Flora of Bishop Middleham Quarry SSSI 2011
Compiled and published by John Durkin, BSBI recorder for County Durham
Bishop Middleham Quarry, an SSSI and a Durham Wildlife Trust reserve, is a disused magnesian limestone quarry which supports a very rich flora, including the best national population of the Dark Red Helleborine, Epipactis atrorubens. For botanists visiting the county, it is one of the must-see nature reserves. It is located at NZ3332, on a minor road close to the A1(M) and 3 miles from Durham Services, junction 61. The reserve covers 8.60 hectares. Timing The reserve is at its best from June to August. The Dark Red Helleborines flower in July and August.
Access The entrances to the site are at grid reference NZ331326 about a mile down a narrow lane which leads west off the A177 south of Coxhoe, just south of the Hare and Hounds pub.
There is limited roadside parking opposite the two entrances, in the narrow lane to the west of the reserve. The reserve is accessed from stiles from the lay-bys. Though most of the reserve has quite rugged terrain, the area immediately inside the reserve from the northern lay-by is a fairly level area of species-rich grassland and easily accessible rocky areas. Most of the mag-lime flora, including Blue Moor Grass and Dark Red Helleborine can easily be found here. Beyond this flat area, the quarry is on several different levels, accessed by steep but well-maintained steps. There are a number of vertical cliff faces.
The Magnesian Limestone The magnesian limestone is a special group of limestones laid down in the Permian period. 270 million years ago. At that time, Bishop Middleham was part of a barrier reef on the western edge of the warm, shallow, Caribbean-like Zechstein Sea. Limestone is usually calcite, CaCO3, but the magnesian limestone is mainly dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2. There are several forms of mag-lime, ranging from soft and crumbly to very hard.
The distinctive type of limestone and the mid-Britain location gives the mag-lime area of County Durham a unique combination of northern and southern species, and in particular southern species reaching their northern limit here.
History The quarry ceased to be worked in 1934 and was left to re-vegetate naturally. It is located in the middle of the magnesian limestone area, so there was strong colonisation of the classic magnesian limestone flora, which was much more widespread in the general countryside in those days. Now, the magnesian limestone flora has gone from most farmland, and is mainly restricted to the coastal strip and to isolated nature reserves.
The quarry was designated as an SSSI in 1968 and became a Durham Wildlife Trust reserve, leased from the Church Commissioners, in the 1970s. There are large modern quarries to the south and west of the reserve.
Habitats The upper level of grassland by the lay-by has a dense sward and, although it is secondary, is similar to original mag-lime grassland. Blue Moor Grass, Cowslips, Fragrant Orchids, Thyme, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Rock Rose and Milkwort are frequent. The Rock Rose supports one of the largest colonies of the Northern Brown, or Durham, Argus butterfly, which is on the wing in June and July. Bishop Middleham Quarry has excellent populations of a number of more common butterfly species.
In the photograph below, several people are walking on the level area, and you can see the steps going down to the quarry floor. The entrance is at the top left.
From the first grassland, steps descend to the floor of the quarry, where there are bare rocky areas and vegetation is sparser. This is the main area for Dark Red Helleborine, and also has many Fragrant Orchids and a few small plants of Dropwort. Rocky areas at the northern end of the quarry support ferns such as Male Fern, Hart’s Tongue, Maidenhair Spleenwort and Black Spleenwort.
The eastern side of the quarry has a mixture of very bare and well vegetated habitats. The very bare areas, with a thin gravelly soil, are the best places to find tiny plants of Moonwort. The more vegetated areas have Pale St John’s Wort, Pyramidal Orchid and Northern Marsh Orchid.
The southern end of the reserve has dense scrub and developing woodland growing on the original and more fertile spoil from the quarry. An area of willow scrub has Tea Leaved and Dark Leaved Willows.
The reserve cannot easily be grazed to maintain the grassland, so the Wildlife Trust puts in a lot of effort to prevent the spread of scrub into the richer areas of grassland and to prevent the grasslands becoming too coarse. The Dark Red Helleborines and the Durham Argus butterfly are monitored each year.
This account is based on 1400 botanical records for the reserve, including an intensive survey in 2011. Further information can be obtained from the Natural England and Durham Wildlife Trust websites, and from a booklet “MAGical Meadows” available from the Wildlife Trust.
Species The nationally rare and scarce species and the species which are rare in the county are described in detail. All of the species recorded for the reserve are listed at the end of this account.
Dark Red Helleborine Epipactis atrorubens Nationally Scarce The number of flowering spikes varies from year to year, but is usually several thousand, which is the great majority of the national population. This orchid reproduces by abundant seed. It is easily found here, mainly at the northern and western parts of the quarry in thin soils and rock ledges. Strangely, it was first recorded in County Durham in 1911, when it may have been a recent arrival. Smaller numbers can be seen at Raisby SSSI and Thrislington NNR.
Blue Moor Grass Sesleria caerulea Nationally Scarce The headquarters of this grass are on the North Pennine limestones, but it is also characteristic of the magnesian limestone. It can be found on almost all of the inland magnesian limestone sites, and at some coastal grasslands.
It is abundant at Bishop Middleham Quarry, often dominant in level grassland and on rock ledges and faces. It flowers early in the year and the stems lengthen as the seeds ripen.
Pale St John's Wort Hypericum montanum Near Threatened
This perennial is at the northern edge of its British range here in County Durham. It is most frequent on the south-facing open woodland slopes at Castle Eden Dene NNR and Hawthorn Dene SSSI. Here at Bishop Middleham Quarry it favours the edges of scrub and rough grassland in the middle of the reserve.
Dropwort Filipendula vulgare Another flower at the northern edge of its range, Dropwort is a “County Scarce” species. There are only a handful of plants at Bishop Middleham, growing in thin soils, and not flowering every year. They can be found in the centre of the quarry and also in the north east corner.
Though it’s a southern species, its county HQ is at the northern tip of the magnesian limestone, at Cleadon Hills.
Moonwort Botrychium lunaria The thinnest, gravelly soils at Bishop Middleham support several hundred tiny plants of this curious fern. It isn’t a nationally or county rarity, it is included here because Bishop Middleham is one of its best county sites.
Purple Milk-vetch Astragalus danicus Frog Orchid Dactylorhiza viridis Endangered Vulnerable This flower was formerly frequent on the This orchid has not been recorded at inland magnesian limestone and at the Bishop Middleham since 1972. It has coast, but it has declined very sharply and declined both nationally and locally, but is has almost gone from the inland sites. The still present at several nearby reserves, so last record from Bishop Middleham was in it could re-appear here. 1963. The reasons for the decline are unclear, as the habitat looks to be Other orchids still present at Bishop suitable. Middleham include Twayblade, Pyramidal, Bee, Fragrant, Common Spotted, Northern Marsh and a range of Common Perennial Flax Linum perenne Spotted/Northern Marsh hybrids. Nationally Scarce Not seen here since 1963, this plant must be extinct here, as its blue flowers would be hard to miss. The main county populations are at Thrislington NNR, just one kilometre to the west, and at Harton Downhill SSSI, near South Shields.
Clockwise from top left-
The quarry floor Blue Moor Grass Fragrant Orchid Milkwort Black Spleenwort
Clockwise from top left-
Northern Marsh Orchid Common Blue Butterflies Autumn Gentian Seed pods of Dark Red Helleborine
Significant species are highlighted in green, and have a “most recent date”.
Scientific name English name Most recent Acaena anserinifolia Bronze Pirri-pirri-bur 1970 Acaena novae-zelandiae Pirri-pirri-bur 1959 Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore Achillea millefolium Yarrow Achillea ptarmica Sneezewort Aegopodium podagraria Ground-elder Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimony Agrimonia procera Fragrant Agrimony 1998 Agrostis canina Velvet Bent Agrostis capillaris Common Bent Agrostis stolonifera Creeping Bent Anacamptis pyramidalis Pyramidal Orchid 2011 Anagallis arvensis Scarlet Pimpernel Anchusa arvensis Bugloss 1970 Anisantha sterilis Barren Brome Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley Anthyllis vulneraria Kidney Vetch Aphanes arvensis Parsley-piert Arabis hirsuta Hairy Rock-cress Arctium minus Lesser Burdock Arenaria serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Sandwort Arrhenatherum elatius False Oat-Grass Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum Black Spleenwort 2011 Asplenium ruta-muraria Wall-rue Asplenium trichomanes quadrivalens Maidenhair Spleenwort Astragalus danicus Purple Milk-vetch 1963 Avena fatua Wild-oat Ballota nigra Black Horehound Bellis perennis Daisy Betula pendula Silver Birch Blackstonia perfoliata Yellow-wort Botrychium lunaria Moonwort 2011 Brachypodium pinnatum Heath False-brome Brachypodium sylvaticum False-brome Briza media Quaking-grass Bromopsis erecta Upright Brome Bromopsis ramosa Hairy-brome Calystegia sepium Hedge Bindweed Calystegia silvatica Large Bindweed Campanula rotundifolia Harebell Carex caryophyllea Spring-sedge 1968 Carex flacca Glaucous Sedge Carex nigra Common Sedge Carex panicea Carnation Sedge Carex rostrata Bottle Sedge Significant species are highlighted in green, and have a “most recent date”.
