Burton Leonard Lime Quarry

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.0615, -1.5076

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SE323629 Unfavourable Recovering 3.22 2015-06-29

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

English name
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Latin name
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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.

SpeciesStatusVia 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

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: 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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: Corylus avellana

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