Farthing Downs and Happy Valley
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ299579 | — | Favourable | 50.48 | 2013-03-28 |
| TQ302574 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 2.78 | 2013-03-28 |
| TQ305568 | — | Favourable | 16.53 | 2013-03-28 |
| TQ306565 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 8.1 | 2013-03-28 |
| TQ308569 | — | Favourable | 28.8 | 2013-03-28 |
| TQ310565 | — | Favourable | 13.4 | 2013-03-28 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 120.5 ha. 297.8 ac. Description Farthing Downs and Happy Valley support the most extensive area of semi natural downland habitats remaining in Greater London. The site is of particular interest for its species rich chalk and neutral grasslands and for an area of ancient woodland known as Devilsden Wood. These habitats hold a large variety of herb species of restricted distribution in the County, including some which are nationally scarce. In addition the grasslands support the largest British colony of the nationally rare greater yellow rattle Rhinanthus angustifolius. The chalk of the North Downs comes to the surface over most of the site but is overlain by clay with flints on the western slopes of Happy Valley. The distribution of grassland and woodland communities reflects this variation in geology and the associated changes in soil types. The most diverse chalk grasslands occur on the thin rendzina soils on the eastern and north western sides of Happy Valley. The sward is dominated by upright brome Bromus erectus with quaking grass Briza media and other typical chalkland grasses. The herb flora is especially rich containing many species that are characteristic of unimproved chalk grassland but are of restricted occurrence in London owing to loss of this habitat. These include dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, wild basil Clinopodium vulgare, horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa, field scabious Knautia arvensis, common milkwort Polygala vulgaris, sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia and hairy violet Viola hirta. These grasslands are also noted for their orchid flora with eight species being recorded, including the nationally scarce man orchid Orchis anthorpophora. Round headed rampion Phyteuma orbiculare, another nationally scarce plant, also occurs. The clay soils support a neutral grassland community. Sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and red fescue Festuca rubra are the most abundant grass species, with crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, tall fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus and a range of other meadow species. Amongst the rich herb component are meadow and bulbous buttercup Ranunculus acris and Ranunculus bulbosus, common sorrel Rumex acetosa and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor. Woolly thistle Cirsium eriophorum, an uncommon species in the county is found on the lower slopes. The chalk grasslands of Farthing Downs have been disturbed by the encroachment and subsequent removal of thick scrub. In consequence the flora is intermediate between the chalk and neutral grasslands of Happy Valley. This area contains a large population of dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, an uncommon plant in London. All three grassland communities are of particular importance for the great abundance of greater yellow rattle. This plant is nationally rare and specially protected by legislation, being known from only six localities in great Britain. Farthing Downs and Happy Valley supports the major part of the total British population and is actively managed to safeguard and increase its abundance. Devilsden Wood lies on the western side of Happy Valley and straddles both chalk and clay soils. It has a high forest structure with ash Fraxinus excelsior, pedunculate oak Quercus robur and hazel Corylus avellana throughout. Over chalk, yew Taxus baccata features in the understorey with a diverse ground flora predominated by dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis. Small groves of small beech Fagus sylvatica are also found here with white helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium, a scarce London plant, on the forest floor. The woodland over the clay with flints is distinguished by large stands of mature wild cherry Prunus avium. Species indicative of ancient woodland include midland hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, sweet woodruff Galium odoratum, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and bird’s nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis.
Species mentioned
Show the 35 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