Magpie Bottom

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.3388, 0.2203

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (2) Unfavourable Recovering (3) Favourable (6)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ540608 Unfavourable No Change 4.25 2011-06-27
TQ540615 Unfavourable Recovering 5.58 2022-11-28
TQ541611 Favourable 2.12 2022-11-28
TQ542608 Favourable 3.22 2011-06-27
TQ544614 Unfavourable Recovering 3.21 2022-11-28
TQ545607 Favourable 14.99 2022-11-28
TQ545611 Favourable 3.4 2011-06-20
TQ546621 Unfavourable Recovering 2.77 2022-11-28
TQ546624 Favourable 0.86 2011-06-27
TQ547623 Favourable 6.53 2011-06-27
TQ548604 Unfavourable No Change 5.0 2022-11-28

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 113.9 ha. 281.4 ac. Description The principal interest of this site is the chalk grassland on the steep slopes which supports a herb rich plant community, including the nationally rare Kentish milkwort Polygala amarella. The site also incorporates neutral grassland, scrub and a variety of woodland. sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina and upright brome Bromus erectusdominate the species rich grassland areas. Associated herbs include characteristic downland plants such as dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, squinancywort Asperula cynanchica and horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa. Seven orchid species occur in the grassland, particularly in the northern part of the site, among them the scarce man orchid Orchis anthorpophora. The Kentish milkwort is present in small numbers, in areas of more open turf. Where the slopes are less steep, fewer species generally occurand some of the grassland has become rank, dominated by upright brome and cock’s foot Dactylis glomerata. The deeper soils of the valley floor support neutral grassland. Woodland is scattered throughout the site, but is most frequent on the plateau over the Clay with Flints. Ash Fraxinus excelsior, oak Quercus robur and beech Fagus sylvatica are the most common standard trees with ash and hazel Corylus avellana widespread in the coppice layer. Other tree and shrub species, such as wild cherry Prunus avium, fieldmaple Acer campestre and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, are also present. The ground flora on the upper slopes is bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta dominated, with bramble Rubus fruticosus and occasionally bracken Pteridium aquilinum. Dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis predominates on the thinner soils of the steeper slopes. In addition, a number of species indicative of ancient woodland occur, including midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata on the clay soils and spurge laurel Daphne laureola on the more chalky soils. Lower Wood contains a narrow chalky bank with mature beech and yew Taxus baccata and here the ground flora, though sparse, includes the saprophytes yellow bird’snest Hypopitys monotropa and bird’s nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis; these plants derive their nourishment from decaying organic matter. Both species are scarce in Kent. Scrub is present in former woodland clearings and has also developed along hedge lines and wood edges as well as in some of the ranker grassland. hawthorn is generally the dominant species although bramble, traveller’s joy Clematis vitalba and roses Rosa spp. are abundant in places. Lime loving species, such as whitebeam Sorbus aria and privet Ligustrum vulgare are also frequent. The fauna of this site is not well known. However, two locally distributed butterflies are found here, viz the chalkhill blue Polyommatus coridon and the brown argus Aricia agestis.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
brown argus Aricia agestis LC butterfly lycaenidae
chalkhill blue Polyommatus coridon VU butterfly lycaenidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
cock's foot Dactylis glomerata LC grass poaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
squinancywort Asperula cynanchica VU herb rubiaceae
dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule VU herb asteraceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa VU herb fabaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
yellow birds nest Hypopitys monotropa DD herb monotropaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
birdsnest orchid Neottia nidus-avis VU herb orchidaceae
man orchid Orchis anthorpophora Not listed in GB list herb orchidaceae
dwarf milkwort Polygala amarella EN herb polygalaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
traveller's joy Clematis vitalba LC shrub ranunculaceae
midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata LC shrub rosaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
spurge laurel Daphne laureola LC shrub thymelaeaceae
wild privet Ligustrum vulgare LC shrub oleaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
beech Fagus sylvatica LC tree fabiaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
wild cherry Prunus avium LC tree rosaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae
whitebeams Sorbus aria CR tree rosaceae
yew Taxus baccata LC tree taxaceae

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas