Flora, Fauna and Wildlife
The name Ashwell comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'Aescewellan', "aesc" meaning ash, "wellan" meaning well or spring.
Ash trees remain a prominent feature of the springs basin along with Sycamore and Crack Willow. The trees are important in providing some shade for the pools.
Much bird life contributes to the beauty and the ecosystem of the spring including the common house sparrow, robins and wagtails and in the spring water itself the Mallard Duck.
The Ashwell Springs have a special fauna of freshwater invertibrate animals including shrimps and at last count, eight species of flat worms and several small crab like crustaceans, which form their food. Among these, three of the flatworms are very rare, and include 'Crenobia alpina' and 'Polycelis felina' which are limited to cold springs and are regarded as relicts from Ice Age times. Several of the crustaceans are similar glacial relict species.