Cissbury Ring
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ139079 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 33.62 | 2022-03-30 |
| TQ143082 | — | Favourable | 16.16 | 2009-11-09 |
| TQ148079 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 9.4 | 2014-01-03 |
| TQ152074 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 25.01 | 2013-06-24 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk, Flint
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| redstart | Breeding |
| redstart | Passage |
| whinchat | Breeding |
| whinchat | Passage |
Description
Description Cissbury Ring is an ancient hill fort site situated on chalk. The main biological interest of the site centres on the areas of unimproved chalk grassland, a habitat type which has become rare nationally through being under constant threat from agricultural improvement. The scrub areas provide important habitats for wintering, breeding and migrant birds and also support a varied butterfly fauna. Unimproved chalk grassland occupies the steep slopes which encircle the central plateau, the area round the old flint mines and the southern most field. Upright brome Bromus erectus forms a compact turf in which kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, horse shoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa and yarrow Achillea millefolium are abundant; other components in the sward include harebell Campanula rotundifolia, marjoram Origanum vulgare, field fleawort Senecio integrifolius, wild basil Clinopodium vulgare, heath bedstraw Galium saxatile and the frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis. The belt of scrub along the north east facing scarp slope consists of a diversity of shrub species including hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, privet Ligustrum vulgare, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and spindle Euonymus europaeus. Elsewhere, scrub invasion is more scattered particularly in the area occupied by the old flint mines. There are several juniper bushes Juniperus communis to the north of the Ring. The main plain of the Cissbury Ring is situated on clay soils overlying the chalk. Here neutral grassland is dominated by Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera grasses with wood sage Teucrium scorodonia and bramble Rubus fruticosus. Among the butterflies occurring here are the Adonis blue Polyommatus bellargus, the chalkhill blue L. coridon and the brown argus Aricia agestis. The scrub along the escarpment supports a diverse breeding bird community notably of warblers and finches. The autumn passage is particularly important when the scrub is used by redstart, whinchat, stonechats, tree pipits and warblers. Over wintering numbers of thrushes and finches are significant and a range of birds of prey is regularly recorded.
Species mentioned
Show the 24 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Origanum vulgare |
| Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria |
Endangered | Achillea millefolium |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna |
| Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia |
Endangered | Achillea millefolium, Teucrium scorodonia |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Crataegus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Rubus fruticosus |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp. |
| Dingy skipper Erynnis tages |
Vulnerable | Hippocrepis comosa |
| Juniper pug Eupithecia pusillata |
Vulnerable | Juniperus communis, Juniperus spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca ovina |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Rubus fruticosus |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Hippocrepis comosa |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Rubus fruticosus |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Rubus fruticosus |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| No common name Chrysolina marginata |
Near Threatened | Achillea millefolium |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Festuca spp. |
| Small blue Cupido minimus |
Near Threatened | Anthyllis vulneraria |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp. |
| The Silurian Eriopygodes imbecilla |
Near Threatened | Galium saxatile |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina, Galium spp. |
| Tawny speckled Eupithecia icterata |
Near Threatened | Achillea millefolium |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Achillea millefolium, Crataegus monogyna |
| Bordered pug Eupithecia succenturiata |
Near Threatened | Achillea millefolium |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp. |
| Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus |
| 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
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 8 species from the description above: Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Euonymus europaeus, Holcus lanatus, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Origanum vulgare, Teucrium scorodonia
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 4 species from the description above: Campanula rotundifolia, Dactylorhiza viridis, Festuca ovina, Galium saxatile
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 3 species from the description above: Achillea millefolium, Holcus lanatus, Teucrium scorodonia
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