Alkham, Lydden and Swingfield Woods
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TR231430 | — | Favourable | 6.85 | 2012-06-18 |
| TR237434 | — | Favourable | 11.8 | 2012-06-18 |
| TR242435 | — | Favourable | 5.96 | 2012-06-07 |
| TR244442 | — | Favourable | 13.18 | 2012-06-11 |
| TR249441 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 20.09 | 2012-06-07 |
| TR250446 | — | Favourable | 7.24 | 2012-06-07 |
| TR254426 | — | Favourable | 2.03 | 2012-05-03 |
| TR255447 | — | Favourable | 3.64 | 2012-06-07 |
| TR255448 | — | Favourable | 5.27 | 2012-04-10 |
| TR258428 | — | Favourable | 7.53 | 2012-05-03 |
| TR260419 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 3.42 | 2012-05-03 |
| TR260441 | — | Favourable | 35.09 | 2012-05-31 |
| TR263430 | — | Favourable | 3.56 | 2012-05-03 |
| TR263452 | — | Favourable | 12.34 | 2012-04-10 |
| TR267423 | — | Favourable | 6.71 | 2012-06-26 |
| TR267441 | — | Favourable | 29.98 | 2012-05-31 |
| TR269433 | — | Favourable | 4.67 | 2012-06-26 |
| TR271423 | — | Favourable | 8.79 | 2012-06-26 |
| TR273422 | — | Favourable | 3.66 | 2012-06-26 |
| TR274440 | — | Favourable | 6.5 | 2012-05-31 |
| TR276425 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 13.04 | 2012-06-26 |
| TR280440 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 7.55 | 2012-06-07 |
| TR283432 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 9.43 | 2013-03-13 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 226.1 ha. 558.7 ac. Description, This site was formerly two SSSIs, Alkham Valley Woods and Lydden to Swingfield Downs. The former is included in 'A Nature Conservation Review'. There have been a few minor deletions. This site comprises several woodlands situated on the steep slopes of dry chalk valleys. The soils vary from calcareous loams on the slopes to acid neutral clays on the plateaux. Ash hazel is the main woodland type with field maple on the more calcareous soils and hornbeam on the heavier clay. There is some unimproved chalk grassland in the site near Lydden. A number of uncommon plants occur including lady orchid Orchis purpurea in the woods and burnt orchid Neotinea ustulata in the grassland. These woods have been managed by coppicing. Ash and hazel are the common coppiced species with some field maple, hornbeam and sweet chestnut under pedunculate oak standards. Other trees and shrubs include wild cherry, birch, hawthorn, blackthorn and also wayfaring tree and dogwood on the calcareous soils. There is some dense hawthorn scrub in places. The ground flora is varied but generally dominated by dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and brambles Rubus fruticosus. Among more abundant flowering plants are wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides. Some uncommon plants also occur, particularly on the chalk soils. These include green hellebore Helleborus viridis, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, fly orchid Ophrys insectifera, greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha and lady orchid. The latter is restricted in Britain to Kent. The chalk grassland is dominated by sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and glaucous sedge Carex flacca. Many flowering plants typical of improved chalk grassland occur such as dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria and several orchids including burnt orchid.
Species mentioned
Show the 18 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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