Description
Area, 8.9 ha. 21.9 ac.
Description
These traditionally managed species rich meadows support a neutral grassland community with a restricted national distribution. The fields are poorly drained and seasonally waterlogged. Surface water gleys of the Wickham 2 and Denchworth soil associations have developed on the underlying Oxford Clay and Kellaway Beds strata. North Brewham Meadows support a neutral grassland community of the nationally rare common knapweed crested dog's tail type. red fescue Festuca rubra is the dominant grass. Other species include crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and smooth meadow grass Poa pratensis. Oval sedge Carex leporina, carnation sedge Carex panicea and sharp-flowered rush Juncus acutiflorus are common in the wetter areas. Herbs include a number of species with a local distribution in eastern Somerset, such as meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus and heath spotted orchid Dactylorhiza maculata. Breeding butterflies typical of unimproved neutral grassland include small copper Lycaena phlaeas, meadow brown Maniola jurtina, grayling Hipparchia semele and ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus.