Newall Wood, Pickworth
Selected Wild Place / Other Wild Places / Public Rights of Way / VC55 boundary
Private but bordered by public roads.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site species count:
This is ancient woodland which has been notified as a SSSI as one of the best remaining examples of acid lowland woodland in Leicestershire. It covers 34 ha and is located north-east of Pickworth. This wood is remarkable in that it stands on a large ‘island’ of glacial sand and gravel in an area where the geology is predominantly limestone and clay, as a result its vegetation is very different from any other wood in East Leicestershire or Rutland. The rides are narrow and there are old sand pits in the wood.
There is a large population of well-grown Sessile Oak Quercus petraea, with some coppice stools. Ash Fraxinus excelsior is a major component of the canopy, while Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis, Rowan Sorbus aucuparia and Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata are also present. The shrub layer is fairly sparse, but contains Hazel Corylus avellana and Wild Privet Ligustrum vulgare. Calcicoles such as Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana occur around the edge. Bramble Rubus fruticosus is abundant. The field layer is not species-rich. Dog’s Mercury Mercurialis perennis is locally abundant, while other plants include Foxglove Digitalis purpurea and Primrose Primula vulgaris.
Other notable plants recorded in the past include Lesser Centaury Centaurium pulchellum, Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis, Trailing St. John’s-wort Hypericum humifusum, Common Gromwell Lithospermum officinale and Crested Cow-wheat Melampyrum cristatum.
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