Deacon Hill SSSI

Deacon Hill SSSI is a 35.4 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Pegsdon in Bedfordshire.[1][2] It is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it is part of the Pegsdon Hills and Hoo Bit nature reserve, managed by Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.[3]

Deacon Hill
Site of Special Scientific Interest
View from Deacon Hill
Area of SearchBedfordshire
Grid referenceTL123295
InterestBiological
Area35.4 hectares
Notification1984
Location mapMagic Map

The site is calcareous grassland which is rich in plant species, some of which are uncommon.[1] Birds include lapwings and buzzards, and there are butterflies such as dingy and grizzled skippers. There are also the remains of ancient strip lynchet fields.[3]

The SSSI covers part of Deacon Hill and part of the adjacent Pegsdon Hills.[2] This is a remnant of semi-natural chalk downland and the calcareous soil supports a characteristic range of grasses and herbs. The main grasses present are sheep’s fescue, false oat-grass and upright brome. Forbs found here include spring sedge, autumn gentian, yellow-wort, fragrant orchid, common spotted-orchid, common milkwort, common rock-rose, cowslip, eyebright, clustered bellflower, harebell, carline thistle, wild thyme, marjoram and moschatel. There are also wild candytuft, field fleawort and pasque flower, all of which are rare in Bedfordshire.[1][3]

There is also some scrubland, the main trees being hawthorn, which often invades chalk downland, a buckthorn and wayfaring tree, with black bryony and old man's beard; false-brome usually dominates the ground flora in scrubby areas. There are glowworms, and grizzled skipper and dingy skipper butterflies.[1][3]

There is access to the site from Hitchin Road.[2]

References
  1. "Deacon Hill citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  2. "Map of Deacon Hill". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. "Pegsdon Hills and Hoo Bit". Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Retrieved 8 March 2015.

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