List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Somerset, England, United Kingdom. In England the body responsible for designating SSSIs is Natural England, which chooses a site because of its fauna, flora, geological or physiographical features.[1] There are 127 sites designated in this Area of Search, of which 83 have been designated due to their biological interest, 35 due to their geological interest, and 9 for both.[2]

Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from English Nature in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service. Natural England, like its predecessor, uses the 1974–1996 county system,[3] and as such the same approach is followed here, therefore some sites you may expect to find in this list could be in the Avon list. The data in the table is taken from English Nature in the form of citation sheets for each SSSI.[4]

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

Sites

A–B

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Aller and Beer Woods Y   56.9 140.6 ST404305 1952 [1]
Aller Hill Y   18.4 45.4 ST408291 1988 [2]
Asham Wood Y   141.6 347.5 ST705460 1963 [3]
Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill Y   67.1 160.1 ST433555 1990 [4]
Babcary Meadows Y   13.6 31.6 ST567293 1988 [5]
River Barle Y   104.2 257.5 SS723423 1997 [6]
Barle Valley Y   622.9 1,539.2 SS850349 1954 [7]
Barrington Hill Meadows Y   16.1 39.5 ST300170 1987 [8]
Ben Knowle   Y 1.5 3.6 ST513450 1984 [9]
Berrow Dunes Y   200.0 494.3 ST293520 1952 [10]
Black Down and Sampford Commons Y   155.2 383.5 ST118161 1952 [11]
Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast   Y 742.8 1,835.5 ST033435 1971 [12]
Brean Down Y Y 65.1 169.7 ST290590 1952 [13]
Bridgwater Bay Y   3,574.1 8,831.6 ST290480 1989 [14]
Briggins Moor Y   15.3 37.8 SS893250 1994 [15]
Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins   Y 154.3 381.3 ST512505 1987 [16]
Bruton Railway Cutting   Y 1.7 4.3 ST688348 1971 [17]

C–F

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Catcott Edington and Chilton Moors Y   1,083.0 2,676.0 ST390420 1967 [18]
Chancellor's Farm Y   34.2 84.6 ST525525 1984 [19]
Cheddar Complex Y Y 441.3 1,090.5 ST465538 1952 [20]
Cheddar Reservoir Y   105.4 260.6 ST441537 1972 [21]
Cheddar Wood Y   86.9 214.7 ST445552 1967 [22]
Cleeve Hill Y   15.1 37.4 ST056428 1989 [23]
Cloford Quarry   Y 38.9 98.6 ST718444 1994 [24]
Cogley Wood Y   60.7 150.1 ST703345 1987 [25]
Cook's Wood Quarry   Y 1.8 4.4 ST669479 1988 [26]
Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill Y Y 332.2 820.9 ST385555 1952 [27]
Curry and Hay Moors Y   472.8 1,168.1 ST323273 1992 [28]
Deadman Y   28.8 71.2 ST234156 1987 [29]
Doulting Railway Cutting   Y 2.8 6.9 ST645424 1971 [30]
Draycott Sleights Y   62.0 153.0 ST483518 1987 [31]
Dunster Park and Heathlands Y   466.6 1,153.0 SS955441 2000 [32]
East Polden Grasslands Y   124.0 306.4 ST474325 1999 [33]
Ebbor Gorge Y   41.0 156.8 ST525485 1952 [34]
Edford Woods and Meadows Y   54.3 134.1 ST665485 1957 [35]
Emborough Quarries   Y 1.0 2.5 ST623505 1971 [36]
Exmoor Coastal Heaths Y   1,758.3 4,344.7 SS620480 1994 [37]
Fivehead Arable Fields Y   10.3 25.4 ST337224 1990 [38]
Fivehead Woods and Meadow Y   62.4 154.2 ST331231 1989 [39]
Freshmoor Y   11.2 27.7 ST280125 1989 [40]
Friar's Oven Y   4.0 9.9 ST592431 1989 [41]

