Clattinger Farm

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Gloucestershire CountyWiltshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Alluvium

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Area, 60.3 ha. 149 ac. Description Clattinger Farm comprises a series of meadows and pastures which display a wide range of unimproved grassland types and an outstanding meadow flora. It constitutes the only lowland farm in Britain known to have received absolutely no agricultural chemicals. The site is located in the Upper Thames Basin and is bounded by the Flagham Brook to the north and the Swill Brook to the south. The combination of high water levels, soils developed from alluvium overlying Oxford Clay and uninterrupted traditional management involving cutting for hay and aftermath grazing, has favoured the growth of an exceptional range of meadow plants. The meadow complex supports at least 40 species of grass and sedge, many of which are indicative of old unimproved grasslands. Most frequent are creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera, upright brome Bromus erectus, meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, red fescue Festuca rubra and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, although seldom is any one species dominant. Slightly less common are quaking grass Briza media, meadow barley Hordeum secalinum, downy oat grass Avenula pubescens and tall fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus. sedges are well represented and include distant sedge Carex distans, spiked sedge Carex spicata, spring sedge Carex caryophyllea and the extremely rare Red Data Book species, downy fruited sedge C. tomentosa. A striking feature of Clattinger Farm is the differing floristic content of the meadows. One is characterised by an abundance of adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, common twayblade Neottia ovata and the rare fritillary Fritillaria meleagris; a second supports large quantities of cowslip Primula veris and rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, whereas another contains abundant common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, common fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica and oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare. Numerous other herbs are widespread throughout the site, including betony Betonica officinalis, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, fairy flax Linum catharticum and great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis. The unique complex of unimproved meadows also allows less common plants to thrive such as hairy lady's mantle Alchemilla filicaulis and meadow saffron Colchicum autumnale. Additional interest is provided by the meadow boundaries. These comprise a series of ditches, along with thick species rich hedges containing hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, dog rose Rosa canina and hazel Corylus avellana. This combination of habitats favours an associated diversity of invertebrates.

Species mentioned