Tudor Farm Bank
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO573081 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 3.65 | 2016-06-29 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Limestone, Sandstone
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| cuckoo | Unknown |
Description
Description The site represents a contrast to the extensive limestone grasslands of the Cotswolds in east Gloucestershire and is near the western most edge of the natural distribution of this grassland type in Britain. Tudor Farm Bank is believed to be the largest remaining site of its kind in west Gloucestershire. Tudor Farm Bank is situated in the village of Clearwell on the western edge of the Forest of Dean. The south west facing slope occurs on a minor escarpment, composed largely of Carboniferous Limestones, which forms a ring around the Forest of Dean. The site is of special interest for its calcareous limestone grassland community characterised by abundant upright brome Bromus erectus, a type which is nationally scarce and declining within Britain. The grassland supports many other species of grass and sedge including abundant sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, quaking grass Briza media and glaucous sedge Carex flacca with a wide range of lime loving plants calcicoles. These include species such as rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, rest-harrow Ononis repens, carmine thistle Carlina vulgaris, common milkwort Polygala vulgaris, dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata, fairy flax Linum catharticum, wild thyme Thymus praecox and its uncommon relative, large thyme Thymus polytrichus. The presence of abundant thyme and common knapweed Centaurea nigra in particular, is typical of this grassland type where the occurrence of upright brome has probably been promoted by a period of no or low intensity grazing in recent years. At the top and bottom of the slope the grassland becomes more neutral in character reflecting the deeper soils and localised enrichment caused by the preference of grazing horses to dung in these areas. A similar change to neutral grassland occurs towards the western end of the site, largely due to the decrease in slope and the greater influence of the Old Red Sandstone geology. In these areas the vegetation is characterised by abundant crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed. Other typical species include red fescue Festuca rubra, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, smooth hawk’s beard Crepis capillaris, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, yarrow Achillea millefolium and ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata. Thickets of developing scrub composed of a mix of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, blackthorn Prunus spinosa and bramble Rubus fruticosus are frequent and form a dense pocket in one corner of the site. Plants associated with woodland occur here including false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, cuckoo pint Arum maculatum, hart’s tongue fern Asplenium scolopendrium, primrose Primula vulgaris and the nationally scarce stinking hellebore Helleborus foetidus. Features that add further to the interest of the site include limestone outcrops and hedgerows of hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel Corylus avellana, some of which support abundant dead wood and include mature trees of ash Fraxinus excelsior, oak Quercus robur and birch Betula pendula. Several large ash and oak also occur across the slope. Invertebrates recorded from the site include butterfly species which are typical of habitats with long grass and scattered scrub including large skipper Ochlodes venata, ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus, marbled white Melanargia galatheaa and common blue Polyommatus icarus. Ant hills of the yellow meadow ant Lasius flavus are frequent across the site.
Species mentioned
Show the 39 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