List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

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]

A view of the Cheddar Gorge, designated as an SSSI for both its biological and its geological interest.

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.

Sites
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

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.[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]

References
  1. "Notification of SSSIs". English Nature. Archived from the original on 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2006-08-01.
  2. "SSSIs in Somerset". English Nature. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2006-08-05.
  3. "County search of SSSIs". English Nature. Archived from the original on 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2006-08-05.
  4. English Nature citation sheets for each SSSI (PDF files). Retrieved on 2006-08-05.
  5. "Guide to National Grid". Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 2006-07-20. Retrieved 2006-08-07.

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