List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire

This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Gloucestershire. Natural England, the designating body for SSSIs in England, uses the 1974-1996 county system, and this list follows the same approach. Some sites you may expect to find here could therefore be in the Avon list.[1] It may also be that a site may on the borders of more than one county.[2] It may also be on the country borders.[3]

Cleeve Common is designated a biological and geological site

Natural England chooses a site because of its fauna, flora, geological or physiographical features.[4] As of 2012, there are 121 sites designated in this Area of Search, of which 69 have been designated due to their biological interest, 32 due to their geological interest, and 20 for both.[5]

Gloucestershire has 3 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty being the Cotswolds, Malvern Hills, and the Wye Valley (the latter is also partly in Wales). These areas may include several SSSIs, or be named an SSSI as is the case for the Malvern Hills.[6]

Gloucestershire has 2 designated Ramsar sites being the Severn Estuary and Walmore Common both SSSIs.[7] These two sites are also designated as Special Protection Areas (SPA) under the EC Directive on the conservation of Wild Birds.[8]

Gloucestershire has 7 recognised Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), several of which bring together more than one SSSI. These are: Cotswold Beechwoods; Dixton Wood; River Wye/ Afon Gwy; Rodborough Common; Severn Estuary; Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Sites/ Safleoedd Ystlumod Dyffryn Gwy a Fforest y Ddena; Wye Valley Woodlands/ Coetiroedd Dyffryn Gwy.[9]

Highbury Wood SSSI[10] and the Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods SSSI[11] are national nature reserves (NNR). Lady Park Wood (part of the wood is in Gloucestershire and part in Monmouthshire) is a national nature reserve.[12]

A significant number of the SSSIs are recognised by the relevant local authorities as Key Wildlife Sites and Regionally Important Geological/Geomorphological Sites. There are c. 800 recognised Key Wildlife Sites in Gloucestershire.[13]

For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search.

