Mantles Heath

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.1925, -1.1276

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Northamptonshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP597552 — Unfavourable No Change 13.65 2011-10-27

Habitats

Bracken scrub

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 14.0 hectares 34.6 ac Description Mantles Heath is one of a localised group of ancient woodlands of a type uncommon in Northamptonshire, lying mainly on acid soils derived from Northampton Sands and Upper Lias clay. The western part of the site overlies calcareous and poorly drained Boulder clay and has a contrasting vegetation. The mature stand is a representative example of acid pedunculate oak hazel ash woodland but past management has modified both the canopy and shrub layer. The unplanted woodland on Boulder clay represent a heavy soil variant of the ‘upper slope’ stand type and is floristically rich. The typical ground flora of the drier soils comprises creeping soft grass Holcus mollis, bracken Pteridium aquilinum, bramble Rubus fruticosus, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, red campion Silene dioica and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella. Several plants uncommon in the county are recorded, e.g. wood vetch Vicia sylvatica, opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium and slender St John’s wort Hypericum pulchrum.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
creeping soft grass Holcus mollis LC grass poaceae
opposite-leaved golden- saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium LC herb saxifragaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
slender St John's-wort Hypericum pulchrum LC herb hypericaceae
wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella LC herb oxalidaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
red campion Silene dioica LC herb carophyllaceae
wood vetch Vicia sylvatica Not listed in GB list herb fabaceae

Plant communities

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas