List of the largest Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England

This is a list of the largest Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England in decreasing order of size. A lower threshold of 100 hectares or one square kilometre has been used.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Sites more than 10,000 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
The Wash Norfolk / Lincolnshire Y 63,135.0 156,010.0 TF550400 1972
North York Moors North Yorkshire / Cleveland Y 44,087.7 108,943.1 NZ680000 1998
Humber Estuary East Riding of Yorkshire / Lincolnshire Y Y 37,000.6 91,430.5 TA216184 2004
Dark Peak Derbyshire / Greater Manchester / South Yorkshire / West Yorkshire Y Y 31,852.9 78,710.2 SK110960 1951
Morecambe Bay Cumbria / Lancashire Y 30,287.5 74,842.0 SD360700 1975
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Cumbria / ? Y Y 29,950.5 74,009.3 NY160610 1988
The New Forest Hampshire / Wiltshire Y Y 28,947.4 71,530.6 SU298081 1959 Map
South Pennine Moors West Yorkshire / Great Manchester / Lancashire / North Yorkshire Y Y 20,938.1 51,739.2 SD920300 1994
Salisbury Plain Wiltshire / Hampshire Y 19,689.9 48,654.8 SU070500 1975 Map
Breckland Forest Norfolk / Suffolk Y Y 18,078.7 44,673.4 TL819839 2000
Severn Estuary Avon / Somerset + others Y Y 15,950.0 39,413.3 ST480830 1976
Upper Teesdale County Durham Y Y 14,035.6 34,682.7 NY830320 1951
Moorhouse and Cross Fell Cumbria / County Durham Y Y 13,707.0 33,870.7 NY715365 1990
Dee Estuary Cheshire / Clwyd Y 13,679.7 33,803.3 SJ220800 1954
Breckland Farmland Norfolk / Suffolk Y 13,335.7 32,953.2 TL762783 2000
North Dartmoor Devon Y Y 13,413.2 33,144.7 SX580850 1952
North Exmoor Devon / Somerset Y Y 12,005.3 29,665.7 SS800430 1954

Sites more than 4000 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
South Dartmoor Devon Y Y 9,668.2 23,890.6 SX630690 1952
Hexhamshire Moors County Durham / Northumberland Y 9,433.9 23,311.7 NY870530 1998 Map
Kielderhead and Emblehope Moors Northumberland Y 8,254.4 20,397.1 NT700000 1971
Eastern Peak District Moors South Yorkshire / ? Y Y 8,094.4 20,001.7 SK270770 1955 Map
Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells County Durham Y 7,949.2 19,642.9 NZ005300 1996 Map
North Norfolk Coast Norfolk Y Y 7,700.0 19,027.1 TG020440 1954
Duddon Estuary Cumbria Y Y 6,806.3 16,818.7 SD151753 1990 (amalgamated 5) Map
Mersey Estuary Cheshire / Merseyside Y 6,702.1 16,561.2 SJ440800 1951
The Swale Kent Y Y 6,568.4 16,230.9 TR000670 1968
Blackwater Estuary Essex Y Y 5,738.0 14,178.9 TL940070 1955
South Thames Estuary and Marshes Kent Y 5,449.1 13,465.0 TQ770785 1951
Bodmin Moor, North Cornwall Y 4,957.0 12,249.0 SX160810 1951
Kielder Mires Cumbria / Northumberland Y 4,818.0 11,905.5 NY670800 1995
Bowes Moor County Durham Y 4,457.7 11,015.2 NY923104 1989 Map
Poole Harbour Dorset Y 4,049.0 10,005.3 SZ000890 1964

Sites more than 2000 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Chichester Harbour Hampshire / West Sussex Y Y 3,695.0 9,130.5 SU760000 1970
Bridgwater Bay Somerset Y 3,574.1 8,831.8 ST290480 1989
Dungeness East Sussex / Kent Y Y 3,241.7 8,010.4 TR050180 1951
Ashdown Forest East Sussex Y 3,144.6 7,770.5 TQ450300 1953
South Exmoor Devon / Somerset Y 3,132.7 7,741.1 SS880340 1992
Long Mynd Shropshire Y Y 2,637.6 6,517.7 SO420950 1953
Alde-Ore Estuary Suffolk Y 2,554.3 6,311.8 TM394757 1952
The Quantocks Somerset Y 2,506.9 6,194.7 ST140390 1970 Map
Ouse Washes Cambridgeshire / Norfolk Y 2,403.0 5,937.9 TL482867 1955
Exe Estuary Devon Y Y 2,186.6 5,403.2 SX980845 1952
East Dartmoor Devon Y Y 2,088.1 5,159.8 SX695815 1976
Langstone Harbour Hampshire Y 2,069.4 5,113.6 SU700030 1958

