View source for Box Mine

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<!--  Commented out: [[File:BoxCathedral.jpg|thumb|upright|right|"The Cathedral" at Box Mine]] -->
[[File:Spring Mine Box Hill Wilts - geograph.org.uk - 1195155.jpg|thumb|Spring Mine]]
'''Box Mine''' ({{gbmapping|ST838690}}) is a {{convert|56.6|ha|acre|1|abbr=on}} biological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]], near the village of [[Box, Wiltshire|Box]] in [[Wiltshire]], England, [[SSSI notification|notified]] in 1991.

The site forms part of the [[Bath and Bradford-on-Avon Bats SAC|Bath and Bradford-on-Avon Bats Special Area of Conservation]].

==Site description==
The Mine consists of a network of tunnels, which originate from [[Bath stone]] mining work, initially started during the [[Roman occupation of Britain]]. Several entrances to the mine system are present in wooded quarries.

==Biological interest==
The site's chief biological interest lies in its roosting [[bat]]s. Although the site is used year-round, it is mainly a site used for hibernation, breeding, and post-breeding dispersal. It is thought that the mines provide stable humidity and even temperatures when compared to smaller sites, and this encourages use by bats, particularly outside the breeding season.

Up to 10% of the total British population of [[greater horseshoe bat]] uses the mine at times; a maximum of 230 individuals of this species have been counted at the site. [[Lesser Horseshoe Bat]] also uses the mine, as do the four [[Myotis]] species – [[Whiskered bat|Whiskered]], [[Brandt's bat|Brandt's]], [[Natterer's bat|Natterer's]] and [[Daubenton's Bat|Daubenton's]] bats.

==Sources==
* [https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1005600.pdf Natural England citation sheet for the site] (accessed 22 March 2022)
*{{Cite web|date=20 March 2019|title=Bath and Bradford-on-Avon Bats Special Area of Conservation|url=http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/6665253157076992|access-date=22 March 2022|website=[[Natural England]]|format=PDF}}

==External links==
* [https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteSearch.aspx Natural England website] (SSSI information)
* [https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/media/992/Bat-S-A-C-developers-guidance-inc-Bath-Bradford-on-Avon-Chilmark-and-Mottisfont-/pdf/Bath-and-bradford-on-avon-september-2015-bat-sac-guidance.pdf Bat Special Areas of Conservation: Planning Guidance for Wiltshire] – Wiltshire Council, September 2015

{{SSSIs Wilts biological}}

{{coord|51.41978|N|2.23436|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(ST838690)|display=title}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref -->

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[[Category:Bat roosts]]
[[Category:Box, Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1991]]