Plumpton Pasture

Also within

Northamptonshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SP594480	—	Unfavourable Recovering	3.63	2013-08-05

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 3.8 hectares 9.4 ac Description Plumpton Pasture is an area of unimproved grassland overlying boulder clay, with a pronounced ridge and furrow formation. The vegetation present includes two grassland communities. The well drained ground on the ridge tops supports a herb rich community of the crested dog’s tail common knapweed type, whilst the vegetation on the wetter ground in the furrows conforms to the Yorkshire fog tufted hair grass community type. Both these community types were formerly widespread on this Midland soil type under traditional management but as a result of agricultural change, the crested dog’s tail common knapweed type is now rare both in Northamptonshire and in great Britain. This community is dominated by sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, common bent Agrostis capillaris, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, common knapweed Centaurea nigra, lady’s bedstraw Galium verum and meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis with frequent crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, red fescue Festuca rubra, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus and common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Grassland species associated with this community type include quaking grass Briza media, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis, bitter vetch Lathyrus montanus, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, cat’s ear Hypochaeris radicata and autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis. betony Betonica officinalis is locally abundant in the western part of the site above the pond. The Yorkshire fog tufted hair grass community of the furrows is dominated by the grasses creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, with tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa and herbs such as common knapweed Centaurea nigra, red clover Trifolium pratense and white clover Trifolium repens occurring frequently. The small pond surrounded by hawthorn Crataegus and ash Fraxinus excelsior and the mature hedges forming the boundaries of the field add to the interest of the site.

Species mentioned

Show the 25 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.

Birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus 8

Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus

Lady's bedstraw Galium 5

Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	any Galium
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	any Galium
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	any Galium
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Near Threatened	any Galium

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

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

Meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis 3

New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Lathyrus pratensis

Red clover, white clover Trifolium 3

Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	any Trifolium
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	any Trifolium
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	any Trifolium, Trifolium repens

Common bent, creeping bent Agrostis 2

Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	any Agrostis
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	any Agrostis

Tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa 2

Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Deschampsia cespitosa
The anomalous Stilbia anomala	Vulnerable	Deschampsia cespitosa

Red fescue Festuca 2

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

Betony Betonica officinalis 1

Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata

Near Threatened

Betonica officinalis

Crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus 1

Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus

Near Threatened

Cynosurus cristatus

Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus 1

Wall Lasiommata megera

Near Threatened

Holcus lanatus

Yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor 1

Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata

Vulnerable

Rhinanthus minor

Devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis 1

Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia

Vulnerable

Succisa pratensis

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.