For my 2022 botanical survey, I decided to explore Hempstead Lane, Uckfield.
- The lane is about 2km (1 and a quarter miles) runs from the town centre, over the river and flood plain, over the railway, through ancient woodland and between fields over a relatively short distance.
- It runs through two "tetrads" - i.e. squares on the map:
- TQ42Q for the first two sections, nearest the town centre
- TQ42V for the rest.
- I wanted to get a snapshot of what's in these different habitats and I've been rewarded by finding a wonderful range of plants including some I have never encountered before and a few that don't seem to have been recorded for the relevant tetrad.
- I was aware that the part of the lane furthest from the town was old and runs alongside ancient woodland but I've been surprised at how close the ancient woodland species indicators come to the town. There are areas with these plants scattered along this old lane as far as Lime Tree Avenue.
- The Flora, referred to below, is the Sussex Botanical Recording Society's The Flora of Sussex.
I divided the lane into a number of sections and recorded what I found in each on iRecord. A huge thank you to the people who verified my records and to those in the SBRS Facebook group who helped me with identifications.
Section 1 - Near Town Centre
From the start of Hempstead Road to Lime Tree Ave.
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| Common Millet - 9 Jul 2022 |
In this section I found 47 species, most of which were opportunistic weeds and plants/grasses on a couple of small verges. Common Millet (Panicum miliaceum), presumably from a bird feeder, was a new species for my records and, in the Flora, had not been recorded for TQ42Q up to 2015.
Section 2 - School Boundary
From Lime Tree Avenue to the start of the shaded path.
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| Creeping Yellow Cress - 12 June 2022 |
In this section I found 73 species. On the school side of the lane, there is a wooded verge with Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and other ancient woodland indicators. On the other side, there are grass verges. A couple of these had "weeds" that I had not noticed before. These included Slender Trefoil (Trifolium micranthum), American Willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum), Nipplewort (Lapsana communis) and Creeping Yellow Cress (Rorippa sylvestris). According to the Flora, the latter had not been found in TQ42V between 2000 and 2015 although it was present previously.
Section 3 - Shaded Path
This part of the lane is not open to motor vehicles and is very shady.
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| Wood Anemones - 26 March 2022 |
I found 34 species, many of which would look at home in an ancient woodland, including a Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense), Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Ramsons (Allium ursinum) Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa), and Hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)
Section 4 - Between the Estates
Footpath skirting the bottom of a green area and running past the substation to Hempstead Mill.
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| Turkey Oak - 7 July 2022 |
I found 43 species - Many typical of hedgerows and I think some of these are old hedges with traditional planting such as Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and even a Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera). The main surprise was a couple of good-sized Turkey Oaks (Quercus cerris), one each side of the lane, near the new houses. Their history is a mystery to be solved!.
Section 5 - River and Flood Plain
From Hempstead Mill to just before the track separating the enclosed area with a big pond from the open field.
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| Alder - 27 February 2022 |
I found 40 species in this section. The River Uck runs through the Mill's property and is associated with some wetland species such as Alder (Alnus glutinosa). The grassland, newly planted with hedge plants, is not that special but I did find Meadow Barley (Hordeum secalinum), which is a species that I have not noticed before.
Section 6 - Hedgerow
Between the hedges alongside the enclosed area with the big pond and old Horse Rescue buildings.
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| Upright Hedge Parsley - 31 July 2022 |
I found 56 species - mostly those associated with hedgerows. These included Upright Hedge Parsley (Torilis japonica), which I was particularly pleased to find because my previous favourite spot for it, right next to the railway, had spoil from railway work dumped on it, eliminating the more delicate wildflowers.
Section 7 - Railway
The trackbed and the little pieces of land immediately outside the level-crossing gates influenced by dumped "spoil" etc.
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| Tall Melliot - 10 Aug 2022 |
I found 37 species in this tiny area including some unusual weeds on the railway trackbed. These included a new find (not in the Flora) for tetrad TQ42V - Tall Melliot (Melilotus altissimus),
Section 8 - Between Fields
From the railway to the beginning of Hempstead Wood.
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| Giant Horsetail - 2 June 2022 |
I found 41 species in this shaded and damp area. Oddly, there were more damp-loving species here than near the river. Species that I had not encountered before included Spiked Sedge (
Carex spicata), Great Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) and Square-Stalked Saint John's wort (
Hypericum tetrapterum). According to the Flora, the latter has not been found in TQ42V between 2000 and 2015 although it was present previously.
Section 9 - Alongside Hempstead Wood
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| Pendulous Sedge - 17 April 2022 |
I found 38 species along the part of the lane that borders ancient woodland. These included plenty of ancient woodland indicators - Enchanters Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana), Field Maple, Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Red Currant (Ribes rubrum), Wild Cherry (Prunus avium), Wood Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides), Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon ) and Pendulous Sedge (Carex pendula). The latter dominates the path area and trickles back towards the town.
Section 10 - Holloway
Between the ancient woodland and the end of the lane.
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| Primroses - 17 April 2022 |
I found 27 species in this ancient, deep trackway. Some of the species are the same as the ancient woodland with the welcome addition of Primroses (Primula vulgaris) and Broad Buckler ferns (Dryopteris dilatata).
