Leigh Brook Valley

Also within

Worcestershire County Malvern Hills Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SO741514	—	Unfavourable Recovering	8.56	2009-06-01
SO743516	—	Favourable	5.38	2009-06-23
SO744514	—	Favourable	5.51	2018-05-24
SO746514	—	Favourable	5.26	2009-06-23
SO746517	—	Favourable	5.89	2009-06-05
SO746519	—	Unfavourable Recovering	0.88	2018-05-24
SO748514	—	Favourable	2.37	2009-06-23
SO748516	—	Unfavourable Recovering	5.67	2018-05-24
SO748519	—	Favourable	7.32	2009-06-01

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Silurian · Rock Type: Limestone

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Species	Season
pied flycatcher	Breeding
wood warbler	Breeding

Description

Area, 44.1 ha. 108.9 ac. Description The site occupies a section of the steep sided valley of the Leigh Brook near the village of Alfrick. It overlies limestone and shales of the Silurian Period. Within the site there is a range of habitats including broadleaved woodland, unimproved meadows, old orchards and a section of the Leigh Brook itself. It has been selected for its woodland, grassland and invertebrates. The site features four nationally scarce types of woodland and the meadows include a nationally restricted type of grassland. In addition the rich invertebrate fauna includes several uncommon moths and a nationally rare hoverfly. A wide variety of breeding birds also occurs. Within the woods are a number of types with a very restricted national distribution. Whereas sessile oak Quercus petraea is the characteristic dominant of oak woods on acid soils in the north and west of Britain, there are only a few areas, such as the Wye Valley and the Silurian outcrops of the West Midlands, where it occurs on calcareous rocks. In Leigh Brook Valley sessile oak occurs in association with a number of other species such as wych elm Ulmus glabra, small leaved lime Tilia cordata and beech Fagus sylvatica. These associations constitute different types of woodland which are all nationally restricted and this makes Leigh Brook Valley a particularly important site. The woodland is dominated by sessile oak with ash Fraxinus excelsior and field maple Acer campestre. The distribution of other tree species is related to the topography of the site. Along the valley bottoms where the soils are flushed, sessile oak is associated with wych elm. Further up the slopes the soils are drier and wych elm is replaced by small leaved lime. Wild service tree Sorbus torminalis is also present here with a few trees of the nationally restricted large leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos. On the valley slopes in Sheephill Coppice beech Fagus sylvatica is also present as old coppice stools. At the top of the slopes where leaching has taken place, sessile oak is associated with silver birch Betula pendula and small leaved lime is largely absent. The understorey is similar throughout the woodland and is dominated by hazel Corylus avellana with spurge laurel Daphne laureola, spindle Euonymus europaeus and wild privet Ligustrum vulgare. Many typical woodland ground flora species occur such as bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, ramsons Allium ursinum and yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon as well as a number of species that are more local in Worcestershire. These include violet helleborine Epipactis purpurata, small teasel Dipsacus pilosus, stinking iris Iris foetidissima and the nationally restricted monk’s hood Aconitum napellus. Within the site are several herb rich meadows which are characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. Other grasses include sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and red fescue Festuca rubra whilst herbs include green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, cowslip Primula veris, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor and adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum. The nationally restricted greater broomrape Orobanche rapum-genistae, which is parasitic on broom Cytisus scoparius, is found in the meadows adjacent to Papermill Coppice and wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus occurs in one of the meadows as well as in part of the woodland. The site is important for invertebrates, Lepidoptera moths and butterflies being particularly well represented. These include a number of nationally scarce moths including alder kitten Furcula bicuspis, maple pug Eupithecia inturbata and the rare micro moth Stigmella pyri which is associated with pear trees in the old orchards. The larvae of a nationally rare hoverfly Chalcosyrphus eunotus live in decaying wood in the Leigh Brook where the club tailed dragonfly Gomphus vulgatissimus also occurs. Birds breeding in the woods include wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix, hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes and tawny owl Strix aluco. In recent years a nest box scheme on the site has attracted pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. The number of breeding birds is further amplified by species that nest along the brook such as dipper Cinclus cinclus and kingfisher Alcedo atthis.

Species mentioned

Show the 42 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status ▾

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.

Grouped by host-plant — open a plant to see its insects. Some insects feed on more than one of these plants, so they appear under each.

Birch Betula 15

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Betula
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Betula
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	any Betula
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Betula
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Betula pendula
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Betula pendula
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	any Betula
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Betula pendula
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Betula
Kentish glory Endromis versicolora	Near Threatened	Betula pendula
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Betula
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	any Betula
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	any Betula
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Betula
White prominent Leucodonta bicoloria	Regionally Extinct	any Betula

Sessile or durmast oak Quercus 15

Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta	Endangered	Quercus petraea
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Quercus
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Quercus petraea
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Quercus
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Clay fan-foot Paracolax tristalis	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Frosted green Polyploca ridens	Near Threatened	Quercus petraea

Wych elm Ulmus 12

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Ulmus
White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album	Endangered	any Ulmus, Ulmus glabra
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Ulmus glabra
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Ulmus
Dusky-lemon sallow Cirrhia gilvago	Near Threatened	Ulmus glabra
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	Ulmus glabra
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Ulmus
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Ulmus

Hazel Corylus avellana 7

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Corylus avellana
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Corylus avellana

Broom Cytisus scoparius 5

Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Cytisus scoparius
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Cytisus scoparius
Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata	Vulnerable	Cytisus scoparius
Broom-tip chesias Chesias rufata	Near Threatened	Cytisus scoparius
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Cytisus scoparius

Black knapweed Centaurea 4

Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	any Centaurea
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	any Centaurea
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra

Beech Fagus sylvatica 4

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Fagus sylvatica
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Fagus sylvatica
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Fagus sylvatica
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	Fagus sylvatica

Large leaved lime, lime small leaved Tilia 4

The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Tilia
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	any Tilia
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	any Tilia
Scarce hook-tip Sabra harpagula	Near Threatened	Tilia cordata

Ash Fraxinus excelsior 3

The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Fraxinus excelsior
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Fraxinus excelsior
Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria	Near Threatened	Fraxinus excelsior

Field maple Acer campestre 2

Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata	Endangered	Acer campestre
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Acer campestre

Red fescue Festuca 2

Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca rubra
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	any Festuca

Monks hood Aconitum 1

Golden plusia Polychrysia moneta

Endangered

any Aconitum

Crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus 1

Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus

Near Threatened

Cynosurus cristatus

Small teasel Dipsacus 1

Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis

Vulnerable

any Dipsacus

Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta 1

Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa

Near Threatened

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Stinking iris Iris foetidissima 1

Rosy minor Litoligia literosa

Near Threatened

Iris foetidissima

Cowslip Primula veris 1

Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina

Endangered

Primula veris

Yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor 1

Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata

Vulnerable

Rhinanthus minor

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.