Barrington Hill Meadows

Also within

Somerset County

Condition (Natural England)

Description

Area, 16.1 ha. 39.5 ac. Description This site is an outstanding example of a traditionally managed unimproved neutral grassland of a type now rare in Britain. Only 22 hectares of this species rich community are known to remain in Somerset. Additional interest lies in the occurrence of an extremely rare grass species. The gently undulating meadows have neutral to calcareous soils derived from the underlying Lower Lias Shales. Drainage is slightly impeded in several areas and at one point two fields are divided by a heavily shaded pond. The meadows belong to a type characterised by the widespread occurrence of sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, crested dog's Tail Cynosurus cristatus, cowslip Primula veris and green winged orchid Anacamptis morio. A total of 74 different species have so far been recorded. These include meadow barley Hordeum secalinum, adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, corky fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides and early purple orchid Orchis mascula. This site is one of only three localities in Britain in which the French oat grass Gaudinia fragilis is a prominent feature of the sward. Gaudinia fragilis has hitherto been regarded as an uncommon alien species in Britain. However, its occurrence as a well established component in three different sites in south east Somerset, suggests that it may be a native species with an extremely local distribution. Barrington Hill Meadows therefore provide an important opportunity for research into the ecology of this grass.

Species mentioned