Devil's Chapel Scowles

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Devil's Chapel Scowles
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Gloucestershire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Gloucestershire
Location Gloucestershire
Grid reference SO606045
Coordinates 51°44′18″N2°34′17″W / 51.738266°N 2.571262°W / 51.738266; -2.571262 Coordinates: 51°44′18″N2°34′17″W / 51.738266°N 2.571262°W / 51.738266; -2.571262
InterestBiological
Area44.79 hectare
Notification 1998
Natural England website
Example - Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) Kleine Hufeisennase cropped.jpg
Example - Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)
Example - Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) Grand Rhinolophe.jpg
Example - Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)

Devil's Chapel Scowles (grid reference SO606045 ) is a 44.79-hectare (110.7-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified England, in 1998. [1] [2] The site lies in the Forest of Dean and has four units of assessment by Natural England. [3]

Contents

Scowles

Scowle is the ancient name for certain limestone outcrops located in the Forest of Dean. These are important in folk memory and in the local heritage. The pits, holes and features called scowles occur in the centre of the Dean and normally contain iron ore, which gave rise to mining in the area. This has given the impression these are the result of human activity. Scowles are formed by a geological process. [4]

Scowles are wildlife rich, and the minimum disturbance in the area has been beneficial. Habitats range from endangered limestone grassland to acid heathland, which are conservation priorities in Gloucestershire's Biodiversity Action Plan. Of prime importance is that the scowle areas support threatened species of bat. These creature hibernate in the deeper mines which are accessed at scowle formations. [4]

Location

This site is one of a series of Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley (Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire) notified for the Lesser and Greater horseshoe bat populations. The sites, between them, include both breeding and hibernation roosts. This is of European importance. Other sites which form part of this series in Gloucestershire include the breeding sites of Blaisdon Hall, Caerwood And Ashberry Goose House, Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar, and Sylvan House Barn. Hibernation sites include Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel, Old Bow And Old Ham Mines, Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine and Wigpool Ironstone Mine. [1]

The deciduous woodlands and sheltered valleys of the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley provide a good feeding area, and the underground systems provide roosting and breeding sites. The citations for the series of sites provide common information.

Publications

Related Research Articles

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Organization

The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is the Gloucestershire local partner in a conservation network of 46 Wildlife Trusts. The Wildlife Trusts are local charities with the specific aim of protecting the United Kingdom's natural heritage. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is managed by a Board of Trustees elected from its membership who provide overall direction for the development of the Trust and there are Advisory Committees. The work of the trust is carried out through staff and volunteers.

Littledean Hall is a country house in the village of Littledean, Gloucestershire, England. It is has been described as one of the most haunted houses in England and is thought to be the oldest house in the United Kingdom which is still occupied. Saxon and Celtic remains have been uncovered in the cellars. Part of the house is designated an SSSI as it is a proven breeding roost for the Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).

Sylvan House Barn

Sylvan House Barn is a 0.005-hectare (0.012-acre) stone built barn near the village of St Briavels, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Because of its breeding bats, the site was notified as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1995.

Scowle Landscape features which range from amorphous shallow pits to irregular labyrinthine hollows up to several metres deep

Scowles are landscape features which range from amorphous shallow pits to irregular labyrinthine hollows up to several metres deep. and are possibly unique to the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England.

Lower Wye Gorge is a 65-hectare (160-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954 and renotified 1987. The site includes two Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust nature reserves being Ban-y-gor Wood and Lancaut. The Natural England citation states a revision for Lancaut inclusion.

Dymock Woods SSSI Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Dymock Woods is a 53-hectare (130-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1990. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Hobbs Quarry SSSI, Longhope

Hobbs Quarry, Longhope is a 1-hectare (2.5-acre) geological and biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1966. It is situated midway between Longhope and Dursley Cross in the Forest of Dean. Adjacent woods are Kiln Wood and Coleman's Wood. The site is managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

Upper Wye Gorge

Upper Wye Gorge is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), noted for its biological and geological characteristics, around Symonds Yat in the Wye Valley on the Wales–England border. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Bigsweir Woods Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in England

Bigsweir Woods is a 48.16-hectare (119.0-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1984. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Blaisdon Hall

Blaisdon Hall is a Grade II* listed building at Blaisdon. It includes a 0.07-hectare (0.17-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1995.

Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel is a 5.66-hectare (14.0-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998. This site comprises two separate locations. One is Buckshraft Mine which is near the village of Ruspidge. The other location is Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel which is near the village of Soudley.

Caerwood and Ashberry Goose House

Caerwood And Ashberry Goose House is a 0.01-hectare (0.025-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1991. The site was previously notified as Caerwood, Tidenham and lies within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Dingle Wood Biological site of scientific interest

Dingle Wood is a 9.95-hectare (24.6-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1972. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS). The wood is located within the Forest of Dean Forest Park and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Old Bow and Old Ham Mines

Old Bow And Old Ham Mines is a 40.3-hectare (100-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.

Shorn Cliff and Caswell Woods Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Shorn Cliff And Caswell Woods is a 69.2-hectare (171-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1986. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Slade Brook

Slade Brook is a 3.63-hectare (9.0-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 2003.

The Hudnalls

The Hudnalls is a 94.4-hectare (233-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1972. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine

Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine is a 15.69-hectare (38.8-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.

Wigpool Ironstone Mine

Wigpool Ironstone Mine is a 34.88-hectare (86.2-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.

References

  1. 1 2 Natural England SSSI information on the citation
  2. ↑ Forest of Dean District Local Plan Review, adopted November 2005, Appendix D 'Nature Conservation Site Designations Within the Forest of Dean District', Sites of Special Scientific Interest Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Natural England SSSI information on the Devil's Chapel Scowles units
  4. 1 2 Scowles in the Forest of Dean – their formation, history and wildlife, (undated), Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Service, Gloucestershire Geoconservation Trust, English Heritage and English Nature (now Natural England) joint publication

SSSI Source

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