Lullingstone Park

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.3549, 0.1742

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Kent County Kent Downs Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (4)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ507642 — Favourable 9.33 2011-05-26
TQ512641 — Favourable 22.16 2011-05-26
TQ514638 — Favourable 16.26 2011-05-26
TQ518640 — Favourable 18.68 2011-05-26

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
sparrowhawk Breeding

Description

Area, 62 ha. 153 ac. Description This site includes old pollard trees and other woodland supporting important communities of invertebrates, lichens, breeding birds and fungi. The woodland is dominated by very tall mature trees, particularly beech Fagus sylvatica as well as pedunculate and sessile oaks Quercus robur and Q. petraea, hornbeam Carpinus betulus, ash Fraxinus excelsior and sweet chestnut Castanea sativa. The ground vegetation is dominated by bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and bramble Rubus fruticosus and sometimes bracken Pteridium aquilinum. Some of the trees were planted in the 18th century, but many of the pollards are thought to be 400 or more years old. These trees are very large, with girths up to about 10 metres about 30 feet but have not been polled for about 150 years. The bark of these ancient trees supports over 60 species of epiphytic 'growing harmlessly on plants' lichens. The lichen community, unusually rich for these pollution sensitive organisms close to large urban areas, includes many typical of old forest, such as Lecanactis lyncea and Enterographa crassa on oaks and Thelotrema lepadinum on hornbeam. The site's long continuity of woodland habitats including abundant dead wood and many fungi has encouraged the development of a species rich invertebrate fauna. Over 340 beetles have been recorded, including over 30 nationally scarce and 2 nationally rare species, a fairy winged beetle Ptenidium gressneri and as cirtid beetle Prionocyphon serricornis. More than 270 moths and butterflies are known to occur; the many scarce moths present include the barred hook tip Watsonalla cultraria and the satin lutestring Tetheella fluctuosa. A scarce money spider Porrhomma microphthalmum and the scarce Roman snail Helix pomatia also occur. A number of the invertebrates found here have not been recorded elsewhere in Kent. Over 500 species of fungi have been identified from this site including several rarely recorded in Britain and one, an Amanita species, which is new to science and has yet to be described and named. The site's well developed woodland structure and the abundance of invertebrates has led to the presence of an outstanding community of breeding birds, including sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes and lesser spotted woodpecker Dryobates minor. Some formerly open areas have been colonised by scrub, especially hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and elder Sambucus nigra, though there remains a large population of adder's tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, a plant which is scarce in Kent.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
beetle Prionocyphon serricornis Not listed in GB list beetle scirtidae
hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes EN (Breeding) bird-finch fringillidae
sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus NT (Breeding) bird-hawk falconidae
lesser spotted woodpecker Dryobates minor EN (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
adders-tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum LC fern ophioglossaceae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
no common name Enterographa crassa LC lichen no common name
no common name Lecanactis lyncea Not listed in GB list lichen no common name
barnacle lichen Thelotrema lepadinum LC lichen no common name
satin lutestring Tetheella fluctuosa Not listed in GB list moth drepanidae
barred hook-tip Watsonalla cultraria Not listed in GB list moth drepanidae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
elder Sambucus nigra LC shrub caprifoliaceae
Roman snail Helix pomatia Not listed in GB list snail helicidae
hornbeam Carpinus betulus LC tree betulaceae
sweet chestnut Castanea sativa LC tree fagaceae
beech Fagus sylvatica LC tree fabiaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas