List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset explained
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
| Site name | Reason for designation | Area | Grid reference | Year in which notified | Map |
|---|
| Biological interest | Geological interest | Hectares | Acres |
|---|
| Aller and Beer Woods | | | 56.9 | 140.6 | | 1952 | |
| Aller Hill | | | 18.4 | 45.4 | | 1988 | |
| Asham Wood | | | 141.6 | 347.5 | | 1963 | |
| Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill | | | 67.1 | 160.1 | | 1990 | |
| Babcary Meadows | | | 13.6 | 31.6 | | 1988 | |
| River Barle | | | 104.2 | 257.5 | | 1997 | |
| Barle Valley | | | 622.9 | 1,539.2 | | 1954 | |
| Barrington Hill Meadows | | | 16.1 | 39.5 | | 1987 | |
| Ben Knowle | | | 1.5 | 3.6 | | 1984 | |
| Berrow Dunes | | | 200.0 | 494.3 | | 1952 | |
| Black Down and Sampford Commons | | | 155.2 | 383.5 | | 1952 | |
| Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast | | | 742.8 | 1,835.5 | | 1971 | |
| Brean Down | | | 65.1 | 169.7 | | 1952 | |
| Bridgwater Bay | | | 3,574.1 | 8,831.6 | | 1989 | |
| Briggins Moor | | | 15.3 | 37.8 | | 1994 | |
| Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins | | | 154.3 | 381.3 | | 1987 | |
| Bruton Railway Cutting | | | 1.7 | 4.3 | | 1971 | |
| Catcott Edington and Chilton Moors | | | 1,083.0 | 2,676.0 | | 1967 | |
| Chancellor's Farm | | | 34.2 | 84.6 | | 1984 | |
| Cheddar Complex | | | 441.3 | 1,090.5 | | 1952 | |
| Cheddar Reservoir | | | 105.4 | 260.6 | | 1972 | |
| Cheddar Wood | | | 86.9 | 214.7 | | 1967 | |
| Cleeve Hill | | | 15.1 | 37.4 | | 1989 | |
| Cloford Quarry | | | 38.9 | 98.6 | | 1994 | |
| Cogley Wood | | | 60.7 | 150.1 | | 1987 | |
| Cook's Wood Quarry | | | 1.8 | 4.4 | | 1988 | |
| Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill | | | 332.2 | 820.9 | | 1952 | |
| Curry and Hay Moors | | | 472.8 | 1,168.1 | | 1992 | |
| Deadman | | | 28.8 | 71.2 | | 1987 | |
| Doulting Railway Cutting | | | 2.8 | 6.9 | | 1971 | |
| Draycott Sleights | | | 62.0 | 153.0 | | 1987 | |
| Dunster Park and Heathlands | | | 466.6 | 1,153.0 | | 2000 | |
| East Polden Grasslands | | | 124.0 | 306.4 | | 1999 | |
| Ebbor Gorge | | | 41.0 | 156.8 | | 1952 | |
| Edford Woods and Meadows | | | 54.3 | 134.1 | | 1957 | |
| Emborough Quarries | | | 1.0 | 2.5 | | 1971 | |
| Exmoor Coastal Heaths | | | 1,758.3 | 4,344.7 | | 1994 | |
| Fivehead Arable Fields | | | 10.3 | 25.4 | | 1990 | |
| Fivehead Woods and Meadow | | | 62.4 | 154.2 | | 1989 | |
| Freshmoor | | | 11.2 | 27.7 | | 1989 | |
| Friar's Oven | | | 4.0 | 9.9 | | 1989 | |
| Ge-mare Farm Fields | | | 4.1 | 10.3 | | 1988 | |
| Glenthorne | | | 13.3 | 32.8 | | 1989 | |
| Godminster Lane Quarry and Railway Cutting | | | 0.8 | 1.9 | | 1971 | |
| Great Breach and Copley Woods | | | 64.8 | 160.0 | | 1972 | |
| Greylake | | | 9.3 | 22.9 | | 1987 | |
| Grove Farm | | | 36.5 | 90.2 | | 1989 | |
| Ham Hill | | | 11.1 | 27.6 | | 1971 | |
| Hardington Moor | | | 8.7 | 21.6 | | 1994 | |
| | | <0.1 | 0.2 | | 2000 | |
| Hobbs Quarry | | | 0.5 | 0.1 | | 1984 | |
| Holme Moor & Clean Moor | | | 10.8 | 26.7 | | 1987 | |
| Holwell Quarries | | | 1.3 | 3.2 | | 1952 | |
| Hurcott Farm | | | 26.3 | 65.0 | | 1993 | |
| Hurcott Lane Cutting | | | 0.5 | 1.2 | | 1997 | |
| King's Sedgemoor | | | 822.0 | 2,031.2 | | 1985 | |
| Kingdown and Middledown | | | 5.7 | 14.1 | | 1991 | |
| Kingweston Meadows | | | 11.5 | 28.4 | | 1990 | |
| Lamb Leer | | | 14.6 | 36.0 | | 1983 | |
| Lang's Farm | | | 7.5 | 18.5 | | 1990 | |
| Langford Heathfield | | | 95.4 | 235.7 | | 1966 | |
| Langmead and Weston Level | | | 168.8 | 417.1 | | 1991 | |
| Langport Railway Cutting | | | 0.5 | 1.3 | | 1992 | |
| Laycock Railway Cutting | | | 1.3 | 3.1 | | 1993 | |
| Leighton Road Cutting | | | 0.6 | 1.4 | | 1984 | |
| Long Dole Wood and Meadows | | | 9.8 | 24.3 | | 1997 | |
| Long Lye | | | 11.7 | 29.0 | | 1988 | |
| Long Lye Meadow | | | 3.3 | 8.2 | | 2002 | |
| Longleat Woods | | | 249.9 | 617.4 | | 1972 | |
| Low Ham | | | 5.0 | 12.5 | | 1988 | |
| Maes Down | | | 0.2 | 0.4 | | 1985 | |
| Maesbury Railway Cutting | | | 2.0 | 5.0 | | 1995 | |
| Miller's Hill, Milborne Wick | | | 0.6 | 1.4 | | 1985 | |
| Millwater | | | 1.4 | 3.5 | | 1989 | |
| Moon's Hill Quarry | | | 3.4 | 8.5 | | 1996 | |
| Moorlinch | | | 226.0 | 558.4 | | 1985 | |
| Nettlecombe Park | | | 90.4 | 223.4 | | 1990 | |
| North Brewham Meadows | | | 8.9 | 21.9 | | 1987 | |
| North Curry Meadow | | | 1.3 | 3.1 | | 1989 | |
| North Exmoor | | | 12,005.3 | 29,665.0 | | 1954 | |
| North Moor | | | 676.3 | 1,671.1 | | 1986 | |
| Old Ironstone Works, Mells | | | 0.3 | 0.6 | | 1987 | |
| The Perch | | | 72.1 | 178.2 | | 1990 | |
| Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh | | | 186.3 | 460.4 | | 1990 | |
| Postlebury Wood | | | 87.0 | 215.0 | | 1987 | |
| Priddy Caves | | | 67.1 | 167.0 | | 1965 | |
| Priddy Pools | | | 52.7 | 130.2 | | 1972 | |
| Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood | | | 103.6 | 256.0 | | 1952 | |
| Quantocks | | | 2,506.9 | 6,194.5 | | 1970 | |
| Quants | | | 50.6 | 126.0 | | 1988 | |
| Ringdown | | | 4.0 | 9.9 | | 1990 | |
| Rodney Stoke | | | 69.6 | 172.0 | | 1957 | |
| Roebuck Meadows | | | 3.6 | 8.9 | | 1988 | |
| Ruttersleigh | | | 97.0 | 239.7 | | 1991 | |
| Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot | | | 0.7 | 1.8 | | 1987 | |
| Seavington St. Mary | | | 0.3 | 0.7 | | 1971 | |
| | | 15,950.0 | 39,410.0 | | 1976 | |
| Shapwick Heath | | | 394.0 | 973.6 | | 1967 | |
| Sharpham Moor Plot | | | 0.5 | 1.3 | | 1967 | |
| Shepton Montague Railway Cutting | | | 1.6 | 4.0 | | 1992 | |
| Snowdon Hill Quarry | | | 0.6 | 1.6 | | 1963 | |
| South Exmoor | | | 3,132.7 | 7,742.3 | | 1992 | |
| Southey and Gotleigh Moors | | | 81.3 | 200.1 | | 1988 | |
| Southlake Moor | | | 196.1 | 484.6 | | 1985 | |
| Sparkford Wood | | | 8.4 | 20.7 | | 1954 | |
| St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | | | 39.8 | 98.3 | | 1967 | |
| Stowell Meadow | | | 2.8 | 6.9 | | 1987 | |
| Street Heath | | | 12.5 | 31.0 | | 1966 | |
| Tealham and Tadham Moors | | | 917.6 | 2,267.3 | | 1985 | |
| Thrupe Lane Swallet | | | 0.5 | 1.2 | | 1992 | |
| Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands | | | 26.7 | 65.8 | | 1963 | |
| Twinhills Woods and Meadows | | | 21.2 | 52.4 | | 1990 | |
| Vallis Vale | | | 23.9 | 59.1 | | 1952 | |
| Viaduct Quarry | | | 0.3 | 0.8 | | 1984 | |
| Walton and Ivythorn Hills | | | 34.9 | 86.1 | | 1953 | |
| West Moor | | | 213.0 | 526.3 | | 1985 | |
| West Sedgemoor | | | 1,016.0 | 2,510.0 | | 1983 | |
| Westhay Heath | | | 25.9 | 64.0 | | 1990 | |
| Westhay Moor | | | 513.7 | 1,269.3 | | 1971 | |
| Wet Moor | | | 491.0 | 1,214.0 | | 1985 | |
| Whitevine Meadows | | | 13.0 | 32.0 | | 1979 | |
| Windsor Hill Marsh | | | 0.8 | 2.0 | | 1972 | |
| Windsor Hill Quarry | | | 0.8 | 1.9 | | 1986 | |
| Wookey Hole Caves | | | 39.4 | 97.4 | | 1952 | |
| | | <0.1 | 0.1 | | 1997 | |
| Woolhayes Farm | | | 13.2 | 32.5 | | 1992 | |
| Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl | | | 0.2 | 0.5 | | 1987 | | |
Notes
Data rounded to one decimal place.
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]
Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by English Nature.
Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.08 ha.[4]
The Severn Estuary SSSI overlaps with the following SSSIs:[4]
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]
Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.04 ha. (0.1 ac.).[4]
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]
Notes and References
- Web site: Notification of SSSIs . English Nature . 2006-08-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120515062100/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/notification.cfm . 2012-05-15 .
- Web site: SSSIs in Somerset . English Nature . 2006-08-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121024074307/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/searchresults.cfm?sssi_name=&frmcounty=1035 . 2012-10-24 .
- Web site: County search of SSSIs . English Nature . 2006-08-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100819192309/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/search.cfm . 2010-08-19 .
- English Nature citation sheets for each SSSI (PDF files). Retrieved on 2006-08-05.
- Web site: Guide to National Grid . Ordnance Survey . 2006-08-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060720181544/http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/help.html . 2006-07-20 .