Sites more than 1500 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Thorne Crowle and Goole Moors East Riding / South Yorkshire Y 1,918.6 4,741.0 SE730160 1970
Windsor Forest and Great Park Berkshire / Surrey Y 1,771.2 4,376.7 SU970685 1973
Exmoor Coastal Heaths Somerset Y 1,758.3 4,344.9 SS620480 1994 Map
Wyre Forest Shropshire / Hereford & Worcester Y 1,753.7 4,333.5 SS750760 1955
Epping Forest Essex / Greater London Y 1,728.0 4,270.0 TL475035 1953
Porton Down Wiltshire Y 1,561.8 3,859.3 SU240365 1977 Map
Rutland Water Leicestershire Y 1,540.1 3,805.7 SK928070 1981

Sites more than 1000 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Upper Severn Estuary Gloucestershire Y 1,436.8 3,550.4 SO720060 1954 Map
Tamar - Tavy Estuary Cornwall / Devon Y 1,422.3 3,514.6 SX474650 1991
Hatfield Moors South Yorkshire Y 1,400.7 3,461.2 SE705060 1954
Avon Valley (Bickton to Christchurch) Dorset / Hampshire Y 1,383.7 3,419.2 TU147123 1974
Braunton Burrows Devon Y Y 1,356.7 3,352.5 SS430350 1952
Taw-Torridge Estuary Devon Y 1,336.5 3,302.6 SS470310 1981
Nene Washes Cambridgeshire Y 1,310.0 3,237.1 TL200977 1959
Portsmouth Harbour Hampshire Y 1,266.1 3,128.6 SU620035 1974
East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Devon Y 1,111.9 2,747.6 SY050880 1952
Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors Somerset Y 1,083.0 2,676.2 ST390420 1967 Map
West Sedgemoor Somerset Y 1,016.0 2,510.6 ST361258 1983 Map
Haldon Forest Devon Y 1,013.2 2,503.7 SX886838 1992 Map

Sites more than 750 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Chesil and the Fleet Dorset Y Y 990.4 2,447.3 SY496885 1952
Fenn's, Whixall, Bettisfield, Wem and Cadney Mosses Shropshire / Wales Y 948.4 2,343.5 SJ490365 1953
Tealham and Tadham Moors Somerset Y 917.6 2,267.4 ST420450 1985 Map
Savernake Forest Wiltshire Y 904.7 2,235.6 SU215665 1971 Map
King's Sedgemoor Somerset Y 822.0 2,031.2 ST400330 1985
Grafham Water Cambridgeshire Y 811.9 2,006.2 TL150680 1986
Durham Coast Cleveland / Durham Y Y 765.4 1,891.3 NZ400500 1960
Rye Harbour East Sussex Y Y 761.1 1,880.7 TQ935180 1953 Map
Studland and Godlingston Heath Dorset Y Y 758.9 1,875.3 SZ030845 1954

Sites more than 500 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast Somerset Y 742.8 1,835.5 ST033435 1971
Abberton Reservoir Essex Y 716.3 1,770.0 TL970180 1955
Lynher Estuary Cornwall Y 687.3 1,698.4 SX375565 1951
North Moor Somerset Y 676.3 1,671.2 ST325305 1986
Cotswold Commons And Beechwoods Gloucestershire Y 665.5 1,644.5 SP900130 1954 Map
Bentley Wood Wiltshire / Hampshire Y 665.0 1,643.3 SU250295 1985 Map
Barle Valley Somerset Y 622.9 1,539.2 SS850349 1954
Pagham Harbour Avon Y Y 615.9 1,521.9 SZ875970 1954
Upper Fal estuary and woodlands Cornwall Y 603.5 1,491.3 SW850410 1968
Chew Valley Lake Avon Y 565.2 1,396.6 ST570600 1971
Arne Dorset Y Y 563.4 1,392.2 ST966880 1986
Westhay Moor Somerset Y 513.7 1,269.4 ST455445 1971 Map
Breydon Water Norfolk Y 506.5 1,251.6 TG500075 1987 Map

Sites more than 400 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Wet Moor Somerset Y 491.0 1,213.3 ST448244 1985 Map
Curry and Hay Moors Somerset Y 472.8 1,168.3 ST323273 1992 Map
Dunster Park and Heathlands Somerset Y 466.6 1,153.0 SS955441 2000 Map
Cranborne Chase Dorset / Wiltshire Y 451.4 1,115.4 ST970180 1975 Map
Cheddar Complex Somerset Y Y 441.3 1,090.5 ST465538 1952 Map
Blithfield Reservoir Staffordshire Y 435.6 1,076.4 SK057242 1968
Winterton to Horsey Dunes Norfolk Y Y 427.2 1,055.6 ST490210 1954
Wytham Woods Oxfordshire Y 426.5 1,053.9 SP462083 1950

