Warton Crag

{{Short description|Hill near Warton, Lancaster, Lancashire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}

File:Warton_Crag_Quarry,_Warton_Crag,_Sept_2015.jpg

File:Warton Pinnacle Crag - geograph.org.uk - 1586580.jpg

Warton Crag is a limestone hill in north west Lancashire, England. It lies to the north west of Warton village, in City of Lancaster district. At {{convert|163|m|ft}} it is the highest point in the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,{{cite book|last=Arnside and Silverdale AONB|title=A Guide to Warton Crag Nature Reserves|pages=3}} and is listed as a "HuMP" or "Hundred Metre Prominence", having a "drop" or "prominence" of {{convert|126|m|ft}} with its parent being Hutton Roof Crags.{{cite book|last=Jackson|first=Mark|title=More Relative Hills of Britain|url=http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/humps_ebook_release_1_1_0c.pdf|year=2009|page=136|chapter=Penrith to Lancaster | access-date=5 May 2020}} Two areas are Local Nature Reserves, called Warton Crag{{cite web|url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=warton&ID=492 |title=Warton Crag |series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date=26 July 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271009226%27 |title=Map of Warton Crag|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date=26 July 2013}} and Warton Crag Quarry.{{cite web|url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=warton&ID=493 |title= Warton Crag Quarry|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date=26 July 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271009227%27 |title=Map of Warton Crag Quarry|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date=26 July 2013}} Different sections are owned by Lancashire County Council, the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Lancaster City Council and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.{{cite book|last=Arnside and Silverdale AONB|title=A Guide to Warton Crag Nature Reserves|pages=10–11}}

Two caves on the west side of the hill called Dog Holes and Badger Hole show signs of early human occupation, with excavations finding a range of artefacts.{{PastScape|mnumber=41539 |mname=Dog Holes Cave|access-date=10 March 2018}}{{PastScape|mnumber=41540 |mname=Badger Hole|fewer-links=y|access-date=10 March 2018}}{{citation |author=John Wilfrid Jackson|title=Third report on the exploration at Dog Holes, Warton Crag, Lancs |publisher=R. Gill |year=1913 |url=https://archive.org/details/thirdreportonexp00jackiala|mode=cs1|access-date=10 March 2018}}

The summit of the hill is the site of a small multivallate hillfort, which has long been assumed to date to the Iron Age period. The approximately {{convert|3.2|ha|adj=on}} enclosure was defended by rock scarps and steep slopes to the south and west with triple stone ramparts forming an arc on the other sides.{{NHLE |num= 1007633|desc= Warton Crag small multivallate hillfort|fewer-links=y|access-date= 25 February 2018}}{{PastScape|mnumber=41541 |mname=Warton Crag hilltop enclosure|fewer-links=y|access-date=10 March 2018}}{{citation |editor-last1=Farrer |editor-first1=William |editor-last2=Brownbill |editor-first2=John |title=The Victoria History of the County of Lancaster Vol 2 |publisher=Victoria County History - Constable & Co |year=1908 |url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088434547#page/n531/mode/2up |pages=508–511 |oclc=59375181|mode=cs1|access-date=10 March 2018}} However research by Historic England in 2016 using lidar proposed that the structure was instead "some form of non-defensive hilltop enclosure, possibly dating to the Late Bronze Age."{{cite journal |last1=Evans |first1=Sally |last2=Jecock |first2=Marcus |last3=Oakey |first3=Matthew| url=https://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=15607&ru=/Results.aspx?p=1&n=10&rn=33&ry=2017&ns=1 |title=Warton Crag hilltop enclosure, Warton, Lancashire: Aerial Mapping and Analytical Field Survey |journal=Historic England Research Department Reports |date=2017 |access-date=4 May 2020}} Includes link to full report as .pdf

File:Beacon on Warton Crag - geograph.org.uk - 1281402.jpg and trig point in 2009]]

A beacon was erected on the crag in 1988 as part of a re-enactment of the beacon chain alerting the country to the Spanish Armada, on its 400th anniversary.{{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Brian |title=Walks in Silverdale and Arnside: 21 easy walks exploring the AONB |date=13 April 2022 |publisher=Cicerone Press Limited |isbn=978-1-84965-543-9 |page=51 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4zCShGl79nsC&dq=warton+crag+beacon+1988&pg=PA51 |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=en}} It was lit again in 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II,{{cite news |title=Diamond Jubilee: Thousands turn out to light up the skies of South Lakeland |url=https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/9743824.diamond-jubilee-thousands-turn-out-to-light-up-the-skies-of-south-lakeland/ |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=The Westmorland Gazette |date=5 June 2012 |language=en}} in 2016 for her 90th birthday,{{cite news |title=Where to see beacons blazing tonight for the Queen's big day |url=https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/14429929.where-to-see-beacons-blazing-tonight-for-the-queens-big-day/ |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=The Westmorland Gazette |date=21 April 2016 |language=en}} and in 2022 for her Platinum Jubilee.{{cite news |title=Every Platinum Jubilee beacon location you can visit in Lancashire this weekend |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/20180754.platinum-jubilee-beacon-locations-lancashire-see-list/ |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=1 June 2022 |language=en}}

Many plants are found on the crag, including horseshoe vetch near its northern limit, spindle tree and many ferns.{{cite web|url=http://www.lancswt.org.uk/reserves/warton-crag|title=Warton Crag|publisher=Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside|access-date=10 February 2017}} The site is rich in butterflies, including the rare pearl bordered fritillary and high brown fritillary. Much of the hill is listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, being considered the best example of limestone grassland in Lancashire, with areas of Limestone pavement.{{cite web|url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1002663.pdf|publisher=Natural England|title=Warton Crag SSSI |access-date=10 March 2018}}

The former quarry on the west of the crag is a regular breeding site for peregrine falcons and is protected by a Falcon Watch team of volunteers.{{cite web|url=http://www.arnsidesilverdaleaonb.org.uk/AONB/News-and-Events/News/New-male-peregrine-takes-up-residence.html|title=New male Peregrine takes up residence: Warton Crag has a new male Peregrine.|date=21 December 2010|publisher=Arnside and Silverdale AONB|access-date=28 November 2012}}

The crag is used by rock-climbers,{{cite web|url=http://www.lakesbloc.com/crags/south-lakes-limestone/163-warton-crags.html|title=Warton Crag|publisher=LakesBloc: Lake District Bouldering|access-date=28 November 2012}} and a fell race on the crag takes place annually as part of Warton Children's Sports Day.{{cite web|url=http://fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=1773|title=Warton Crag: Race Details|publisher=Fellrunner.org.uk|access-date=28 November 2012}}

See also

References

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