Quarry Fields Farm

Also within

Devon County Blackdown Hills Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Jurassic

Description

Description Quarry Fields, a small traditionally managed hillside farm in East Devon, contains four hay meadows supporting species rich grassland swards highly representative of a community type that is scarce nationally and of which only a few small remnants are known to now survive in the county. The fields are of particular importance for their large population of green winged orchid Anacamptis morio. The gently sloping fields, sited at an altitude of 150 metres, lie over the Jurassic Lower Lias Clays which give rise to their fine loamy soils that are however only slowly permeable. The grass component of the sward is diverse and typically dominated by sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, together with red fescue Festuca rubra, common bent Agrostis capillaris and cock's foot Dactylis glomerata. Characteristic herbs of the community are common knapweed Centaurea nigra, bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, field wood rush Luzula campestris and spring sedge Carex caryophyllea. Other species present include yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis and bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus. cowslip Primula veris and hairy oat grass Avenula pubescens, two local species in Devon, also occur. The central field supports many hundreds of plants of green winged orchid, a species which is now rare in Devon. No information is available as yet on the invertebrate fauna of the site.

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.