Scientific name English name Most recent Carlina vulgaris Carline Thistle Catapodium rigidum Fern-grass Centaurea cyanus Cornflower 1988 Centaurea montana Perennial Cornflower 1991 Centaurea nigra Common Knapweed Centaurea scabiosa Greater Knapweed Centaurium erythraea Common Centaury Centranthus ruber Red Valerian Cerastium fontanum Common Mouse-ear Chaerophyllum temulum Rough Chervil Chamerion angustifolium Rosebay Willowherb Chenopodium album agg. Chenopodium bonus-henricus Good -King-Henry 1970 Circaea lutetiana Enchanter's-nightshade Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle Cirsium heterophyllum Melancholy Thistle 1972 Cirsium vulgare Spear Thistle Clinopodium vulgare Wild Basil 1981 Coenonympha pamphilus Small Heath Corylus avellana Hazel Cotoneaster frigidus Tree Cotoneaster Cotoneaster simonsii Himalayan Cotoneaster Cotoneaster sp. Cotoneaster Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Crepis vesicaria Beaked Hawk's-beard Crepis vesicaria taraxacifolia Beaked Hawk's-beard Cruciata laevipes Crosswort Cytisus scoparius Broom Dactylis glomerata Cock's-foot Dactylorhiza fuchsii Common Spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. pulchella Early Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza purpurella Northern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza viride Frog Orchid 1980 Dactylorhiza x venusta D. fuchsii x purpurella Dactylorhiza x viridella Dactylorhiza viride x D purpurella 1954 Danthonia decumbens Heath-grass Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted Hair-grass Dryopteris affinis Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris borreri Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas Male-fern Echinops sphaerocephalus Glandular Globe-thistle Elytrigia repens Common Couch Epilobium hirsutum Great Willowherb Epilobium montanum Broad-leaved Willowherb Epipactis atrorubens Dark-red Helleborine 2011 Equisetum arvense Field Horsetail Erigeron acer Blue Fleabane Euphrasia nemorosa Eyebright Significant species are highlighted in green, and have a “most recent date”.
Scientific name English name Most recent Euphrasia officinalis agg. Eyebright Fallopia japonica Japanese Knotweed Festuca longifolia Blue Fescue 1980 Festuca ovina Sheep's-fescue Festuca rubra Red Fescue Filipendula vulgaris Dropwort 2009 Fragaria vesca Wild Strawberry Fraxinus excelsior Ash Galanthus nivalis Snowdrop Galium aparine Cleavers Galium verum Lady's Bedstraw Gentianella amarella Autumn Gentian Geranium endressii French Crane's-bill Geranium pratense Meadow Crane's-bill Geranium robertianum Herb-Robert Geranium sanguineum Bloody Crane's-bill Geranium sylvaticum Wood Crane's-bill Geum rivale Water Avens Geum urbanum Wood Avens Glechoma hederacea Ground-ivy Gymnadenia conopsea Fragrant Orchid Hedera helix Common Ivy Helianthemum nummularium Common Rock-rose Helictotrichon pratense Meadow Oat-grass Helictotrichon pubescens Downy Oat-grass Heracleum sphondylium Hogweed Hesperis matronalis Dame's-violet Hieracium agg. Hawkweed Hieracium anglicum Hawkweed Hieracium exotericum Hawkweed 1972 Hieracium grandidens Hawkweed 1982 Hieracium sublepistoides Hawkweed 1975 Hieracium umbellatum Hawkweed Hieracium vagum Hawkweed 1978 Hieracium vulgatum Hawkweed 1981 Holcus lanatus Yorkshire-fog Humulus lupulus Hop Hyacinthoides hispanica Spanish Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bluebell Hypericum maculatum Imperforate St John's-wort Hypericum maculatum obtusiusculum Imperforate St John's-wort Hypericum montanum Pale St John's-wort 2011 Hypericum perforatum Perforate St John's-wort Hypericum pulchrum Slender St John's-wort Hypericum x desetangsii H. maculatum x perforatum Hypochaeris radicata Cat's-ear Ilex aquifolium Holly Impatiens glandulifera Indian Balsam Significant species are highlighted in green, and have a “most recent date”.
