A view of the Cheddar Gorge, designated as an SSSI for both its biological and its geological interest.
This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Somerset , England , United Kingdom . In England the body responsible for designating SSSIs is Natural England , which chooses a site because of its fauna , flora , geological or physiographical features.[ 1] There are 127 sites designated in this Area of Search , of which 83 have been designated due to their biological interest, 35 due to their geological interest, and 9 for both.[ 2]
Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from English Nature in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service . Natural England, like its predecessor, uses the 1974–1996 county system ,[ 3] and as such the same approach is followed here, therefore some sites you may expect to find in this list could be in the Avon list. The data in the table is taken from English Nature in the form of citation sheets for each SSSI.[ 4]
For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search .
Site name
Reason for designation
Area[A]
Grid reference[B]
Year in which notified
Map[C]
Biological interest
Geological interest
Hectares
Acres
Aller and Beer Woods
Y
56.9
140.6
ST404305
1952
Map
Aller Hill
Y
18.4
45.4
ST408291
1988
Map
Asham Wood
Y
141.6
347.5
ST705460
1963
Map
Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill
Y
67.1
160.1
ST433555
1990
Map
Babcary Meadows
Y
13.6
31.6
ST567293
1988
Map
River Barle
Y
104.2
257.5
SS723423
1997
Map
Barle Valley
Y
622.9
1,539.2
SS850349
1954
Map
Barrington Hill Meadows
Y
16.1
39.5
ST300170
1987
Map
Ben Knowle
Y
1.5
3.6
ST513450
1984
Map
Berrow Dunes
Y
200.0
494.3
ST293520
1952
Map
Black Down and Sampford Commons
Y
155.2
383.5
ST118161
1952
Map
Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast
Y
742.8
1,835.5
ST033435
1971
Map
Brean Down
Y
Y
65.1
169.7
ST290590
1952
Map
Bridgwater Bay
Y
3,574.1
8,831.6
ST290480
1989
Map
Briggins Moor
Y
15.3
37.8
SS893250
1994
Map
Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins
Y
154.3
381.3
ST512505
1987
Map
Bruton Railway Cutting
Y
1.7
4.3
ST688348
1971
Map
Catcott Edington and Chilton Moors
Y
1,083.0
2,676.0
ST390420
1967
Map
Chancellor's Farm
Y
34.2
84.6
ST525525
1984
Map
Cheddar Complex
Y
Y
441.3
1,090.5
ST465538
1952
Map
Cheddar Reservoir
Y
105.4
260.6
ST441537
1972
Map
Cheddar Wood
Y
86.9
214.7
ST445552
1967
Map
Cleeve Hill
Y
15.1
37.4
ST056428
1989
Map
Cloford Quarry
Y
38.9
98.6
ST718444
1994
Map
Cogley Wood
Y
60.7
150.1
ST703345
1987
Map
Cook's Wood Quarry
Y
1.8
4.4
ST669479
1988
Map
Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill
Y
Y
332.2
820.9
ST385555
1952
Map
Curry and Hay Moors
Y
472.8
1,168.1
ST323273
1992
Map
Deadman
Y
28.8
71.2
ST234156
1987
Map
Doulting Railway Cutting
Y
2.8
6.9
ST645424
1971
Map
Draycott Sleights
