The Lump, Priestweston

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.5763, -3.0483

Also within

Shropshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SO290981 Favourable 1.63 2009-10-07

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Igneous Intrusion, Rock Outcrop

Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Area, 1.61 ha. 4 ac. Description An outcrop of dolerite which bears short grassland, scrub and rock face habitats with an exceptionally rich flora. Much of the site is occupied by short grassland which has developed on thin, dry soil. sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina is dominant over large areas, but locally other grasses, for example crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus are dominant, while some areas are covered by carpets of wild thyme Thymus praecox. These open grassland communities contain several uncommon species notably maiden pink Dianthus deltoides which is unusually abundant here, soft trefoil Trifolium striatum and rock stonecrop Sedum forsterianum. The last named species is also abundant on rock outcrops. In places, scrub consisting of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, dog rose Rosa canina and broom Cytisus scoparius has developed.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
maiden pink Dianthus deltoides NT herb carophyllaceae
dog-rose Rosa canina LC herb rosaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
knotted clover Trifolium striatum LC herb fabaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
broom Cytisus scoparius LC shrub fabaceae

Insects 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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp., Rosa spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Crataegus spp., Rosa spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Cytisus scoparius, Rosa canina
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Rosa canina
Garden dart
Euxoa nigricans
Vulnerable Trifolium spp.
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Festuca ovina
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Rosa canina
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Rosa spp.
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Cytisus scoparius
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Rosa canina
Lead belle
Scotopteryx mucronata
Vulnerable Cytisus scoparius
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Trifolium spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Broom-tip chesias
Chesias rufata
Near Threatened Cytisus scoparius
Latticed heath
Chiasmia clathrata
Near Threatened Trifolium spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Cytisus scoparius, Festuca ovina
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Silver-spotted skipper
Hesperia comma
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Festuca ovina

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Festuca ovina, Thymus praecox

Salix 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

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Crataegus monogyna, Rosa canina

Hedera 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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: Rosa canina

Hedera 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