Mappp.co - Highclere

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SP011480	—	Favourable	1.04	2012-07-18

Description

Description Highclere is located one kilometre west of Wood Norton. It is the easternmost of the Severn Valley grasslands and lies on a south facing slope on a ridge of Rhaetic Limestonein south east Worcestershire. This ridge gives rise to alkaline soils, favouring a calcicole lime loving flora. The interest is maintained by regular mowing in early spring and autumn, leaving the herbs to flower and seed in the summer. The special interest of the site lies in the diversity of the semi natural grassland characterised by upright brome Bromus erectus with sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, glaucous sedge Carex flacca, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, cowslip Primula veris, common knapweed Centaurea nigra and agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria. Other characteristic calcicole herbs are yellow wort Blackstonia perfoliata, common centaury Centaurium erythraea, zigzag clover Trifolium medium, hairy violet Viola hirta, autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, wild thyme Thymus praecox, eyebright Euphrasia sp. and blue fleabane Erigeron acris. Locally uncommon species of orchid include greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, over 200 flowering spikes of bee orchid Ophrys apifera and pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis. The nationally rare early gentian Gentianella anglica, a Schedule 8 species, is found here and at only one other locality in Worcestershire.

Species mentioned

Show the 19 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status

English name search for this in other sites	Latin name search with Google	IUCN / Red List	Type	Family
upright brome	Bromus erectus	Not listed in GB list	grass	poaceae
sheep's fescue	Festuca ovina	LC	grass	poaceae
agrimony	Agrimonia eupatoria	LC	herb	rosaceae
pyramidal orchid	Anacamptis pyramidalis	LC	herb	orchidaceae
yellowwort	Blackstonia perfoliata	LC	herb	gentianaceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
common centuary	Centaurium erythraea	LC	herb	gentianaceae
spotted orchids	Dactylorhiza fuchsii	LC	herb	orchidaceae
blue fleabane	Erigeron acris	LC	herb	asteraceae
autumn gentian	Gentianella amarella	LC	herb	gentianaceae
early gentian	Gentianella anglica	Not listed in GB list	herb	gentianaceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
bee orchid	Ophrys apifera	LC	herb	orchidaceae
greater butterfly orchid	Platanthera chlorantha	NT	herb	orchidaceae
cowslip	Primula veris	LC	herb	primulaceae
creeping thyme	Thymus praecox	Not listed in GB list	herb	lamiaceae
zig zag clover	Trifolium medium	VU	herb	fabaceae
hairy violet	Viola hirta	LC	herb	violaceae
glaucus sedge	Carex flacca	LC	sedge	cyperaceae

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.

Species	Status	Via host-plant
High brown fritillary Fabriciana adippe	Critically Endangered	Viola hirta
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula veris
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp.
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Trifolium spp.
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca ovina
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Agrimonia eupatoria
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Trifolium spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Trifolium spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp.
Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca, Festuca ovina

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.