Y
62.0
153.0
ST483518
1987
Map
Dunster Park and Heathlands
Y
466.6
1,153.0
SS955441
2000
Map
East Polden Grasslands
Y
124.0
306.4
ST474325
1999
Map
Ebbor Gorge
Y
41.0
156.8
ST525485
1952
Map
Edford Woods and Meadows
Y
54.3
134.1
ST665485
1957
Map
Emborough Quarries
Y
1.0
2.5
ST623505
1971
Map
Exmoor Coastal Heaths
Y
1,758.3
4,344.7
SS620480
1994
Map
Fivehead Arable Fields
Y
10.3
25.4
ST337224
1990
Map
Fivehead Woods and Meadow
Y
62.4
154.2
ST331231
1989
Map
Freshmoor
Y
11.2
27.7
ST280125
1989
Map
Friar's Oven
Y
4.0
9.9
ST592431
1989
Map
Ge-mare Farm Fields
Y
4.1
10.3
ST155424
1988
Map
Glenthorne
Y
13.3
32.8
SS794499
1989
Map
Godminster Lane Quarry and Railway Cutting
Y
0.8
1.9
ST682345
1971
Map
Great Breach and Copley Woods
Y
64.8
160.0
ST500320
1972
Map
Greylake
Y
9.3
22.9
ST384336
1987
Map
Grove Farm
Y
36.5
90.2
ST513096
1989
Map
Ham Hill
Y
11.1
27.6
ST482162
1971
Map
Hardington Moor
Y
8.7
21.6
ST515130
1994
Map
Hestercombe House [D]
Y
<0.1
0.2
ST242287
2000
Map
Hobbs Quarry
Y
0.5
0.1
ST622446
1984
Map
Holme Moor & Clean Moor
Y
10.8
26.7
ST095260
1987
Map
Holwell Quarries
Y
1.3
3.2
ST726450
1952
Map
Hurcott Farm
Y
26.3
65.0
ST511295
1993
Map
Hurcott Lane Cutting
Y
0.5
1.2
ST398163
1997
Map
King's Sedgemoor
Y
822.0
2,031.2
ST400330
1985
Map
Kingdown and Middledown
Y
5.7
14.1
ST480532
1991
Map
Kingweston Meadows
Y
11.5
28.4
ST540304
1990
Map
Lamb Leer
Y
14.6
36.0
ST544550
1983
Map
Lang's Farm
Y
7.5
18.5
ST170241
1990
Map
Langford Heathfield
Y
95.4
235.7
ST100235
1966
Map
Langmead and Weston Level
Y
168.8
417.1
ST353330
1991
Map
Langport Railway Cutting
Y
0.5
1.3
ST427272
1992
Map
Laycock Railway Cutting
Y
1.3
3.1
ST678213
1993
Map
Leighton Road Cutting
Y
0.6
1.4
ST702437
1984
Map
Long Dole Wood and Meadows [H]
Y
9.8
24.3
ST610562
1997
Map
Long Lye
Y
11.7
29.0
ST265122
1988
Map
Long Lye Meadow
Y
3.3
8.2
ST267119
2002
Map
Longleat Woods
Y
249.9
617.4
ST795435
1972
Map
Low Ham
Y
5.0
12.5
ST440290
1988
Map
Maes Down
Y
0.2
0.4
ST647406
1985
Map
Maesbury Railway Cutting
Y
2.0
5.0
ST606475
1995
Map
Miller's Hill, Milborne Wick
Y
0.6
1.4
ST663205
1985
Map
Millwater
Y
1.4
3.5
ST439100
1989
Map
Moon's Hill Quarry
Y
3.4
8.5
ST665460
1996
Map
Moorlinch
Y
226.0
558.4
ST390360
1985
Map
Nettlecombe Park
Y
90.4
223.4
ST055375
1990
Map
North Brewham Meadows
Y
8.9
21.9
ST743379
1987
Map
North Curry Meadow
Y
1.3
3.1
ST330253
1989
Map
North Exmoor
Y
12,005.3
29,665.0
SS800430
1954
Map
North Moor
Y
676.3
1,671.1
ST325305
1986
Map
Old Ironstone Works, Mells
Y
0.3
0.6
ST738488
1987
Map
The Perch
Y
72.1
178.2
ST480532
1990
Map
Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh
Y
Y
186.3
460.4
SS880479
1990
Map
Postlebury Wood
Y
87.0
215.0
ST740430
1987
Map
Priddy Caves
Y
67.1
167.0
ST540505
1965
Map
Priddy Pools
Y
Y
52.7
130.2
ST545510
1972
Map
Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood
Y
