Messingham Heath

Also within

Lincolnshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Landscape processes: Coastal

Birds & fish recorded

Fish

Description

Area, 17.4 hectares 43.0 ac Description Messingham Heath is an important example of cover sand heathland. Such heathland, once extensive in the Scunthorpe Messingham area, originated as a result of largely wind blown sand accumulating against the Jurassic escarpment of the Lincoln Cliff at the end of the Ice Age. It is a much threatened habitat which rapidly dwindled following enclosure, agricultural reclamation and, more recently, sand winning. The cover sand at Messingham Heath overlies clays and gravels of the Trent valley. The majority of the site is an undulating area of sand hills supporting an open community of dry heath and scattered birch. The vegetation is dominated by common bent Agrostis capillaris, with wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa, sheep’s sorrel Rumex acetosella, bell heather Erica cinerea, heather Calluna vulgaris and sand sedge Carex arenaria. Lichens are plentiful and, with the moss Polytrichum juniperinum, cover large areas. Messingham Heath is noted for the occurrence of the grayling butterfly. Other Information During the 1990 revision a small area of land was removed from the site. * Under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.

Species mentioned