Froward Point

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.3388, -3.5389

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SX903495 Favourable 31.72 2010-08-09
SX905497 Favourable 31.72 2010-08-09

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
grasshopper warbler Breeding
stonechat Breeding
whitethroat Breeding

Description

Froward Point SSSI Description This site is important for its coastal plant communities and in particular for the maritime heathland and grassland which support several local and rare species. The coastal slopes on which this site lies rise to a height of approximately 100 metres and face generally south, with a variety of aspects and slope being provided by several coves and points. The Devonian slates and sandstones here have produced mostly well-drained, fine, loamy to silty soils, although drainage is occasionally impeded alongside streams. Exposed rock occurs in places on the steeper slopes. Bell heather Erica cinerea is frequent on the more exposed cliff faces, while herb-rich maritime grassland communities occur on the higher slopes. These are characterised by cock’s-foot Dactylis glomerata and red fescue Festuca rubra, together with sea plantain Plantago maritima, wild carrot Daucus carota and sea campion Silene uniflora. Kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and sheep’s-bit Jasione montana are abundant in places. On the thin soil of the rocky ledges and crevices grow wild thyme Thymus polytrichus, thrift Armeria maritima, rock sea-spurrey Spergularia rupicola and, of particular note, autumn squill Scilla autumnalis and hairy bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus subbiflorus. Also present on the site are the rare toadflax-leaved St John’s-wort Hypericum linariifolium and the local sea stork’s-bill Erodium maritimum. Habitat diversity is increased by the presence of small streams which run down to the sea. Willows Salix spp. and ash Fraxinus excelsior occur here, and water mint Mentha aquatica, meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum and saw wort Serratula tinctoria characterise the damper areas. Some mature Monterey pine Pinus Kangarina radiata gives way along the cliff tops and tracks to mixed scrub of blackthorn Prunus spinosa, gorse Ulex europaeus and bramble Rubus fruticosus. Bracken Pteridium aquilinum dominates some areas. The range of habitats provides for a variety of bird species, with tree-creeper Certhia familiaris, stonechat Saxicola rubicola, grasshopper warbler Locustella naevia and whitethroat Sylvia communis present. Gulls Larus spp., cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and shag P. aristotelis breed on the cliffs.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
stonechat Saxicola torquatus Not listed in GB list bird muscicapidae
treecreeper Certhia familiaris LC (Breeding) bird-creeper certhiidae
shag Gulosus aristotelis VU (Breeding) bird-frigate fregatidae
cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo NT (Breeding) bird-frigate fregatidae
stonechat Saxicola rubicola LC (Breeding) bird-robin muscicapidae
grasshopper warbler Locustella naevia LC (Breeding) bird-warbler locustellidae
whitethroat Sylvia communis Not listed in GB list bird-warbler sylviidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
cock's foot Dactylis glomerata LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
lady's fingers (kidney vetch) Anthyllis vulneraria NT herb fabaceae
thrift Armeria maritima CR herb plumbaginaceae
meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum EN herb asteraceae
wild carrot Daucus carota LC herb apiaceae
sea stork's-bill Erodium maritimum LC herb geraniaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
toadflax-leaved St John's-wort Hypericum linariifolium NT herb hypericaceae
sheep's bit Jasione montana VU herb campanulaceae
oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare LC herb asteraceae
birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus LC herb fabaceae
hairy bird's-foot trefoil Lotus subbiflorus LC herb fabaceae
water mint Mentha aquatica LC herb lamiaceae
sea plantain Plantago maritima LC herb plantaginaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
autumn squill Scilla autumnalis LC herb liliaceae
saw wort Serratula tinctoria VU herb asteraceae
sea campion Silene uniflora LC herb carophyllaceae
rock spurrey Spergularia rupicola LC herb carophyllaceae
wild thyme Thymus polytrichus Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
beard lichens Kangarina radiata Not listed in GB list invertebrate cytheruridae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
bell heather Erica cinerea NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
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

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