Inkpen and Walbury Hills

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Inkpen and Walbury Hills
Site of Special Scientific Interest
The South Western Slopes of Walbury Hill - geograph.org.uk - 62332.jpg
Walbury Hill
Berkshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Berkshire
Location Berkshire
Grid reference SU 363 621 [1]
Coordinates 51°21′25″N1°28′48″W / 51.357°N 1.480°W / 51.357; -1.480 Coordinates: 51°21′25″N1°28′48″W / 51.357°N 1.480°W / 51.357; -1.480
InterestBiological
Area86.8 hectares (214 acres) [1]
Notification 1983 [1]
Location map Magic Map

Inkpen and Walbury Hills is an 86.8-hectare (214-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Kintbury in Berkshire. The site is situated on the flanks of Walbury Hill, the highest point in Berkshire and South East England, and the adjacent Inkpen Hill. A Bronze Age cemetery of three bowl barrows on Inkpen Hill is designated a Scheduled Monument. [1] [2] [3] [4]

These hills have the largest area of unimproved chalk downland in the county and much of it is managed by sheep grazing. North facing slopes have many mosses and herbs, such as hoary plantain and germander speedwell. There are also woods and hedgerows which provide a habitat for many species of breeding birds. [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Woodhay Down</span>

West Woodhay Down is a 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Berkshire and Hampshire. It is lowland Calcareous grassland with a northwest facing bank, and forms part of the northern slopes of Walbury Hill and Combe Hill. The site was formerly included as part of Inkpen and Walbury Hills SSSI.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Designated Sites View: Inkpen and Walbury Hills". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  2. "Map of Inkpen and Walbury Hills". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  3. "Round barrow cemetery on Inkpen Hill". Historic England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  4. Explorer 158: Newbury & Hungerford (Map). Ordnance Survey. ISBN   9780319243510.
  5. "Inkpen and Walbury Hills citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.