List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire facts for kids
This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Gloucestershire. Natural England, the designating body for SSSIs in England, uses the 1974-1996 county system, and this list follows the same approach. Some sites you may expect to find here could therefore be in the Avon list. It may also be that a site may on the borders of more than one county. It may also be on the country borders.
Natural England chooses a site because of its fauna, flora, geological or physiographical features. As of 2012, there are 121 sites designated in this Area of Search, of which 69 have been designated due to their biological interest, 32 due to their geological interest, and 20 for both.
Gloucestershire has 3 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty being the Cotswolds, Malvern Hills, and the Wye Valley (the latter is also partly in Wales). These areas may include several SSSIs, or be named an SSSI as is the case for the Malvern Hills.
Gloucestershire has 2 designated Ramsar sites being the Severn Estuary and Walmore Common both SSSIs. These two sites are also designated as Special Protection Areas (SPA) under the EC Directive on the conservation of Wild Birds.
Gloucestershire has 7 recognised Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), several of which bring together more than one SSSI. These are: Cotswold Beechwoods; Dixton Wood; River Wye/ Afon Gwy; Rodborough Common; Severn Estuary; Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Sites/ Safleoedd Ystlumod Dyffryn Gwy a Fforest y Ddena; Wye Valley Woodlands/ Coetiroedd Dyffryn Gwy.
Highbury Wood SSSI and the Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods SSSI are national nature reserves (NNR). Lady Park Wood (part of the wood is in Gloucestershire and part in Monmouthshire) is a national nature reserve.
A significant number of the SSSIs are recognised by the relevant local authorities as Key Wildlife Sites and Regionally Important Geological/Geomorphological Sites. There are c. 800 recognised Key Wildlife Sites in Gloucestershire.
For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search.
Sites
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Site name | Reason for designation | Area | Grid reference | Year in which notified | Map | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological interest | Geological interest | Hectares | Acres | ||||
| Alderton Hill Quarry |  |
0.3 | 0.8 | 1997 | Map | ||
| Ashleworth Ham | |
104.7 | 258.8 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Astridge Wood | |
5.7 | 14.0 | 1998 | Map | ||
| Badgeworth | |
3.1 | 7.6 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Barnsley Warren | |
61.3 | 151.0 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Barton Bushes | |
5.7 | 14.0 | 1996 | Map | ||
| Bigsweir Woods | |
48.2 | 119.0 | 1984 | Map | ||
| Blaisdon Hall | |
0.1 | 0.8 | 1995 | Map | ||
| Bourton Down | |
11.2 | 27.6 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Box Farm Meadows | |
8.3 | 21.0 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Boxwell | |
5.3 | 13.2 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Brassey Reserve And Windrush Valley | |
2.1 | 5.2 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Brooks Head Grove | |
11.9 | 29.4 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel | |
5.7 | 14.0 | 1998 | Map | ||
| Bull Cross, The Frith And Juniper Hill | |
|
42.3 | 104.6 | 1954 | Map | |
| Bushley Muzzard, Brimpsfield | |
1.1 | 2.8 | 1984 | Map | ||
| Caerwood And Ashberry Goose House | |
0.1 | 0.3 | & | 1991 | Map | |
| Campden Tunnel Gravel Pit | |
0.2 | 0.5 | 1988 | Map | ||
| Chaceley Meadow | |
1.8 | 4.4 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Clarke's Pool Meadow | |
1.8 | 4.4 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Cleeve Common | |
|
455.0 | 1,124.3 | 1974 | Map | |
| Coaley Wood Quarries | |
4.9 | 12.0 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Cockleford Marsh | |
3.2 | 8.0 | 1991 | Map | ||
| Collinpark Wood | |
66.7 | 164.8 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Coombe Hill | |
15.4 | 38.1 | 1994 | Map | ||
| Coombe Hill Canal | |
20.2 | 49.8 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Cotswold Commons And Beechwoods | |
665.5 | 1,664.4 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Cotswold Water Park | |
135.0 | 330.0 | – | 1994 | Map | |
| Crickley Hill And Barrow Wake | |
|
56.8 | 140.3 | 1974 | Map | |
| Daneway Banks | |
17.0 | 42.0 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar | |
0.1 | 0.1 | 1988 | Map | ||
| Devil's Chapel Scowles | |
44.8 | 110.9 | 1998 | Map | ||
| Dingle Wood | |
10.0 | 24.6 | 1972 | Map | ||
| Dixton Wood | |
13.0 | 32.5 | 2000 | Map | ||
| Dymock Woods | |
53.0 | 130.0 | 1990 | Map | ||
| Easter Park Farm Quarry | |
0.2 | 0.4 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Edge Common | |
20.5 | 50.6 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Edgehills Quarry | |
0.4 | 1.0 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Elmlea Meadows | |
6.9 | 17.1 | 1989 | Map | ||
| Foss Cross Quarry | |
0.7 | 1.7 | 1972 | Map | ||
| Frampton Pools | |
59.9 | 147.9 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Garden Cliff | |
5.1 | 12.6 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Hampen Railway Cutting | |