Sites

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Site name Reason for designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Alderton Hill Quarry  Y 0.3 0.8 SP006345 1997 Map
Ashleworth Ham  Y 104.7 258.8 SO833263 1974 Map
Astridge Wood  Y 5.7 14.0 SO547088 1998 Map
Badgeworth  Y 3.1 7.6 SO911206 1954 Map
Barnsley Warren  Y 61.3 151.0 SP055064 1954 Map
Barton Bushes  Y 5.7 14.0 SP110259 1996 Map
Bigsweir Woods  Y 48.2 119.0 SO546060 1984 Map
Blaisdon Hall  Y 0.1 0.8 SO698170 1995 Map
Bourton Down  Y 11.2 27.6 SP142313 1974 Map
Box Farm Meadows  Y 8.3 21.0 ST865997 1985 Map
Boxwell  Y 5.3 13.2 ST816928 1954 Map
Brassey Reserve And Windrush Valley  Y 2.1 5.2 SP139223 1954 Map
Brooks Head Grove  Y 11.9 29.4 SO586145 1986 Map
Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel  Y 5.7 14.0 SO655123 1998 Map
Bull Cross, The Frith And Juniper Hill  Y  Y 42.3 104.6 SO872083 1954 Map
Bushley Muzzard, Brimpsfield  Y 1.1 2.8 SO944133 1984 Map
Caerwood And Ashberry Goose House  Y 0.1 0.3 ST54719655& ST54649657 1991 Map
Campden Tunnel Gravel Pit  Y 0.2 0.5 SP161408 1988 Map
Chaceley Meadow  Y 1.8 4.4 SO857306 1954 Map
Clarke's Pool Meadow  Y 1.8 4.4 SO668061 1954 Map
Cleeve Common  Y  Y 455.0 1,124.3 SO990260 1974 Map
Coaley Wood Quarries  Y 4.9 12.0 ST786996 1974 Map
Cockleford Marsh  Y 3.2 8.0 SO977133 1991 Map
Collinpark Wood  Y 66.7 164.8 SO750278 1966 Map
Coombe Hill  Y 15.4 38.1 ST765942 1994 Map
Coombe Hill Canal  Y 20.2 49.8 SO887272 1954 Map
Cotswold Commons And Beechwoods  Y 665.5 1,664.4 SO900130 1954 Map
Cotswold Water Park  Y 135.0 330.0 SU0093SU2099 1994 Map
Crickley Hill And Barrow Wake  Y  Y 56.8 140.3 SO929161 1974 Map
Daneway Banks  Y 17.0 42.0 SO937034 1954 Map
Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar  Y 0.1 0.1 SO672130 1988 Map
Devil's Chapel Scowles  Y 44.8 110.9 SO606045 1998 Map
Dingle Wood  Y 10.0 24.6 SO562115 1972 Map
Dixton Wood  Y 13.0 32.5 SO979313 2000 Map
Dymock Woods  Y 53.0 130.0 SO684288 1990 Map
Easter Park Farm Quarry  Y 0.2 0.4 SO810009 1986 Map
Edge Common  Y 20.5 50.6 SO847092 1974 Map
Edgehills Quarry  Y 0.4 1.0 SO660167 1974 Map
Elmlea Meadows  Y 6.9 17.1 SU079948 1989 Map
Foss Cross Quarry  Y 0.7 1.7 SP056092 1972 Map
Frampton Pools  Y 59.9 147.9 SO753073 1974 Map
Garden Cliff  Y 5.1 12.6 SO718128 1954 Map
Hampen Railway Cutting  Y 3.9 9.6 SP062205 1974 Map
Haresfield Beacon  Y 0.7 1.8 SO819088 1985 Map
Harford Railway Cutting  Y 1.2 3.0 SP135218 1974 Map
Highbury Wood  Y 50.7 123.4 SO540086 1983 Map
Hobb's Quarry, Longhope  Y  Y 1.0 2.5 SO695195 1966 Map
Hornsleasow Quarry  Y 3.5 9.6 SP131322 1974 Map
Hornsleasow Roughs  Y 28.2 69.8 SP117323 1954 Map
Hucclecote Meadows  Y 5.7 14.2 SO872163 1984 Map
Huntsman's Quarry  Y 1.6 4.0 SP125259 1974 Map
Innsworth Meadow  Y 2.2 5.4 SO851216 1979 Map
Jackdaw Quarry  Y 4.8 11.8 SP077309 1985 Map
Juniper Hill, Edgeworth  Y 11.3 27.8 SO928058 & SO928064 1974 Map
Kemble Railway Cuttings  Y 2.7 6.7 ST975976 & ST985973 & ST982989 1996 Map
Kempley Daffodil Meadow  Y 1.2 3.0 SO676301 1986 Map
Kingscote And Horsley Woods  Y 43.8 108.2 ST831971 1966 Map
Knap House Quarry, Birdlip  Y 1.8 4.4 SO925147 1974 Map
Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean  Y 3.8 9.4 SO672185 1974 Map
Lark Wood  Y 1.1 2.8 SP104262 1974 Map
Leckhampton Hill And Charlton Kings Common  Y  Y 63.8 157.7 SO952187 1954 Map
Lineover Wood  Y 20.3 50.2 SO987187 1986 Map
Longhope Hill  Y 0.2 0.5 SO693185 1989 Map
Lower Wye Gorge  Y  Y 65.0 160.0 ST548983 & ST537967 1954 Map
Lydney Cliff  Y 8.0 19.7 SO654020 1990 Map
May Hill  Y  Y 32.6 80.6 SO695214 1954 Map
Meezy Hurst  Y 4.3 10.6 SO638089 1986 Map
Minchinhampton Common  Y  Y 182.7 451.4 SO855010 1972 Map
Nagshead  Y 120.1 316.6 SO608090 1972 Map
New Park Quarry  Y 1.3 3.2 SP175282 1987 Map
Nibley Knoll  Y 3.2 7.9 ST744956 1974 Map
Notgrove Railway Cutting  Y 1.7 4.2 SP086209 1974 Map
Oakenhill Railway Cutting  Y 0.8 2.0 SO630069 1985 Map
Old Bow And Old Ham Mines  Y 40.3 99.6 SO579088 1998 Map
Old River Severn, Upper Lode  Y 3.7 9.2 SO880331 1985 Map
Pennsylvania Fields, Sedbury  Y 27.0 66.8 ST542929 1985 Map
Poor's Allotment  Y 28.6 70.6 ST560990 1954 Map
Puckham Woods  Y 32.4 80.0 SP010224 1954 Map
Puddlebrook Quarry  Y 0.7 1.9 SO646183 1986 Map
Purton Passage  Y 4.9 12.1 SO687045 1966 Map
Range Farm Fields  Y 12.8 31.6 SO850130 1996 Map
River Wye  Y  Y England: 1,159.6
Wales: 245.2
Total: 1,404.8
England: 2,865.0
Wales: 606.0
Total: 3,471.0
ST544912SO230429 1978 Map
Robin's Wood Hill Quarry  Y 1.7 4.1 SO836148 1966 Map
Rodborough Common  Y  Y 116 287 SO851035 1954 Map
Rough Bank, Miserden  Y 9.2 22.7 SO907087 1986 Map
Salmonsbury Meadows  Y  Y 18.0 44.0 SP178213 1985 Map
Scully Grove Quarry  Y 0.4 1.0 SO657186 1974 Map
Selsley Common  Y  Y 39.4 97.4 SO829030 1966 Map
Severn Estuary  Y  Y 15,950.0 39,410.0 ST480830 1976 Map
Severn Ham, Tewkesbury  Y 70.8 175.0 SO885325 1974 Map
Shorn Cliff And Caswell Woods  Y 69.2 171.0 SO540005 & SO540990 1986 Map
Slade Brook  Y  Y 3.6 8.9 SO564055 2003 Map
Soudley Ponds  Y 7.0 17.4 SO662112 1984 Map
Speech House Oaks  Y 16.3 40.2 SO622123 1972 Map
Stenders Quarry  Y  Y 2.8 6.9 SO659183 1966 Map
Stinchcombe Hill  Y 28.6 70.7 ST740983 1966 Map
Stony Furlong Railway Cutting  Y 2.7 6.7 SP063106 1987 Map
Strawberry Banks  Y 5.1 12.5 SO910033 1993 Map
Swanpool Wood And Furnace Grove  Y 13.6 33.6 SO541107 1984 Map
Swift's Hill  Y  Y 9.2 22.6 SO877067 1966 Map
Sylvan House Barn  Y <0.1 0.1 SO534023 1995 Map
The Hudnalls  Y 94.4 233.3 SO533030 & SO540042 & SO545046 1972 Map
The Malvern Hills  Y  Y 732.3 1,899.6 SO766472SO758350 1954 Map
Tudor Farm Bank  Y 3.7 9.1 SO573081 1999 Map
Turvey's Piece  Y 1.0 2.5 SO882301 1993 Map
Upham Meadow And Summer Leasow  Y 104.0 257.0 SO917375 1991 Map
Upper Severn Estuary  Y  Y 1,436.8 3,550.4 SO720060 1954 Map
Upper Wye Gorge  Y  Y 245.1 605.7 SO560155 1969 Map
Veizey's Quarry  Y 1.4 3.5 ST881944 1974 Map
Wainlode Cliff  Y 1.3 3.2 SO845257 1954 Map
Walmore Common  Y 57.8 142.8 SO740162 & SO745150 1955 Map
Wellacre Quarry  Y 12.3 30.4 SP180370 1974 Map
Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine  Y 15.7 38.8 SO662166 1998 Map
Whelford Meadow  Y 1.9 4.6 SP168000 1985 Map
Wigpool Ironstone Mine  Y 34.9 95.0 SO654197 1998 Map
Wildmoorway Meadows  Y 12.6 31.1 SU066973 1989 Map
Winson Meadows  Y 7.9 19.6 SP093081 1974 Map
Wood Green Quarry & Railway Cutting  Y 0.3 0.7 SO694166 1966 Map
Woodchester Park  Y 214.9 531.0 SO820014 1966 Map
Wotton Hill  Y  Y 26.1 64.0 ST753942 1954 Map
Yarley Meadows  Y 12.2 30.2 ST757888 1987 Map

