Burton Leonard Lime Quarry
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE323629 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 3.22 | 2015-06-29 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Description Burton Leonard Lime Quarry is a disused Magnesian Limestone quarry which supports a rich calcareous flora including several rare and local species. There are open grassland and scrub communities, the latter developing into woodland. Woody species include ash Fraxinus excelsior, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and hazel Corylus avellana. The grassland comprises species characteristic of Magnesian Limestone including yellow oat Trisetum flavescens, the spring sedges Carex caryophyllea and C. ericetorum, thyme Thymus praecox, rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, twayblade Neottia ovata and milkwort Polygala vulgaris. Notable species include buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica, burnet rose Rosa spinosissima, squinancywort Asperula cynanchica, pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, heath grass Danthonia decumbens and yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata. The site supports both primary and secondary grasslands, the former on the slopes of Mickle Hill, the latter established after the working out of the quarry. It is an important refugium for the Magnesian Limestone flora in North Yorkshire. Other Information 1. During the 1983 revision the boundary has been reduced. 2. The site is managed as a nature reserve by the Yorkshire Naturalists' Trust. * Under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.
Species mentioned
Show the 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| heath grass | Danthonia decumbens | NT | grass | poaceae |
| yellow oat grass | Trisetum flavescens | LC | grass | poaceae |
| pyramidal orchid | Anacamptis pyramidalis | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| squinancywort | Asperula cynanchica | VU | herb | rubiaceae |
| yellowwort | Blackstonia perfoliata | LC | herb | gentianaceae |
| rock roses | Helianthemum nummularium | VU | herb | cistaceae |
| common twayblade | Neottia ovata | NT | herb | orchidaceae |
| burnet saxifrage | Pimpinella saxifraga | NT | herb | apiaceae |
| common milkwort | Polygala vulgaris | VU | herb | polygalaceae |
| creeping thyme | Thymus praecox | Not listed in GB list | herb | lamiaceae |
| spring-sedge | Carex caryophyllea | NT | sedge | cyperaceae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica | LC | shrub | rhamnaceae |
| burnet rose | Rosa spinosissima | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
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., Rosa spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna, Rhamnus cathartica |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Rosa spp. |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp. |
| 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 |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Rhamnus cathartica, Rosa spp. |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Rosa spinosissima |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| 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, Pimpinella saxifraga |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp. |
| Silky wave Idaea dilutaria |
Near Threatened | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
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 4 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Rhamnus cathartica
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 1 species from the description above: 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
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Corylus avellana
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