Croft Hill

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.5655, -1.2492

Also within

Leicestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP509966 Favourable 2.04 2023-05-31

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Fluvial, Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Description Croft Hill supports a nationally rare vegetation type of short, tussocky grasses in a rather open sward. The site is the largest known area of this grassland type in Leicestershire. The species composition closely reflects the description of this type of vegetation within the National Vegetation Classification. Biology This type of grassland has a predominantly southern distribution and is rare in the Midlands. It is known from only one other site in Leicestershire, the vegetation reflecting the thin, nutrient poor soil derived from the hard rock of Croft Hill in a region of predominantly nutrient rich soils formed over alluvial or clay deposits. The thin, granitic soils of Croft Hill support an open, tussocky, acid grassland sward characterised by sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, common bent Agrostis capillaris and crested hair grass Koeleria macrantha with the herbs sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella and yarrow Achillea millefolium. Mosses and lichens are characteristic in open areas, often where rocks are close to the surface or the soil is parched and exposed. Short lived plants, some of them spring growing annuals, are an important feature of this grassland type and include early hair grass Aira praecox, annual meadow grass Poa annua, parsley piert Aphanes arvensis and small mouse ear Cerastium semidecandrum. The nationally scarce upright chickweed Moenchia erecta is locally abundant in areas where the sward has been opened up.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
common bent Agrostis capillaris LC grass poaceae
early hair grass Aira praecox VU grass poaceae
parsley piert Aphanes arvensis LC grass rosaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha NT grass poaceae
annual meadow grass Poa annua LC grass poaceae
yarrow Achillea millefolium LC herb asteraceae
little mouse ear Cerastium semidecandrum NT herb carophyllaceae
upright chickweed Moenchia erecta VU herb carophyllaceae
sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella NT herb polygonaceae

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
Straw belle
Aspitates gilvaria
Endangered Achillea millefolium
Heath fritillary
Melitaea athalia
Endangered Achillea millefolium
Fiery clearwing
Pyropteron chrysidiformis
Endangered Rumex acetosella
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Rumex spp.
Garden dart
Euxoa nigricans
Vulnerable Rumex spp.
White-line dart
Euxoa tritici
Vulnerable Cerastium spp.
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Aira praecox, Festuca ovina, Poa annua
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Large nutmeg
Apamea anceps
Near Threatened Poa annua
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
No common name
Chrysolina marginata
Near Threatened Achillea millefolium
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Agrostis spp., Festuca spp., Poa spp.
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Festuca ovina, Rumex spp.
Tawny speckled
Eupithecia icterata
Near Threatened Achillea millefolium
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Achillea millefolium
Bordered pug
Eupithecia succenturiata
Near Threatened Achillea millefolium
Silver-spotted skipper
Hesperia comma
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Agrostis spp., Poa annua
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Festuca ovina
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Rumex spp.

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

U2 — Brownfield, Lowland dry acid grassland, Upland acid grassland

Deschampsia flexuosa grassland

Matches 4 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina, Poa annua, Rumex acetosella

Betula pendula, Quercus hybrid, Empetrum nigrum subsp.nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ulex europaeus, Carex nigra, Eriophorum vaginatum, Juncus effusus, Juncus squarrosus, Luzula multiflora, Orthodontium lineare, Pohlia nutans, Campylopus pyriformis, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum piliferum, Barbilophozia floerkei, Cladonia gracilis, Chamerion angustifolium, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium saxatile, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis vinealis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus mollis, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Poa annua, Pteridium aquilinum

U4 — Lowland dry acid grassland, Upland acid grassland, Upland calcareous grassland

Festuca ovina-Agrostis capillaris-Galium saxatile grassland

Matches 4 species from the description above: Achillea millefolium, Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina, Poa annua

Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Carex binervis, Carex caryophyllea, Carex echinata, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Carex pilulifera, Juncus effusus, Juncus squarrosus, Luzula campestris, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Dicranum scoparium, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Polytrichum commune, Lophocolea bidentata, Conopodium majus, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Taraxacum officianalis, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Lathyrus montanus, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Thymus praecox, Euphrasia officinalis, Oxalis acetosella, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Polygala serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Potentilla erecta, Poterium sanguisorba, Galium saxatile, Galium verum, Viola lutea, Viola palustris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pratensis, Briza media, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Lolium perenne, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Poa annua, Poa pratensis, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Chara curta

M25 — Blanket bog, Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland fen, Purple moor grass and rush pasture, Upland acid grassland

Molinia caerulea-Potentilla erecta mire

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina

Salix cinerea, Calluna vulgaris, Erica tetralix, Myrica gale, Vaccinium oxycoccos, Ulex europaeus, Ulex gallii, Carex echinata, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Eriophorum angustifolium, Schoenus nigricans, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus subnodulosus, Luzula campestris, Luzula multiflora, Aulacomnium palustre, Pohlia nutans, Calliergon giganteum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Hypnum jutlandicum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Polytrichum commune, Sphagnum auriculatum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum papillosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Calypogeia fissa, Cephalozia bicuspidata, Lophocolea bidentata, Lophozia ventricosa, Angelica sylvestris, Carum verticillatum, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Achillea ptarmica, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium palustre, Eupatorium cannabinum, Pulicaria dysenterica, Serratula tinctoria, Cardamine pratensis, Lobelia urens, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Equisetum palustre, Lotus pedunculatus, Hypericum pulchrum, Hypericum tetrapterum, Mentha aquatica, Scutellaria minor, Menyanthes trifoliata, Narthecium ossifragum, Epilobium palustre, Dactylorhiza maculata, Rumex acetosa, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus flammula, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium palustre, Viola palustris, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis curtisii, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Phragmites australis, Dryopteris carthusiana, Osmunda regalis

U3 — Lowland dry acid grassland, Upland acid grassland

Agrostis curtisii grassland

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina

Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Erica tetralix, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ulex europaeus, Ulex gallii, Carex binervis, Carex panicea, Carex pilulifera, Luzula campestris, Dicranum scoparium, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Cladonia floerkeana, Cladonia impexa, Hypochaeris radicata, Teucrium scorodonia, Polygala serpyllifolia, Potentilla erecta, Galium saxatile, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis curtisii, Agrostis vinealis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Pteridium aquilinum

U5 — Upland acid grassland, Upland calcareous grassland

Nardus stricta-Galium saxatile grassland

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina

Empetrum nigrum subsp.nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Erica tetralix, Vaccinium myrtillus, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex demissa, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Carex pilulifera, Carex pulicaris, Eriophorum angustifolium, Eriophorum vaginatum, Trichophorum cespitosum, Juncus effusus, Juncus squarrosus, Luzula campestris, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Pohlia nutans, Campylopus flexuosus, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranum scoparium, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum formosum, Polytrichum juniperinum, Sphagnum papillosum, Barbilophozia floerkei, Calypogeia muelleriana, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Lophozia ventricosa, Pleurozia purpurea, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania gracilis, Cetraria islandica, Cladonia uncialis, Cirsium palustre, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Campanula rotundifolia, Cerastium fontanum, Equisetum palustre, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Trifolium repens, Narthecium ossifragum, Plantago lanceolata, Polygala serpyllifolia, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Alchemilla alpina, Potentilla erecta, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis vinealis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Blechnum spicant