Upper Hall Farm Quarry and Grassland
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO716381 | — | Favourable | 3.15 | 2022-03-23 |
| SO716383 | — | Favourable | 2.72 | 2022-03-23 |
| SO718383 | — | Favourable | 3.0 | 2022-03-23 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous, Jurassic, Silurian · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Description Upper Hall Farm Quarry and Grassland is a complex of quarries, woodland, scrub and grassland on the slopes of a Silurian limestone hill to the west of the Malvern Hills. The site has been selected as one of the few remaining areas of unimproved Silurian limestone grassland in this part of Britain, with associated scrub and woodland. Silurian limestone grassland is nationally rare. The range of species here suggests a geographical link between the Jurassic limestones of the Cotswolds and the Carboniferous limestones of the south west and South Wales. The fields, one of which is managed as a traditional hay meadow, have a characteristically rich flora. A feature of all the fields is the dominance of upright brome Bromopsis erecta. This is associated with other typical calcicole lime loving species such as quaking grass Briza media, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, crested hair grass Koeleria macrantha and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum. Tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum which is common on the Cotswold limestones is only present in one small area. The south west facing grassland has developed on thin soils overlying the limestone and has a rich assemblage of herbaceous plants including common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, wild thyme Thymus praecox, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria. The last species is recognised as a particular feature of Silurian limestone grasslands. The hay meadow overlies deeper and richer soils and as a result taller plants occur such as agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria, wild basil Clinopodium vulgare, common knapweed Centaurea nigra and field scabious Knautia arvensis. The old disused quarries and their spoil heaps have developed rich plant communities which include species such as autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, fairy flax Linum catharticum and yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata. A particular feature of these areas is the great abundance of common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii. Scrub and woodland has developed on the perimeter of the site mainly associated with old hedgerows. Shrubs include spindle Euonymus europaeus, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica. Ash Fraxinus excelsior is the main species in the canopy of the small area of woodland. The mosaic of woodland, scrub and grassland has encouraged a rich diversity of insect life particularly butterflies and moths. These include marbled white Melanargia galatheaa, dingy skipper Erynnis tages and brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni which is here on the western edge of its range. Wood white Leptidea sinapis has also been recorded in recent years. Four nationally rare species of micro moth have also been recorded from the site including Stigmella aceris is. This species has only been found at one other site in this part of Britain.
Species mentioned
Show the 28 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