Wikipedia

List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Rutland

This article is about SSSIs in Rutland. For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search.

Rutland is a landlocked[1] ceremonial county[2] in the East Midlands of England. In 1974 it was merged to be part of the administrative county of Leicestershire, but in 1997 it was separated to become a unitary local authority, which is responsible for all local services apart from the police and fire service. It is mainly rural, but has two market towns, Oakham, the county town, and Uppingham.[3][4][5] The county has an area of 151.5 square miles (392 square kilometres), and the 2011 census showed a population of 37,400.[6]

Rutland Water
Rutland Water

In England, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are designated by Natural England, a non-departmental public body which is responsible for protecting England's natural environment. Designation as an SSSI gives legal protection to the most important wildlife and geological sites.[7] As of November 2017, there are 19 SSSIs in the county.[8] Sixteen are designated for their biological importance, one for its geological importance and two under both criteria.

The largest site is Rutland Water at 1,555.3 hectares (3,843 acres), a Ramsar internationally important wetland site and a Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.[3][9] The smallest is Tolethorpe Road Verges at 1.0 hectare (2.5 acres), which has several regionally uncommon plants on Jurassic limestone.[10]

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Key

edit

Sites

edit
Site name Photograph B G Area[a] Public
access 		Location[a] Other
classifications 		Map[b] Citation[c] Description
Bloody Oaks Quarry    Y 1.1 hectares
(2.7 acres)[11] 		YES Stamford
52°41′10″N 0°33′50″W / 52.686°N 0.564°W / 52.686; -0.564 ([Bloody Oaks Quarry)
SK 971 108[11] 		LRWT[12] Map Citation This site has species-rich grassland on Jurassic limestone. The dominant grasses are tor-grass and upright brome and flora include rock-rose, salad burnet, yellow-wort and autumn gentian.[13]
Burley and Rushpit Woods    Y 161.2 hectares
(398 acres)[14] 		NO Oakham
52°40′44″N 0°41′02″W / 52.679°N 0.684°W / 52.679; -0.684 (Burley and Rushpit Woods)
SK 891 098[14] 		Map Citation These woods on upper Lias clay have many mature and over-mature trees and considerable dead wood. The dominant tree is oak in most of the forest, giving way to ash in the remainder. The lichens are of regional importance, and the invertebrates include one listed in the Red List of Threatened Species and five which are nationally scarce.[15]
Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood    Y  Y 111.2 hectares
(275 acres)[16] 		PP Oakham
52°43′23″N 0°32′56″W / 52.723°N 0.549°W / 52.723; -0.549 (Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood)
SK 981 149[16] 		GCR[17] Map Citation Pickworth Great Wood is one of the largest deciduous woods in the county, with diverse breeding birds and over 150 species of moth. The quarry has dense hawthorn scrub and limestone grassland with a variety of lime loving herbs such as dwarf thistle and yellow-wort. It exposes rocks of the Lincolnshire Limestone, dating to the Bajocian stage in the Middle Jurassic around 170 million years ago.[18]
East Wood, Great Casterton    Y 6.6 hectares
(16 acres)[19] 		Great Casterton
52°41′35″N 0°30′58″W / 52.693°N 0.516°W / 52.693; -0.516 (East Wood, Great Casterton)
TF 004 116[19] 		Map Citation This semi-natural wood is on boulder clay of glacial origin. The dominant trees are ash, oak and wych elm, with a few wild service trees and small leaved limes. In well-drained areas there is a diverse ground flora typical of ancient woodland.[20]
Empingham Marshy Meadows    Y 14.0 hectares
(35 acres)[21] 		YES Oakham
52°40′23″N 0°35′17″W / 52.673°N 0.588°W / 52.673; -0.588 (Empingham Marshy Meadows)
SK 956 093[21] 		Map Citation This site in the valley of North Brook has a complex geological structure and diverse habitats, including grassland and base-rich marsh and fen. Flora in wetter areas include adder's tongue fern, marsh marigold and ragged robin.[22]
Eye Brook Reservoir    Y 201.3 hectares
(497 acres)[23] 		NO Uppingham
52°33′04″N 0°44′42″W / 52.551°N 0.745°W / 52.551; -0.745 (Eye Brook Reservoir)
SP 852 955[23] 		Map[d] Citation The reservoir is an important site for wintering wildfowl, such as wigeon, teal, mallard and pochard. Other habitats are marsh, mudflats, grassland, broad-leaved woodland and plantations.[24]
Greetham Meadows    Y 12.4 hectares
(31 acres)[25] 		YES Oakham
52°43′52″N 0°36′43″W / 52.731°N 0.612°W / 52.731; -0.612 (Greetham Meadows)
SK 938 157[25] 		LRWT[26] Map Citation This ridge and furrow meadow is the only known location in the county for the frog orchid. The soil is on boulder clay, and grasses include crested dog's-tail, sweet vernal-grass, upright brome, downy oat-grass and quaking grass. There are several ponds.[27]
Ketton Quarries    Y  Y 115.6 hectares
(286 acres)[28] 		PP Stamford
52°38′20″N 0°34′05″W / 52.639°N 0.568°W / 52.639; -0.568 (Ketton Quarries)
SK 970 055[28] 		GCR,[29][30] LRWT[31] Map Citation The site provides an extensive exposure of the middle Jurassic Bathonian age, dating to around 167 million years ago. It is described by Natural England as "a critical site of considerable importance for lithostratigraphic and facies analysis in the Bathonian rocks of southern Britain". The older workings and spoil heaps are one of the largest areas of semi-natural limestone grassland and scrub in the county.[32]
Luffenham Heath Golf Course    Y 75.1 hectares
(186 acres)[33] 		NO Stamford
