Pig Hill

For the area of Mount Kinabalu, see Pig Hill (Mount Kinabalu).
Pig Hill
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Country England
Region North East
District Easington
Location NZ365444
NZ366445
 - coordinates 54°47′38″N 1°25′56″W / 54.79389°N 1.43222°WCoordinates: 54°47′38″N 1°25′56″W / 54.79389°N 1.43222°W
Area 12.6 ha (31.1 acres)
Notification 1992
Management Natural England
Area of Search County Durham
Interest Biological
Map of England and Wales with a red dot representing the location of the Pig Hill SSSI, Co Durham
Location of Pig Hill SSSI, Co Durham
Website: Map of site

Pig Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Easington district of north-east County Durham, England, situated 1 km south of the village of Easington Lane.

The steep hill slopes support an extensive area of primary magnesian limestone grassland in which blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, is abundant. The rich assemblage of grassland species includes a number of rare and local species, bird's-eye primrose, Primula farinosa, adder's-tongue fern, Ophioglossum vulgatum, lesser club-moss, Selaginella selaginoides, and grass of Parnassus, Parnassia palustris, as well as an inland colony of sea plantain, Plantago maritima.[1]

Notable among the fauna is the Durham Argus butterfly, Aricia artaxerxes salmacis, a form which is only found in the magnesian limestone areas of Durham.

References

  1. ↑ "Pig Hill". English Nature. 1992. Retrieved 31 July 2010.