List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham

This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in County Durham, England. It excludes SSSIs situated in that area south of the River Tyne that is now part of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear as well as the area north of the River Tees which, prior to 1996, formed part of the county of Cleveland.

Monk's Moor in Upper Teesdale, the largest SSSI in County Durham

As of July 2010, County Durham has 88 sites that have been designated as SSSIs, of which 67 have been designated for their biological interest, 16 for their geological interest, and 5 for both.[1]

Five of these sites are shared with an adjacent county:

Designation of SSSIs

Sites of Special Scientific Interest are areas that have been selected for special protection because of their floral, faunal or geological significance. The concept was first given a statutory basis in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, the relevant provisions of which were repeated in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under the 1949 Act, responsibility for selecting and notifying SSSIs in England was delegated to the newly created Nature Conservancy, which was replaced in 1973 by the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC). In 1991, the NCC was split up, its responsibilities in England being passed to English Nature which, in turn, was amalgamated into a new body, Natural England, in 2006.

The process for establishing an SSSI is as follows: [2]

  • When a site has been identified, Natural England notifies the landowner, the occupier (if different) and the local planning authority (plus relevant government departments and agencies);
  • Owners and occupiers are given time to lodge objections or make representations concerning the restrictions imposed on an SSSI;
  • The Board of Natural England considers these responses and decides whether to confirm or withdraw the SSSI notification.

The initial notification of a site is accompanied by a citation sheet, which outlines the reasons for the notification: the data in the following list is summarised from these individual citation sheets.[3]

Reasons for notification as SSSI

Of the 88 SSSIs designated in County Durham, 67 have been designated for their biological interest, 16 for their geological interest, and five for both biological and geological interest.

Biological

While many of the SSSIs designated for biological reasons cover a variety of habitats, most have been designated primarily for one (or more) of a small number of reasons, as detailed in the individual citation sheets:[3]

  • Habitats
  • Moorland (upland heath and bogs) – Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells, Bowes Moor, Cotherstone Moor, Hexhamshire Moors, Lune Forest, Moorhouse and Cross Fell, Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor, Upper Teesdale
  • Lowland heath – Green Croft and Langley Moor, Hesledon Moor West, Waldridge Fell
  • Wetlands (carr, fen, etc) – Burnhope Burn, Butterby Oxbow, Causey Bank Mires, Frog Wood Bog, Hell Kettles, Hesledon Moor East, Hesledon Moor West, Hisehope Burn Valley, Hulam Fen, Middleton Quarry, Pike Whin Bog, Pow Hill Bog, Railway Stell West, Redcar Field, The Carrs, Waldridge Fell, Witton-le-Wear
  • Semi-natural woodland – Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods, Baldersdale Woodlands, Brignall Banks, Castle Eden Dene, Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine, Hawthorn Dene, Hisehope Burn Valley, Hunder Beck Juniper, Shipley and Great Woods, Slit Woods, Westernhope Burn Wood
  • Magnesian limestone grassland – Bishop Middleham Quarry, Cassop Vale, Charity Land, Dabble Bank, Durham Coast, Fishburn Grassland, Hawthorn Dene, Hesledon Moor East, Pig Hill, Pittington Hill, Quarrington Hill Grasslands, Raisby Hill Grassland, Sherburn Hill, The Bottoms, Thrislington Plantation, Town Kelloe Bank, Trimdon Limestone Quarry, Tuthill Quarry, Wingate Quarry
  • Hay meadows – Bowlees and Friar House Meadows, Cornriggs Meadows, Far High House Meadows, Grains o' th' Beck Meadows, Hannah's Meadows, Low Redford Meadows, Mere Beck Meadows, Middle Crossthwaite, Middle Side and Stonygill Meadows, Newton Ketton Meadow, Rigg Farm and Stake Hill Meadows, West Newlandside Meadows, West Park Meadows
  • Open water – Brasside Pond, The Carrs, Witton-le-Wear
  • Fauna
  • Breeding birds – Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells, Bowes Moor, Cotherstone Moor, Durham Coast, Hexhamshire Moors, Lune Forest, Moorhouse and Cross Fell, Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor, Teesdale Allotments, Upper Teesdale
  • Invertebrates – Bishop Middleham Quarry, Cassop Vale, Durham Coast, Green Croft and Langley Moor, Hexhamshire Moors, Middleton Quarry, Moorhouse and Cross Fell, Pig Hill, Quarrington Hill Grasslands, Raisby Hill Grassland, Sherburn Hill, Thrislington Plantation, Town Kelloe Bank, Upper Teesdale, Waldridge Fell

Geological

The surface geology of County Durham is largely confined to rocks dating from the Carboniferous and Permian periods. In the west of the county, outcrops of Dinantian limestones are found in the river valleys, while the upland areas are underlain by the younger Namurian Millstone Grit Series. To the east, these rocks dip beneath the Westphalian Coal Measures, which underlay a broad swathe in the centre of the county. Further east, the Coal Measures are overlain by Permian Magnesian Limestone, which forms a low plateau across the eastern part of the county. Igneous intrusions are a prominent feature of the geology and gave rise to extensive mining for lead and other minerals, especially in the upper Weardale area in the west of the county.[4][5]

