Brantingham Dale
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (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 |
Habitats
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
Show the 16 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
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.
| Species | Status | Via 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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