The meadow is situated on a slope, 15-25 metres above sea level, near the base of the South Downs and close to the river Cuckmere. The land lies over Gault Clay (British Geological Survey, 1978). Evidence from the vegetation suggests that the top of the meadow’s slope is drier and free draining, possibly having an alluvial topsoil. The lower slope has areas which remain wet for a longer duration. The evidence of the vegetation suggests that the soil reaction is neutral to slightly acid.
Plant Species found in meadow
| Common Name | Taxon |
| Agrimony | Agrimonia eupatoria |
| Bent grass | Agrostis sp |
| Birds Foot Trefoil – Greater | Lotus pedunculatus |
| Birds Foot Trefoil – Lesser | Lotus corniculatus |
| Bramble | Rubus fructicosus agg |
| Buttercup – Creeping | Ranunculus repens |
| Buttercup – Meadow | Ranunculus acris |
| Cleavers (Goosegrass) | Galium aparine |
| Cocksfoot | Dactylis glomerata |
| Common Field Mousear | Cerastium fontanum |
| Common Knapweed | Centaurea nigra |
| Common Sorrel | Rumex acetosa |
| Cuckoo Pint | Arum maculatum |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinalis agg |
| Devil’s-bit Scabious | Succisa pratensis |
| Dewberry | Rubus caesius |
| Dock – Broadleaved | Rumex obtusifolius |
| Dock – Wood | Rumex sanguineus |
| Dog Rose | Rosa canina agg |
| False Oatgrass | Arrhenatherum elatius |
| Fescue sp (Meadow) | Festuca sp (pratensis?) |
| Field Forget-me-not | Myosotis arvensis |
| Fleabane – Common | Pulicaria dysenterica |
| Goat’s-beard | Tragopogon pratensis |
| Great Willowherb | Epilobium hirsutum |
| Ground Ivy | Glechoma hederacea |
| Hard Rush | Juncus inflexus |
| Hedge Bindweed | Calystegia sepium |
| Hedge Parsley | Torilis japonica |
| Hedge Woundwort | Stachys sylvatica |
| Herb Robert | Geranium robertianum |
| Hogweed | Heracleum sphondylium |
| Iris sp | Iris (foetidissima?) |
| Ivy | Hedera helix |
| Lady’s Bedstraw | Galium verum |
| Large-leaved Timothy | Phleum pratensis |
| Lesser Burdock | Arctium minor |
| Lesser Stitchwort | Stellaria graminea |
| Meadow Barley | Hordeum secalinum |
| Meadow Vetchling | Lathyrus pratensis |
| Meadow-grass sp | Poa sp |
| Meadowsweet | Filipendula ulmaria |
| Pepper Saxifrage | Silaum silaus |
| Prickly Sow-Thistle | Sonchus asper |
| Ragwort – Common | Senecio vulgaris |
| Ragwort – Hoary | Senecio erucifolius |
| Red Clover | Trifolium pratense |
| Ribwort Plantain | Plantago lanceolata |
| Self-heal | Prunella vulgaris |
| Silverweed | Potentilla anserina |
| Square St Johns Wort | Hypericum tetrapterum |
| Stinging Nettle | Urtica dioica |
| Sweet Vernal Grass | Anthoxanthum odorata |
| Thistle – Creeping | Cirsium arvense |
| Thistle – Marsh | Cirsium palustre |
| Thistle – Spear | Cirsium vulgare |
| Trailing Tormentil (or Hybrid Cinquefoil?) | Potentilla anglica OR Potentilla x mixta |
| Tufted Hair Grass | Deschampsia ceaspitosa |
| Tufted Vetch | Vicia cracca |
| Water Mint | Mentha aquatica |
| Water Pepper | Persicaria hydropiper |
| White Clover | Trifolium repens |
| Wood Avens | Geum urbanum |
| Woody Nightshade | Solanum dulcamara |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium |
| Yorkshire Fog | Holcus lanatus |
Periodically we have sheep in the field
And of course there’s hay making
