This site is formed of a mosaic of small meadows and pastures divided by hedges, centred around an important series of springs. Grassland communities range from dry, close-cropped areas over sand to taller, marshy vegetation in the valley bottom.A small area of crack willow woodland can be found in the north-east of the site.The field adjacent to Bexley Road is freely accessible, however the rest of the site can only be viewed from the adjacent two branches of the Green Chain Walk.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Pippenhall Meadows
Borough: Greenwich
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (part of site)
Area: 6.22 ha
Description
Wildlife
The site supports a wide variety of plants, with many regionally uncommon species. Damp grassland plants include ragged-robin, lesser spearwort and square-stemmed St John's-wort. Stream edges and surrounds support common sedge, bog stitchwort, ivy-leaved crowfoot, and plicate and small sweet-grasses. Drier grassland areas support sand spurrey, common centaury and the rare corky-fruited water-dropwort. These are also home to yellow bartsia at its only London locality, as well as a colony of several hundred pyramidal orchids.Facilities
Horse-riding. The Green Chain Walk passes near the site.
Yellow bartsia in flower at Pippenhall Meadows © Mike Waite
Yellow bartsia © Mike Waite
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