52°36′36″N 0°35′13″W / 52.610°N 0.587°W / 52.610; -0.587 (Luffenham Heath Golf Course)
SK 958 023[33] 		Map Citation The course is located on several soil types, including calcareous grassland on Jurassic Lower Lincolnshire Limestone, together with acid heath, scrub and broad-leaved woodland. The dominant grasses are tor-grass and upright brome, and the site is notable for its butterflies and its diverse insect species.[34]
Newell Wood    Y 33.3 hectares
(82 acres)[35] 		NO Stamford
52°43′05″N 0°31′01″W / 52.718°N 0.517°W / 52.718; -0.517 (Newell Wood)
TF 003 144[35] 		Map Citation This acid semi-natural woodland is mainly on glacial sands and gravels, but some areas are on clays and siltstones. It is dominated by oak and birch, and ground flora includes bracken, wood sorrel and early purple orchid.[36]
North Luffenham Quarry    Y 4.6 hectares
(11 acres)[37] 		NO Stamford
52°37′19″N 0°34′55″W / 52.622°N 0.582°W / 52.622; -0.582 (North Luffenham Quarry)
SK 961 036[37] 		Map Citation This is calcareous grassland on thin soils derived from Jurassic Lincolnshire Limestone. Flora include basil thyme, marjoram and bee orchid. There are increasing areas of scrub, and the mixture of habitats has a diverse variety of insect species.[38]
Prior's Coppice    Y 27.4 hectares
(68 acres)[39] 		YES Oakham
52°38′13″N 0°43′59″W / 52.637°N 0.733°W / 52.637; -0.733 (Prior's Coppice)
SK 831 051[39] 		LRWT[40] Map Citation This wood is on poorly drained soils derived from Jurassic Upper Lias clay and glacial boulder clay. The dominant trees are ash and oak, with field maple and hazel in the shrub layer. There is a diverse ground flora typical of ancient clay woods.[41]
Rutland Water    Y 1,555.3 hectares
(3,843 acres)[9] 		YES Oakham
52°39′14″N 0°39′43″W / 52.654°N 0.662°W / 52.654; -0.662 (Rutland Water)
SK 906 071[9] 		LRWT,[42] NCR,[43] Ramsar,[44] SPA[45] Map Citation This major wetland site has exceptional numbers and diversity of migrating and wintering waterfowl, such as goldeneyes, tufted ducks and wigeons. Habitats are lagoons, islands, mudflats, marsh, grassland, scrub and woodland.[43]
Ryhall Pasture and Little Warren Verges    Y 6.2 hectares
(15 acres)[46] 		PP Stamford
52°42′40″N 0°29′24″W / 52.711°N 0.490°W / 52.711; -0.490 (Ryhall Pasture and Little Warren Verges)
TF 021 137[46] 		Map[e] Citation The main grasses on Ryhall Pasture are tor-grass, upright brome and red fescue. The soil is on Jurassic Upper Lincolnshire Limestone, and the rich herb flora include clustered bellflower and greater knapweed.[47]
Seaton Meadows    Y 11.4 hectares
(28 acres)[48] 		YES Oakham
52°34′16″N 0°39′04″W / 52.571°N 0.651°W / 52.571; -0.651 (Seaton Meadows)
SP 915 979[48] 		Plantlife[49] Map Citation This site is traditionally managed as hay pasture, and it is an example of unimproved alluvial flood meadows, a rare habitat due to agricultural developments. The grasses are diverse, including meadow foxtail, red fescue, sweet vernal grass and Yorkshire fog.[50]
Shacklewell Hollow    Y 3.2 hectares
(7.9 acres)[51] 		NO Oakham
52°39′29″N 0°33′29″W / 52.658°N 0.558°W / 52.658; -0.558 (Shacklewell Hollow)
SK 976 077[51] 		Map Citation This marshy site is in the valley of a tributary of the River Gwash. The marsh is dominated by hard rush, and there are several artificial ponds with large populations of mare's tail. There are also areas of calcareous grassland and alder wood.[52]
Tickencote Marsh    Y 3.0 hectares
(7.4 acres)[53] 		NO Stamford
52°40′16″N 0°32′56″W / 52.671°N 0.549°W / 52.671; -0.549 (Tickencote Marsh)
SK 982 091[53] 		Map Citation This site in the valley of the River Gwash is a base-rich grazing marsh, a habitat which is becoming increasingly rare as a result of drainage and a decline in grazing. Common flora include lesser pond-sedge, marsh horsetail and jointed rush.[54]
Tolethorpe Road Verges    Y 1.0 hectare
(2.5 acres)[55] 		YES Stamford
52°40′55″N 0°30′14″W / 52.682°N 0.504°W / 52.682; -0.504 (Tolethorpe Road Verges)
TF 012 104[55] 		Map Citation These grass road verges on Jurassic limestone have several regionally uncommon plants. They are dominated by tor-grass and upright brome, and there are calcareous grassland herbs such as spiny restharrow and stemless thistle.[10]
Wing Water Treatment Works    Y 1.5 hectares
(3.7 acres)[56] 		YES Oakham
52°36′50″N 0°40′34″W / 52.614°N 0.676°W / 52.614; -0.676 (Wing Water Treatment Works)
SK 898 026[56] 		GCR[57] Map Citation This site is statigraphically important both regionally and nationally, as it has the longest sequence known in Britain of deposits from the warm Ipswichian interglacial around 120,000 years ago, and it has yielded new paleobotanical records for this period.[58]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b The area and grid reference are taken from the "Details" page for each site on the Natural England database.[8]
  2. ^ The maps are provided by Natural England on the Magic Map website.
  3. ^ Citations are provided for each site by Natural England.
  4. ^ Eye Brook Reservoir is partly in Leicestershire.
  5. ^ Ryhall Pasture and Little Warren Verges is partly in Lincolnshire.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Rutland is Britain's happiest place to live". The Times. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  2. ^ "England: East Midlands Region". Anglicans Online. Society of Archbishop Justus. Archived from the original on 31 August 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Rutland". East Midlands Oral History Archive. University of Leicester. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Oakham". Discover Rutland. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  5. ^ "About us". Rutland County Council. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Rutland Key Statistical Data". Rutland County Council. November 2016. pp. 6, 39.
