Puckham Woods
51°54′02″N 1°59′10″W / 51.900593°N 1.986146°W / 51.900593; -1.986146
Puckham Woods (grid reference SP010224) is a 32.38-hectare (80.0-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire to the east of Cheltenham near Whittington, notified in 1954.[1][2] The site (including Scrubs Complex) is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 (on line) as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).[3]
Location
The woods lie within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Cotswold Hills Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). The site was previously called Puckham. Over the years there have been boundary amendments and review of the operations on the site to protect the special interest of the designation. There are three units of assessment; two are woodland and one is pasture (two fields).[1]
The site is on the edge of the Cotswold scarp and its geology is of the Jurassic time interval and is made up of Inferior Oolite limestone. There is a band of Fuller's Earth in the northern woodland area.[1]
Habitat and flora
This site is noted for its unimproved limestone grassland, and its flower-rich, ancient semi-natural woodland. So much of this type of habitat has been lost due to changes in land management and land use.[1]
The woods are an example of old woodland which comprises Ash, Oak, Silver Birch, Whitebeam and Rowan. This kind of woodland is relatively scarce in the Cotswolds which is mostly Beech. The forestry practices for the wood have ensured that native species are maintained on the site. Understories include Hazel, Field Maple, Hawthorn, Guelder Rose and Holly. This type of woodland is rich in its ground flora and supports species such as Bluebell, Dog's Mercury, Ramsons, Yellow Archangel and Woodruff. Angular Solomon's-seal is recorded and other similar rarities such as Herb Paris, Lily-of-the-valley, Wood Vetch, Greater Butterfly Orchid and Meadow Saffron.[1]
The pasture faces south to south-east and species include Upright Brome, Tor-grass, Red Fescue, Meadow Oat-grass and Quaking-grass. It is herb-rich and includes Common Rock-rose, Dwarf Thistle, Thyme, Salad Burnet and several species of orchid (notably Pyramidal Orchid, Bee Orchid and Green-winged Orchid. The nationally scarce Bastard Toadflax is recorded.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Natural England SSSI information on the citation
- ^ Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 1, Sites of Special Scientific Interest Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 2, Key Wildlife Sites Archived 13 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
SSSI Source
- Natural England SSSI information on the citation
- Natural England SSSI information on the Puckham Woods units
External links
- Natural England (SSSI information)
- Grazing land above Puckham Woods
- Long distance view to Puckham Woods
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- Ashleworth Ham
- Astridge Wood
- Badgeworth
- Barnsley Warren
- Barton Bushes
- Bigsweir Woods
- Blaisdon Hall
- Bourton Down
- Box Farm Meadows
- Boxwell
- Brassey
- Brooks Head Grove
- Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Railway Tunnel
- Bull Cross, The Frith and Juniper Hill
- Bushley Muzzard, Brimpsfield
- Caerwood and Ashberry Goose House
- Chaceley Meadow
- Clarke's Pool Meadow
- Cleeve Common
- Cockleford Marsh
- Collinpark Wood
- Coombe Hill Canal
- Coombe Hill
- Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods
- Cotswold Water Park
- Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake
- Daneway Banks
- Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar
- Devil's Chapel Scowles
- Dingle Wood
- Dixton Wood
- Dymock Woods
- Edge Common
- Elmlea Meadows
- Frampton Pools
- Highbury Wood
- Hobbs Quarry
- Hornsleasow Roughs
- Hucclecote Meadows
- Innsworth Meadow
- Juniper Hill, Edgeworth
- Kempley Daffodil Meadow
- Kingscote and Horsley Woods
- Lark Wood
- Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common
- Lineover Wood
- Lower Woods
- Lower Wye Gorge
- May Hill
- Midger
- Minchinhampton Common
- Nagshead
- Old Bow and Old Ham Mines
- Old River Severn, Upper Lode
- Pennsylvania Fields, Sedbury
- Poor's Allotment
- Puckham Woods
- Range Farm Fields
- River Wye
- Rodborough Common
- Rough Bank, Miserden
- Salmonsbury Meadows
- Selsley Common
- Severn Estuary
- Severn Ham, Tewkesbury
- Shorn Cliff and Caswell Woods
- Slade Brook
- Soudley Ponds
- Speech House Oaks
- Stenders Quarry
- Stinchcombe Hill
- Strawberry Banks
- Swanpool Wood and Furnace Grove
- Swift's Hill
- Sylvan House Barn
- The Hudnalls
- The Malvern Hills
- Tudor Farm Bank
- Turvey's Piece
- Upper Severn Estuary
- Upham Meadow and Summer Leasow
- Upper Wye Gorge
- Walmore Common
- Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine
- Whelford Meadow
- Wigpool Ironstone Mine
- Wildmoorway Meadows
- Winson Meadows
- Woodchester Park
- Workman's Wood
- Wotton Hill
- Yarley Meadows
- Neighbouring areas
- Avon
- Herefordshire
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