Hemingfold Meadow

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.9061, 0.5264

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Also within

East Sussex County High Weald Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ777148 — Favourable 4.93 2020-07-14

Habitats

Hedgerow scrub

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
cuckoo Unknown

Description

Area, 4.91 ha. 12.13 ac. Description The site consists of two connected lowland meadows on Weald Clay. The meadows are rich in flowering plants and the grassland community present is of a nationally uncommon type. The botanical interest of the site has been retained by grazing and mowing regimes which are sympathetic to the local flora. In addition the meadows have not been fertilised or subject to any substantial agricultural improvement in recent years although the smaller, eastern meadow was ploughed 40 years ago. A discontinuous hedge separates the two meadows. Over 60 species of flowering plant have been recorded from the meadows, a remarkable number considering the small size of the site. The main sward forming species are black knapweed Centaurea nigra, cat's ear Hypochaeris radicata, Yorkshire fog grass Holcus lanatus, red fescue grass Festuca rubra and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum. Plants associated with old, undisturbed meadows are present and include common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis, pignut Conopodium majus, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor and primrose Primula vulgaris. The hedge consists of mature trees of pedunculate oak Quercus robur with an understorey which includes hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and hazel Corylus avellana.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus LC grass poaceae
cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis LC herb brassicaceae
black knapweed Centaurea nigra LC herb asteraceae
pignut Conopodium majus LC herb apiaceae
spotted orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii LC herb orchidaceae
cat's-ear Hypochaeris radicata LC herb asteraceae
oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare LC herb asteraceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor DD herb orobanchaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

Plant communities

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

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum