Ramsden Corner Plantation

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.2030, -1.0887

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1) Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP623564 Favourable 2.87 2014-07-17
SP623565 Unfavourable Recovering 0.35 2011-08-05

Description

Area, 3.5 hectares 8.6 ac Description Ramsden Corner Plantation is an area of grassland, woodland and scrub developed over clay and Northampton Sand along a stream valley. The acidic grassland represents an example of a community type which is now rare in Northamptonshire and in Britain as a whole. The sward is dominated by common bent Agrostis capillaris and brown bent A. canina with abundant sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, sheep’s sorrel Rumex acetosella and heath bedstraw Galium saxatile and occasional tormentil Potentilla erecta and cat’s ear Hypochaeris radicata. There is a gradient of variation in the flora reflecting variation in soil base status and drainage and the grassland towards the southern part of the site includes neutral grassland elements such as false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius and tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa. Broadleaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine has been recorded from this part of the site. The woodland consists of acid pedunculate oak hazel ash woodland which has become reestablished since the area was cleared at around the beginning of the century. There is a transition from the light soil form of this woodland type on the higher ground in the southern part of the site to the heavy soil form on clay soils adjacent to the stream. The woodland supports a number of plants including wood millet Milium effusum, wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella, wood vetch Vicia sylvatica which indicates that the site has ancient woodland affinities. Bitter vetch Lathyrus montanus, wood horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum and opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium have also been recently recorded from the site, the latter being found in the wet flushes along the west facing slope.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
common bent Agrostis capillaris LC grass poaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius LC grass poaceae
tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa LC grass poaceae
wood millet Milium effusum LC grass poaceae
opposite-leaved golden- saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium LC herb saxifragaceae
broad-leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine DD herb orchidaceae
wood horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum NT herb equisetaceae
heath bedstraw Galium saxatile LC herb rubiaceae
cat's-ear Hypochaeris radicata LC herb asteraceae
bitter vetchling Lathyrus montanus Not listed in GB list herb fabaceae
wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella LC herb oxalidaceae
tormentil Potentilla erecta LC herb rosaceae
sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella NT herb polygonaceae
wood vetch Vicia sylvatica Not listed in GB list herb fabaceae

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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Fiery clearwing
Pyropteron chrysidiformis
Endangered Rumex acetosella
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Rumex spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Galium spp.
Garden dart
Euxoa nigricans
Vulnerable Rumex spp.
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Deschampsia cespitosa
Bedstraw hawk-moth
Hyles gallii
Vulnerable Galium spp.
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Potentilla erecta
The anomalous
Stilbia anomala
Vulnerable Deschampsia cespitosa
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Agrostis spp.
The Silurian
Eriopygodes imbecilla
Near Threatened Galium saxatile
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Galium spp., Rumex spp.
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Agrostis spp.
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Arrhenatherum elatius
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Galium spp., Rumex 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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 5 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Galium saxatile, Oxalis acetosella

Salix 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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Oxalis acetosella

Hedera 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

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius

Hedera 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

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa