Cropthorne New Inn Section

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.0968, -2.0063

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Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SO996442 — Favourable 0.12 2012-04-27

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Quaternary

Description

Description Deposits intersected by the A44 road near the New Inn, Cropthorne, represent the 3rd Terrace of the River Avon. Sediments underlying the surface of this terrace are frequently fossiliferous and have enabled the terrace to be attributed to the last or Ipswichian Interglacial. The New Inn section has yielded a rich molluscan fauna as well as mammalian bones and teeth and is a key site for dating this terrace. This section is of particular stratigraphic importance because in the Cropthorne area an unusual interpretation of the terrace stratigraphy of the River Avon was established. This claimed that terraces 3 and 4 represented the same aggradation, from the base of three to the top of four and that the terrace surfaces resulted from subsequent erosion. Both terraces are well developed at Cropthorne. Much of the Pleistocene stratigraphic framework for Midland England hinges upon this interpretation. Recent work suggests that Terrace 3 results from later dissection of Terrace 4 and that deposits of different ages are represented, as in conventional terrace stratigraphy. This has great significance for British Pleistocene stratigraphy. The New Inn section is of considerable importance both as a fossiliferous site in its own right and as part of the Avon terrace stratigraphy of the critical Cropthorne area.

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