3.9 | 9.6 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Haresfield Beacon | |
0.7 | 1.8 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Harford Railway Cutting | |
1.2 | 3.0 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Highbury Wood | |
50.7 | 123.4 | 1983 | Map | ||
| Hobb's Quarry, Longhope | |
|
1.0 | 2.5 | 1966 | Map | |
| Hornsleasow Quarry | |
3.5 | 9.6 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Hornsleasow Roughs | |
28.2 | 69.8 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Hucclecote Meadows | |
5.7 | 14.2 | 1984 | Map | ||
| Huntsman's Quarry | |
1.6 | 4.0 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Innsworth Meadow | |
2.2 | 5.4 | 1979 | Map | ||
| Jackdaw Quarry | |
4.8 | 11.8 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Juniper Hill, Edgeworth | |
11.3 | 27.8 | & | 1974 | Map | |
| Kemble Railway Cuttings | |
2.7 | 6.7 | & & | 1996 | Map | |
| Kempley Daffodil Meadow | |
1.2 | 3.0 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Kingscote And Horsley Woods | |
43.8 | 108.2 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Knap House Quarry, Birdlip | |
1.8 | 4.4 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean | |
3.8 | 9.4 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Lark Wood | |
1.1 | 2.8 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Leckhampton Hill And Charlton Kings Common | |
|
63.8 | 157.7 | 1954 | Map | |
| Lineover Wood | |
20.3 | 50.2 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Longhope Hill | |
0.2 | 0.5 | 1989 | Map | ||
| Lower Wye Gorge | |
|
65.0 | 160.0 | & | 1954 | Map |
| Lydney Cliff | |
8.0 | 19.7 | 1990 | Map | ||
| May Hill | |
|
32.6 | 80.6 | 1954 | Map | |
| Meezy Hurst | |
4.3 | 10.6 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Minchinhampton Common | |
|
182.7 | 451.4 | 1972 | Map | |
| Nagshead | |
120.1 | 316.6 | 1972 | Map | ||
| New Park Quarry | |
1.3 | 3.2 | 1987 | Map | ||
| Nibley Knoll | |
3.2 | 7.9 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Notgrove Railway Cutting | |
1.7 | 4.2 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Oakenhill Railway Cutting | |
0.8 | 2.0 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Old Bow And Old Ham Mines | |
40.3 | 99.6 | 1998 | Map | ||
| Old River Severn, Upper Lode | |
3.7 | 9.2 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Pennsylvania Fields, Sedbury | |
27.0 | 66.8 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Poor's Allotment | |
28.6 | 70.6 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Puckham Woods | |
32.4 | 80.0 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Puddlebrook Quarry | |
0.7 | 1.9 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Purton Passage | |
4.9 | 12.1 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Range Farm Fields | |
12.8 | 31.6 | 1996 | Map | ||
| River Wye | |
|
England: 1,159.6 Wales: 245.2 Total: 1,404.8 |
England: 2,865.0 Wales: 606.0 Total: 3,471.0 |
– | 1978 | Map |
| Robin's Wood Hill Quarry | |
1.7 | 4.1 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Rodborough Common | |
|
116 | 287 | 1954 | Map | |
| Rough Bank, Miserden | |
9.2 | 22.7 | 1986 | Map | ||
| Salmonsbury Meadows | |
|
18.0 | 44.0 | 1985 | Map | |
| Scully Grove Quarry | |
0.4 | 1.0 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Selsley Common | |
|
39.4 | 97.4 | 1966 | Map | |
| Severn Estuary | |
|
15,950.0 | 39,410.0 | 1976 | Map | |
| Severn Ham, Tewkesbury | |
70.8 | 175.0 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Shorn Cliff And Caswell Woods | |
69.2 | 171.0 | & | 1986 | Map | |
| Slade Brook | |
|
3.6 | 8.9 | 2003 | Map | |
| Soudley Ponds | |
7.0 | 17.4 | 1984 | Map | ||
| Speech House Oaks | |
16.3 | 40.2 | 1972 | Map | ||
| Stenders Quarry | |
|
2.8 | 6.9 | 1966 | Map | |
| Stinchcombe Hill | |
28.6 | 70.7 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Stony Furlong Railway Cutting | |
2.7 | 6.7 | 1987 | Map | ||
| Strawberry Banks | |
5.1 | 12.5 | 1993 | Map | ||
| Swanpool Wood And Furnace Grove | |
13.6 | 33.6 | 1984 | Map | ||
| Swift's Hill | |
|
9.2 | 22.6 | 1966 | Map | |
| Sylvan House Barn | |
<0.1 | 0.1 | 1995 | Map | ||
| The Hudnalls | |
94.4 | 233.3 | & & | 1972 | Map | |
| The Malvern Hills | |
|
732.3 | 1,899.6 | – | 1954 | Map |
| Tudor Farm Bank | |
3.7 | 9.1 | 1999 | Map | ||
| Turvey's Piece | |
1.0 | 2.5 | 1993 | Map | ||
| Upham Meadow And Summer Leasow | |
104.0 | 257.0 | 1991 | Map | ||
| Upper Severn Estuary | |
|
1,436.8 | 3,550.4 | 1954 | Map | |
| Upper Wye Gorge | |
|
245.1 | 605.7 | 1969 | Map | |
| Veizey's Quarry | |
1.4 | 3.5 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Wainlode Cliff | |
1.3 | 3.2 | 1954 | Map | ||
| Walmore Common | |
57.8 | 142.8 | & | 1955 | Map | |
| Wellacre Quarry | |
12.3 | 30.4 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine | |
15.7 | 38.8 | 1998 | Map | ||
| Whelford Meadow | |
1.9 | 4.6 | 1985 | Map | ||
| Wigpool Ironstone Mine | |
34.9 | 95.0 | 1998 | Map | ||
| Wildmoorway Meadows | |
12.6 | 31.1 | 1989 | Map | ||
| Winson Meadows | |
7.9 | 19.6 | 1974 | Map | ||
| Wood Green Quarry & Railway Cutting | |
0.3 | 0.7 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Woodchester Park | |
214.9 | 531.0 | 1966 | Map | ||
| Wotton Hill | |
|
26.1 | 64.0 | 1954 | Map | |
| Yarley Meadows | |
12.2 | 30.2 | 1987 | Map | ||
