Tudor Cottage Meadow

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description Tudor Cottage Meadow is a small meadow situated on level ground north of Portway, in south Worcestershire. It has been traditionally managed as a hay meadow but without aftermath grazing. The meadow is in the central undulating plain of Worcestershire and overlies Mercia Mudstones of the Triassic Period. The special interest of the site lies in the richness of the mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. It is typical of the meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis subcommunity with sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, tufted vetch Vicia cracca and common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Locally uncommon species found within the sward are green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria and saw wort Serratula tinctoria. The meadow is bounded by hedges dominated by hawthorn Crataegus monogyna on all sides.

Species mentioned