Districts:
Cherwell Parishes
Arncott
The following wildlife habitats fall within this parish. They are listed according to their associated landscape type or local character area.
If you want more information about any of the sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) listed below, take a look at English Nature's Nature on the Map website. It may also be possible to find out a bit more about the unnamed wildlife habitats in the parish by contacting the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (owls@oxfordshire.gov.uk) and quoting the site code next to the habitat description.
The majority of these wildlife habitats are on private land and access to them is not possible without permission of the landowner, unless there is a statutory right of way. However, many wildlife habitats in the county are open to the public. More information on these can be obtained from the Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum.
Wildlife Habitats
Alluvial Lowlands
Site Code: 61E08
Area: 11.7 ha
This field of wet pasture is used for cattle grazing. The field has not been agriculturally improved through the use of fertilizers or herbicides or through ploughing and reseeding. Meadows such as this are a nature conservation priority in the UK. This field lies next to another County Wildlife Site which together form a much larger continuous area of this habitat. The field has a distinct ridge and furrow pattern which is a sign of medieval ploughing.
Typically for pasture fields wildflowers are not as abundant as hay cut meadows. Great burnet, pepper saxifrage, ragged robin and cuckooflower are present. The wet furrows have rushes and sedge and there are grass tussocks across the field. This type of wet tussocky grassland can provide good habitat for birds such as snipe in the winter and good numbers have been seen in recent years.
Site Code: 61E07
Area: 7 ha
This wet pasture is used for cattle grazing. No fertilizers or herbicides have been applied and such grassland is described as unimproved. Lowland meadows such as this are a nature conservation priority in the UK. This field lies next to another County Wildlife Site which together form a much larger continuous area of this habitat.
Typically for pasture fields wildflowers are not as abundant as hay cut meadows. Great burnet, betony, dropwort and devil’s-bit scabious are present. There are a many small sedges and areas of rushes amongst tussocky grasses. This type of wet tussocky grassland can provide good habitat for birds such as snipe in the winter.
Wooded Estatelands
Site Code: 61H02
This site is ancient woodland which means that it has been continuously wooded since at least 1600AD. It has the typical composition of old woodland with a canopy of oak trees and a shrub layer with hazel coppice*. There is also an area with birch trees and a specimen of the uncommon wild service tree. On the ground there is variety of wildflowers including patches of bluebells and much dog’s mercury. Woodland of this type is a national priority for nature conservation.
Other woodland wildflowers found here include primrose, ransoms (wild garlic), and sanicle. The wood is quite wet and wetland wildflowers such as ragged robin and meadowsweet are present.
*Coppicing is a traditional form of management where small multi-stemmed trees and shrubs are cut down to the ground at regular intervals producing a harvest of small branches.
Wooded Hills
Site Code: 61D03
Area: 5.9ha
This hilltop wood is ancient woodland which means that it has been continuously wooded for at least 400 years. There are remnants of old broadleaved woodland here and this habitat is a national priority for nature conservation.
At some time in the past the trees have been removed and there is now only a sparse canopy of young oak and ash trees. The hawthorn and blackthorn shrub layer has developed into areas of dense scrub. A variety of woodland wildflowers are present including wood anemone, primrose, common spotted orchid and barren strawberry. Birds seen and heard here include woodpeckers, willow tits and cuckoo.