Salmonsbury Meadows SSSI

Salmonsbury Meadows
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Salmonsbury Meadows (part of Greystones Farm nature reserve)
Location within Gloucestershire
Area of Search	Gloucestershire
Grid reference	SP178213
Coordinates	51°53′26″N 1°44′31″W / 51.890422°N 1.742034°W / 51.890422; -1.742034Coordinates: 51°53′26″N 1°44′31″W / 51.890422°N 1.742034°W / 51.890422; -1.742034
Interest	Biological/Geological
Area	18 hectare
Notification	1985
Natural England website

Salmonsbury Meadows (grid reference SP178213) is an 18-hectare (44-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1985.^[1]^[2] The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 (on line) as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).^[3]

The site is owned and managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, and is part of its Greystones Farm nature reserve (grid reference SP173209). The reserves lie to the east of Bourton-on-the-Water, which is in the Cotswolds. The site, which includes the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), was bought in three phases over four years. Salmonsbury Meadows were purchased first in 1999. This was followed in 2000 by the Restoration area, which is a 15.9-hectare (39-acre) area of improved grassland adjacent to the SSSI. The third part acquired in 2002 secured the whole farm. This final acquisition included Salmonsbury Camp (ramparts are visible), which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.^[4] The nature reserve is a 66-hectare (160-acre) site. The River Eye runs through the meadows and the River Dikler forms the eastern boundary. There is a network of public footpaths and the long-distance Oxfordshire Way crosses the farm.^[5]

There is fuller history of Greystones Farm, its meadows and Salmonsbury Camp in a publication produced by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.^[6] Further information may be found on the Dobunni, a Celtic tribe which inhabited this area (Iron Age period).^[7]

Hay meadows

There are eleven meadows which are on alluvium and Lower Lias clays near the confluence of the Rivers Eye and Dikler. The citation states they are one of the richest and largest traditional meadow systems remaining in the Cotswolds. The meadows are divided by well developed ancient hedges and there are occasional hedgerow trees.^[1] The meadows which make up the SSSI support a wide range of species. These include southern marsh orchid and early marsh orchid. They support great burnet, cuckoo flower, quaking grass, ragged robin, pepper saxifrage and meadow rue. Wetland species grow alongside the River Eye. These include yellow iris, marsh marigold and meadowsweet.^[5]

Otters are recorded to be on adjacent rivers. The River Eye supports one of the county's remaining populations of water vole.^[5]

The lakes to the south of the SSSI are in private ownership and support water wildlife.^[6]

Restoration area and other farmland

The restoration area, which is adjacent to the SSSI, is undergoing a programme of management to improve the diversity of the flora. The remainder of the farm is mainly improved grassland, but there are dense headerows which provide good habitat for a wide range of species.^[5]

Conservation

The SSSI is managed by haymaking which is followed by grazing by cattle. Hay cut from the SSSI is spread in the restoration area to support the introduction of additional wildflowers. The Ancient Monument is protected by low intensity grazing.^[5]

Publications

Kelham, A, Sanderson, J, Doe, J, Edgeley-Smith, M, et al., 1979, 1990, 2002 editions, 'Nature Reserves of the Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation/Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust'
'Greystones Farm Nature Reserve – A 6000-year heritage of farming and wildlife', (undated), Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

References

1 2 Natural England SSSI information on the citation
↑ Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 1, Sites of Special Scientific Interest
↑ Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 2, Key Wildlife Sites
↑ Reserve includes listed ancient monument of an Iron Age fortified enclosure known as Salmonsbury Camp English Heritage
1 2 3 4 5 Kelham, A, Sanderson, J, Doe, J, Edgeley-Smith, M, et al, 1979, 1990, 2002 editions, 'Nature Reserves of the Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation/Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust'
1 2 'Greystones Farm Nature Reserve – A 6000-year heritage of farming and wildlife', (undated), Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
↑ Tom Moore, Iron Age Societies in the Severn-Cotswolds: developing narratives of social and landscape change, 2006, BAR British Series 421, pp218-222

External links

Biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire

Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)

Ashleworth Ham Astridge Wood Badgeworth Barnsley Warren Barton Bushes Bigsweir Woods Blaisdon Hall Bourton Down Box Farm Meadows Boxwell Brassey Brooks Head Grove Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Railway Tunnel Bull Cross, The Frith and Juniper Hill Bushley Muzzard, Brimpsfield Caerwood and Ashberry Goose House Chaceley Meadow Clarke's Pool Meadow Cleeve Common Cockleford Marsh Collinpark Wood Coombe Hill Canal Coombe Hill Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods Cotswold Water Park Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake Daneway Banks Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar Devil's Chapel Scowles Dingle Wood Dixton Wood Dymock Woods Edge Common Elmlea Meadows Frampton Pools Highbury Wood Hobbs Quarry Hornsleasow Roughs Hucclecote Meadows Innsworth Meadow Juniper Hill, Edgeworth Kempley Daffodil Meadow Kingscote and Horsley Woods Lark Wood Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common Lineover Wood Lower Woods Lower Wye Gorge May Hill Midger Minchinhampton Common Nagshead Old Bow and Old Ham Mines Old River Severn, Upper Lode Pennsylvania Fields, Sedbury Poor's Allotment Puckham Woods Range Farm Fields River Wye Rodborough Common Rough Bank, Miserden Salmonsbury Meadows Selsley Common Severn Estuary Severn Ham, Tewkesbury Shorn Cliff and Caswell Woods Slade Brook Soudley Ponds Speech House Oaks Stenders Quarry Stinchcombe Hill Strawberry Banks Swanpool Wood and Furnace Grove Swift's Hill Sylvan House Barn The Hudnalls The Malvern Hills Tudor Farm Bank Turvey's Piece Upper Severn Estuary Upham Meadow and Summer Leasow Upper Wye Gorge Walmore Common Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine Whelford Meadow Wigpool Ironstone Mine Wildmoorway Meadows Winson Meadows Woodchester Park Workman's Wood Wotton Hill Yarley Meadows

Neighbouring areas Avon Hereford and Worcester Oxfordshire Wiltshire

Geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire

Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)

Alderton Hill Quarry Bull Cross, The Frith and Juniper Hill Campden Tunnel Gravel Pit Cleeve Common Coaley Wood Quarries Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake Easter Park Farm Quarry Edgehills Quarry Foss Cross Quarry Garden Cliff Hampen Railway Cutting Haresfield Beacon Harford Railway Cutting Hobbs Quarry Hornsleasow Quarry Huntsman's Quarry Jackdaw Quarry Kemble Railway Cuttings Knap House Quarry, Birdlip Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common Longhope Hill Lower Woods Lower Wye Gorge Lydney Cliff May Hill Meezy Hurst Minchinhampton Common New Park Quarry Nibley Knoll Notgrove Railway Cutting Oakenhill Railway Cutting Puddlebrook Quarry River Wye Robin's Wood Hill Quarry Rodborough Common Salmonsbury Meadows Scully Grove Quarry Severn Estuary Slade Brook Stenders Quarry Stony Furlong Railway Cutting Swift's Hill Upper Severn Estuary The Malvern Hills Purton Passage Selsley Common Upper Wye Gorge Veizey's Quarry Wainlode Cliff Wellacre Quarry Wood Green Quarry & Railway Cutting Wotton Hill

Neighbouring areas Avon Hereford and Worcester Oxfordshire Wiltshire

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