Common Hill

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.0094, -2.6109

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (4) Unfavourable Declining (2) Favourable (5)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SO581347 Unfavourable Recovering 2.07 2012-08-03
SO582350 Unfavourable Declining 3.22 2012-06-19
SO583349 Favourable 0.79 2021-05-20
SO583350 Unfavourable Declining 3.22 2012-06-19
SO584348 Favourable 0.27 2012-06-19
SO585349 Favourable 2.06 2012-06-19
SO586347 Unfavourable Recovering 3.74 2012-07-20
SO588346 Unfavourable Recovering 3.74 2012-07-20
SO590347 Favourable 0.74 2023-03-22
SO591346 Favourable 0.74 2023-03-22
SO592346 Unfavourable Recovering 3.74 2012-07-20

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous, Silurian · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Chalk, Limestone

Description

Area, 12.6 ha. 31.1 ac. Description The site occupies a narrow ridge overlooking the Wye Valley. The ridge is composed of Silurian Wenlock Limestone and Ludlow Shales which have given rise to freely drained, calcareous soils. The site is important for its semi natural woodland, unimproved grassland and invertebrate fauna. The ancient broadleaved woodland contains a mosaic of four types of woodland which are of restricted national distribution. The dominant tree species is ash Fraxinus excelsior associated with sessile oak Quercus petraea, silver birch Betula pendula and wild cherry Prunus avium. Wild service tree Sorbus torminalis and yew Taxus baccata are locally abundant. A few specimens of the nationally scarce large leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos are present in the central part of the wood. The shrub layer contains coppiced hazel Corylus avellana, field maple Acer campestre and sessile oak as well as several typical calcicole lime loving species such as wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana, spindle Euonymus europaeus, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and spurge laurel Daphne laureola. In areas where the soils are less well drained oak and ash are associated with wych elm Ulmus glabra. This type of woodland is only found on Silurian Limestones in the West Midlands. The ground flora is dominated by bramble Rubus fruticosus, ivy Hedera helix, false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis. The nationally scarce stinking hellebore Helleborus foetidus is present in the wood along with several locally uncommon species such as greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, broad leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine and stinking iris Iris foetidissima. There are scattered remnants of unimproved grassland as well as an old limestone quarry with associated spoil heaps, which have a rich flora. These limestone grasslands are of particular interest as their plant communities form an important link between those of the Oolitic limestone of the Cotswolds and the Carboniferous Limestone of the Wye Valley and South Wales. The grassland at Common Hill is one of the few remaining examples in Herefordshire. The sward is dominated by upright brome Bromus erectus associated with sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, quaking grass Briza media and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. Many of the herbs found here are uncommon in the county, including woolly thistle Cirsium eriophorum, dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, marjoram Origanum vulgare, yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata and common gromwell Lithospermum officinale. Some areas of grassland have been invaded by scrub such as wayfaring tree, dogwood and wild privet Ligustrum vulgare. The site supports a rich invertebrate fauna. Butterflies include the locally uncommon brown argus Aricia argestis, dingy skipper Erynnis tages, marbled white Melanargia galatheaa and three nationally scarce species, wood white Leptidea sinapis, pearl bordered fritillary Boloria euphrosyne and white-letter hairstreak Strymondia w album. Three nationally scarce moths also occur, six belted clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformis, Cistus forester Adscita geryon and Stigmella prunetorum. The grasslands support glow worm beetles Lampyris noctiluca which are restricted to areas of chalk or limestone.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites
Latin name
search with Google
IUCN / Red List Type Family
glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca LC beetle glow-worm lampyridae
pearl-bordered fritillary Boloria euphrosyne VU butterfly nymphalidae
dingy skipper Erynnis tages LC butterfly hesperiidae
wood white Leptidea sinapis EN butterfly pieridae
wood false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum LC grass poaceae
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
upright brome Bromus erectus Not listed in GB list grass poaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens LC grass poaceae
yellowwort Blackstonia perfoliata LC herb gentianaceae
dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule VU herb asteraceae
wooly thistle Cirsium eriophorum LC herb asteraceae
broad-leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine DD herb orchidaceae
foetid hellebore Helleborus foetidus LC herb ranunculaceae
stinking iris Iris foetidissima LC herb iridaceae
common gromwell Lithospermum officinale LC herb boraginaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
wild marjoram Origanum vulgare LC herb lamiaceae
greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha NT herb orchidaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
cistus forester Adscita geryon Not listed in GB list moth zygaenidae
six-belted clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformis Not listed in GB list moth sesiidae
no common name Stigmella prunetorum Not listed in GB list moth nepticulidae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
spurge laurel Daphne laureola LC shrub thymelaeaceae
spindle tree Euonymus europaeus LC shrub celastraceae
wild privet Ligustrum vulgare LC shrub oleaceae
wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana LC shrub caprifoliaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
birch Betula pendula LC tree betulaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
wild cherry Prunus avium LC tree rosaceae
sessile or durmast oak Quercus petraea LC tree fagaceae
yew Taxus baccata LC tree taxaceae
large leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos LC tree malvaceae
wych elm Ulmus glabra LC tree ulmaceae
ivy Hedera helix LC woody climber araliaceae

Plant communities

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