List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham

File:Boundary Wall on Monk's Moor, Upper Teesdale - geograph.org.uk - 73980.jpg

Monk's Moor in Upper Teesdale, the largest SSSI 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.

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.

Five of these sites are shared with an adjacent county:

• Moorhouse and Cross Fell with Cumbria;
• Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine, Hexhamshire Moors and Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor with Northumberland;
• Durham Coast with both Cleveland (in the south) and Tyne and Wear (in the north).

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:

• 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.

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:

• 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.

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:

• Stratigraphy

• 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, 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	Green tickY		46.5	114.9		1987	Template:Nature on the map
Baldersdale Woodlands	Green tickY		19.6	48.4		1991	Template:Nature on the map
Bishop Middleham Quarry	Green tickY		8.6	21.3		1968	Template:Nature on the map
Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells	Green tickY		7,949.2	19,643.2		1996	Template:Nature on the map
Botany Hill		Green tickY	3.8	9.3		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Bowes Moor	Green tickY		4,457.7	11,014.9		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Bowlees and Friar House Meadows	Green tickY		5.6	13.9		1991	Template:Nature on the map
Brasside Pond	Green tickY		25.1	62.0		1966	Template:Nature on the map
Brignall Banks	Green tickY		85.0	210.0		1987	Template:Nature on the map
Burnhope Burn	Green tickY		5.1	12.6		1987	Template:Nature on the map
Butterby Oxbow	Green tickY		7.3	18.0		1957	Template:Nature on the map
Cassop Vale	Green tickY		40.9	101.0		1958	Template:Nature on the map
Castle Eden Dene	Green tickY		193.0	476.8		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Causey Bank Mires	Green tickY		6.8	16.8		1987	Template:Nature on the map
Charity Land	Green tickY		5.8	14.4		1999	Template:Nature on the map
Close House Mine		Green tickY	3.4	8.3		1995	Template:Nature on the map
Cornriggs Meadows	Green tickY		15.2	37.5		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Cotherstone Moor	Green tickY		2,449.5	6,050.1		1955	Template:Nature on the map
Crag Gill		Green tickY	2.3	5.7		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Crime Rigg and Sherburn Hill Quarries		Green tickY	23.2	57.4		1968	Template:Nature on the map
Dabble Bank	Green tickY		4.1	10.2		2002	Template:Nature on the map
Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine [D]	Green tickY		49.0 34.0	121.0 84.0		1976	Template:Nature on the map
Durham Coast [E]	Green tickY	Green tickY	765.4	1,891.4	–	1960	Template:Nature on the map
Fairy Holes Cave		Green tickY	208.8	515.9		1961	Template:Nature on the map
Far High House Meadows	Green tickY		5.5	13.6		1990	Template:Nature on the map
Fishburn Grassland	Green tickY		1.1	2.8		1992	Template:Nature on the map
Foster's Hush		Green tickY	1.3	3.2			Template:Nature on the map
Frog Wood Bog	Green tickY		3.2	7.9		1989	Template:Nature on the map
God's Bridge		Green tickY	9.3	22.9		1986	Template:Nature on the map
Grains o' th' Beck Meadows	Green tickY		12.3	30.4		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Green Croft and Langley Moor	Green tickY		6.5 9.0 12.2	16.1 22.2 30.2		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Greenfoot Quarry		Green tickY	0.9	2.2		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Hannah's Meadows	Green tickY		7.1	17.5			Template:Nature on the map
Hawthorn Dene	Green tickY		64.1	158.4		1968	Template:Nature on the map
Hawthorn Quarry		Green tickY	9.8	24.2		1990	Template:Nature on the map
Hell Kettles	Green tickY		3.4	8.4		1976	Template:Nature on the map
Hesledon Moor East	Green tickY		6.0	14.8		1998	Template:Nature on the map
