Thorpe Hay Meadow
Notification 1985[1] | | |
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Thorpe Hay Meadow is a 6.4-hectare (16-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey.[1][2] It is owned and managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust.[3]
Its habitat is (acid-alkali) neutral grassland and it contains Cynosurus cristatus - Centaurea nigra grassland as a notified feature.[4]
The site is thought to be the last remaining example of a Thames valley hay meadow in Surrey. It contains a range of lime-loving (calcicole) plants which are characteristic of this type of meadow. The grassland is dominated by rough-stalked meadow grass
Festuca pratensis, meadow barley Hordeum secalinum, smooth hawk’s-beard Crepis capillaris and common reed Phragmites australis are locally abundant, the last species being unusual in such dry situations. Other frequent species include meadow brome Bromus commutatus, a grass only recorded from one other Surrey location in recent years, meadow foxtail grass Alopecurus pratensis, Yorkshire-fog grass Holcus lanatus, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus and meadow-sweet Filipendula ulmaria. Associated calcicole species include meadow cranesbill Geranium pratense, clustered bell-flower Campanula glomerata, cowslip Primula veris, hoary plantain Plantago media, salad burnet Sanguisorba minor and lady’s bedstraw Galium verum.
The meadow is surrounded by old hedgerows with a variety of species such as ash
Lychnis flos-cuculi, cyperus sedge Carex pseudocyperus and the uncommon aquatic liverwort Riccia fluitans...along this ditch.— Species listed in Citation, 1985, Natural England[4]
A footpath from Staines passes through the site.
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Thorpe Hay Meadow". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Map of Thorpe Hay Meadow". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Thorpe Hay Meadow". Surrey Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ a b Citation (justification) Natural England. Accessed 25 April 2015.
51°25′12″N 0°31′19″W / 51.420°N 0.522°W
