Ham Hill
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU332616 | — | Favourable | 1.53 | 2012-12-17 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| blackcap | Unknown |
| tree pipit | Unknown |
| whitethroat | Unknown |
Description
Description Ham Hill is a small but remarkable area of chalk grassland supporting a diverse assemblage of plants and a wide variety of associated butterflies. The majority of the site occupies the steep banks of an ancient sunken trackway forming a cutting through a north facing downland ridge lying on the Upper and Middle Chalk. An open, short, herb rich turf with scattered ant hills has developed on the thin soils of the slopes in contrast with the taller vegetation on the flatter areas. Upright brome Bromus erectus is a major component of the lightly grazed sward which also includes sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and quaking grass Briza media and frequent typical downland herbs such as burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, common milkwort Polygala vulgaris and dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule. The less common horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa and squinancywort Asperula cynanchica also occur, while both clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata and autumn gentian Gentianella amarella are abundant. Orchids are exceptionally well represented; the eight species present include frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis and species of nationally restricted distribution such as burnt orchid Neotinea ustulata and musk orchid Herminium monorchis, the latter of which occurs in large numbers. Both fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea and pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis are also numerous. Many chalk associated bryophytes are found including the liverwort Leiocolea turbinata and mosses such as Ctenidium molluscum, Dicranella varia, Weissia microstoma and Entodon concinnus, a rare moss of chalk grassland. A small area of secondary ash Fraxinus excelsior woodland exists to the extreme south of the site and scrub is scattered elsewhere. Shrubs present include frequent blackthorn Prunus spinosa, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, elder Sambucus nigra and privet Ligustrum vulgare and occasional wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica. This mixed scrub habitat is attractive to a number of bird species including tree pipit, yellowhammer, blackcap and whitethroat. The botanical diversity, varied structure and sheltered nature of the site render it very favourable to a variety of butterflies. Cowslips Primula veris, abundant in the areas of long vegetation, support a colony of the scarce Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina. Other species present associated with chalk flora include green hairstreak Callophrys rubi, dingy skipper Erynnis tages, dark green fritillary Argynnis aglaja and the uncommon chalkhill blue Polyommatus coridon.
Species mentioned
Show the 38 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Rhamnus cathartica |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa |
| Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Poterium sanguisorba |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Viburnum lantana |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa |
| Dingy skipper Erynnis tages |
Vulnerable | Hippocrepis comosa |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca ovina |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Rhamnus cathartica |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Hippocrepis comosa |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Festuca spp. |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Pimpinella saxifraga, Prunus spinosa |
| White-spotted pug Eupithecia tripunctaria |
Near Threatened | Sambucus nigra |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa |
| Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
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 9 species from the description above: Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Ligustrum vulgare, Poterium sanguisorba, Prunus spinosa, Rhamnus cathartica, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana
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 3 species from the description above: Ctenidium molluscum, Dactylorhiza viridis, Festuca ovina
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: Prunus spinosa
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