Upper Cherwell at Trafford House

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.1351, -1.2293

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Northamptonshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP528488 — Favourable 18.45 2019-07-26

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Description The site lies approximately three kilometres to the east of Chipping Warden, close to Trafford House. It is centred on the confluence of the upper River Cherwell and Eydon Brook. The Upper Cherwell and Eydon Brook are excellent examples of underfit streams. Their channel dimensions are small in comparison with those of the valleys they occupy and the active flood plains are contained within large valley palaeo meanders. Deposits in an infilled palaeochannel in the Cherwell flood plain include alluvial and organic sediments which have significant potential for the reconstruction of environmental history. In conjunction with the River Itchen, this site has played an important role in the development of the theory of underfit streams.

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