Pincombe Down
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST963214 | — | Favourable | 8.36 | 2011-09-19 |
| ST966218 | — | Favourable | 14.36 | 2011-09-19 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 23.8 ha. 58.8 ac. Description Pincombe Down occupies an area of chalk grassland situated on the sides of a valley extending out from a north east facing coombe. The turf is floristically diverse, supporting a number of uncommon plants including one of nationally restricted distribution. Unimproved downland is a habitat in national decline and this site is a botanically rich representative of the chalk of south west Wiltshire. The site encompasses moderate to steep slopes of both westerly and northeasterly aspects and is divided into two grazing units. The differences in management and aspect have resulted in swards of varying character. The head of the valley has been colonised by a wide variety of shrub species and demonstrates the natural succession of the scrub community to secondary ash woodland. The majority of the west facing tract of grassland is an intimate mixture of herbs, sedges and grasses, containing up to 40 species within a square metre. Amongst the grasses, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis are abundant, while in some areas upright brome Bromus erectus also occurs. Sedges present include spring sedge Carex caryophyllea, glaucous sedge Carex flacca and the nationally restricted dwarf sedge Carex humilis, which is widespread and often attains a dominance in the sward. Herb species typically associated with this community are well represented, including saw wort Serratula tinctoria, betony Betonica officinalis and devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis. Horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa and kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria are locally frequent while the more common herbs salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga are well distributed. The sward occurring on the north east facing slope is of a slightly different composition. It is likely that the northerly aspect has resulted in the absence of certain species such as dwarf sedge. sheep's fescue and creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera are among the dominant grasses whilst quaking grass Briza media is frequent as are the herbs salad burnet, fairy flax Linum catharticum and small scabious Scabiosa columbaria. Other herbs include wild thyme Thymus praecox, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, squinancywort Asperula cyanchica and autumn gentian Gentianella amarella. The occurrence of clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea and devil's bit scabious is indicative of a long period of uninterrupted management without ploughing, fertilising or herbicides. Anthills are conspicuous throughout the site, often attaining a large size. Trailing plant species predominate on these mounds and typically include lady's bedstraw Galium verum, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium and wild thyme. Scattered scrub is chiefly found on the west facing slope. Species include blackthorn, dog rose, wayfaring tree and abundant hawthorn. The area of dense scrub and developing woodland contains hazel with several large ash and common whitebeam. The mixture of grassland and scrub provides favourable conditions for a variety offauna. Birds recorded include green woodpecker and, in winter, flocks of chaffinche and yellowhammer. The uncommon chalkhill blue butterfly, whose larvae feed on the leaves and flowers of horseshoe vetch, has been recorded, in addition to a number of common downland species.
Species mentioned
Show the 26 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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