Brantingham Dale

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.7676, -0.5634

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (3)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SE947310 Unfavourable Recovering 11.87 2012-03-02
SE950311 Unfavourable Recovering 3.91 2020-03-24
SE952313 Unfavourable Recovering 11.87 2012-03-02

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 15.9 hectares 39.2 ac Description The site known as Brantingham Dale occupies the head of the dry valley above Brantingham village. The slopes with predominantly north westerly and south easterly aspects support a mosaic of species rich chalk grassland amid extensive areas of scrub invasion and young woodland. In a recent 1982/83 comprehensive botanical survey of chalk grassland in the Yorkshire Wolds, Brantingham Dale was one of 11 sites 6 in Humberside rates as of the highest botanical value overall. The grassland areas, maintained as short turf by rabbit grazing, are dominated by sheep's fescue Festuca ovina with a notable abundance of rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and wild thyme Thymus praecox. Other species of frequent occurrence include quaking grass Briza media, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, felwort Gentianella amarella and rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus. Where ungrazed, the grassland is generally rank and dominated by false oak grass Arrhenatherum elatius. Dense scrub, mostly hawthorn Crataegus monogyna has developed over much of the site and there is now young woodland of ash Fraxinus excelsior and silver birch Betula pendula in places. There is also a small area of mature ash woodland where the ground flora includes wild strawberry Fragaria vesca, herb bennet Geum urbanum and sanicle Sanicula europaea.

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
clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata VU herb campanulaceae
wild strawberry Fragaria vesca LC herb rosaceae
lady's bedstraw Galium verum LC herb rubiaceae
autumn gentian Gentianella amarella LC herb gentianaceae
herb bennet Geum urbanum LC herb rosaceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus LC herb asteraceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
sanicle Sanicula europaea LC herb apiaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
birch Betula pendula LC tree betulaceae
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.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Betula spp., Crataegus spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Fragaria spp., Poterium sanguisorba
Northern brown
Aricia artaxerxes
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Betula spp., Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Betula spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Betula spp., Crataegus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Galium spp., Helianthemum nummularium
White-line dart
Euxoa tritici
Vulnerable Galium verum
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Festuca ovina
Bedstraw hawk-moth
Hyles gallii
Vulnerable Galium spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Betula pendula, Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Betula pendula, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Poterium sanguisorba
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Betula spp., Crataegus monogyna
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Betula pendula
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Festuca spp.
Kentish glory
Endromis versicolora
Near Threatened Betula pendula
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Betula spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Betula spp., Festuca ovina, Galium spp.
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus spp.
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
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Galium spp.
White prominent
Leucodonta bicoloria
Regionally Extinct Betula 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

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 7 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius, Betula pendula, Crataegus monogyna, Fragaria vesca, Fraxinus excelsior, Geum urbanum, 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 2 species from the description above: 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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 1 species from the description above: Geum urbanum

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