Ashridge Wood

Also within

Berkshire County North Wessex Downs Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 15.58 hectares 38.51 ac Description Ancient coppiced woodland on chalk and clay with flints soils. About half of the wood was cleared for agriculture during 1954 and part of the remainder has been planted with conifers. Ashridge Wood is a good example of the dry ash maple woodland stand type in association with southern calcareous hazel ash woodland. Oak standards occur throughout. Wych elm, cherry and whitebeam occur locally with aspen mainly on the clay with flints. The site is important for a number of plants which are rare or local in Berkshire. In particular there is a great abundance of spiked star of Bethlehem Ornithagalum pyrenacium growing with Solomon's seal Polygonatum multiflorum. These occur throughout in association with dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and several other plants typical of old coppiced woodland. Both spiked star of Bethlehem and Solomon's seal are here on the edge of the native range in Britain. The narrow leaved everlasting pea Lathyrus sylvestris and autumn crocus Colchicum autumnale are present but both are now extremely scarce. These too are at the edge of their native range and represent an important relic woodland flora, formerly associated with coppicing.

Species mentioned