Pittington Hill

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.7954, -1.4861

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Durham County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NZ331446 — Unfavourable Recovering 6.41 2010-07-22

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Area, 6.4 ha. 15.8 ac. Description Although part of the site has been quarried in the past, Pittington Hill supports one of the most extensive areas of Magnesian Limestone grassland in County Durham, whilst scrub and neutral grassland add to the biological diversity of the site. Primary Magnesian Limestone grasslands are developed on the slopes of Pittington Hill. Blue moor grass Sesleria caerulea occurs here with a wide range of other limestone grassland plants, but unlike certain herbs, notably rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, it is not abundant. It is on the spoil heaps and floor of Pittington Quarry that the most extensive areas of Magnesian Limestone grassland at this site occur, though here they are of secondary origin. Blue moor grass is plentiful in association with other species characteristic of calcareous soils, such as quaking grass Briza media, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and autumn gentian Gentianella amarella. On the slopes of Pittington Hill and on the quarry margins scrub, containing hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, gorse Ulex europaeus and a number of rose species, including burnet rose Rosa spinosissima, is developed over a ground flora in which woodland herbs such as sanicle Sanicula europaea, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella are present. Saplings of ash Fraxinus excelsior are also becoming established within the scrub. Locally neutral grasslands have developed, dominated by common bent Agrostis capillaris with yarrow Achillea millefolium and self heal Prunella vulgaris, although on the more heavily grazed and trampled parts of the site neutral grasslands of a more eutrophic character, containing crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens and ragwort Senecio jacobaea are found. Other Information 1. Magnesian Limestone is itself restricted to a narrow belt between Nottingham and Durham. The associated semi natural grasslands are concentrated in South East Tyneside and County Durham, although even here quarrying and agricultural intensification has reduced the original area with the result that good examples of Magnesian Limestone grassland are somewhat scattered and tend to small in area. 2. See also the adjacent High Moorsley SSSI in Tyne and Wear.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
common bent Agrostis capillaris LC grass poaceae
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
blue moor grass Sesleria caerulea LC grass poaceae
yarrow Achillea millefolium LC herb asteraceae
wood anemone Anemone nemorosa LC herb ranunculaceae
autumn gentian Gentianella amarella LC herb gentianaceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella LC herb oxalidaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
selfheal Prunella vulgaris LC herb lamiaceae
creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens LC herb ranunculaceae
sanicle Sanicula europaea LC herb apiaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
burnet rose Rosa spinosissima LC shrub rosaceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae

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