G–K

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Ge-mare Farm Fields Y   4.1 10.3 ST155424 1988 [42]
Glenthorne   Y 13.3 32.8 SS794499 1989 [43]
Godminster Lane Quarry and Railway Cutting   Y 0.8 1.9 ST682345 1971 [44]
Great Breach and Copley Woods Y   64.8 160.0 ST500320 1972 [45]
Greylake   Y 9.3 22.9 ST384336 1987 [46]
Grove Farm Y   36.5 90.2 ST513096 1989 [47]
Ham Hill   Y 11.1 27.6 ST482162 1971 [48]
Hardington Moor Y   8.7 21.6 ST515130 1994 [49]
Hestercombe House [D] Y   <0.1 0.2 ST242287 2000 [50]
Hobbs Quarry   Y 0.5 0.1 ST622446 1984 [51]
Holme Moor & Clean Moor Y   10.8 26.7 ST095260 1987 [52]
Holwell Quarries   Y 1.3 3.2 ST726450 1952 [53]
Hurcott Farm   Y 26.3 65.0 ST511295 1993 [54]
Hurcott Lane Cutting   Y 0.5 1.2 ST398163 1997 [55]
King's Sedgemoor Y   822.0 2,031.2 ST400330 1985 [56]
Kingdown and Middledown Y   5.7 14.1 ST480532 1991 [57]
Kingweston Meadows Y   11.5 28.4 ST540304 1990 [58]

L–N

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Lamb Leer   Y 14.6 36.0 ST544550 1983 [59]
Lang's Farm Y   7.5 18.5 ST170241 1990 [60]
Langford Heathfield Y   95.4 235.7 ST100235 1966 [61]
Langmead and Weston Level Y   168.8 417.1 ST353330 1991 [62]
Langport Railway Cutting   Y 0.5 1.3 ST427272 1992 [63]
Laycock Railway Cutting   Y 1.3 3.1 ST678213 1993 [64]
Leighton Road Cutting   Y 0.6 1.4 ST702437 1984 [65]
Long Dole Wood and Meadows[H] Y   9.8 24.3 ST610562 1997 [66]
Long Lye Y   11.7 29.0 ST265122 1988 [67]
Long Lye Meadow Y   3.3 8.2 ST267119 2002 [68]
Longleat Woods Y   249.9 617.4 ST795435 1972 [69]
Low Ham   Y 5.0 12.5 ST440290 1988 [70]
Maes Down   Y 0.2 0.4 ST647406 1985 [71]
Maesbury Railway Cutting   Y 2.0 5.0 ST606475 1995 [72]
Miller's Hill, Milborne Wick   Y 0.6 1.4 ST663205 1985 [73]
Millwater Y   1.4 3.5 ST439100 1989 [74]
Moon's Hill Quarry   Y 3.4 8.5 ST665460 1996 [75]
Moorlinch Y   226.0 558.4 ST390360 1985 [76]
Nettlecombe Park Y   90.4 223.4 ST055375 1990 [77]
North Brewham Meadows Y   8.9 21.9 ST743379 1987 [78]
North Curry Meadow Y   1.3 3.1 ST330253 1989 [79]
North Exmoor Y   12,005.3 29,665.0 SS800430 1954 [80]
North Moor Y   676.3 1,671.1 ST325305 1986 [81]

O–R

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Old Ironstone Works, Mells Y   0.3 0.6 ST738488 1987 [82]
The Perch Y   72.1 178.2 ST480532 1990 [83]
Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh Y Y 186.3 460.4 SS880479 1990 [84]
Postlebury Wood Y   87.0 215.0 ST740430 1987 [85]
Priddy Caves   Y 67.1 167.0 ST540505 1965 [86]
Priddy Pools Y Y 52.7 130.2 ST545510 1972 [87]
Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood Y   103.6 256.0 ST225170 1952 [88]
Quantocks Y   2,506.9 6,194.5 ST140390 1970 [89]
Quants Y   50.6 126.0 ST185175 1988 [90]
Ringdown Y   4.0 9.9 ST178155 1990 [91]
Rodney Stoke Y Y 69.6 172.0 ST492507 1957 [92]
Roebuck Meadows Y   3.6 8.9 ST132354 1988 [93]
Ruttersleigh Y   97.0 239.7 ST250165 1991 [94]

