Mappp.co - Tudor Cottage Meadow

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SO781340	—	Favourable	0.54	2012-06-06

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description Tudor Cottage Meadow is a small meadow situated on level ground north of Portway, in south Worcestershire. It has been traditionally managed as a hay meadow but without aftermath grazing. The meadow is in the central undulating plain of Worcestershire and overlies Mercia Mudstones of the Triassic Period. The special interest of the site lies in the richness of the mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. It is typical of the meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis subcommunity with sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, tufted vetch Vicia cracca and common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Locally uncommon species found within the sward are green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria and saw wort Serratula tinctoria. The meadow is bounded by hedges dominated by hawthorn Crataegus monogyna on all sides.

Species mentioned

Show the 14 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
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
tor grass	Brachypodium pinnatum	LC	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
green-winged orchid	Anacamptis morio	NT	herb	orchidaceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
dyer's greenweed	Genista tinctoria	LC	herb	fabaceae
meadow vetchling	Lathyrus pratensis	LC	herb	fabaceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
ribwort plantain	Plantago lanceolata	LC	herb	plantaginaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
saw wort	Serratula tinctoria	VU	herb	asteraceae
tufted vetch	Vicia cracca	LC	herb	fabaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	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
Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa	Critically Endangered	Serratula tinctoria
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh moth Athetis pallustris	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Vicia cracca
Scarce blackneck Lygephila craccae	Endangered	Vicia cracca
Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia	Endangered	Plantago lanceolata
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp., Lotus corniculatus, Serratula tinctoria
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
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.
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata	Vulnerable	Genista tinctoria
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna, Plantago lanceolata
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Lathyrus pratensis, Vicia cracca
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Cynosurus cristatus
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
The blackneck Lygephila pastinum	Near Threatened	Vicia cracca

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.