- Fire Beacon Hill
This is a
Local Nature Reserve found inEast Devon ,England . It is registered asCommon land - known as Harpford Common.Sidmouth Town Council are the current owners, and are responsible for the management of the site=Geology=
The site is part of the
East Devon dissected plateau comprising of calcerous uppergreensand capped byclay ,Flint s andchert , and overlyingKeuper marl s.The north part of the site is 225 metres above sea level and the ground slopes steeply to the south down to 150 metres.
=Ecological Features=
The site contains
*
Lowland heath a rare Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)habitat
*wet woodland also a rare BAP habitat
* LingCalluna Vulgaris - the most common species of heather. 4Corola (flower petals) and Calyx unlike Erica which are bell shaped
*Bell Heather Erica cinerea - leaves in whorls of 3
* Cross leaved heathErica tetralix - leaves in whorls of 4
*European Gorse
* Western GorseUlex gallii - Lower growing and more spreading thanEuropean Gorse
* Bristle BentAgrostis curtisii - fine leaves, grows in tufts
* Purple moor GrassMolinia caerulea - a BAP habitat species
*Bracken Pteridium aquilinum - threatens to dominate the areas where it is found
*Common Bluebell
* Sheep SorrellRumex acetosella
* BrambleRubus fruticosus
* FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
* Some recolinising by Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile ,Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus,Tormentil Pontentilla erecta, and Heath MilkwortPolygala serpyllifolia
*Alder ,Beech ,Birch , HollyIlex aquifolium , HazelCorylus avellana , OakQuercus robur ,Willow
*Grayling (butterfly)
*Yellowhammer
*Dartford Warbler - as a mediterranean bird, it can be found in the heather and gorse as these offer relatively warm microclimates for them.
*European Stonechat - can be found on the tops of bushes.
*Common raven
*Linnet - favours low down thorny bushes and scrub, with good supply of small-sized seed
*Eurasian Bullfinch -nests in tall hedges more than 4 metres high and wide, and prefers fruit seed
*European Nightjar - nests on the ground and is well camouflagued. Waving a white handkerchief is said to attract them.
*Common Buzzard
* AdderVipera berus - mates mid-May and gives birth between July and October
* Common LizardLacerta vivipara
* FoxVulpes vulpes , BadgerMeles meles , Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus *Deer Grass
Muhlenbergia rigens=Historical=
*Fire Beacon Hill was the site of one the beacons set up to warn Elizabethan London of the approaching
Spanish Armada
*It was part of open heathland that once stretched fromHoniton toSidmouth . The rest of the land was taken for conifer plantations. The site is now seen by environmental organisations as a potential seed bank and species reservoir for future heathland restoration and re-creation projects.
*An apple tree can be found on the southern side. Fruit trees were used as landmarks as far back as saxon times.
*Fire Beacon Hill was described in the Journals of the Reverend John Swede who travelled through it on horseback in 1795. He describes for example a hedgerow of beech, which is now a remnant in the form of a few trees.
*In June 1993 a balloon crashed into a power line above the site. The resulting intense fire sterilised the soil.=Public Recreation and Access=
The site is open to the public and is used for recreation and education. Being on top of a hill near the
Jurassic coast (one of theWorld Heritage Sites , the fine views give the site a high aesthetic appeal.The
East Devon Way footpath runs from north to south across the site.=References=
* [http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/google/fire_beacon_hill_local_nature_reserve.htm East Devon Council Local Nature Reserves]
* [http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/fire_beacon_hill_audio_guide.htm Audio Guide Description and map of the site]
* [http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/fire1.htm Description by Offwell Woodland & Wildlife Trust]
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