Burledge Hill

Infobox SSSI


name=Burledge Sidelands and Meadows
aos=Avon
interest=Biological
gridref=ST588587
area=48.7 ha
notifydate=2005

http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx?
]

Burledge Hill (gbmapping|ST588587) is on the southern edge of the village of Bishop Sutton, Somerset. The site comprises a mixture of flower rich grassland, scrub and mature hedgerows. Three fields are designated as Burledge Sidelands and Meadows a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), and since November 2005 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) covering 48.7 ha the citation says::"Burledge Sidelands and Meadows is nationally important for a wide variety of species-rich unimproved neutral grassland communities characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra." [cite web | title=Burledge Sidelands and Meadows | work=English Nature | url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/2000519.pdf | accessdate=2006-05-09] .

These form part of a 3 km horseshoe of unimproved neutral grassland running around the top of Burledge Hill, forming the largest known concentration of this habitat recorded in Avon. Plant species found on the site include cowslip, Alchemilla (lady's mantle), saw-wort and devil's bit scabious. Birds such as willow warbler ("Phylloscopus trochilus"), garden warbler ("Sylvia borin") and whitethroat ("Sylvia communis") can be heard singing from the scrub areas. The site also falls within the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and has commanding views of the Chew Valley.

There is evidence of occupation of the site as a hill fort during the Iron Age. [cite web | title=Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | work=Somerset County Council Archeological Projects | url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/896B4/MendipAONB.pdf | accessdate=2006-10-28]

References

External links

* [http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/level1/reserves/burledge_hill.htm AWT Burledge Hill]