Grove Farm
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST508104 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 19.25 | 2021-06-22 |
| ST510097 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 19.25 | 2021-06-22 |
| ST513095 | — | Favourable | 17.82 | 2009-06-10 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic
Description
Description This site comprises an extensive area of unimproved mesotrophic grassland, a habitat which is now uncommon in Britain. Grove Farm is situated in a broad river valley with gently sloping sides on heavy clay soils of the Evesham and Denchworth series. These soils are poorly drained in places and vary from slightly calcareous, through neutral to slightly acidic in nature. They overlie Fullers Earth deposits of the Mid Jurassic period. The composition of the sward varies with the wetness and acidity of the soil and all three sub communities of the crested Dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus / common knapweed Centaurea nigra mesotrophic grassland community are well represented, together with a variant of the heath grass Danthonia decumbens sub community, which is characterised by an abundance of meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum. The sward includes many grasses which are typically found in unimproved meadows and pastures such as quaking grass Briza media, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, meadow barley Hordeum secalinum, downy oat grass Avenula pubescens and heath grass. There is also an abundance of French oat grass Gaudinia fragilis which in Britain is only found as a major constituent of meadow/pasture sward on four sites in Somerset. Amongst the other species found here are the fern adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and the broad leaved herbs, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, common knapweed, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, cowslip Primula veris, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, betony Betonica officinalis, pepper saxifrage Silaum silausand corky fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides which is a nationally scarce species. Some species are strongly associated with the variant of the heath grass sub community such as meadow thistle, heath spotted orchid Dactylorhiza maculata, hairy lady's mantle Alchemilla filicaulis and lousewort Pedicularis sylvatica together with a number of sedges including carnation sedge Carex panicea, flea sedge C. pulicaris, glaucous sedge Carex flacca and tawny sedge Carex hostiana.
Species mentioned
Show the 24 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa |
Critically Endangered | Serratula tinctoria |
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Least minor Photedes captiuncula |
Endangered | Carex flacca |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Serratula tinctoria |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Succisa pratensis |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Galium spp. |
| White-line dart Euxoa tritici |
Vulnerable | Galium verum |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Genista tinctoria |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Cynosurus cristatus |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Carex flacca |
| Red carpet Xanthorhoe decoloraria |
Near Threatened | Alchemilla spp. |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Galium 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
MG9 — Brownfield, Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Mesotrophic grassland
Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland
Matches 11 species from the description above: Briza media, Carex panicea, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Danthonia decumbens, Galium verum, Hordeum secalinum, Leucanthemum vulgare, Primula veris, Succisa pratensis, Trisetum flavescens
Show 79 indicator speciesCarex hirta, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Achillea ptarmica, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Cirsium vulgare, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leucanthemum vulgare, Pulicaria dysenterica, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Senecio aquaticus, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Hypericum perforatum, Mentha aquatica, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Plantago lanceolata, Rumex acetosa, Rumex conglomeratus, Rumex crispus, Rumex obtusifolius, Rumex sanguineus, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Agrimonia eupatoria, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla anserina, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Urtica dioica, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Briza media, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Glyceria fluitans, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Hordeum secalinum, Lolium perenne, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis 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
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula 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
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis 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
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus 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
MG7 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Mesotrophic grassland
Lolium perenne leys and related grasslands Lolium perenne-Alopecurus pratensis grassland
Show 47 indicator speciesJuncus inflexus, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Hypochaeris radicata, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cardamine pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Cerastium glomeratum, Stellaria media agg., Lathyrus pratensis, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Vicia sativa, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, Rumex acetosa, Rumex conglomeratus, Rumex crispus, Rumex obtusifolius, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Bromus hordeaceous, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium multiflorum, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa annua, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis