Great Shuttlesfield Down

{{Short description|UK Site of Special Scientific Interest}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Great Shuttlesfield Down 7.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Great Shuttlesfield Down

|aos= Kent

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|TR 176 409}}

|area= {{convert|21.8|ha|acre|abbr=off}}

|notifydate= 1985

|map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003746%27 Magic Map]

}}

Great Shuttlesfield Down is a {{convert| 21.8 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Folkestone in Kent.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1003746&SiteName=shuttl&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Great Shuttlesfield Down | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 2 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403052035/https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1003746&SiteName=shuttl&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |archive-date = 3 April 2018}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003746%27|title=Map of Great Shuttlesfield Down|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 2 April 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Protected Planet {{!}} Great Shuttlesfield Down |url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/140007 |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Protected Planet}}

This unimproved grassland is dominated by Sheep's fescue, upright brome and tor-grass, and it is grazed by sheep and cattle. Notable invertebrates are the rare adonis blue butterfly and two solitary wasps, Crossocerus cetratus and Crossocerus styrius.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1003746.pdf |title=Great Shuttlesfield Down citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 2 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706133051/https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1003746.pdf |archive-date = 6 July 2022}}

The site is private land but a public footpath from Lyminge crosses the northern end. All land within Great Shuttlesfield Down SSSI is owned by the Ministry of Defence.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-06 |title=Mapping the habitats of England’s ten largest institutional landowners |url=https://whoownsengland.org/2020/10/06/mapping-the-habitats-of-englands-ten-largest-institutional-landowners/ |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Who owns England? |language=en}}