Old Winchester Hill
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU636207 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 0.98 | 2023-03-28 |
| SU640205 | — | Favourable | 37.96 | 2015-03-18 |
| SU640210 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 1.11 | 2012-09-20 |
| SU641208 | — | Favourable | 25.15 | 2012-09-20 |
| SU642208 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 0.47 | 2015-03-18 |
| SU642212 | — | Favourable | 0.5 | 2020-03-19 |
| SU644206 | — | Favourable | 25.15 | 2012-09-20 |
| SU644212 | — | Favourable | 25.15 | 2012-09-20 |
| SU645209 | — | Favourable | 25.15 | 2012-09-20 |
| SU645213 | — | Favourable | 25.15 | 2012-09-20 |
| SU646208 | — | Favourable | 25.15 | 2012-09-20 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 64.58 hectares 159.58 ac Description Old Winchester Hill is situated on the East Hampshire chalk, overlooking the Meon Valley at the western extremity of the South Downs. The reserve represents an important element in the series of chalk downland National Nature Reserves in the middle of the range of decreasing oceanicity from west to east across southern England. All stages in the sere from open grassland through scrub to mature woodland are represented. The majority of the rich grazed grassland is of sheep's fescue Festuca ovina type but with the full range of characteristic downland grasses present. On the south facing slope of the Iron Agehill fort an interesting short, diverse, thermophilous community has developed. This stretch of downland is renowned as one of the richest botanical sites in southern England, containing probably the largest population of the scarce round headed rampion Phyteuma orbiculare in the country. This species is associated here with horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa, kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata and small scabious Scabiosa columbaria. The grassland also holds notable colonies of orchids, namely fragrant Gymnadenia conopsea, pyramidal Anacamptis pyramidalis, bee Ophrys apifera, frog Dactylorhiza viridis, greater butterfly Platanthera chlorantha, man Orchis anthorpophora and autumn lady's tresses Spiranthes spiralis. An extensive stand of juniper Juniperus communis, mixed with yew Taxus baccata and whitebeam Sorbus aria, is conspicuous on the same hill face which contrasts strongly with the moss rich north facing slopes. The juniper colony contains in excess of 5,000 bushes of varying ages, representing one of the largest stands in Hampshire and about 5 percent of the total population in southern England. Careful manipulation of the grazing regime is encouraging the regeneration of this declining shrub species a rare phenomenon on most of its remaining downland localities. The specific invertebrate fauna associated with this shrub is well represented on this site. Additional ecological interest in the grassland is provided by the local development of chalk heath where clay with flints overlies the chalk and leaching of minerals and nutrients has allowed ling Calluna vulgaris and other calcifuges to establish.
Species mentioned
Show the 19 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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