  7. ^ "Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Designation". Natural England. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Rutland". Natural England. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b c "Designated Sites View: Rutland Water". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Tolethorpe Road Verges citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Bloody Oaks Quarry". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Bloody Oaks Quarry". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Bloody Oaks Quarry citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Burley and Rushpit Woods". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  15. ^ "Burley and Rushpit Woods citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  16. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  17. ^ "Clipsham Quarry (Aalenian - Bajocian)". Geological Conservation Review. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  18. ^ "Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  19. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: East Wood, Great Casterton". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  20. ^ "East Wood, Great Casterton citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  21. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Empingham Marshy Meadows". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  22. ^ "Empingham Marshy Meadows citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  23. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Eye Brook Reservoir". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  24. ^ "Eye Brook Reservoi citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  25. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Greetham Meadows". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  26. ^ "Merry's Meadows". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  27. ^ "Greetham Meadowscitation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  28. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Ketton Quarries". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  29. ^ "Ketton Quarry (Aalenian - Bajocian)". Geological Conservation Review. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  30. ^ "Ketton Quarry (Bathonian)". Geological Conservation Review. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  31. ^ "Ketton Quarry". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  32. ^ "Ketton Quarries citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  33. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Luffenham Heath Golf Course". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  34. ^ "Luffenham Heath Golf Course citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  35. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Newell Wood". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  36. ^ "Newell Wood citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  37. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: North Luffenham Quarry". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  38. ^ "North Luffenham Quarry citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  39. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Prior's Coppice". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  40. ^ "Prior's Coppice". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  41. ^ "Prior's Coppice citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  42. ^ "Rutland Water". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  43. ^ a b "Rutland Water citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-11. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  44. ^ "Designated Sites View: Rutland Water". Ramsar Site. Natural England. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  45. ^ "Designated Sites View: Rutland Water". Special Protection Area. Natural England. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  46. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Ryhall Pasture and Little Warren Verges". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  47. ^ "Ryhall Pasture and Little Warren Verges citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  48. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Seaton Meadows". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  49. ^ "Seaton Meadows". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  50. ^ "Seaton Meadows citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  51. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Shacklewell Hollow". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  52. ^ "Shacklewell Hollow citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  53. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Tickencote Marsh". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  54. ^ "Tickencote Marshcitation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  55. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Tolethorpe Road Verges". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  56. ^ a b "Designated Sites View: Wing Water Treatment Works". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  57. ^ "Wing (Quaternary of Midlands - Avon)". Geological Conservation Review. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  58. ^ "Wing Water Treatment Works citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2017.

52°39′N 0°38′W / 52.650°N 0.633°W / 52.650; -0.633

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Sites_of_Special_Scientific_Interest_in_Rutland&oldid=1147519383"