Hucclecote Meadows

{{Infobox SSSI

|image=Image:Oenanthe pimpinelloides2.jpg

|image_caption=Example - corky-fruited water dropwort (Oenanthe pimpinelloides)

|name=Hucclecote Meadows

|aos=Gloucestershire

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|SO872163}}

|coordinates = {{coord|51.845601|-2.186486|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

|area=5.74 hectare

|notifydate=1984

|enref=1003857

}}

Hucclecote Meadows ({{gbmapping|SO872163}}) is a {{convert|5.74|ha|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest divided into two areas on each side of the M5 road in the Severn Vale, Gloucestershire. It was notified in 1984.{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003857%27 |title=Map of Hucclecote Meadows|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England}}[http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1003857 Natural England SSSI information on the citation][http://www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/planning/planning_strategy.asp#s=sectioncontent1 Stroud District Local Plan, adopted November 2005, Appendix 6 ‘Sites of Nature Conservation Interest’] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606002516/http://www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/planning/planning_strategy.asp |date=2012-06-06 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1784 |title=Tewkesbury Borough Local Plan to 2011, adopted March 2006, Appendix 3 'Nature Conservation', Sites of Special Scientific Interest |access-date=10 October 2012 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183044/http://www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1784 |url-status=dead }} The western area is also a Local Nature Reserve.{{cite web|url= http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=Hucclecote%20&ID=231|title= Hucclecote Meadow|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England}}{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271008968%27 |title=Map of Hucclecote Meadow|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England}}

Location and use

The site is on the outskirts of Gloucester City, and is made up of a series of lowland meadows overlying Lower Lias clays. They are one of the few remaining areas of herb rich ancient pastures in Gloucestershire. They have been traditionally managed for hay, and cattle and sheep grazing.

Flora

The species are abundant with variations from one meadow to the next. At the time of citation the meadows were reported as supporting some 75 meadow species, including some rarities such as corky-fruited water dropwort. The main grasses found are Yorkshire fog, meadow fescue, crested dog's-tail and meadow foxtail. The general meadow species found include great burnet, cowslip, devil's-bit scabious, saw-wort, lady's bedstraw and yellow rattle.

The meadows are bordered by very old hedges of hawthorn and blackthorn, which include some hedgerow trees such as oak.

Invertebrates

The range of butterflies recorded includes meadow brown, marbled white, common blue, grizzled skipper and the small heath butterfly.

References

SSSI Source

[http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1003857 Natural England SSSI information on the citation]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131112222233/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/unitlist.cfm?sssi_id=1003857 Natural England SSSI information on the Hucclecote Meadows units]
{{cite web|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003857.pdf |title=Hucclecote Meadows citation |series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest |publisher=Natural England |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705121820/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003857.pdf |archivedate=2014-07-05 }}

External links

[http://www.naturalengland.org.uk Natural England] (SSSI information)

Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire

Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1984

Category:Local Nature Reserves in Gloucestershire

Category:Meadows in Gloucestershire