A Romano-British villa and a possible Iron Age farmstead at Franks
0 ha
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🦉Wildlife🦋Insects
Free entryDogs welcome0 ha
Getting here
51.38450, 0.23204
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦46+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blackbird and Carrion Crow
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦46+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blackbird and Carrion Crow
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie +43 more · last seen 2025
Free
Birds — Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie +43 more · last seen 2025; Good quality semi-improved grassland priority habitat
Free
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Small White, Meadow Brown, Stag Beetle +126 more · last seen 2025; Semi-improved grassland — butterflies and wildflowers
Free
🍂Seasonal nature
Moderate match
Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Common Feather-moss · last seen 2024
Free
🏡Historic gardens
Moderate match
Historic site
Varies
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km6 signed routes nearby · 5 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Circular Walk from Darent Valley Path DWalking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Darent Valley PathWalking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Faesten Dic PathWalking route3.2 km▾
Named routeLength 3.2 kmLocal walking route
1066 Harold's WayWalking route▾
Named routeRegional walking route
Samuel Palmer TrailWalking route▾
Immerse yourself in the life, work and inspiration of Samuel Palmer on an audio-guided journey through Shoreham and surrounding areas.
Named routeLocal walking route
Photos
Grassland in the Darenth Valley
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Events & activities nearby
Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
Wildlife to spot
13,144 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
13,144 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds37 species
winterspringsummer
2025▾
Carrion Crow · Magpie · Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin +32
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- MagpiePica pica
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2023
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Great TitParus major
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Rock DoveColumba livia2023
- Anas platyrhynchos xAnas platyrhynchos x2023
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2023
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2023
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta2023
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
- House MartinDelichon urbicum2022
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- RavenCorvus corax2024
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2024
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2023
- Tree SparrowPasser montanus2023
- Passer domesticus domesticusPasser domesticus domesticus2023
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2023
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus2022
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2022
- Stock DoveColumba oenas2022
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2022
Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle · Noctule · Grey Squirrel · Hazel Dormouse +1
- Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023
- Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2023
- NoctuleNyctalus noctula2023
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2022
- Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Grass Snake
- Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica
Stag Beetle · Banded Demoiselle · Meadow Brown · Small Tortoiseshell · Field Grasshopper +15
- Stag BeetleLucanus cervus2023
- Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2022
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2022
- Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae2022
- Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2022
- RingletAphantopus hyperantus
Common Feather-moss
- Common Feather-mossKindbergia praelonga
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
13,144 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds37 species
winterspringsummer
2025▾
Carrion Crow · Magpie · Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin +32
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- MagpiePica pica
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2023
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Great TitParus major
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Rock DoveColumba livia2023
- Anas platyrhynchos xAnas platyrhynchos x2023
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2023
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2023
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta2023
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
- House MartinDelichon urbicum2022
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- RavenCorvus corax2024
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2024
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2023
- Tree SparrowPasser montanus2023
- Passer domesticus domesticusPasser domesticus domesticus2023
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2023
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus2022
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2022
- Stock DoveColumba oenas2022
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2022
Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle · Noctule · Grey Squirrel · Hazel Dormouse +1
- Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023
- Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus2023
- NoctuleNyctalus noctula2023
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2022
- Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Grass Snake
- Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica
Stag Beetle · Banded Demoiselle · Meadow Brown · Small Tortoiseshell · Field Grasshopper +15
- Stag BeetleLucanus cervus2023
- Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2022
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2022
- Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae2022
- Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2022
- RingletAphantopus hyperantus
Common Feather-moss
- Common Feather-mossKindbergia praelonga
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2022
2022
2022
2022
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2022Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2022Batman HoverflyMyathropa floreaBatman HoverflyMyathropa floreaWhite-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipesWhite-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipesAdonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegataAdonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegataNephrotoma quadrifariaNephrotoma quadrifariaNephrotoma quadrifariaNephrotoma quadrifariaAlticaAltica2023AlticaAltica2023EupeodesEupeodes2022EupeodesEupeodes2022Rambur's Pied ShieldbugTritomegas sexmaculatus2022Rambur's Pied ShieldbugTritomegas sexmaculatus202222-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata202222-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata2022Sicus ferrugineusSicus ferrugineus2022Sicus ferrugineusSicus ferrugineus2022Common BluePolyommatus icarus2022Common BluePolyommatus icarus2022CommaPolygonia c-album2022CommaPolygonia c-album2022Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2022Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2022Large WhitePieris brassicae2021Large WhitePieris brassicae2021