Ashridge Wood
Encyclopedia
Ashridge Wood is a 15.6ha biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Beedon
and Compton
in West Berkshire District
, Berkshire
, UK (near RG20 8AB). It is within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The wood is a surviving section of a once larger ancient coppiced
woodland, although part was planted with conifers during the 20th century. Notified as an SSSI in 1954, it is particularly notable for its flowering woodland plants, including an abundance of Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum pyrenaicum. Ash predominates, with Cherry, Oak, Sallow and Whitebeam scattered throughout. Most of the conifers had been removed by 2009.
A visit by the Reading & District Natural History Society in June 2009 identified 34 species of flowering plants, 7 different lichens on Ash trees within the wood, and 22 species of insects.
Beedon
Beedon is a village and civil parish about north of Newbury in West Berkshire, England. The village is just west of the A34 road.Beedon manor house was built early in the 18th century....
and Compton
Compton, Berkshire
Compton is a village and civil parish in the River Pang valley in the Berkshire Downs about south of Didcot. It has a population of 1,521. The Pang flows through the village as a winter bourne, a stream that only flows after periods of unusually high rainfall.-Parish church:The bell tower of the...
in West Berkshire District
West Berkshire
West Berkshire is a local government district in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.-Geography:...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, UK (near RG20 8AB). It is within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The wood is a surviving section of a once larger ancient coppiced
Coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level...
woodland, although part was planted with conifers during the 20th century. Notified as an SSSI in 1954, it is particularly notable for its flowering woodland plants, including an abundance of Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum pyrenaicum. Ash predominates, with Cherry, Oak, Sallow and Whitebeam scattered throughout. Most of the conifers had been removed by 2009.
A visit by the Reading & District Natural History Society in June 2009 identified 34 species of flowering plants, 7 different lichens on Ash trees within the wood, and 22 species of insects.
See Also
External links
- English Nature website (SSSI information)