Denham Lock Wood
Encyclopedia
Denham Lock Wood is a 6.3 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest
next to the Grand Union Canal
, and near Denham
in the London Borough of Hillingdon
. It was notified in 1986 and is managed by the London Wildlife Trust
on behalf of Hillingdon Council. It lies within the Colne Valley Regional Park
and its grid reference is .
It is a poorly drained wet woodland and fen site which is skirted by the Frays River
. The main trees are alder and crack willow in the wetter areas, and elsewhere oak and ash with a shrub layer of hazel. In winter wildfowl are visible and in spring many flower species. Invertebrates include red cardinal beetles
, banded demoiselles
and the rare and protected Desmoulin's whorl snail
. The balsam carpet moth
was added to the list of British species when it was found at the Wood in 1955, and it is only known at one other site in Britain.
Access is by a footbridge across Frays River from Frays Farm Meadows
, which is also an SSSI managed by the London Wildlife Trust, south of the Wood. Access to the Meadows is by a stile on the east side of the Grand Union Canal at Denham Lock.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
next to the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
, and near Denham
Denham, Buckinghamshire
Denham is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is north west of Uxbridge and north of junction 1 of the M40 motorway. Denham contains the Buckinghamshire Golf Club.-Origin:...
in the London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
. It was notified in 1986 and is managed by the London Wildlife Trust
London Wildlife Trust
London Wildlife Trust was founded in 1981. It is one of 47 members of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts , each of which is a local nature conservation charity for its area....
on behalf of Hillingdon Council. It lies within the Colne Valley Regional Park
Colne Valley regional park
The Colne Valley regional park located to the west of Greater London contains a mixture of farmland, woodland and water, fifty miles of river and canal and over forty lakes. As well as providing homes and farms it is also a regionally important place recreation and internationally important for...
and its grid reference is .
It is a poorly drained wet woodland and fen site which is skirted by the Frays River
Frays River
Frays River is a river in England that branches off the River Colne at Uxbridge Moor and rejoins it at West Drayton.The Frays River leaves the River Colne between Uxbridge and Denham, Buckinghamshire at Denham Weir. It passes Cowley and Yiewsley where it is joined by the River Pinn. It is also...
. The main trees are alder and crack willow in the wetter areas, and elsewhere oak and ash with a shrub layer of hazel. In winter wildfowl are visible and in spring many flower species. Invertebrates include red cardinal beetles
Cardinal beetle
The cardinal beetle is a brightly-coloured red or orange beetle. It is approximately 20 mm long. It has a black face.The cardinal beetle preys on other insects and is normally found on flowers at the edges of woodland...
, banded demoiselles
Banded Demoiselle
The Banded Demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers...
and the rare and protected Desmoulin's whorl snail
Desmoulin's whorl snail
Desmoulin's whorl snail, scientific name Vertigo moulinsiana, is a species of minute air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc or micromollusc in the family Vertiginidae, the vertigo snails....
. The balsam carpet moth
Xanthorhoe biriviata
The Balsam Carpet, Xanthorhoe biriviata, is a moth of the genus Xanthorhoe in the family Geometridae....
was added to the list of British species when it was found at the Wood in 1955, and it is only known at one other site in Britain.
Access is by a footbridge across Frays River from Frays Farm Meadows
Frays Farm Meadows
Frays Farm Meadows is a 28.2 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Denham in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It was notified as an SSSI in 1981, and has been managed by the London Wildlife Trust on behalf of Hillingdon Council since 1999...
, which is also an SSSI managed by the London Wildlife Trust, south of the Wood. Access to the Meadows is by a stile on the east side of the Grand Union Canal at Denham Lock.