A butterfly spotter’s paradise, this expanse of dry chalk valley is also a great place to find orchids, rare grasses and blankets of bluebells.
The reserve
Separated by Featherbed Lane, this large 30 hectare nature reserve covers an extensive area of a dry chalk valley in south Croydon. The steep grassland slope of Hutchinson's Bank hosts wonderfully diverse butterflies, plantlife and birds. Pyramidal, common spotted and man orchid are amongst the flora, with grasses including kidney vetch and the nationally scarce greater yellow-rattle. Over 100 species of moth have been recorded here and, in a good year, 28 species of butterfly can be seen, including small blue and dark green fritillary. Following the chalk walk around Hutchinson's Bank brings you to Chapel Bank. This is an area of ancient woodland, scrub and chalk grassland, spiked with orchids including common twayblade and white helleborine. Threecorner Grove is found in between the two banks and is a small stand of ancient woodland of oak, wild cherry and hazel, with moschatel, wild garlic and carpets of bluebell in spring.
Habitats you'll see
Chalk grasslands, ancient woodland and scrub
Species you might spot
Small blue and dark green fritillary butterflies; common spotted and man orchids, common twayblade, white helleborine orchids, kidney vetch, greater yellow-rattle grasses, and bluebells
What’s in my backyard?
Find out what species have been spotted on this reserve with the fantastic WIMBY tool, run by GiGL – Greenspace Information for Greater London.
Visit us
There are entrances off Featherbed Lane, or Farleigh Dean Crescent in Croydon
Unstaffed
Open at all times
Map
Site status
Site of Metropolitan Importance; Local Nature Reserve
Further site information can be found on:
