Linton Common

Also within

West Yorkshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Permian · Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Description Linton Common lies 1 kilometre south west of Wetherby on the south facing valley slopes of the River Wharfe where it cuts through Permian Magnesian limestone. The site comprises an unimproved fragment of the former common and supports a representative example of limestone grassland which is a rare habitat in West Yorkshire. Only eight unimproved Magnesian limestone grasslands of over 1 ha. in extent are known in the county and this site is one of only two stations in the county for a nationally rare plant species. Two main zones can be recognised within the grassland community. The first of these occupies the northern half of the site and is dominated by upright brome and tor grass. Lady's bedstraw Galium verum, knapweed Centaurea nigra and thistles Cirsium arvense and Cirsium vulgare are the principal herbs with occasional giant bellflower Campanula latifolia. In the second zone, occupying the southern half of the field, upright brome is again dominant with tor grass, meadow oat grass, quaking grass, crested hair grass and carnation sedge Carex flacca occurring widely in the sward. The herb flora is more diverse and includes salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, rest-harrow Ononis repens, common St. John's wort Hypericum perforatum, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium and cowslip. Plant species of very local distribution in the county occur including the pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis and squinancywort Asperula cynanchica.

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