Although each SSSI designated for geological reasons has its own distinctive features, they fall into a small number of broad categories, as indicated in the individual citation sheets:[3]

  • Sedimentary – Botany Hill, Crag Gill, Crime Rigg, Durham Coast, Hawthorn Quarry, Raisby Hill Quarry, Rogerley Quarry, Sleightholme Beck Gorge – The Troughs, Stony Cut, Cold Hesledon, Trimdon Limestone Quarry, Yoden Village Quarry
  • Igneous – Greenfoot Quarry, Moorhouse and Cross Fell, Upper Teesdale, West Rigg Open Cutting
  • Mineralogy – Close House Mine, Foster's Hush, Moorhouse and Cross Fell, Old Moss Lead Vein, Upper Teesdale, West Rigg Open Cutting
  • Palaeontology – Middridge Quarry
  • Quaternary events – Durham Coast, Upper Teesdale
  • Geomorphology
  • Cave development – Fairy Holes Cave, God's Bridge, Moorhouse and Cross Fell
  • Coastal – Durham Coast
  • Periglacial – Moorhouse and Cross Fell
  • Fluvial – Moorhouse and Cross Fell

Area covered

From its inception, English Nature classified sites using the 1974–1996 county system. As Natural England uses the same system,[6] it is also adopted in the following list. As a result, some sites that lie within the ceremonial county of Durham and might therefore be expected to be listed here will be found instead in either the Cleveland or the Tyne and Wear lists.

For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search.

