Little Mearley Clough

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.8669, -2.3300

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Also within

Lancashire County Forest Of Bowland Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SD783412 — Favourable 5.87 2015-01-14

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Carboniferous

Description

Area,6.0 hectares 14.8 ac Description Little Mearley Clough lies on the steeply sloping western side of Pendle Hill, approximately three kilometres east of Clitheroe. The stream draining the clough has cut down through the rock strata to reveal features of considerable geological interest. In technical terms the interest of this site may be defined as follows, Little Mearley Clough displays the lowest part of the Namurian, lying conformably on rocks of the Lower Carboniferous. The sequence seen covers the whole of the basal Namurian stage, named after Pendle Hill on which the section occurs, including the Cravenoceras leion goniatite horizon. The site is of premier stratigraphic significance for its recognition as the reference section for the Pendleian Stage. In layman’s terms, the interest of this site may be expressed more simply and such a statement is provided below. This should not be taken as definitive and further information as to details of the interest can be obtained from the Nature Conservancy Council. Little Mearley Clough provides excellent exposure of rock layers originally laid down during the Namurian period of geological history about 320 million years ago. The sequence spans the entire duration of the oldest subdivision of the Namurian, named the Pendleian Stage after Pendle Hill on which this section occurs. In recognition of the importance of this section, Little Mearley Clough has been proposed as the standard for this interval of geological time. It is thus a site of national geological importance.

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea