A small cache in woodland on the edge of Stanley Common.
The Serpent Trail - A 64 mile long path that leads you through the purple heather, green woods and golden valleys of the Sussex greensand hills. The sandy heaths are rare and special places for people and wildlife.
ABOUT THE SITE
Stanley Common lies to the south east of Liphook and is adjacent to the Forestry Commission land at Iron Hill, on its western boundary. The common sits on lower greensand soils. The common contains wooded heath with birch, pine, oak and sweet chestnut trees.
Stanley common is owned and managed by The Lynchmere Society.
Size: Together with Lyncmere common and part of Marley Common these commons form the Lynchmere Society’s holdings with a total of 307 acres / 125 hectares
Designations: SNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Importance), Open Access Site
NATURE & WILDLIFE
- The largest area of open heath is found at the eastern end of the common, with dry heath, dominated by ling on the better-drained areas. Cross-leaved heath can be seen in the damper areas with wet heath, dominated by purple moor grass ( Molinia caerula ), in the valley bottom.
- Until recently, the site received little active management, apart from occasional forestry thinning. Since the Lynchmere society took over in 1998, there has been a considerable amount of heathland restoration work carried out. As a result of the first 5 year of restoration the area of open heathland has been increased and the regrowth of heather and other healthland species is dramatics. This regrowth has been accompanied by the stabilisation of wildlife surveyed and encouraging increases in sightings of heathland birds such as the nightjar, Dartford warbler and woodlark for example.
- There are a few veteran oak pollards aged between c. 200 – 500 years, especially along the eastern boundary, where an interesting series of parallel banks and ditches, or sunken lanes occur.
HISTORY
Stanley Common was used by the army during both wars as a training ground The Lynchmere Society launched a successful appeal in 1997 and 125 hectares (307 acres) of Lynchmere, Stanley and Marley Commons were purchased spring 1998 with wide local contribution from individuals and organisations and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund on the condition that the commons were to be restored to lowland heath. If the Society had not purchased the commons it is likely that they would have been bought for commercial forestry and would by now have been replanted with fast growing non-native species.
There is also a small triangular section of birch coppice which is being managed. This now rare form of coppice was used traditionally to provide a range of birch products and in the Lynchmere area would once have been the dominate form of woodland management with birch or besom brooms the primary product. This small area in compartment 3 is being cut on a 3 or 4 year cycle by traditional billhook and the birch is used for race course hurdles.
HEATHLAND
Heathlands occur on infertile land with thin acidic soils. The soils are usually sandy and therefore free-draining so they do not hold water for long. Heaths are often subject to summer droughts. Fires are a constant hazard, particularly as much of the vegetation is very resinous adding to the fire risk.
Heathlands are a man-made habitat, created thousands of years ago by our ancestors to provide firewood, craft materials and grazing for livestock. They are very vulnerable to rapid loss and degradation, especially through neglect. Birch and Scot’s Pine seedlings soon take over and turn areas into woodland because they shade out the underlying heath vegetation.
The wide open landscape is dominated by heather, gorse and grasses which provide a superb habitat for invertebrates (over 5000), ground nesting birds and all six native reptiles. Many internationally rare species can be found on heathland.
95% of lowland heaths have been lost globally. 1,544 ha of lowland heathland can be found in the National Park which represents an important international resource.
PERMISSIONS
Cache placed with kind permission from The Lynchmere Society.