Bradfield Woods

Bradfield Woods

Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location	Suffolk
Grid reference	TL 930 576 [1]
Interest	Biological
Area	81.4 hectares [1]
Notification	1986 [1]
Location map	Magic Map

Bradfield Woods is an 81.4-hectare (201-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket in Suffolk. The site is in three separate blocks, the adjoining Felsham Hall and Monks' Park Woods, and the much smaller separate Hedge Wood and Chen sil Grove. ^{[1] [2]} Felsham Hall and Monks' Park Woods are designated a 63.3 National Nature Reserve, also called Bradfield Woods, ^{[3] [4] [5]} and are managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. ^[6]

History

These woods have a history of coppicing with the earliest record dating from 1252. ^[7]

The Southern part of Monks' Park Woods was cleared for farming during the 1960's apart from a small area preserved thanks to a tree preservation order following action from the local residents. The site was subsequently designed as Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1971. In 1970, the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (SPNR, now called the Wildlife Trust) bought 51 ha of the woods with a second purchase of 12 ha in 1979. Sussex Wildlife Trust leased the land in 1983 and the freehold was transferred in 1999. An additional 7ha was purchased in 2010 but the Trust 's bid to secure the land cleared in the 1960's did not succeed this same year. ^{[7] [8]}

Geology

Bradfield Woods is established on a plateau with soils from glacial chalky boulder clay overlain in some place by sand or loess. The soils have not been ploughed for 800 years and the acidity (pH measurements) of it stretches from 3.1 to 7.4. ^{[7] [9]}

Wildlife

The site presents a very high diversity of flora, with over 370 plant species recorded. ^[8] Uncommon woodland flowers include oxlip, herb paris and ramson. There is also a rich variety of fungi, with two species not recorded elsewhere in Britain and a large numbers of Armillaria or honey fungus. ^{[7] [10]}

Up to 24 different species of butterflies, such as the purple emperor and the silver-washed fritillary have been recorded. The pearl-bordered fritillary has disappeared from these woods. ^{[7] [8]} The large mason bee (Osmia xanthomelana), the beetle Byctiscus populi and the weevil Cionus nigritarsis can be found there. ^[7]

There is access from Felsham Road west of Gedding.

References

1. "Designated Sites View: Bradfield Woods". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
2. "Map of Bradfield Woods". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
3. "Suffolk's National Nature Reserves". Natural England. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
4. "Designated Sites View: Bradfield Woods". National Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
5. "Map of Bradfield Woods". National Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
6. "Bradfield Woods". Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
7. Fuller, Rob; Casey, Dorothy; Bullion, Simone (3 February 2019). "What can reserves deliver for conservation in lowland cultural landscapes? A case study of Bradfield Woods NNR" . British Wildlife. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
8. BBC - Hands on Nature. "Bradfield Woods". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
9. Rackham, Oliver (2003). Ancient woodland : its history, vegetation and uses in England. Dalbeattie: Castlepoint Press. ISBN   978-1897604274.
10. "Bradfield Woods citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2017.

52°11′N0°49′E / 52.18°N 0.82°E / 52.18; 0.82