Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK978153 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 17.91 | 2024-07-25 |
| SK979150 | — | Favourable | 20.78 | 2023-07-12 |
| SK980146 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 33.77 | 2023-07-12 |
| SK980153 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 2.93 | 2023-09-13 |
| SK983149 | — | Favourable | 13.83 | 2023-07-12 |
| SK988147 | — | Favourable | 22.0 | 2023-07-12 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| grasshopper warbler | Breeding |
| nightingale | Breeding |
| sedge warbler | Breeding |
| tree pipit | Breeding |
| woodcock | Breeding |
Description
Area, 112.5 ha. 277.9 ac. Description Clipsham Old Quarry contains important exposures of Lincolnshire Limestone and some of the best areas of species rich limestone grassland in the County. Pickworth great Wood is one of the largest remaining blocks of deciduous woodland in Leicestershire and contains stands representative of ancient, semi-natural woodland on clay soils in Central England. Clipsham Old Quarry. Biology The old workings support stands of dense hawthorn Crataegus monogyna scrub and some developing ash Fraxinus excelsior woodland. There are several areas of well developed limestone grassland dominated by tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens and narrow leaved meadow grass Poa angustifolia. A good range of lime loving herbs are present including dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, marjoram Origanum vulgare, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata, autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, bee orchid Ophrys apifera, greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, basil thyme Acinos arvensis and pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, the latter two being rare in Leicestershire. Shrubs, such as hawthorn and sweet briar Rosa rubiginosa are scattered throughout the grassy areas, providing support for climbing plants such as the locally uncommon wood vetch Vicia sylvatica. Recently extracted spoil heaps support other locally uncommon species such as round leaved fluellen Kickxia spuria, viper’s bugloss Echium vulgare, deadly nightshade Atropa belladonna and the nationally scarce mat grass fescue Vulpia unilateralis. Clipsham Old Quarry is one of the few sites in Leicestershire where slow worms breed. The scrub within the quarry also provides suitable nesting habitat for a variety of birds including tree pipit, grasshopper warbler and sedge warbler. Pickworth great Wood. Biology The wood occupies an undulating hilltop site on the Rutland / Lincolnshire border and lies mainly on rich, heavy clay soils where drainage is locally impeded. Ash maple woodland was the original stand type in most parts of the wood with ash wych elm stands in the wetter hollows. Areas of these stand types still exist despite widespread 20th century plantings of ash, silver birch Betula pendula and pedunculate oak Quercus robur. There are stands containing aspen Populus tremula and wild service tree Sorbus torminalis along the southern boundary of the wood. The density and age of the shrub layer varies considerably. Species present include hazel Corylus avellana, midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata and privet Ligustrum vulgare. The ground flora is species rich and varies immensely throughout the wood. Dominants include dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, ramsons Allium ursinum, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, water avens Geum rivale and bramble Rubus fruticosus. Less common species include creeping jenny Lysimachia nummularia, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, great wood rush Luzula sylvatica and greater butterfly orchid. The wood has a rich invertebrate fauna which has not been fully investigated, but 150 species of moth have already been recorded. The woodland breeding bird community is diverse and includes tawny owl, nightingale, woodcock and woodpecker. Geology Clipsham Quarry has excellent exposures of the Middle and Upper Lincolnshire Limestone and is particularly important for the interpretation of the internal stratigraphy of the middle part of the Formation, showing marked differences in lithology in relation to the more northerly outcrops. It is a key site for sedimentological and lithostratigraphic studies.
Species mentioned
Show the 42 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