The woodland flora of the Forest of Writtle and surrounding area
Ericaceae Heather Family
Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum: Introduced during the Victorian or Edwardian eras to several
woodlands in the main Forest complex, namely, all the woods on the Coptfold Hall estate plus Bell
Grove, Great Edney, Writtle Park, Mill Green, Box, Fryerning and Portsmorhall Woods. Fortunately, it
has never become invasive and only attains abundance in Bosmore Wood.
Heather Calluna vulgaris: Confined to Mill Green Common, as apparently has always been the case.
Until the 1950s it covered large areas of ibis site but during the next few decades it slowly declined as
the bulk of the Common was invaded by secondary woodland. By the 1980s only a couple of dozen
plants were left, situated on grassland opposite 'The Cricketers' (TL637014). A management plan was
then produced by Brentwood Borough Council and implemented by volunteers, who cleared the Gorse
and Birch that had colonised much of the site. Recoveiy has been slow but has been abetted by a run of
wet springs in recent years, which help the Heather seedlings to become established, and at the present
time the number of plants stands at just over a hundred. Three small plants which appeared in acidic
grassland in the formal gardens at Hylands House in 2002, where they were accompanied by Heath
Bedstraw and Oval Sedge, may have been of garden origin or, alternatively, the vanguard of a future
heathland!
Primulaceae Primrose Family
Primrose Primula vulgaris: This cheerful and much looked forward to herald of spring remains common
and widespread throughout the survey area, a few plants, at least, surviving in all the woods and commons,
even those that have not been coppiced for many years.
Water-violet Hottonia palustris: This is one of the species that was collected by Robert West's pupils
at the end of the nineteenth century but which has subsequently disappeared from the area. It was last
reported from a pond on the edge of Bosmore Wood in 1966. A fast declining species in Essex.
Yellow Pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum: Appears to be absent from the chalky boulder-clay, preferring
woodlands on neutral to acidic soils, where it is common and widespread in damp and shady situations.
It seems to be a reliable indicator of ancient woodland in this area, being absent from all those planted
later than 1600 apart from Hockley Shaw/Writtle Park Wood.
Grossulariaceae Gooseberry Family
Red Currant Ribes rubrum: Recorded from Great Edney, Ellis, Barrow, Writtle Park, King, South and
Fryerning Woods; Hockley Shaw, Birch and Parsons Springs, Edney and Mill Green Commons, The
Mores, Fryerning Wood and The Grove but seemingly absent from woods on the boulder-clay. Birds,
rodents and deer invariably eat the fruit before they are ripe enough for human consumption!
Black Currant Ribes nigrum: Seemingly far scarcer than the above, having been found to date in only
Great Edney Wood, Southwood, Hockley Shaw and both Edney and Mill Green Commons. Possibly
under-recorded.
Gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa: The only records concern two large bushes found on Edney Common
in May 1999 and three in South Wood in June 2000, all presumably of garden origin.
Saxifragaceae Saxifrage Family
Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrvsoplenium oppositifolium: A species that is abundant in
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)