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Vale of White Horse Parishes

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Cherwell

South Oxfordshire

Vale of White Horse

West Oxfordshire

Districts - Landscape Types

Denchworth

This map highlights the landscape types within the parish you selected, and its associated local character areas. You can click on any area of the map for a description of its landscape character and biodiversity. Please note that local character areas can cover large areas of the countryside, and may include several parishes, so the description may not be specific to this parish. If there are any wildlife habitats within the parish their descriptions can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this page.

Denchworth Image Map

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

Clay Vale

Site Code: 39R02/2

Area: 6.7ha

This wet hay meadow has largely escaped agricultural improvement through the use of herbicides and fertilizers or through ploughing and reseeding. Consequently there is a rich varied flora and the meadow provides good habitat for birds. This type of meadow is a national priority for nature conservation. The meadow has ridges and furrows which are a sign of medieval ploughing. These are an important historical landscape feature.

The meadow has long been used by wading birds which require wet grassland habitat. Curlew has nested here recently and there are older records for redshank and lapwing. The loss of suitable habitat means that these birds are classed as being of conservation concern due to the decline in their UK populations, especially in lowland England. Barn owls have been seen hunting over this meadow. Wildflowers found in the meadow include yellow rattle, pignut, the unusual and uncommon grass vetchling as well as the more common and colourful oxeye daisy and knapweed. Butterflies seen here include common blue and small copper.