Kingley Vale

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.8912, -0.8459

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (9) Favourable (3) Unfavourable Recovering (3)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SU804106 Unfavourable Declining 32.39 2021-12-01
SU812108 Unfavourable Declining 32.39 2021-12-01
SU815103 Unfavourable Declining 8.61 2022-03-31
SU816112 Unfavourable Declining 32.39 2021-12-01
SU817110 Unfavourable Declining 32.39 2021-12-01
SU819110 Favourable 26.84 2019-09-04
SU820104 Favourable 48.77 2011-07-22
SU821113 Unfavourable Declining 32.39 2021-12-01
SU822117 Unfavourable Declining 32.39 2021-12-01
SU823107 Favourable 26.84 2019-09-04
SU823111 Unfavourable Recovering 12.89 2021-06-17
SU824107 Unfavourable Declining 7.37 2021-12-01
SU824114 Unfavourable Declining 12.46 2022-03-31
SU828117 Unfavourable Recovering 31.43 2012-09-27
SU830128 Unfavourable Recovering 23.61 2012-09-27

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
nightingale Breeding
sparrowhawk Breeding
woodcock Breeding

Description

Area, 209.4 ha. 517.4 ac. Description The archaeological interest of the site includes Bronze Age and Roman earthworks, including burial mounds, cross dykes, a camp and a field system. This site is of interest for its yew woodlands which are considered to be the best in Britain. In yew woodlands elsewhere the stands are either less extensive or mixed in with other taller species. A further important feature of Kingley Vale is the presence of stages in the development from scrub in grassland to mature woodland. In addition to the woodland, four nationally uncommon habitats are represented at the site, chalk grassland, chalk heath, juniper scrub and yew scrub. The site supports a rich community of breeding birds and diverse populations of invertebrates, notably lepidoptera moths and butterflies. The site lies on three geological formations, the Upper Chalk of the steep escarpment, the clay with flints capping of the plateau above the escarpment and the valley gravel and coombe deposits of the valley floor. This geological variation is reflected in the various habitat types. The yew woodlands at this site are the most extensive in Britain and have developed chiefly on the chalk escarpment. An important feature of the site is the presence of all stages in the development of the chalk flora from grassland via scrub to mature yew woodland. There is also an area of chalk heath which consists of plants more usually found on acidic soils calcifuges growing in association with plants which are characteristic of chalk soils. A recently constructed dew pond adds to the diversity of the site. Kingley Vale was declared a National Nature Reserve in 1952 and is important in education, scientific research and environmental monitoring. A grove of yew in the valley is estimated to be 500 years old, but most of the escarpment yew woodlands are less than 200 years old. Where old yew trees have died the gaps are being colonised by ash Fraxinus excelsior and elder Sambucus nigra. The dense yew canopy precludes the development of a significant field layer, but open areas support upright brome Bromus erectus and wild strawberry Fragaria vesca. Woodland on the clay with flints of the plateau is variable and of mature woodland of ash with pedunculate oak Quercus robur or of younger woodland of ash, yew, beech Fagus sylvatica and Corsican pine Pinus nigra. The valley woodland is of oak, ash and yew. Woodland at Kingley Vale supports a rich community of breeding birds including nightingale, green woodpecker, tawny owl, woodcock and sparrowhawk. The calcareous scrub of the escarpment is principally of yew, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and dogwood Cornus sanguinea. Juniper Juniperus communis, a plant which has a restricted distribution in the county, occurs as an important component of the calcareous scrub in parts of the site but suffers from competition with the faster growing yew. The scrub of the plateau is more mixed and consists of yew, hawthorn, dogwood, elder, whitebeam Sorbus aria, wild privet Ligustrum vulgare and gorse Ulex europaeus. Valley scrub is similar in composition to the plateau scrub and occurs in conjunction with rough grassland of upright brome Bromus erectus and cock's foot Dactylis glomerata. Areas of chalk grassland at this site are rich in flowering plants and are dominated by sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, meadow oat Avenula pratensis and salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba. Among the species which are abundant in the sward are chalk milkwort Polygala calcarea, wild thyme Thymus praecox and squinancywort Asperula cynanchica. Several uncommon plants are present, including autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, roundheaded rampion Phyteuma orbiculare, bee orchid Ophrys apifera, autumn lady's tresses Spiranthes spiralis and fly orchid Ophrys insectifera. An area of chalk heath on the upper slopes of the coombe is maintained by mowing and grazing, but remnants of this habitat type are also present in the plateau scrub. Calcifuges present include ling Calluna vulgaris common violet Viola riviniana and bell heather Erica cinerea which grow in association with plants which also occur in the adjacent chalk grassland. Butterfly and moth populations are very rich at this site. A total of 37 butterflies breed, including the chalkhill blue Polyommatus coridon, purple hairstreak Favonius quercus and the notable Duke of Burgundy fritillary Hamearis lucina and purple emperor Apatura iris. Six notable moths are present including the forester Adscita statices. The nationally rare fly Doros profuges has been recorded from chalk downland here. *' A Nature Conservation Review', D A Ratcliffe 1977, Cambridge.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus NT (Breeding) bird-hawk falconidae
tawny owl Strix aluco NT (Breeding) bird-owl strigidae
nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos VU (Breeding) bird-robin muscicapidae
woodcock Scolopax rusticola LC (NonBreeding), VU (Breeding) bird-woodcock scolopacidae
green woodpecker Picus viridis LC (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
purple emperor Apatura iris LC butterfly nymphalidae
purple hairstreak Favonius quercus LC butterfly lycaenidae
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina VU butterfly riodinidae
chalkhill blue Polyommatus coridon VU butterfly lycaenidae
phantom hoverfly Doros profuges NT fly syrphidae
meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis Not listed in GB list grass poaceae
upright brome Bromus erectus Not listed in GB list grass poaceae
cock's foot Dactylis glomerata LC grass poaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
squinancywort Asperula cynanchica VU herb rubiaceae
wild strawberry Fragaria vesca LC herb rosaceae
autumn gentian Gentianella amarella LC herb gentianaceae
bee orchid Ophrys apifera LC herb orchidaceae
fly orchid Ophrys insectifera VU herb orchidaceae
round headed rampion Phyteuma orbiculare LC herb campanulaceae
chalk milkwort Polygala calcarea VU herb polygalaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
autumn lady's tresses Spiranthes spiralis LC herb orchidaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
common dog violet Viola riviniana LC herb violaceae
the forester Adscita statices Not listed in GB list moth zygaenidae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
juniper Juniperus communis CR shrub cupressaceae
wild privet Ligustrum vulgare LC shrub oleaceae
elder Sambucus nigra LC shrub caprifoliaceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
bell heather or ling Calluna vulgaris NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
bell heather Erica cinerea NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
beech Fagus sylvatica LC tree fabiaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
Austrian pine Pinus nigra Not listed in GB list tree pinaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae
whitebeams Sorbus aria CR tree rosaceae

Plant communities

W13 — Yew wood

Taxus baccata woodland

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Buxus sempervirens, Sambucus nigra, Euonymus europaeus, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Crataegus monogyna, Mnium hornum, Fissidens viridulus, Brachythecium velutinum, Ctenidium molluscum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Rhynchostegium murale, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Tamus communis, Arum maculatum, Eupatorium cannabinum, Inula conyza, Mercurialis perennis, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Fragaria vesca, Rubus fruticosus agg., Atropa belladonna, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Brachypodium sylvaticum

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