Hawthorn Dene

Last updated

Hawthorn Dene
Durham UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location MAGiC MaP
Nearest town Seaham
Coordinates 54°48′20″N1°19′26″W / 54.80556°N 1.32389°W / 54.80556; -1.32389
Area64.1 ha (158 acres)
Established1968
Governing body Natural England
Website Hawthorn Dene SSSI

Hawthorn Dene is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district of County Durham, England. The site occupies the incised valley of Hawthorn Burn and extends from just south of the village of Hawthorn eastward as far as the Durham Coast railway line: the area between the railway line and the sea forms part of the Durham Coast SSSI.

Much of the area consists of semi-natural and relatively undisturbed woodland that has developed on Magnesian Limestone; within Durham, only Castle Eden Dene SSSI has a larger area under this type of vegetation. At the eastern end of the dene, the woodland gives way to magnesian limestone grassland, while at the western end there is an area of tall fen vegetation.

Much of the woodland is dominated by ash, Fraxinus excelsior , but in places wych elm, Ulmus glabra is dominant; such woodland is scarce in Durham. Another notable feature is the occurrence of yew, Taxus baccata , on the lower valley slopes, this being rare in Britain. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop Middleham Quarry</span> Disused quarry in County Durham, England

Bishop Middleham Quarry is a disused quarry, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north-west of Sedgefield, County Durham, England. Quarry-working here ceased in 1934, and the site has since been colonised by vegetation. The underlying rock is Magnesian Limestone and this has had a strong influence in determining the range of plant and animal communities now found there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Eden Dene</span>

Castle Eden Dene is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve in the Easington district of County Durham, England. It is located mostly in Peterlee, between the A19 and A1086 roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham Coast</span>

The Durham Coast is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England. Starting just North of the River Tees estuary it extends, with a few interruptions, northward to the mouth of the River Tyne at South Shields. Notable locations on the Durham Coast include Hartlepool Headland, Seaham, Sunderland Docks and Whitburn Beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassop Vale</span>


Cassop Vale is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Durham City district of County Durham, England. It lies between the villages of Bowburn and Cassop, 7 km south-east of the centre of Durham..

Dabble Bank is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district of County Durham, England. It lies about 1 km west of the village of Haswell and about 9 km east of the city of Durham.

Fishburn Grassland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It lies between the villages of Fishburn and Trimdon, just north of the former.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wingate Quarry</span> Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England

Wingate Quarry is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district of east County Durham, England. Part of the site is also a Local Nature Reserve It is a disused quarry located just south of the village of Wheatley Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawthorn Quarry</span> Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England

Hawthorn Quarry is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Easington district of east County Durham, England. It is a working quarry, currently operated by Tarmac, which is situated just north of the eastern end of Hawthorn Dene SSSI.

Hesledon Moor East is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district in east County Durham, England. It is located on the southern edge of the village of Murton, 10 km south of Sunderland and a little under 2 km north-east of Hesledon Moor West SSSI.

Hesledon Moor West is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district in east County Durham, England. It is located 1 km east of the village of South Hetton, some 12 km south of Sunderland and a little under 2 km south-west of Hesledon Moor East SSSI.

Middridge Quarry is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It is a disused quarry, situated alongside the railway line between Newton Aycliffe and Shildon, 1 km south of the village of Middridge.

Raisby Hill Grassland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in east County Durham, England. It lies just over 1 km east of the village of Coxhoe.

Redcar Field is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Darlington district of County Durham, England. It is situated just north of Darlington, about 1 km south of the village of Coatham Mundeville.

Sleightholme Beck Gorge – The Troughs is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district of south-west County Durham, England. The site covers a gorge in the valley of Sleightholme Beck between the hamlet of Sleightholme and the confluence with the River Greta, some 3 km upriver from the village of Bowes.

The Bottoms is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England. It lies just south of the A181 road, roughly midway between the villages of Cassop and Wheatley Hill, some 10 km south-east of Durham city.

The Carrs is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It is situated on the eastern outskirts of Ferryhill, between the town and the East Coast Main Line railway.

Thrislington Plantation is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a national nature reserve in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It is situated about 1 km east of Ferryhill, between the East Coast Main Line railway and the A1(M) road.

References

  1. ↑ "Hawthorn Dene : Reasons for SSSI status" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 1 April 2022.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.