Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common

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Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Cliff at Leckhampton Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1191524.jpg
Cliff face on Leckhampton Hill
Gloucestershire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Gloucestershire
Location Gloucestershire
Grid reference SO952187
Coordinates 51°52′02″N2°04′13″W / 51.867306°N 2.070391°W / 51.867306; -2.070391
InterestBiological/Geological
Area63.8hectare
Notification 1954
Natural England website

Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common (grid reference SO952187 ) is a 63.8-hectare (158-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954. [1] [2] There are five units of assessment. [3]

Contents

The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 (on line) as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS). [4]

Location

The site is in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is one of a series of unimproved Jurassic limestone grassland area which are located along the Cotswold scarp. It is south of Cheltenham and near the communities of Leckhampton and Charlton Kings, and has a north-facing aspect. The site also includes disused quarry faces, and quarry spoil which has been vegetated. [1]

Geology

The Leckhampton quarries expose the thickest single cross-section through the Middle Jurassic, Inferior Oolite strata of the area. They are a major research interest, and there are many published accounts of the last 150 years. Strata of some 60 m are exposed, and the large outcrops are of significant importance to those studying palaeontology or sedimentology, and for studying ancient environments generally. [1]

Biology

The site supports a range of habitats which include unimproved calcareous grassland, woodland and scrub, cliff faces and scree slopes. The grassland is of major importance and it comprises a tall ungrazed sward. This is dominated by tor-grass, upright brome, meadow oat-grass, sweet vernal-grass and quaking grass. It is noted for its range of herbs which include salad burnet, common rock-rose, common bird's-foot-trefoil. The quarry floors support wild thyme, dwarf thistle, yellow-wort and autumn gentian. The site supports many plants which are scarce at a national or county level. These include fly orchid, musk orchid and purple milk-vetch. It is one of a small number of sites which support meadow clary in the county. [1]

Shrub areas support nesting birds such as meadow pipit and grasshopper warbler. It is a shelter area for invertebrates and small mammals. [1]

There are wooded areas of broad-leaved and coniferous trees including mature beech. These areas support a woodland flora such as ivy broomrape, white helleborine and greater butterfly-orchid. [1]

There is a reported population of adder. [1]

Land ownership

Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common SSSI is owned and managed by Cheltenham Borough Council. [5] [6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Natural England SSSI information on the citation". Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  2. ↑ "Tewkesbury Borough Local Plan to 2011, adopted March 2006, Appendix 3 'Nature Conservation', Sites of Special Scientific Interest". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  3. ↑ Natural England SSSI information on the Leckhampton Hill And Charlton Kings Common units
  4. ↑ Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 2, Key Wildlife Sites Archived 2013-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Hockin, Lynda. "Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common". www.cheltenham.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament". questions-statements.parliament.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2025.

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