Trimdon Limestone Quarry

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.7116, -1.4404

Also within

Durham County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NZ361353 Favourable 0.84 2011-07-06

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Permian · Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Karst

Description

Description Trimdon Limestone Quarry exhibits features of both geological and botanical interest. The geological features are of national importance whilst an area of magnesian limestone grassland occurring in the abandoned quarry workings forms part of a nationally scarce habitat which is under threat from a cessation of grazing management. Trimdon Limestone quarry displays an excellent Middle Magnesian Limestone Ford Formation section and reveals features consistent with carbonate deposition in a shallow marine back reef environment. Sediments include cross bedded, oolitic grainstones and a range of secondary fabrics associated with dissolution and replacement of evaporites are found. For example, calcite replacement of sulphate minerals. This quarry is important ininterpreting the depositional and post depositional history of the Late Permian Ford Formation carbonates. It is estimated that only 270 hectares of floristically rich magnesian limestone grassland remain in Britain. Sites such as this, whilst limited in area, contribute significantly to this nationally scarce resource. This grassland contains a rich assemblage of species characteristic of calcareous soils including quaking grass Briza media, blue moor grass Sesleria caeruleae, meadow fescue Schedonorus pratensis, glaucous sedge Carex flacca, common knapweed Centaurea nigra, blue fleabane Erigeron acris, field gentian Gentianella campestris, fairy flax Linum catharticum, wild carrot Daucus carota, cowslip Primula veris, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea, frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis, bee orchid Ophrys apifera and common twayblade Neottia ovata. Scattered scrub occurs amongst the grassland, particularly on the tops of the quarry faces and comprises hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and various rose Rosa and bramble Rubus species. Other Information 1. This site is identified as of national importance in the Marine Permian Block of the Geological Conservation Review. 2. This site forms part at a larger area managed by the Durham Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
meaow fescue Schedonorus pratensis VU grass poaceae
black knapweed Centaurea nigra LC herb asteraceae
frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis VU herb orchidaceae
wild carrot Daucus carota LC herb apiaceae
blue fleabane Erigeron acris LC herb asteraceae
field gentian Gentianella campestris LC herb gentianaceae
fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea NT herb orchidaceae
fairy flax Linum catharticum LC herb linaceae
common twayblade Neottia ovata NT herb orchidaceae
bee orchid Ophrys apifera LC herb orchidaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae
glaucus sedge Carex flacca LC sedge cyperaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae

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
Black-veined moth
Siona lineata
Critically Endangered Centaurea nigra
Straw belle
Aspitates gilvaria
Endangered Linum catharticum
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Endangered Primula veris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Crataegus spp.
Least minor
Photedes captiuncula
Endangered Carex flacca
Sussex emerald
Thalera fimbrialis
Endangered Daucus carota
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Poterium sanguisorba
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Centaurea spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
White-spotted pug
Eupithecia tripunctaria
Near Threatened Daucus carota
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Scarce forester
Jordanita globulariae
Near Threatened Centaurea nigra
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Carex flacca
Swallowtail papilio
Papilio machaon
Near Threatened Daucus carota

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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Carex flacca, Dactylorhiza viridis

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

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Crataegus monogyna, 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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

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