Postlebury Wood

Also within

Somerset County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Bracken scrub, Coppiced woodland

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description Postlebury Wood is a large and relatively undisturbed woodland of considerable antiquity, developed on poorly drained Oxford Clays. A double bank and roadway bordering part of the wood probably represents the Anglo Saxon boundary. The first records of the woodland are from documents dated 1182, shortly after which it was incorporated in the Royal Forest of Selwood. The wood is largely composed of oak Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior and hazel Corylus avellana, with alder Alnus glutinosa alongside the small streams. Recent management has resulted in a high forest structure, although it was formerly coppiced and has been used for charcoal production in the past. A wide range of trees and shrubs occur, including maple Acer campestre, hornbeam Carpinus betulus, birch Betula sp, holly Ilex aquifolium, aspen Populus tremula and sallow Salix sp, with dogwood Cornus sanguinea, spindle Euonymus europaeus and guelder rose Viburnum opulus on the more base rich soils. The ground flora is well developed, ranging from communities of bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, bracken Pteridium aquilinum, foxglove Digitalis purpurea and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella on drier and more acid soils, to those of wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides, dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and pendulous sedge Carex pendula on wetter and basic soils. Plants of particular interest recorded include Solomon's seal Polygonatum multiflorum, greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, bird's nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis, broad leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine and autumn crocus Colchicum autumnale. At least two species present, herb paris Paris quadrifolia and woodruff Galium odoratum are generally confined to ancient woodland. Postlebury Wood supports large populations of homostyle primroses, a plant found in only one area outside south east Somerset. These plants, which are unique in that they represent a self fertile form of a normally self sterile species, are of international significance in providing opportunities for genetic studies. Research involving four universities has been carried out in Somerset since 1940. The woodland has a wide range of breeding birds, including buzzard, sparrowhawk, six species each of warbler and tit and the three British woodpecker. Mammals occurring in the wood include badgers, rose, muntjac and fallow deer. A number of uncommon butterfly species have been recorded.

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.

Plant communities