This site, formed of two nearby but separate locations is a complex of ancient woodland and heathland overlying both sandy and chalk soils. Threehalfpenny and Spring Park woods both consist mostly of oak-birch woodland with replanted sweet chestnut coppice. Shirley Heath lies immediately to the north of these, and apart from the small Kennel Wood consists mainly of dry grassland and heathland. Shirley Heath and Threehalfpenny Wood are owned and managed by Croydon Council. Spring Park is owned by the City of London.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Shirley Heath, Spring Park and Threehalfpenny Wood
Borough: Bromley, Croydon
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 62.79 ha
Description
Wildlife
The woodland supports several locally uncommon plants, including sanicle, butchers broom, woodruff, and goldilocks buttercup. Along the borough boundary here is also a small but important population of small-leaved lime, which is very uncommon regionally. There are also several boggy pools and numerous springs, where there is a very small population of bog-moss surviving, together with London rarities marsh violet and hard fern. Shirley Heath has a small population of heather and there are also recent records here of lily-of-the-valley, star-of-Bethlehem and moschatel.Facilities
Cycle path; playground.
View of Shirley Heath © Mike Waite
Small-leaved lime © Mike Waite
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