Hook Norton Cutting and Banks facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Area of Search | Oxfordshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological Geological |
| Area | 6.7 hectares (17 acres) |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Hook Norton Cutting and Banks is a really special natural area in Oxfordshire, near the village of Hook Norton. It covers about 6.7 hectares (that's like 17 football fields!). This place is important for both its amazing plants and animals, and its ancient rocks.
It's officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI for short. This means it's protected because it has rare wildlife or important geology.
Contents
Welcome to Hook Norton Cutting and Banks!
Hook Norton Cutting and Banks is a fantastic place to explore nature and history. It's made up of three different sections. Two of these are looked after as a nature reserve called Hook Norton Cutting. This reserve is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
What is a Site of Special Scientific Interest?
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a special area in the UK. The government protects these places because they have rare plants, animals, or unique geological features. It's like a national treasure for nature!
A Home for Nature
Hook Norton Cutting is a nature reserve built along an old railway line. This railway line is now disused, meaning trains don't run on it anymore. The reserve is split into two parts, with a tunnel in between them.
Special Plants and Grasslands
Most of this area is a type of grassland called "calcareous grassland." This means the soil has a lot of lime in it, which comes from rocks like limestone. This kind of soil helps many different types of plants grow. You can find a wide variety of beautiful flowers and grasses here.
Buzzing with Bees!
This site is also a very important home for many kinds of bees. One bee species, called Andrena bucephala, is especially rare. It has only been found in three other places in the entire country! This makes Hook Norton Cutting a super important spot for protecting these tiny, buzzing helpers.
Journey Through Time: The Geology
The "cutting" part of Hook Norton Cutting is where the railway line was dug through the ground. This digging exposed some very old rocks. These rocks tell us a lot about Earth's past.
Rocks from the Middle Jurassic Period
The rocks you can see here are from the Middle Jurassic period. This was about 167 million years ago! That's when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. These specific rocks are known as the "type section" for the Hook Norton Member of the Chipping Norton Formation. A "type section" is like the original example or standard for a certain type of rock layer. Scientists study it to understand similar rocks found elsewhere.
Who Looks After This Special Place?
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust helps manage parts of Hook Norton Cutting. They work hard to protect the plants, animals, and geological features. The site is also recognized as a Geological Conservation Review site. This means it's one of the most important places in Britain for understanding geology.
