Morte Point

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.1870, -4.2183

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (3)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SS448452 Favourable 20.79 2009-09-03
SS451454 Favourable 75.52 2009-09-02
SS456458 Favourable 75.52 2009-09-02

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Devonian

Landscape processes: Coastal

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
cormorant Breeding
fulmar Breeding

Description

Morte Point SSSI Description In North Devon AONB and Structure Plan Coastal Preservation Area. Owned by National Trust above High Water Mark. The site is primarily of interest for its maritime heath, but also displays a variety of coastal, cliff and foreshore habitats. Morte Point forms the north-west corner of North Devon District. Its flanks face north on to the Bristol Channel and west to the Atlantic Ocean. The cliffs are 50 to 100 metres high and the land above rises steeply to some 450 metres. There is a variety of Upper Devonian rocks, mainly slates and sandstones, the overlying soils being generally thin and leached. Heather Calluna vulgaris, bell heather Erica cinerea and western gorse Ulex gallii are abundant over the northern slopes, mixed with grassland and scrub. On steeper slopes there are extensive areas of bracken Pteridium aquilinum and bramble Rubus fruticosus, sometimes intermixed with the heathers; with taller scrub of European gorse Ulex europaeus and blackthorn Prunus spinosa. Some of the grassland is dominated by purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea often in tussocks, and there are many ant hills. In sheltered areas with somewhat richer soil, plants such as primrose Primula vulgaris and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta occur. On the less-steep grazed land, perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne, crested dog’s-tail Cynosurus cristatus and cock’s-foot Dactylis glomerata are common. Grasses of the cliffs and exposed areas include red fescue Festuca rubra and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, while other characteristic species of these areas are thrift Armeria maritima, rock samphire Crithmum maritimum, wild thyme Thymus polytrichus, common sorrel Rumex acetosa and the ribwort and buck’s-horn plantains Plantago lanceolata and Plantago coronopus. Other common species near the cliff tops are common bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, tormentil Potentilla erecta and sheep’s-bit Jasione montana. Sea heath Frankenia laevis has been recorded here. Sea birds including gulls Larus spp. and fulmar Fulmarus glacialis breed on the cliffs, with cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and shag P. aristotelis on the lower rocks.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
shag Gulosus aristotelis VU (Breeding) bird-frigate fregatidae
cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo NT (Breeding) bird-frigate fregatidae
fulmar Fulmarus glacialis CR (Breeding) bird-fulmar procellariidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
cock's foot Dactylis glomerata LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus LC grass poaceae
perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne LC grass poaceae
purple moor grass Molinia caerulea LC grass poaceae
thrift Armeria maritima CR herb plumbaginaceae
rock samphire Crithmum maritimum LC herb apiaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
sheep's bit Jasione montana VU herb campanulaceae
birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus LC herb fabaceae
buck's-horn plantain Plantago coronopus LC herb plantaginaceae
ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata LC herb plantaginaceae
tormentil Potentilla erecta LC herb rosaceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
common sorrel Rumex acetosa LC herb polygonaceae
wild thyme Thymus polytrichus Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
western gorse Ulex gallii LC shrub leguminosae
bell heather or ling Calluna vulgaris NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
bell heather Erica cinerea NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
sea heath Frankenia laevis LC shrub dwarf frankeniaceae

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

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