Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Location | Leicestershire |
---|---|
Grid reference | SP 828 970 [1] |
Interest | Biological |
Area | 65.7 hectares [1] |
Notification | 1983 [1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Eye Brook Valley Woods is a 65.7-hectare (162-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Hallaton in Leicestershire. It is in three separate areas, Great Merrible Wood, which is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, Bolt Wood and Park Wood. [1] [2] [3]
These are surviving fragments of the medieval Leighfield Forest. Park Wood is mainly ash and wych elm, while Bolt Wood and Great Merrible Wood are dominated by ash and field maple. The shrub flora is diverse, and there are also several small pools and marshes. [4]
There is access to Great Merrible Wood by a footpath from Stockerston Lane, but the other woods are private.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) is one of 46 wildlife trusts across the United Kingdom. It manages nature reserves in Leicestershire and Rutland, and was founded in 1956 as the Leicestershire and Rutland Trust for Nature Conservation. As of January 2018, it has over 16,000 members, a staff of about 25 and more than 500 volunteers. It is based in Leicester, and is managed by a Council of Trustees which is elected by the members. It is a charity which covers all aspects of nature conservation, and works to protect wild places and wildlife.
The Eye Brook is a watercourse in the East Midlands of England and a tributary of the River Welland. It is around 18 miles (29 km) long.
Eyebrook Reservoir is a 201.3-hectare (497-acre) reservoir and biological Site of Special Scientific Interest which straddles the border between Leicestershire and Rutland in central England. The closest towns are Corby and Uppingham.
Stockerston is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, located on the border with Rutland, by the Eye Brook. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 35. The population remained less than 100 at the 2011 census and is included in the civil parish of Horninghold.
Bloody Oaks Quarry is a 1.3-hectare (3.2-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Great Casterton in Rutland. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Launde Big Wood is a 41.1 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Leicester. It is part of Launde Woods nature reserve, which is owned by the Leicester Diocesan Board of Finance and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Loughborough Meadows is a 60.5 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. An area of 35.3 hectares is managed as a nature reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Cribb's Meadow is a 4.2-hectare (10-acre) nature reserve east of Wymondham in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and is designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest under the name Cribb's Lodge Meadows. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2.
Prior's Coppice is a 27.4-hectare (68-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Oakham in Rutland. It is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Great Merrible Wood is a 12 hectare nature reserve east of Hallaton in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and is part of the Eye Brook Valley Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Leighfield Forest SSSI is an 11.3 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Skeffington in Leicestershire, England. It consists of several fragments, including Tugby Wood, Loddington Reddish, Brown's Wood, Skeffington Wood and Tilton Wood, of the former medieval hunting Leighfield Forest, which straddles Leicestershire and Rutland. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade II.
Stonesby Quarry is a 3.2 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Stonesby and Waltham on the Wolds in Leicestershire. It is part of a 4 hectare nature reserve managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry is a 63.3 hectares biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Worthington in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. An area of 33 hectares is managed as a nature reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Wymondham Rough is a 6.0 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) east of Stapleford in Leicestershire. The SSSI is part of the 12.5 hectare Wymondham Rough nature reserve, which is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Ulverscroft Valley is a 110.8-hectare (274-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Markfield in Leicestershire. The site is in five separate blocks, and two areas are nature reserves managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT). Lea Meadows is owned by the LRWT and it is also a scheduled monument. Part of Ulverscroft Nature Reserve is owned by the LRWT and part is owned by the National Trust and leased to the LRWT.
Lea Meadows is a 12-hectare (30-acre) nature reserve east of Markfield in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. It is part of the Ulverscroft Valley, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and part of it is a scheduled monument.
Bolt Wood is near to the western boundary of the Parish of Stockerston, Leicestershire, England. It is suggested that the woodland on this boundary is part of that mentioned in the Domesday Book. Bolt Wood was part of the extensive Royal medieval Leighfield Forest. The first written reference to Bolt Wood is in an undated charter probably dating before the reign of Henry VI, in which it is referred to as 'Boutewood'. An alternative date offered is between 1422 and 1461.