Kingston Escarpment & Iford Hill
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ383079 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 26.51 | 2019-10-17 |
| TQ398064 | — | Favourable | 36.94 | 2022-08-04 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 64.4 ha. 159.1 ac. Description Kingston Escarpment comprises two separate areas of chalk downland on the steep scarp slopes south of Kingston. This site is important for its chalk grassland, a habitat type which is rapidly becoming rarer owing to widespread agricultural improvement and for the rich invertebrate fauna the grassland supports including a rare grasshopper and an uncommon chalk downland butterfly. Chalk grassland in the northern section of the site and on the steep scarp faces is typically rich in species with such characteristic plants as squinancywort Asperula cynanchica, horse shoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, eyebright Euphrasia officinalis and salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba growing within a short sward dominated by sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and upright brome Bromus erectus grasses. As the site levels out at the top of the scarp and on the valley floor species diversity decreases and plants characteristic of more fertile soils occur, including Italian rye grass Lolium perenne creeping thistle Cirsium arvense and crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus. Other features of the site are a small wooded valley dominated by sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus in the extreme south east and some areas of scrub. Dense blocks of gorse Ulex europaeus are confined to the upper scarp whilst odd bushes of gorse, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, elder Sambucus nigra, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana occur throughout. Kingston Escarpment is noted for its invertebrate fauna which includes the nationally rare and specially protected wart biter grasshopper Decticus verrucivorus and colonies of the Adonis blue Polyommatus bellargus and the small blue Cupido minimus butterflies.
Species mentioned
Show the 18 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small blue | Cupido minimus | NT | butterfly | lycaenidae |
| Adonis blue | Polyommatus bellargus | VU | butterfly | lycaenidae |
| upright brome | Bromus erectus | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| crested dog's tail | Cynosurus cristatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| sheep's fescue | Festuca ovina | LC | grass | poaceae |
| perennial rye-grass | Lolium perenne | LC | grass | poaceae |
| squinancywort | Asperula cynanchica | VU | herb | rubiaceae |
| creeping thistle | Cirsium arvense | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| English sticky eyebright | Euphrasia officinalis | LC | herb | orobanchaceae |
| horseshoe vetch | Hippocrepis comosa | VU | herb | fabaceae |
| salad burnet | Poterium sanguisorba | VU | herb | rosaceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
| dogwood | Cornus sanguinea | LC | shrub | cornaceae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| elder | Sambucus nigra | LC | shrub | caprifoliaceae |
| gorse | Ulex europaeus | LC | shrub | leguminosae |
| wayfaring tree | Viburnum lantana | LC | shrub | caprifoliaceae |
| sycamore | Acer pseudoplatanus | Not listed in GB list | tree | aceraceae |
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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Crataegus spp. |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Poterium sanguisorba |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Viburnum lantana |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Cirsium arvense |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer pseudoplatanus, Crataegus spp. |
| Dingy skipper Erynnis tages |
Vulnerable | Hippocrepis comosa |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Rhinanthus minor |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca ovina |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Hippocrepis comosa, Ulex spp. |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Ulex europaeus |
| 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 |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp. |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Acer pseudoplatanus, Crataegus spp. |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| White-spotted pug Eupithecia tripunctaria |
Near Threatened | Sambucus nigra |
| 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
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 7 species from the description above: Acer pseudoplatanus, Cirsium arvense, Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Poterium sanguisorba, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana
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 3 species from the description above: Euphrasia officinalis, Festuca ovina, Rhinanthus minor
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
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Ulex europaeus
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