Woodham Walter Common SSSI

{{Short description|Natural Wildlife Reserves for Scientific Interest}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image=File:Woodham Walter Common - geograph.org.uk - 1382413.jpg

|image_caption=

|name= Woodham Walter Common

|aos= Essex

|interest= Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall| TL791065 }}

|area= 80.0 hectares

|notifydate=1986

|map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271000436%27 Magic Map]

}}

Woodham Walter Common SSSI is an {{convert|80|hectare|acre|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Danbury in Essex. The site includes six nature reserves within the Danbury Ridge Nature Reserves, managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. These are Woodham Walter Common itself, Birch Wood, Pheasanthouse Wood, Poors' Piece, Scrubs Wood and a small area in Pheasanthouse Farm.{{cite web|url= http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000436.pdf|title=Woodham Walter Common citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 21 December 2015}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271000436%27|title=Map of Woodham Walter Common|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 21 December 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/danbury-ridge|title=Danbury Ridge Nature Reserves|publisher=Essex Wildlife Trust|access-date= 21 December 2015}} The largest part of the SSSI is the {{convert|32.3|hectare|acre|adj=on}} Woodham Walter Common, which is managed by the Wildlife Trust on behalf of Maldon District Council and Woodham Walter Parish Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.maldon.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/161/woodham_walter/2|title=Woodham Walter Common (SSSI)|publisher=Maldon District Council|access-date= 21 December 2015}}

The site is on glacial sand and gravel over London clay. it has a number of areas of oak and hornbeam woodland on former heathland. It also has two botanically rich valleys, each of which has a stream along it. Poors' Piece and Pheasanthouse Wood have ancient woodland. Uncommon ground plants are pill sedge, broad-leaved helleborine and lady-fern. There are common brimstone and speckled wood butterflies, nightingales, hawfinches, badgers. and dormice.

There is access to Woodham Walter Common from Common Lane.