Cockthorpe Common, Stiffkey

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.9476, 0.9530

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TF984429 Favourable 7.09 2015-06-29

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 6.9 hectares 17 ac Description Cockthorpe Common is situated in the valley of the River Stiffkey where the steep slopes support a diverse chalk grassland flora. Unimproved chalk downland is now rare in Norfolk and Cockthorpe Common is considered to be one of the best remaining examples. The flora is extremely rich and includes a number of uncommon species. The richest areas of chalk grassland consist of short rabbit grazed turf dominated by sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, crested hair grass Koeleria macrantha and quaking grass Briza media. Herb species are abundant and include salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, large thyme Thymus pulegioides, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria, dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, cowslip Primula veris, twayblade Neottia ovata, pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii and Star of Bethlehem Ornithagalum umbellatum. Some areas of taller vegetation are present and are dominated by false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius and wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa. Other habitats present include hawthorn scrub, a small area of elm woodland and a disused pit which provide additional interest to the site.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius LC grass poaceae
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha NT grass poaceae
pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis LC herb orchidaceae
dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule VU herb asteraceae
spotted orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii LC herb orchidaceae
dropwort Filipendula vulgaris LC herb rosaceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
common twayblade Neottia ovata NT herb orchidaceae
star of Bethlehem Ornithagalum umbellatum Not listed in GB list herb asparagaceae
wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa LC herb apiaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae
small scabious Scabiosa columbaria LC herb caprifoliaceae
large garden Thymus pulegioides VU herb lamiaceae

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
Straw belle
Aspitates gilvaria
Endangered Pastinaca sativa
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Endangered Primula veris
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Northern brown
Aricia artaxerxes
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
Vulnerable Scabiosa columbaria
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Festuca ovina
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Pastinaca sativa
White-spotted pug
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Near Threatened Pastinaca sativa
Silver-spotted skipper
Hesperia comma
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Silky wave
Idaea dilutaria
Near Threatened Helianthemum nummularium
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Arrhenatherum elatius, Festuca ovina
Swallowtail papilio
Papilio machaon
Near Threatened Pastinaca sativa

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 2 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius, Poterium sanguisorba

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: Festuca ovina

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

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

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