Ashclough

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.5531, -2.3670

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Also within

Greater Manchester County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SD757063 — Unfavourable No Change 6.04 2011-07-19
SD762062 — Unfavourable No Change 6.04 2011-07-19

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Carboniferous

Description

Area, 5. 77 ha Description Ashclough is located approximately 5 kilometres south east of Bolton. The site comprises two sections of the steep south bank of the River Irwell, representing the type and best available exposures for showing the Ashclough Marine Band and its associated strata. At Ashclough the Marine Band is thinner and has a more restricted fauna than is seen further south, e.g. in the North Staffordshire Coalfield. The Marine Band is of particular interest since it represents the first marine incursion after a period of more or less exclusively non marine conditions lasting from the middle Westphalian A to the lower Westphalian B Carboniferous Period. Ashclough is a site of national importance for interpreting the Coal Measure palaeogeography of great Britain.

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