Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood

Also within

Rutland County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Area, 112.5 ha. 277.9 ac. Description Clipsham Old Quarry contains important exposures of Lincolnshire Limestone and some of the best areas of species rich limestone grassland in the County. Pickworth great Wood is one of the largest remaining blocks of deciduous woodland in Leicestershire and contains stands representative of ancient, semi-natural woodland on clay soils in Central England. Clipsham Old Quarry. Biology The old workings support stands of dense hawthorn Crataegus monogyna scrub and some developing ash Fraxinus excelsior woodland. There are several areas of well developed limestone grassland dominated by tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens and narrow leaved meadow grass Poa angustifolia. A good range of lime loving herbs are present including dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, marjoram Origanum vulgare, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata, autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, bee orchid Ophrys apifera, greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, basil thyme Acinos arvensis and pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, the latter two being rare in Leicestershire. Shrubs, such as hawthorn and sweet briar Rosa rubiginosa are scattered throughout the grassy areas, providing support for climbing plants such as the locally uncommon wood vetch Vicia sylvatica. Recently extracted spoil heaps support other locally uncommon species such as round leaved fluellen Kickxia spuria, viper’s bugloss Echium vulgare, deadly nightshade Atropa belladonna and the nationally scarce mat grass fescue Vulpia unilateralis. Clipsham Old Quarry is one of the few sites in Leicestershire where slow worms breed. The scrub within the quarry also provides suitable nesting habitat for a variety of birds including tree pipit, grasshopper warbler and sedge warbler. Pickworth great Wood. Biology The wood occupies an undulating hilltop site on the Rutland / Lincolnshire border and lies mainly on rich, heavy clay soils where drainage is locally impeded. Ash maple woodland was the original stand type in most parts of the wood with ash wych elm stands in the wetter hollows. Areas of these stand types still exist despite widespread 20th century plantings of ash, silver birch Betula pendula and pedunculate oak Quercus robur. There are stands containing aspen Populus tremula and wild service tree Sorbus torminalis along the southern boundary of the wood. The density and age of the shrub layer varies considerably. Species present include hazel Corylus avellana, midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata and privet Ligustrum vulgare. The ground flora is species rich and varies immensely throughout the wood. Dominants include dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, ramsons Allium ursinum, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, water avens Geum rivale and bramble Rubus fruticosus. Less common species include creeping jenny Lysimachia nummularia, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, great wood rush Luzula sylvatica and greater butterfly orchid. The wood has a rich invertebrate fauna which has not been fully investigated, but 150 species of moth have already been recorded. The woodland breeding bird community is diverse and includes tawny owl, nightingale, woodcock and woodpecker. Geology Clipsham Quarry has excellent exposures of the Middle and Upper Lincolnshire Limestone and is particularly important for the interpretation of the internal stratigraphy of the middle part of the Formation, showing marked differences in lithology in relation to the more northerly outcrops. It is a key site for sedimentological and lithostratigraphic studies.

Species mentioned

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.

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