Cheddar Complex
Notification 1952 | | |
Natural England website |
The Cheddar Complex is a 441.3-hectare (1,090-acre)
The very large area includes 4 SSSIs formerly known as: Cheddar Gorge SSSI; August Hole/Longwood Swallet SSSI; GB Cavern Charterhouse SSSI; and Charterhouse on-Mendip SSSI.
It is part owned by the
Biological
The Cheddar Complex supports a wide range of semi-natural habitats which includes unimproved grassland, calcareous dry dwarf-shrub heath, semi-natural
Geological
This site is important for
Several types of limestone including Clifton Down Limestone, Cheddar Limestone and Cheddar Oolite are visible in the Gorge and surrounding areas with pale grey Burrington Oolite outcropping around Black Rock Gate.[2]
The Charterhouse area is of great importance as the finest remaining example of the unique Lead orefields of the Mendips. The surface features derived from lead working from pre-Roman times up to the nineteenth century are extremely well preserved.[1]
Somerset Wildlife Trust Reserves
The area includes several nature reserves run by the Somerset Wildlife Trust. These include: Black Rock, Bubworth Acres, GB Gruffy, Long Wood, Mascall's Wood, Middledown, Ubley Warren and Velvet Bottom.[3]
The Black Rock reserve covers 181 acres (73 ha) of woodland, limestone grassland, conifers and an abandoned quarry. Long Wood covers 47 acres (19 ha) of
See also
References
- ^ a b c "The Cheddar Complex" (PDF). English Nature. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ^ "Cheddar Gorge". British Geological Survey. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ^ a b "Nature Reserves Guide" (PDF). Somerset Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ^ "Cheddar Complex". Somerset Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ^ "GB Gruffy". Somerset Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 2 May 2011.