Frithy Wood

Frithy and Chadacre Woods

Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location within Suffolk
Area of Search	Suffolk
Grid reference	TL8654
Coordinates	52°09′24″N 0°43′36″E / 52.1568°N 0.72671°E / 52.1568; 0.72671Coordinates: 52°09′24″N 0°43′36″E / 52.1568°N 0.72671°E / 52.1568; 0.72671
Interest	Biological
Notification	1987
Natural England website

Frithy and Chadacre Woods are areas of ancient and semi-natural woodland in the West Suffolk parishes of Lawshall and Shimpling. They have been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in recognition of their biological importance.

Three woods form the SSSI, namely Frithy Wood in Lawshall parish and Ashen Wood and Bavins Wood on the Chadacre Estate in Shimpling parish.

All three woods are of the wet ash (Fraxinus excelsior) / maple (Acer campestre) type, with hazel (Corylus avellana) also present in considerable quantity. There are pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) trees and other tree and shrub species include aspen (Populus tremula), wild cherry (Prunus avium), midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), crab apple (Malus sylvestris), holly (Ilex aquifolium), spindle (Euonymus europaeus) and common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). The structure of the woods has been greatly influenced by management of the coppice.

The three woods have a diverse woodland floor vegetation, which is dominated by either dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis) or brambles (Rubus spp.). They contain a number of plants characteristic of woodlands of this type including herb paris (Paris quadrifolia) in Ashen Wood and wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides), woodruff (Galium odoratum), sanicle (Sanicula europaea) and stinking iris (Iris foetidissima) in Frithy Wood. The SSSI lies within the distribution of oxlip (Primula elatior) and all three woods contain this species. There are many other woodland floor plants including early purple orchid (Orchis mascula), twayblade (Neottia ovata), gromwell (Lithospermum officinale) and bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus).