Shirburn Hill
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU715954 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 63.74 | 2011-04-01 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 64.5 hectares 159.5 ac Description Shirburn Hill supports a mosaic of the chalk downland, chalk heath, scrub and broadleaved woodland habitats formerly widespread in the Oxfordshire Chilterns, but now largely lost following agricultural reclamation and afforestation. The site occupies a spur of the Chilterns escarpment and has moderate to steep north, west and south facing slopes. The underlying Middle and Upper Chalk has weathered to produce shallow, well drained, calcareous soils of the Upton 1 series. The upper slopes are capped in part by clay with flints which supports more clayey soils of the Batcombe Series. Shirburn Hill contrasts with most other large downlands in the Chilterns because, in the absence of domestic stock, open habitats have been maintained for many years exclusively by rabbits. This has produced a distinct turf which varies in height and composition in conjunction with rabbit densities. The most heavily grazed areas have a sparse flora dominated by short herbs such as biting stonecrop Sedum acre, eyebright Euphrasia officinalis, wild strawberry Fragaria vesca and an abundance of the nationally uncommon candytuft Iberis amara, a species which has its British distribution centred on the western scarp of the Chilterns. Where grazing is less intense there is a dense, species rich sward dominated by sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and supporting a wide range of broadleaved herbs. These include common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, purging flax Linum catharticum, felwort Gentianella amarella, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris and wild thyme Thymus praecox. Large areas of the slopes are grazed only lightly. These carry a taller sward which includes false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and red fescue Festuca rubra, together with quaking grass Briza media, ploughman's spikenard Inula conyza and clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata. There are large areas of scrub of varying size and density. The dominant species are hawthorn and buckthorn growing in association with yew, spindle, dogwood and whitebeam. Juniper Juniperus communis, a native coniferous shrub with a declining population nationally and a distinct invertebrate fauna, is a prominent member of the scrub community. In addition there are some substantial areas dominated by the dwarf evergreen tree box Buxus sempervirens, a rare woodland type nationally which, although widely planted in Britain, may be native to Shirburn Hill. Heath and bracken have established locally on the upper slopes and plateau where clay with flints overlies the chalk and leaching of minerals and nutrients has produced base poor soils. The flora here includes ling Calluna vulgaris, tormentil Potentilla erecta and sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella occurring amongst scrub containing hawthorn, blackthorn and silver birch. On the north facing slopes of Shirburn Hill there are extensive areas of semi natural deciduous woodland dominated by beech, ash, sycamore and pedunculate oak. The heavily shaded field layer is poorly developed beneath the beech, but becomes lusher under more open canopy where carpets of dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana and woodruff Galium odoratum occur. Shirburn Hill is extensively used by over wintering thrushes and finches which feed on the abundant supply of berries and seeds.
Species mentioned
Show the 25 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects to look out for
These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria |
Endangered | Linum catharticum |
| Shoulder-striped clover Heliothis maritima |
Endangered | Calluna vulgaris |
| Fiery clearwing Pyropteron chrysidiformis |
Endangered | Rumex acetosella |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Fragaria spp., Poterium sanguisorba |
| Northern brown Aricia artaxerxes |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Rumex spp. |
| Juniper pug Eupithecia pusillata |
Vulnerable | Juniperus communis, Juniperus spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Galium spp., Helianthemum nummularium |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Rumex spp. |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| True lover's knot Lycophotia porphyrea |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Helianthemum nummularium |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Fragaria vesca, Potentilla erecta, Poterium sanguisorba |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Festuca spp. |
| Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Festuca ovina, Galium spp., Rumex spp. |
| Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Weaver's wave Idaea contiguaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Silky wave Idaea dilutaria |
Near Threatened | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Arrhenatherum elatius, Festuca ovina |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Galium spp., Rumex spp. |
Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
Plant communities
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 7 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Circaea lutetiana, Fragaria vesca, Juniperus communis, Mercurialis perennis, Poterium sanguisorba
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Matches 5 species from the description above: Calluna vulgaris, Euphrasia officinalis, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Thymus praecox
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Matches 5 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius, Circaea lutetiana, Festuca rubra, Mercurialis perennis, Potentilla erecta
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 2 species from the description above: Festuca rubra, Mercurialis perennis
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas