Exposed limestone cliffs on either side of a road with cars on it.
A view of the Cheddar Gorge, designated as an SSSI for both its biological and its geological interest.

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]

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 Green tick 56.9 140.6 ST404305 1952 Map
Aller Hill Green tick 18.4 45.4 ST408291 1988 Map
Asham Wood Green tick 141.6 347.5 ST705460 1963 Map
Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill Green tick 67.1 160.1 ST433555 1990 Map
Babcary Meadows Green tick 13.6 31.6 ST567293 1988 Map
River Barle Green tick 104.2 257.5 SS723423 1997 Map
Barle Valley Green tick 622.9 1,539.2 SS850349 1954 Map
Barrington Hill Meadows Green tick 16.1 39.5 ST300170 1987 Map
Ben Knowle Green tick 1.5 3.6 ST513450 1984 Map
Berrow Dunes Green tick 200.0 494.3 ST293520 1952 Map
Black Down and Sampford Commons Green tick 155.2 383.5 ST118161 1952 Map
Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast Green tick 742.8 1,835.5 ST033435 1971 Map
Brean Down Green tick Green tick 65.1 169.7 ST290590 1952 Map
Bridgwater Bay Green tick 3,574.1 8,831.6 ST290480 1989 Map
Briggins Moor Green tick 15.3 37.8 SS893250 1994 Map
Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins Green tick 154.3 381.3 ST512505 1987 Map
Bruton Railway Cutting Green tick 1.7 4.3 ST688348 1971 Map
Catcott Edington and Chilton Moors Green tick 1,083.0 2,676.0 ST390420 1967 Map
Chancellor's Farm Green tick 34.2 84.6 ST525525 1984 Map
Cheddar Complex Green tick Green tick 441.3 1,090.5 ST465538 1952 Map
Cheddar Reservoir Green tick 105.4 260.6 ST441537 1972 Map
Cheddar Wood Green tick 86.9 214.7 ST445552 1967 Map
Cleeve Hill Green tick 15.1 37.4 ST056428 1989 Map
Cloford Quarry Green tick 38.9 98.6 ST718444 1994 Map
Cogley Wood Green tick 60.7 150.1 ST703345 1987 Map
Cook's Wood Quarry Green tick 1.8 4.4 ST669479 1988 Map
Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill Green tick Green tick 332.2 820.9 ST385555 1952 Map
Curry and Hay Moors Green tick 472.8 1,168.1 ST323273 1992 Map
Deadman Green tick 28.8 71.2 ST234156 1987 Map
Doulting Railway Cutting Green tick 2.8 6.9 ST645424 1971 Map
Draycott Sleights Green tick 62.0 153.0 ST483518 1987 Map
Dunster Park and Heathlands Green tick 466.6 1,153.0 SS955441 2000 Map
East Polden Grasslands Green tick 124.0 306.4 ST474325 1999 Map
Ebbor Gorge Green tick 41.0 156.8 ST525485 1952 Map
Edford Woods and Meadows Green tick 54.3 134.1 ST665485 1957 Map
Emborough Quarries Green tick 1.0 2.5 ST623505 1971 Map
Exmoor Coastal Heaths Green tick 1,758.3 4,344.7 SS620480 1994 Map
Fivehead Arable Fields Green tick 10.3 25.4 ST337224 1990 Map
Fivehead Woods and Meadow Green tick 62.4 154.2 ST331231 1989 Map
Freshmoor Green tick 11.2 27.7 ST280125 1989 Map
Friar's Oven Green tick 4.0 9.9 ST592431 1989 Map
Ge-mare Farm Fields Green tick 4.1 10.3 ST155424 1988 Map
Glenthorne Green tick 13.3 32.8 SS794499 1989 Map
Godminster Lane Quarry and Railway Cutting Green tick 0.8 1.9 ST682345 1971 Map
Great Breach and Copley Woods Green tick 64.8 160.0 ST500320 1972 Map
Greylake Green tick 9.3 22.9 ST384336 1987 Map
Grove Farm Green tick 36.5 90.2 ST513096 1989 Map
Ham Hill Green tick 11.1 27.6 ST482162 1971 Map
Hardington Moor Green tick 8.7 21.6 ST515130 1994 Map
Hestercombe House [D] Green tick <0.1 0.2 ST242287 2000 Map
Hobbs Quarry Green tick 0.5 0.1 ST622446 1984 Map
Holme Moor & Clean Moor Green tick 10.8 26.7 ST095260 1987 Map
Holwell Quarries Green tick 1.3 3.2 ST726450 1952 Map
Hurcott Farm Green tick 26.3 65.0 ST511295 1993 Map
Hurcott Lane Cutting Green tick 0.5 1.2 ST398163 1997 Map
King's Sedgemoor Green tick 822.0 2,031.2 ST400330 1985 Map
Kingdown and Middledown Green tick 5.7 14.1 ST480532 1991 Map
Kingweston Meadows Green tick 11.5 28.4 ST540304 1990 Map
Lamb Leer Green tick 14.6 36.0 ST544550 1983 Map
Lang's Farm Green tick 7.5 18.5 ST170241 1990 Map
Langford Heathfield Green tick 95.4 235.7 ST100235 1966 Map
Langmead and Weston Level Green tick 168.8 417.1 ST353330 1991 Map
Langport Railway Cutting Green tick 0.5 1.3 ST427272 1992 Map
Laycock Railway Cutting Green tick 1.3 3.1 ST678213 1993 Map
Leighton Road Cutting Green tick 0.6 1.4 ST702437 1984 Map
Long Dole Wood and Meadows[H] Green tick 9.8 24.3 ST610562 1997 Map
Long Lye Green tick 11.7 29.0 ST265122 1988 Map
Long Lye Meadow Green tick 3.3 8.2 ST267119 2002 Map
Longleat Woods Green tick 249.9 617.4 ST795435 1972 Map
Low Ham Green tick 5.0 12.5 ST440290 1988 Map
Maes Down Green tick 0.2 0.4 ST647406 1985 Map
Maesbury Railway Cutting Green tick 2.0 5.0 ST606475 1995 Map
Miller's Hill, Milborne Wick Green tick 0.6 1.4 ST663205 1985 Map
Millwater Green tick 1.4 3.5 ST439100 1989 Map
Moon's Hill Quarry Green tick 3.4 8.5 ST665460 1996 Map
Moorlinch Green tick 226.0 558.4 ST390360 1985 Map
Nettlecombe Park Green tick 90.4 223.4 ST055375 1990 Map
North Brewham Meadows Green tick 8.9 21.9 ST743379 1987 Map
North Curry Meadow Green tick 1.3 3.1 ST330253 1989 Map
North Exmoor Green tick 12,005.3 29,665.0 SS800430 1954 Map
North Moor Green tick 676.3 1,671.1 ST325305 1986 Map
Old Ironstone Works, Mells Green tick 0.3 0.6 ST738488 1987 Map
The Perch Green tick 72.1 178.2 ST480532 1990 Map
Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh Green tick Green tick 186.3 460.4 SS880479 1990 Map
Postlebury Wood Green tick 87.0 215.0 ST740430 1987 Map
Priddy Caves Green tick 67.1 167.0 ST540505 1965 Map
Priddy Pools Green tick Green tick 52.7 130.2 ST545510 1972 Map
Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood Green tick 103.6 256.0 ST225170 1952 Map
Quantocks Green tick 2,506.9 6,194.5 ST140390 1970 Map
Quants Green tick 50.6 126.0 ST185175 1988 Map
Ringdown Green tick 4.0 9.9 ST178155 1990 Map
Rodney Stoke Green tick Green tick 69.6 172.0 ST492507 1957 Map
Roebuck Meadows Green tick 3.6 8.9 ST132354 1988 Map
Ruttersleigh Green tick 97.0 239.7 ST250165 1991 Map
Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot Green tick 0.7 1.8 ST531498 1987 Map
Seavington St. Mary Green tick 0.3 0.7 ST400144 1971 Map
Severn Estuary [E] [F] Green tick 15,950.0 39,410.0 ST480830 1976 Map
Shapwick Heath Green tick 394.0 973.6 ST430403 1967 Map
Sharpham Moor Plot Green tick 0.5 1.3 ST465389 1967 Map
Shepton Montague Railway Cutting Green tick 1.6 4.0 ST686316 1992 Map
Snowdon Hill Quarry Green tick 0.6 1.6 ST312089 1963 Map
South Exmoor Green tick 3,132.7 7,742.3 SS880340 1992 Map
Southey and Gotleigh Moors Green tick 81.3 200.1 ST192110 1988 Map
Southlake Moor Green tick 196.1 484.6 ST370300 1985 Map
Sparkford Wood Green tick 8.4 20.7 ST613275 1954 Map
St. Dunstan's Well Catchment Green tick Green tick 39.8 98.3 ST668475 1967 Map
Stowell Meadow Green tick 2.8 6.9 ST333062 1987 Map
Street Heath Green tick 12.5 31.0 ST464394 1966 Map
Tealham and Tadham Moors Green tick 917.6 2,267.3 ST420450 1985 Map
Thrupe Lane Swallet Green tick 0.5 1.2 ST603458 1992 Map
Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands Green tick 26.7 65.8 ST270210 1963 Map
Twinhills Woods and Meadows Green tick 21.2 52.4 ST558432 1990 Map
Vallis Vale Green tick Green tick 23.9 59.1 ST755490 1952 Map
Viaduct Quarry Green tick 0.3 0.8 ST621443 1984 Map
Walton and Ivythorn Hills Green tick 34.9 86.1 ST475346 1953 Map
West Moor Green tick 213.0 526.3 ST420220 1985 Map
West Sedgemoor Green tick 1,016.0 2,510.0 ST361258 1983 Map
Westhay Heath Green tick 25.9 64.0 ST415422 1990 Map
Westhay Moor Green tick 513.7 1,269.3 ST455445 1971 Map
Wet Moor Green tick 491.0 1,214.0 ST448244 1985 Map
Whitevine Meadows Green tick 13.0 32.0 ST505085 1979 Map
Windsor Hill Marsh Green tick 0.8 2.0 ST619454 1972 Map
Windsor Hill Quarry Green tick 0.8 1.9 ST615451 1986 Map
Wookey Hole Caves Green tick Green tick 39.4 97.4 ST535485 1952 Map
Wookey Station [G] Green tick <0.1 0.1 ST531464 1997 Map
Woolhayes Farm Green tick 13.2 32.5 ST315109 1992 Map
Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl Green tick 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 15 May 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  2. ↑ "SSSIs in Somerset". English Nature. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2006.
  3. ↑ "County search of SSSIs". English Nature. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2006.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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 20 July 2006. Retrieved 7 August 2006.

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