Darwell Wood
Darwell Wood is a wood in Sussex north-west of Battle; a broadleaved woodland, with a number of streams flowing into Darwell Reservoir.
This wood to an extent of 93 acres has been declared a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest', for biological interest, since 1966[1]
Species
Most of the wood is made-up of coppices of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) with oak (Quercus robur) standards.
Under the dense tree canopy, mosses mainly grow with a few patches of bluebells, blackberry and wood sorrel can be found. On the higher grounds, the woodland becomes a more open, with silver birch and hazel, with some sweet chestnut coppice areas.
The undergrowth has wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and sanicle (Sanicula europaea).
Underplanted by moses, ramsons, bee orchids and pyramidal orchids (Ophrys apifera and Anacamptis pyramidalis).
The streams which pass through the site have eroded deeply into the rock layer to produce steep sided valleys. These valleys have alder with local abundances of grey willow above a ground flora of pendulous sedge (Carex pendula), water mint (Mentha aquatica), opposite-leaved golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium) and ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi).[1]
Outside links
- Map: TQ710202
- Location map: 50°57’22"N, 0°26’10"E
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 SSSI listing and designation for Darwell Wood
