Naunton Court Meadows

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Description Naunton Court Meadows are located in the east of the central Worcestershire plain, on level terrain west of Naunton Court Farm near Naunton Beauchamp. The two meadows are managed as traditional hay meadows with aftermath grazing. The meadows lie on alluvial soils over Lower Lias clays of the Jurassic period, giving rise to neutral soils. The special interest of the site lies in the diversity of the semi natural grassland sward. The vegetation conforms with the mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. Meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, goat’s beard Tragopogon pratensis and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor are the dominant species. The southern meadow is characteristic of the meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis subcommunity with meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus and meadow crane’s bill Geranium pratense. The locally uncommon green winged orchid Anacamptis morio is also present. The northern meadow exhibits a more calcareous flora typical of the lady’s bedstraw Galium verum subcommunity, with salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, scattered populations of cowslip Primula veris and the locally uncommon adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum. The meadows are bounded by hedges with field maple Acer campestre, midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata, spindle Euonymus europaeus, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica. Butterflies present in the meadows include orange tip Anthocharis cardamines and common blue Polyommatus icarus.

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.