See also

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Notes

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A Data rounded to one decimal place.
B Grid reference is based on the British national grid reference system, also known as OSGB36, and is the system used by the Ordnance Survey.[14]
C Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by Natural England.

References

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  1. ^ For example, Midger and Lower Woods are included in the Avon list
  2. ^ For example, see Natural England citation for 'The Malvern Hills' (retrieved 2012-08-21)
  3. ^ For example, see Natural England citation for 'Upper Wye Gorge' (retrieved 2012-08-21)
  4. ^ "Notification of SSSIs". Natural England. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  5. ^ "SSSIs in Gloucestershire". Natural England. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Natural England information and map of AONBs". Natural England. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Joint Nature Conservation Committee Listing of Ramsars". DEFRA. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  8. ^ "Joint Nature Conservation Committee Listing of Special Protection Areas". DEFRA. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Joint Nature Conservation Committee Listing of Special Areas of Conservation". DEFRA. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  10. ^ "Natural England NNR citation and map for Highbury Wood NNR". Natural England. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  11. ^ "Natural England NNR citation and map for the Cotswolds Commons and Beechwoods". Natural England. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Natural England NNR citation and map for Lady Park Wood (Gloucestershire)". Natural England. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  13. ^ "Key Wildlife Sites information". Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  14. ^ "Guide to National Grid". Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2011.

Natural England citation sheets for each SSSI. Retrieved on 18 June 2011 and 10 August 2012