• Home
• Nature reserves
• Furnace Meadow and Brick Kiln Rough

Furnace Meadow and Brick Kiln Rough

Location: Ebernoe Common, near Petworth, West Sussex

Grid Reference: SU 977 277

This reserve was acquired by Plantlife in 1994 and is split into two parts: Furnace Meadow, a ten acre area of unimproved grassland; and Brick Kiln Rough, six acres of ancient semi-natural woodland.

Furnace Meadow comprises a single field with dry grassland on a steep, south-facing slope, and damper grassland on flatter ground alongside a small stream, which trickles through the southern part of the field.

Wildflowers at the reserve

The warm slope supports a rich mix of species including lesser hawkbit, pepper saxifrage, musk mallow and oxeye daisy. In and alongside the stream, a very different suite of plants can be found including yellow iris, hemlock water-dropwort, lesser spearwort and brooklime. May and June are the best months to see the flora of Furnace Meadow.

The woodland of Brick Kiln Rough is oak dominated with an interesting ground flora, including daffodil, bird’s-nest orchid and bluebell. The woodland flora is at its peak in the spring.

Directions

Click here to download a map of the reserve.

From Petworth, take the A283 north for about 3 1/2 miles. On the brow of the hill take the minor road to the right signposted to Ebernoe. There is a red telephone box on the left hand side just past the Ebernoe cricket pitch. A few yards further on, turn right into the track which leads to the reserve car park next to Holy Trinity church. The nearest train station is Billingshurst which is 10 miles from the reserve.