S–T

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot   Y 0.7 1.8 ST531498 1987 [95]
Seavington St. Mary   Y 0.3 0.7 ST400144 1971 [96]
Severn Estuary [E] [F] Y   15,950.0 39,410.0 ST480830 1976 [97]
Shapwick Heath Y   394.0 973.6 ST430403 1967 [98]
Sharpham Moor Plot Y   0.5 1.3 ST465389 1967 [99]
Shepton Montague Railway Cutting   Y 1.6 4.0 ST686316 1992 [100]
Snowdon Hill Quarry   Y 0.6 1.6 ST312089 1963 [101]
South Exmoor Y   3,132.7 7,742.3 SS880340 1992 [102]
Southey and Gotleigh Moors Y   81.3 200.1 ST192110 1988 [103]
Southlake Moor Y   196.1 484.6 ST370300 1985 [104]
Sparkford Wood Y   8.4 20.7 ST613275 1954 [105]
St. Dunstan's Well Catchment Y Y 39.8 98.3 ST668475 1967 [106]
Stowell Meadow Y   2.8 6.9 ST333062 1987 [107]
Street Heath Y   12.5 31.0 ST464394 1966 [108]
Tealham and Tadham Moors Y   917.6 2,267.3 ST420450 1985 [109]
Thrupe Lane Swallet   Y 0.5 1.2 ST603458 1992 [110]
Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands Y   26.7 65.8 ST270210 1963 [111]
Twinhills Woods and Meadows Y   21.2 52.4 ST558432 1990 [112]

V–Z

Site name Reason for Designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological Interest Geological Interest Hectares Acres
Vallis Vale Y Y 23.9 59.1 ST755490 1952 [113]
Viaduct Quarry   Y 0.3 0.8 ST621443 1984 [114]
Walton and Ivythorn Hills Y   34.9 86.1 ST475346 1953 [115]
West Moor Y   213.0 526.3 ST420220 1985 [116]
West Sedgemoor Y   1,016.0 2,510.0 ST361258 1983 [117]
Westhay Heath Y   25.9 64.0 ST415422 1990 [118]
Westhay Moor Y   513.7 1,269.3 ST455445 1971 [119]
Wet Moor Y   491.0 1,214.0 ST448244 1985 [120]
Whitevine Meadows Y   13.0 32.0 ST505085 1979 [121]
Windsor Hill Marsh Y   0.8 2.0 ST619454 1972 [122]
Windsor Hill Quarry   Y 0.8 1.9 ST615451 1986 [123]
Wookey Hole Caves Y Y 39.4 97.4 ST535485 1952 [124]
Wookey Station [G]   Y <0.1 0.1 ST531464 1997 [125]
Woolhayes Farm Y   13.2 32.5 ST315109 1992 [126]
Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl   Y 0.2 0.5 ST543537 1987 [127]

Notes

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.[5]
C Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by English Nature.
D Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.08 ha. [4]
E The Severn Estuary SSSI overlaps with the following SSSIs:[4]
F Incorporates two former SSSIs: Severn Estuary (notified 1976) and part of Brean Down and Uphill Cliff (notified 1952). It was unified as Severn Estuary in 1989.[4]
G Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.04 ha. (0.1 ac.).[4]
H The Long Dole Wood and Meadows site extends into Bath and North East Somerset and so can be found on the list of SSSIs in Avon.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Notification of SSSIs". English Nature. http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/notification.cfm. Retrieved 2006-08-01. 
  2. ^ "SSSIs in Somerset". English Nature. http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/searchresults.cfm?sssi_name=&frmcounty=1035. Retrieved 2006-08-05. 
  3. ^ "County search of SSSIs". English Nature. http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/search.cfm. Retrieved 2006-08-05. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f English Nature citation sheets for each SSSI (PDF files). Retrieved on 2006-08-05.
  5. ^ "Guide to National Grid". Ordnance Survey. http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/help.html#gridref. Retrieved 2006-08-07. 
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the United Kingdom, grouped by Area of Search
England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales