West Harting Down

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.9556, -0.9165

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SU761179 Unfavourable Declining 13.91 2022-03-30

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 13.9 ha. 34.3 ac. Description An area of mature woodland on the Upper Chalk of the South Downs, which is chiefly composed of mature yew Taxus baccata trees, many of which are over one hundred years old. Developing yew scrub and small areas of chalk grassland are also features of the site. Approximately half the site is pure yew forest. Yew is considered to be a tree of secondary woodland representing a seral stage between open downland and an as yet unknown, final woodland type. The dense canopy of the yew precludes the development of any ground flora although the trees themselves support the lichen Hypogymnia physodes. The woodland in the rest of the site consists of yew with mature ash Fraxinus excelsior and whitebeam Sorbus aria. There is a small area of coppiced hazel Corylus avellana in the south west with some yew. Under these more open canopies a ground flora has developed of violets Viola species, barren strawberry Potentilla sterilis, enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana and slender false brome grass Brachypodium sylvaticum. Moss floras are also well developed in places. Remaining areas of chalk grassland support a typical downland flora which includes rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, carnation sedge Carex flacca, perforate St John's wort Hypericum perforatum, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and the dominant grasses red fescue Festuca rubra, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and common bent Agrostis capillaris. Scattered scrub occurs throughout the grassland but there are also two belts of dense scrub which have colonised the downland. Yew is prominent in this scrub but hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and dogwood Cornus sanguinea also occur.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
common bent Agrostis capillaris LC grass poaceae
tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum LC grass poaceae
wood false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana LC herb onagraceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
perforated St John's wort Hypericum perforatum LC herb hypericaceae
barren strawberry Potentilla sterilis LC herb rosaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
monk's-hood lichen Hypogymnia physodes LC lichen hypogymnia
glaucus sedge Carex flacca LC sedge cyperaceae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
whitebeams Sorbus aria CR tree rosaceae
yew Taxus baccata LC tree taxaceae

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
Chequered skipper
Carterocephalus palaemon
Endangered Brachypodium sylvaticum
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp.
Least minor
Photedes captiuncula
Endangered Carex flacca
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Poterium sanguisorba
Northern brown
Aricia artaxerxes
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium, Hypericum spp.
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Brachypodium sylvaticum, Festuca rubra
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Agrostis spp., Festuca spp.
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Silky wave
Idaea dilutaria
Near Threatened Helianthemum nummularium
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Agrostis spp., Brachypodium sylvaticum
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Carex flacca

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 11 species from the description above: Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Circaea lutetiana, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata

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 4 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Corylus avellana, Festuca rubra

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Carex flacca, Festuca rubra

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