103.6
256.0
ST225170
1952
Map
Quantocks
Y
2,506.9
6,194.5
ST140390
1970
Map
Quants
Y
50.6
126.0
ST185175
1988
Map
Ringdown
Y
4.0
9.9
ST178155
1990
Map
Rodney Stoke
Y
Y
69.6
172.0
ST492507
1957
Map
Roebuck Meadows
Y
3.6
8.9
ST132354
1988
Map
Ruttersleigh
Y
97.0
239.7
ST250165
1991
Map
Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot
Y
0.7
1.8
ST531498
1987
Map
Seavington St. Mary
Y
0.3
0.7
ST400144
1971
Map
Severn Estuary [E] [F]
Y
15,950.0
39,410.0
ST480830
1976
Map
Shapwick Heath
Y
394.0
973.6
ST430403
1967
Map
Sharpham Moor Plot
Y
0.5
1.3
ST465389
1967
Map
Shepton Montague Railway Cutting
Y
1.6
4.0
ST686316
1992
Map
Snowdon Hill Quarry
Y
0.6
1.6
ST312089
1963
Map
South Exmoor
Y
3,132.7
7,742.3
SS880340
1992
Map
Southey and Gotleigh Moors
Y
81.3
200.1
ST192110
1988
Map
Southlake Moor
Y
196.1
484.6
ST370300
1985
Map
Sparkford Wood
Y
8.4
20.7
ST613275
1954
Map
St. Dunstan's Well Catchment
Y
Y
39.8
98.3
ST668475
1967
Map
Stowell Meadow
Y
2.8
6.9
ST333062
1987
Map
Street Heath
Y
12.5
31.0
ST464394
1966
Map
Tealham and Tadham Moors
Y
917.6
2,267.3
ST420450
1985
Map
Thrupe Lane Swallet
Y
0.5
1.2
ST603458
1992
Map
Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands
Y
26.7
65.8
ST270210
1963
Map
Twinhills Woods and Meadows
Y
21.2
52.4
ST558432
1990
Map
Vallis Vale
Y
Y
23.9
59.1
ST755490
1952
Map
Viaduct Quarry
Y
0.3
0.8
ST621443
1984
Map
Walton and Ivythorn Hills
Y
34.9
86.1
ST475346
1953
Map
West Moor
Y
213.0
526.3
ST420220
1985
Map
West Sedgemoor
Y
1,016.0
2,510.0
ST361258
1983
Map
Westhay Heath
Y
25.9
64.0
ST415422
1990
Map
Westhay Moor
Y
513.7
1,269.3
ST455445
1971
Map
Wet Moor
Y
491.0
1,214.0
ST448244
1985
Map
Whitevine Meadows
Y
13.0
32.0
ST505085
1979
Map
Windsor Hill Marsh
Y
0.8
2.0
ST619454
1972
Map
Windsor Hill Quarry
Y
0.8
1.9
ST615451
1986
Map
Wookey Hole Caves
Y
Y
39.4
97.4
ST535485
1952
Map
Wookey Station [G]
Y
<0.1
0.1
ST531464
1997
Map
Woolhayes Farm
Y
13.2
32.5
ST315109
1992
Map
Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl
Y
0.2
0.5
ST543537
1987
Map
A Data rounded to one decimal place.
B Grid reference is based on the British national grid reference system , also known as OSGB36, and is the system used by the Ordnance Survey .[ 5]
C Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by English Nature .
D Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.08 ha.[ 4]
E The Severn Estuary SSSI overlaps with the following SSSIs:[ 4]
F Incorporates two former SSSIs: Severn Estuary (notified 1976) and part of Brean Down and Uphill Cliff (notified 1952). It was unified as Severn Estuary in 1989.[ 4]
G Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.04 ha. (0.1 ac.).[ 4]
H The Long Dole Wood and Meadows site extends into Bath and North East Somerset and so can be found on the list of SSSIs in Avon .[ 4]
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