Lee Farm Meadow, Tideswell

Also within

Derbyshire County PEAK DISTRICT National Park

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone

Description

Description Lee Farm Meadow lies between Tideswell and Peak Forest on the Carboniferous Limestone plateau of the Peak District. It is a species rich hay meadow having seventy four species of flowering plant and a number of bryophytes; a high number for small hay meadows generally and exceptional for the Peak District where traditionally managed hay meadows on limestone are now rare. The site lies on the limestone, but is more or less covered with windblown loess deposits which are not only less calcareous, but have also become leached. The flora reflects these conditions with calcicolous lime loving species with deep roots penetrating to the underlying limestone and plants preferring more acid conditions growing on the leached loess. The sward of this meadow is dominated by relatively low growing grasses. Amongst these are a wide range of plants including the nationally rare limestone bedstraw Galium sterneri as well as adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, moonwort Botrychium lunaria and burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga. Typical of the leached soils are mountain pansy Viola lutea and bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus. Some species common in the limestone dales but now uncommon on the plateau are present in this meadow, notably early purple orchid Orchis mascula, common twayblade Neottia ovata, field scabious Knautia arvensis and cowslip Primula veris.

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.