Mappp.co - Sudborough Green Lodge Meadows

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SP970841	—	Favourable	13.63	2020-07-29

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk, Glacial Till, Limestone

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 13.5 hectares 33.35 ac Description Two adjacent hay meadows on gently undulating boulder clay, the larger of which is agriculturally unimproved with extensive medieval ridge and furrow. The sward mostly comprises a characteristic example of the crested dog’s tail common knapweed lady’s bedstraw sub community. In discrete areas an uncommon upright brome Bromus erectus occurs. The smaller meadow is of a semi improved but herb rich character and is managed similarly. The major grassland type has a widespread distribution in Britain though centred on the more calcareous of the Midland clay lands. Agricultural change has drastically reduced its former extent and this site is now the largest and best, traditionally managed example of its kind in Northamptonshire. The upright brome community is of considerable scientific interest since it is believed to be restricted to very few localities in the East Midlands and is regarded as a link between unimproved mesotrophic grasslands* and those of chalk and limestone soils. The smaller hay meadow is the result of an experiment to recreate attractive grasslands. It offers great potential for research in this subject. The sward is a typically variable mixture of grasses and herbs. Of the former, red fescue Festuca rubra, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, common bent Agrostis capillaris and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus are most frequent. Other grasses include quaking grass Briza media, downy oat grass and meadow oat grass Avenula pubescens, A. pratense and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. Many herb species occur abundantly, e.g. common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, cowslip Primula veris, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus and clovers Trifolium species. The poorly drained furrows and a damp strip of unmanaged coarse grassland support a distinct community type that of Yorkshire fog tufted hair grass. Those parts of the larger meadow where the soil is most freely drained and with a high lime content also show marked botanical differences. Upright brome, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule and sedge Carex flacca are locally abundant. Among the more notable species are fairy flax Linum catharticum, green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus and common milkwort Polygala vulgaris. Ponds, scattered scrub, mature willow trees, a ditch side community of tall herbs and bordering hedgerows all provide additional wildlife habitats. The presence of wild pear Pyrus pyraster gives added interest.* Mesotrophic grasslands are those typically of deep loams or clays comprising species showing a preference for soils that are neither too acid nor too alkaline and neither too wet not too dry. They constitute the majority of the well drained permanent agricultural grasslands used for grazing and mowing.

Species mentioned

Show the 23 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
adders-tongue fern	Ophioglossum vulgatum	LC	fern	ophioglossaceae
common bent	Agrostis capillaris	LC	grass	poaceae
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
downy oat grass	Avenula pubescens	LC	grass	poaceae
quaking grass	Briza media	VU	grass	poaceae
upright brome	Bromus erectus	Not listed in GB list	grass	poaceae
red fescue	Festuca rubra	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
yellow oat grass	Trisetum flavescens	LC	grass	poaceae
green-winged orchid	Anacamptis morio	NT	herb	orchidaceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
dwarf thistle	Cirsium acaule	VU	herb	asteraceae
rough hawkbit	Leontodon hispidus	LC	herb	asteraceae
fairy flax	Linum catharticum	LC	herb	linaceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
ribwort plantain	Plantago lanceolata	LC	herb	plantaginaceae
common milkwort	Polygala vulgaris	VU	herb	polygalaceae
salad burnet	Poterium sanguisorba	VU	herb	rosaceae
cowslip	Primula veris	LC	herb	primulaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
pepper saxifrage	Silaum silaus	EN	herb	saxifragaceae
glaucus sedge	Carex flacca	LC	sedge	cyperaceae
a wild pear	Pyrus pyraster	Not listed in GB list	tree	rosaceae

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
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Linum catharticum, Lotus corniculatus
Marsh moth Athetis pallustris	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula veris
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus, Poterium sanguisorba
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Rhinanthus minor
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca rubra
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Poterium sanguisorba
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Plantago lanceolata
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca

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, Carex flacca, Festuca rubra, Rhinanthus minor

Show 107 indicator species

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 4 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Plantago lanceolata

Show 49 indicator species

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 2 species from the description above: Holcus lanatus, Poterium sanguisorba

Show 81 indicator species

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