Hesledon Moor West	Green tickY		7.4	18.2		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Hexhamshire Moors [F]	Green tickY		9,433.9	23,311.7		1998	Template:Nature on the map
Hisehope Burn Valley	Green tickY		14.9	36.9		1988	Template:Nature on the map
Hulam Fen	Green tickY		0.2	0.5		1986	Template:Nature on the map
Hunder Beck Juniper	Green tickY		3.5	8.5		1994	Template:Nature on the map
Kilmond Scar	Green tickY		4.5	11.1		1963	Template:Nature on the map
Low Redford Meadows	Green tickY		9.3	22.9		1991	Template:Nature on the map
Lune Forest	Green tickY		6,333.4	15,650.3		1998	Template:Nature on the map
Mere Beck Meadows	Green tickY		6.6	16.3		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Middle Crossthwaite	Green tickY		24.1	59.5		1991	Template:Nature on the map
Middle Side and Stonygill Meadows	Green tickY		17.3	42.7		1991	Template:Nature on the map
Middleton Quarry	Green tickY		6.0	14.8		1964	Template:Nature on the map
Middridge Quarry		Green tickY	1.9	4.7		1979	Template:Nature on the map
Moorhouse and Cross Fell [G]	Green tickY	Green tickY	13,707.0	33,870.0		1951 / 1963	Template:Nature on the map
Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor [H]	Green tickY		9,118.1	22,531.4		1997	Template:Nature on the map
Neasham Fen	Green tickY		2.5	6.1		1992	Template:Nature on the map
Newton Ketton Meadow	Green tickY		1.8	4.5		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Old Moss Lead Vein		Green tickY	0.6	1.5		1961	Template:Nature on the map
Park End Wood	Green tickY		10.3	25.5		1964	Template:Nature on the map
Pig Hill	Green tickY		12.6	31.2		1992	Template:Nature on the map
Pike Whin Bog	Green tickY		1.3	3.1		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Pittington Hill	Green tickY		6.4	15.8		1987	Template:Nature on the map
Pow Hill Bog	Green tickY		6.7	16.6		1986	Template:Nature on the map
Quarrington Hill Grasslands	Green tickY		4.5	11.1		2000	Template:Nature on the map
Railway Stell West	Green tickY		4.6	11.4	–	1986	Template:Nature on the map
Raisby Hill Grassland	Green tickY		15.1	37.4		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Raisby Hill Quarry		Green tickY	52.4	129.5		1957	Template:Nature on the map
Redcar Field	Green tickY		0.7	1.6		1985	Template:Nature on the map
Rigg Farm and Stake Hill Meadows	Green tickY		14.7	36.3		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Rogerley Quarry		Green tickY	5.6	13.8	–	1984	Template:Nature on the map
Sherburn Hill	Green tickY		16.7	41.2		1985	Template:Nature on the map
Shipley and Great Woods	Green tickY		63.4	156.5		1975	Template:Nature on the map
Sleightholme Beck Gorge - The Troughs	Green tickY	Green tickY	7.5	18.5		1976	Template:Nature on the map
Slit Woods	Green tickY		14.1	34.8		1976	Template:Nature on the map
Stony Cut, Cold Hesledon		Green tickY	0.8	2.1		1996	Template:Nature on the map
Teesdale Allotments	Green tickY		1,308.3	3,231.6		1994	Template:Nature on the map
The Bottoms	Green tickY		2.2	5.2		1999	Template:Nature on the map
The Carrs	Green tickY		12.9	31.9		1988	Template:Nature on the map
Thrislington Plantation	Green tickY		22.7	56.1		1962	Template:Nature on the map
Town Kelloe Bank	Green tickY		6.0	15.0		1976	Template:Nature on the map
Trimdon Limestone Quarry	Green tickY	Green tickY	0.8	2.0		1992	Template:Nature on the map
Tuthill Quarry	Green tickY		10.7	26.5		1994	Template:Nature on the map
Upper Teesdale	Green tickY	Green tickY	14,035.6	34,681.9		1951	Template:Nature on the map
Waldridge Fell	Green tickY		113.5	280.4		1965	Template:Nature on the map
West Newlandside Meadows	Green tickY		12.5	30.8		1990	Template:Nature on the map
West Park Meadows	Green tickY		6.7	16.6		1989	Template:Nature on the map
West Rigg Open Cutting		Green tickY	4.8	11.9		1989	Template:Nature on the map
Westernhope Burn Wood	Green tickY		11.8	29.1		1976	Template:Nature on the map
Wingate Quarry	Green tickY		23.4	57.7		1984	Template:Nature on the map
Witton-le-Wear	Green tickY		36.2	89.4		1966	Template:Nature on the map
Yoden Village Quarry		Green tickY	0.4	1.0		1988	Template:Nature on the 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. 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.

External links

• List of SSSIs in County Durham at Natural England