Dormston Church Meadow

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Description

Description Dormston Church Meadow is located in the east of the central Worcestershire plain, within the village of Dormston. The meadow overlies a medieval ridge and furrow system and lies on the Lower Lias clays of the Jurassic period, giving rise to neutral soils. The meadow conforms with the mesotrophic neutral community characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra and is typical of the lady’s bedstraw Galium verum sub community. The sward is diverse, particularly on the ridges. Abundant species include meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, red fescue Festuca rubra, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, lady’s bedstraw, cowslip Primula veris and glaucous sedge Carex flacca. A calcareous influence can be seen in the presence of meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis, hoary plantain Plantago media, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris. The flora near the edges of the meadows has an unusual woodland element which includes bugle Ajuga reptans, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, lords and ladies Arum maculatum and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis. The meadow is bounded on two sides by hedges dominated by hawthorn Crataegus monogyna.

Species mentioned