Cinquefoil Brow and Wood Dale

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.0647, -0.5368

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SE958640 Unfavourable Recovering 11.54 2020-01-21
SE968637 Unfavourable Recovering 11.54 2020-01-21

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 10.8 hectares 26.6 ac Description Cinquefoil Brow and Wood Dale consist of two disjunct areas of unimproved chalk grassland situated in the dry valley complex to the east of Sledmere in the Yorkshire Wolds. The site is important as one of the best remaining examples of species rich chalk grassland of a type which is particularly scarce on the northern Chalk of North Humberside. Chalk grassland was formerly more widespread but has become more restricted in distribution due to reseeding, afforestation and lack of management resulting in scrub encroachment. The grassland is situated on steep slopes of both southerly and westerly aspects. The sward is dominated by upright brome Bromus erectus and sheep's fescue Festuca ovina with species such as common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, harebell Campanula rotundifolia, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, lady's bedstraw Galium verum and mouse ear hawkweed Pilosella officinarum being especially abundant. Other frequently occurring species include ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, wild thyme Thymus praecox, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, fairy flax Linum catharticum, bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, quaking grass Briza media and crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus. Of particular note is the presence of species such as large thyme Thymus pulegioides, hawkweed oxtongue Picris hieracioides, autumn gentian Gentianella amarella and clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata which have a restricted distribution on the northern chalk. The west facing grassland of Wood Dale is also of particular interest due to the presence of conspicuous ant hills, formed by the yellow ant Lasius flavus. The soils of these mounds are fine and friable and develop a characteristic flora which often differs from the surrounding grassland. Maintenance of the nature conservation interest is dependent on the continuation of livestock grazing without the use of fertilisers or herbicides.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
yellow meadow ant Lasius flavus Not listed in GB list ant formicinae
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
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
yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens LC grass poaceae
clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata VU herb campanulaceae
harebell Campanula rotundifolia LC herb campanulaceae
black knapweed Centaurea nigra LC herb asteraceae
lady's bedstraw Galium verum LC herb rubiaceae
autumn gentian Gentianella amarella LC herb gentianaceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus LC herb asteraceae
fairy flax Linum catharticum LC herb linaceae
birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus LC herb fabaceae
hawkweed ox-tongue Picris hieracioides LC herb asteraceae
mouse_ear hawkweed Pilosella officinarum LC herb asteraceae
ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata LC herb plantaginaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus LC herb ranunculaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
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
Black-veined moth
Siona lineata
Critically Endangered Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus
New forest
Zygaena viciae
Critically Endangered Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle
Aspitates gilvaria
Endangered Linum catharticum, Lotus corniculatus
Marsh moth
Athetis pallustris
Endangered Plantago lanceolata
Wood white
Leptidea sinapis
Endangered Lotus corniculatus
Heath fritillary
Melitaea athalia
Endangered Plantago lanceolata
Glanville fritillary
Melitaea cinxia
Endangered Plantago lanceolata
Slender scotch
Zygaena loti
Endangered Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Lotus corniculatus, Poterium sanguisorba
Northern brown
Aricia artaxerxes
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
Dingy skipper
Erynnis tages
Vulnerable Lotus corniculatus
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
Vulnerable Plantago spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Centaurea spp., Galium spp., Helianthemum nummularium
Garden dart
Euxoa nigricans
Vulnerable Plantago spp.
White-line dart
Euxoa tritici
Vulnerable Galium verum
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Festuca ovina
Bedstraw hawk-moth
Hyles gallii
Vulnerable Galium spp.
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium, Lotus corniculatus
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Ranunculus spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Plantago lanceolata
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Plantago spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Festuca ovina, Galium spp., Plantago spp.
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Centaurea spp.
Silver-spotted skipper
Hesperia comma
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Silky wave
Idaea dilutaria
Near Threatened Helianthemum nummularium
Scarce forester
Jordanita globulariae
Near Threatened Centaurea nigra
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Galium spp.

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Campanula rotundifolia, Festuca ovina, 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

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: 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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: Plantago lanceolata

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