Scientific name English name Most recent Knautia arvensis Field Scabious Koeleria macrantha Crested Hair-grass Lamium album White Dead-nettle Lapsana communis Nipplewort Lathyrus pratensis Meadow Vetchling Leontodon autumnalis Autumn Hawkbit Leontodon hispidus Rough Hawkbit Leontodon saxatilis Lesser Hawkbit Leucanthemum vulgare Oxeye Daisy Ligustrum vulgare Wild Privet Linum catharticum Fairy Flax Linum perenne Perennial Flax 1963 Listera ovata Common Twayblade Lolium perenne Perennial Rye-grass Lotus corniculatus Common Bird's-foot-trefoil Luzula campestris Field Wood-rush Lysimachia nummularia Creeping-Jenny Malus sylvestris Crab Apple Malus sylvestris sens. lat. Apple Matricaria discoidea Pineappleweed Medicago lupulina Black Medick Moehringia trinervia Three-nerved Sandwort Myosotis arvensis Field Forget-me-not Myosotis discolor Changing Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica Wood Forget-me-not Ononis repens Common Restharrow Ophrys apifera Bee Orchid 2010 Orchis mascula Early-purple Orchid Papaver rhoeas Common Poppy Pastinaca sativa Wild Parsnip Petasites fragrans Winter Heliotrope Phalaris canariensis Canary-grass Phleum bertolonii Smaller Cat's-tail Phyllitis scolopendrium Hart's-tongue Pilosella officinarum Mouse-ear-hawkweed Pimpinella saxifraga Burnet-saxifrage Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain Plantago major Greater Plantain Plantago maritima Sea Plantain Plantago media Hoary Plantain Poa angustifolia Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass Poa annua Annual Meadow-grass Poa humilis Spreading Meadow-grass Poa pratensis Smooth Meadow-grass Poa trivialis Rough Meadow-grass Polemonium caeruleum Jacob's-ladder Polygala vulgaris Common Milkwort Polygonum aviculare Knotgrass Significant species are highlighted in green, and have a “most recent date”.
Scientific name English name Most recent Potentilla anserina Silverweed Potentilla reptans Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla sterilis Barren Strawberry Primula veris Cowslip Primula vulgaris Primrose Prunella vulgaris Selfheal Prunus domestica Wild Plum Puccinellia distans Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculus ficaria Lesser Celandine Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup Reseda lutea Wild Mignonette Reseda luteola Weld Rhamnus cathartica Buckthorn 1981 Rhinanthus minor Yellow-rattle Ribes alpinum Mountain Currant Ribes uva-crispa Gooseberry Rosa canina Dog-rose Rosa mollis Soft Downy-rose Rosa x dumalis Rosa caesia x canina Rubus anisacanthos Bramble Rubus caesius Dewberry Rubus eboracensis Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. Bramble Rubus idaeus Raspberry Rumex acetosa Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa acetosa Common Sorrel Rumex crispus Curled Dock Rumex obtusifolius Broad-leaved Dock Rumex sanguineus Wood Dock Rumex x pratensis R. crispus x obtusifolius Sagina nodosa Knotted Pearlwort Salix caprea Goat Willow Salix cinerea Grey Willow Salix myrsinifolia Dark-leaved Willow 1970 Salix purpurea Purple Willow Salix x reichardtii S. caprea x cinerea 1952 Salix x sericans S. caprea x viminalis 1978 Sambucus nigra Elder Sanguisorba minor Salad Burnet Sanguisorba officinalis Great Burnet Sanicula europaea Sanicle Scabiosa columbaria Small Scabious Senecio erucifolius Hoary Ragwort Senecio jacobaea Common Ragwort Sesleria caerulea Blue Moor-grass 2011 Silene vulgaris Bladder Campion Significant species are highlighted in green, and have a “most recent date”.
Scientific name English name Most recent Silene vulgaris vulgaris Bladder Campion Solanum dulcamara Bittersweet Solanum tuberosum Potato Solidago canadensis Canadian Goldenrod Solidago gigantea Early Goldenrod Sonchus asper Prickly Sow-thistle Sonchus oleraceus Smooth Sow-thistle Sorbus aria Common Whitebeam Stachys officinalis Betony Stachys sylvatica Hedge Woundwort Stellaria media Common Chickweed Succisa pratensis Devil's-bit Scabious Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry Symphytum officinale Common Comfrey Syringa vulgaris Lilac Taraxacum agg. Dandelion Taraxacum proximiforme Dandelion 1966 Thalictrum minus Lesser Meadow-rue Thymus polytrichus Wild Thyme Thymus polytrichus britannicus Wild Thyme Torilis japonica Upright Hedge-parsley Trifolium campestre Hop Trefoil Trifolium dubium Lesser Trefoil Trifolium medium Zigzag Clover Trifolium pratense Red Clover Trifolium repens White Clover Trisetum flavescens Yellow Oat-grass Tussilago farfara Colt's-foot Ulex europaeus Gorse Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Ulmus minor minor Small-leaved Elm Urtica dioica Common Nettle Veronica chamaedrys Germander Speedwell Veronica hederifolia Ivy-leaved Speedwell Veronica officinalis Heath Speedwell Viburnum opulus Guelder-rose Vicia cracca Tufted Vetch Vicia sativa Common Vetch Vicia sepium Bush Vetch Viola hirta Hairy Violet Viola hirta calcarea Hairy Violet 1968 Viola odorata Sweet Violet Viola riviniana Common Dog-violet