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Hembury Woods
Buckfastleigh, Devon
Grid ref: SX 7261 6828 Find this on the Map Reference Finder
Hembury Woods is a National Trust-owned ancient woodland on the steep slopes of the River Dart valley, 3km northwest of Buckfastleigh on the south-eastern edge of Dartmoor. Predominantly pedunculate oak with silver birch, alder, gorse, holly and hazel, its herb layer includes bluebells, wood sage, bilberry and royal fern. The site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, home to greater and lesser horseshoe bats among other protected species.
Within the woods stand two separate historic monuments on the same hilltop knoll: the Iron Age hillfort Hembury Castle Site, and the 12th-century Norman motte built within a corner of it, Hembury Castle.
In August 2004, Robert Heckford found a larva in an oak leaf mine here that he reared through to adulthood the following year - the moth was formally described in 2010 as a new species, Ectoedemia heckfordi, named in his honour.
Sources: Wikipedia.
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