides and open grassy areas provide additional habitats for plants, invertebrates and birds. Several old boundary banks and ditches with occasional pollarded oaks are also of interest.

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.