Local Wildlife Site

Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation

Chipstead chalk pasture
Borough: Croydon
Grade: Borough Grade I
Access: Access on public footpaths only
Area: 18.56 ha

Description

This site comprises three pasture fields and a portion of chalk grassland beside the London to Brighton Railway. It also includes a more wooded area close to the A23, previously with housing on it.

Wildlife

Parts of the pasture have an impressive array of chalk-soil species, including wild basil, wild marjoram, field and small scabious, and hairy St John's-wort. There is also a large and important colony of the rare eyebright. Close to the A23 is an area that appears to be old gardens; here there is a small area of rabbit grazed turf, and in addition to the species above, there are also centaury, yellow wort, autumn gentian and burnet-saxifrage. The lower section by the railway is quite wooded with oak, ash, silver birch, hawthorn, dogwood and wayfaring tree.

Facilities

No information available
Chalk eyebright © Mike Waite

Chalk eyebright © Mike Waite

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More information on GiGL’s SINC dataset can be found here.

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