Sites more than 300 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Bratton Downs Wiltshire Y Y 395.8 978.0 ST925522 1971 Map
Shapwick Heath Somerset Y 394.0 973.6 ST430403 1967 Map
South Gare and Coatham Sands Cleveland Y 381.2 942.0 NZ582263 1971
Isle of Portland Dorset Y Y 369.3 912.6 SY690722 1952
Christchurch Harbour Dorset Y Y 353.2 872.8 SZ175915 1964
Lundy Devon Y 345.0 852.5 SS135460 1976
Axmouth To Lyme Regis Undercliffs Devon / ? Y Y 334.6 826.8 SY300900 1952
Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill Somerset Y Y 332.2 820.9 ST385555 1952 Map
Fyfield Down Wiltshire Y Y 325.3 803.8 SU136709 1951 Map
Seaton Dunes And Common Cleveland Y 312.1 771.2 NZ535285 1966
Pewsey Downs Wiltshire Y 305.3 754.4 SU113636 1951 Map

Sites more than 250 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Church Wood, Blean Kent Y 297.1 734.2 TR109603 1951
Seal Sands Cleveland Y 294.4 727.5 NZ529260 1966
Lower Woods Avon Y Y 280.1 692.1 ST743876 1966
Greenham and Crookham Commons Berkshire Y 278.6 688.4 SU490645 & SU523643 1985
Lower Fal & Helford Intertidal Cornwall Y 277.7 686.2 SW860334 1997
Tees and Hartlepool Foreshore and Wetlands Cleveland Y 255.6 631.6 NZ516348 & NZ505224 1997
Skipwith Common North Yorkshire Y 274 677.1 SE668362 1958
Slapton Ley Devon Y Y 254.7 629.4 SX826440 2004

Sites more than 200 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Longleat Woods Somerset Y 249.9 617.5 ST795435 1972 Map
Mottisfont Bats Hampshire Y 231.0 570.8 SU314281 2003
Moorlinch Somerset Y 226.0 558.5 ST390360 1985 Map
West Moor Somerset Y 213.0 526.3 ST420220 1985 Map
Otmoor Oxfordshire Y 211.6 522.9 SP575130 1952
Blagdon Lake Avon Y 212.7 525.6 ST515597 1971
Ashton Court Avon Y 210.3 519.7 ST553723 1998

Sites more than 150 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Berrow Dunes Somerset Y 200.0 494.2 ST293520 1952
Southlake Moor Somerset Y 196.1 484.6 ST370300 1985 Map
Brimsdown Hill Wiltshire Y 193.7 478.6 SU831385 1951 Map
Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh Somerset Y Y 186.3 460.4 SS880479 1990 Map
Langmead and Weston Level Somerset Y 168.8 417.1 ST353330 1991
Gordano Valley Avon Y Y 161.7 399.6 ST435730 1971
East Blean Woods Kent Y 156.8 387.5 TR189640 1981
St. Catherine's Valley Avon Y 156.1 385.7 ST760725 1997
Avon Gorge Avon Y Y 155.4 384.0 ST560743 1952
Black Down and Sampford Commons Somerset Y 155.2 383.5 ST118161 1952
Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins Somerset Y 154.3 381.3 ST512505 1987

Sites more than 100 hectares in size
Site name Area of Search Reason for designation Area[ a] Grid reference Year in which notified Map[B]
Biological interest Geological interest Hectares Acres
Attenborough Nature Reserve Nottinghamshire Y 226.6 559.9 SK514338 1982 Map
Asham Wood Somerset Y 141.6 349.9 ST705460 1963
Burrington Combe Avon / North Somerset Y Y 139.1 343.7 ST478583 1952
Wenlock Edge Shropshire Y Y 136.8 338.0 SO606995 1954
Tickenham, Nailsea and Kenn Moors Avon Y 129.4 319.8 ST440700 1995
Bowerchalke Downs Wiltshire Y 128.6 317.8 SU004218 1971 Map
Calstone And Cherhill Downs Wiltshire Y 128.6 317.8 SU047692 1971 Map
King's Wood and Urchin Wood Avon Y 128.1 316.5 ST454645 1990
East Polden Grasslands Somerset Y 124.0 306.4 ST474325 1999 Map
Upper Fowey Valley Cornwall Y 124.0 306.4 SX215730 1989
Potteric Carr South Yorkshire Y 119.6 295.5 SE599003 1977
Cowpen Marsh Cleveland Y 116.8 288.6 NZ500529 1966
River Kennet Berkshire / Wiltshire Y 112.7 278.5 SU203692 1995 Map
Cheddar Reservoir Somerset Y 105.4 260.4 ST441537 1972 Map
River Barle Somerset Y 104.2 257.5 SS723423 1997 Map
Dozmary Pool Cornwall Y Y 104.2 257.5 SX195745 1986
Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood Somerset Y 103.6 256.0 ST225170 1952 Map

Notes
a Data rounded to one decimal place.
B Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by English Nature.
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