Sites
Site name Reason for designation Area[A] Grid reference[B] Year in which notified Map[C]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods Y 46.5 114.9 NZ068399 1987 Map
Baldersdale Woodlands Y 19.6 48.4 NY992200 1991 Map
Bishop Middleham Quarry Y 8.6 21.3 NZ332326 1968 Map
Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells Y 7,949.2 19,643.2 NZ005300 1996 Map
Botany Hill Y 3.8 9.3 NY955205 1984 Map
Bowes Moor Y 4,457.7 11,014.9 NY923104 1989 Map
Bowlees and Friar House Meadows Y 5.6 13.9 NY898283
NY902282		 1991 Map
Brasside Pond Y 25.1 62.0 NZ292452 1966 Map
Brignall Banks Y 85.0 210.0 NZ063113 1987 Map
Burnhope Burn Y 5.1 12.6 NZ029507 1987 Map
Butterby Oxbow Y 7.3 18.0 NZ275390 1957 Map
Cassop Vale Y 40.9 101.0 NZ335387 1958 Map
Castle Eden Dene Y 193.0 476.8 NZ434396 1984 Map
Causey Bank Mires Y 6.8 16.8 NZ206564 1987 Map
Charity Land Y 5.8 14.4 NZ375345 1999 Map
Close House Mine Y 3.4 8.3 NY849228 1995 Map
Cornriggs Meadows Y 15.2 37.5 NY846416 1989 Map
Cotherstone Moor Y 2,449.5 6,050.1 NY940170 1955 Map
Crag Gill Y 2.3 5.7 NZ026235 1984 Map
Crime Rigg and Sherburn Hill Quarries Y 23.2 57.4 NZ344416 1968 Map
Dabble Bank Y 4.1 10.2 NZ364434 2002 Map
Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine [D] Y 49.0
34.0		 121.0
84.0		 NZ052493
NZ063483		 1976 Map
Durham Coast [E] Y Y 765.4 1,891.4 NZ381685 – NZ495362 1960 Map
Fairy Holes Cave Y 208.8 515.9 NY936357 1961 Map
Far High House Meadows Y 5.5 13.6 NY839383 1990 Map
Fishburn Grassland Y 1.1 2.8 NZ362328 1992 Map
Foster's Hush Y 1.3 3.2 NY859204 Map
Frog Wood Bog Y 3.2 7.9 NZ069303 1989 Map
God's Bridge Y 9.3 22.9 NY957126 1986 Map
Grains o' th' Beck Meadows Y 12.3 30.4 NY872209 1989 Map
Green Croft and Langley Moor Y 6.5
9.0
12.2		 16.1
22.2
30.2		 NZ169507
NZ166511
NZ186505		 1989 Map
Greenfoot Quarry Y 0.9 2.2 NY982392 1984 Map
Hannah's Meadows Y 7.1 17.5 NY935185 Map
Hawthorn Dene Y 64.1 158.4 NZ435458 1968 Map
Hawthorn Quarry Y 9.8 24.2 NZ435463 1990 Map
Hell Kettles Y 3.4 8.4 NZ281109 1976 Map
Hesledon Moor East Y 6.0 14.8 NZ399466 1998 Map
Hesledon Moor West Y 7.4 18.2 NZ386453 1984 Map
Hexhamshire Moors [F] Y 9,433.9 23,311.7 NY870530 1998 Map
Hisehope Burn Valley Y 14.9 36.9 NZ041477
NZ047473		 1988 Map
Hulam Fen Y 0.2 0.5 NZ439374 1986 Map
Hunder Beck Juniper Y 3.5 8.5 NY931178 1994 Map
Kilmond Scar Y 4.5 11.1 NZ028134 1963 Map
Low Redford Meadows Y 9.3 22.9 NZ077309
NZ084309		 1991 Map
Lune Forest Y 6,333.4 15,650.3 NY850200 1998 Map
Mere Beck Meadows Y 6.6 16.3 NY951186 1989 Map
Middle Crossthwaite Y 24.1 59.5 NY931256 1991 Map
Middle Side and Stonygill Meadows Y 17.3 42.7 NY933262
NY927264		 1991 Map
Middleton Quarry Y 6.0 14.8 NY948245 1964 Map
Middridge Quarry Y 1.9 4.7 NZ248252 1979 Map
Moorhouse and Cross Fell [G] Y Y 13,707.0 33,870.0 NY715365 1951 / 1963 Map
Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor [H] Y 9,118.1 22,531.4 NY990450
NY950520		 1997 Map
Neasham Fen Y 2.5 6.1 NZ331115 1992 Map
Newton Ketton Meadow Y 1.8 4.5 NZ322207 1989 Map
Old Moss Lead Vein Y 0.6 1.5 NY820433 1961 Map
Park End Wood Y 10.3 25.5 NY924260 1964 Map
Pig Hill Y 12.6 31.2 NZ365444
NZ366445		 1992 Map
Pike Whin Bog Y 1.3 3.1 NZ415334 1984 Map
Pittington Hill Y 6.4 15.8 NZ321447 1987 Map
Pow Hill Bog Y 6.7 16.6 NZ009518 1986 Map
Quarrington Hill Grasslands Y 4.5 11.1 NZ333373
NZ340374
NZ341375		 2000 Map
Railway Stell West Y 4.6 11.4 NZ319270 – NZ313247 1986 Map
Raisby Hill Grassland Y 15.1 37.4 NZ335354 1984 Map
Raisby Hill Quarry Y 52.4 129.5 NZ342353 1957 Map
Redcar Field Y 0.7 1.6 NZ292198 1985 Map
Rigg Farm and Stake Hill Meadows Y 14.7 36.3 NY933224 1989 Map
Rogerley Quarry Y 5.6 13.8 NZ015379 – NZ021374 1984 Map
Sherburn Hill Y 16.7 41.2 NZ329417 1985 Map
Shipley and Great Woods Y 63.4 156.5 NY966119 1975 Map
Sleightholme Beck Gorge - The Troughs Y Y 7.5 18.5 NY966119 1976 Map
Slit Woods Y 14.1 34.8 NY906390 1976 Map
Stony Cut, Cold Hesledon Y 0.8 2.1 NZ418473 1996 Map
Teesdale Allotments Y 1,308.3 3,231.6 NY930290 1994 Map
The Bottoms Y 2.2 5.2 NZ361381 1999 Map
The Carrs Y 12.9 31.9 NZ301327 1988 Map
Thrislington Plantation Y 22.7 56.1 NZ316327 1962 Map
Town Kelloe Bank Y 6.0 15.0 NZ359373 1976 Map
Trimdon Limestone Quarry Y Y 0.8 2.0 NZ362353 1992 Map
Tuthill Quarry Y 10.7 26.5 NZ388429 1994 Map
Upper Teesdale Y Y 14,035.6 34,681.9 NY830320 1951 Map
Waldridge Fell Y 113.5 280.4 NZ250498 1965 Map
West Newlandside Meadows Y 12.5 30.8 NY972374 1990 Map
West Park Meadows Y 6.7 16.6 NY940229 1989 Map
West Rigg Open Cutting Y 4.8 11.9 NY911391 1989 Map
Westernhope Burn Wood Y 11.8 29.1 NY935371 1976 Map
Wingate Quarry Y 23.4 57.7 NZ373375 1984 Map
Witton-le-Wear Y 36.2 89.4 NZ163313 1966 Map
Yoden Village Quarry Y 0.4 1.0 NZ436417 1988 Map

Notes
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.[7] Where an SSSI consists of multiple, non-contiguous sections, each section is assigned its own OS grid reference.
C Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by Natural England.
D Natural England also lists Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine under Northumberland.
E Natural England also lists Durham Coast under both Cleveland and Tyne and Wear.
F The grid reference for Hexhamshire Moors places it in Northumberland, not Durham; Natural England lists it under both counties.
G Natural England also lists Moorhouse and Cross Fell under Cumbria.
H Natural England also lists Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor under Northumberland.

References
  1. "Search results for Durham". Natural England. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  2. "SSSIs – The designation process". Natural England. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  3. Natural England citation sheets for each SSSI. Retrieved on 2008-02-26. (PDF files).
  4. "The Durham Landscape" (PDF). Durham County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  5. "County Durham Local Development Framework Tech. Paper no. 20 – Minerals" (PDF). Durham County Council. April 2009. pp. 16–20. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  6. "Search for SSSI details". Natural England. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  7. "Guide to National Grid". Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
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