Physical

Habitats & communities

Flora

Fauna

Past land usage

The quarry is surrounded by large hedgerows, and is therefore virtually invisible from the surrounding countryside. Quarrying of part of the site probably began in the 19th Century and ended in the 1970s. Some areas of the quarry have been extensively mined, leaving spoil in mounds. The northern edge of the quarry had buildings associated with the quarrying, and the remains of these form the ground layer over much of the area. The soil varies from large limestone slabs through to fine sand, areas of scree and remains of old buildings. Soil is slowly developing but remains very thin in places. There is considerable erosion of soil in areas where cyclists have used the quarry for recreation and along footpaths. However, these bare areas provide important habitats for animals such as green tiger beetles (Cicindela campestris) – the Wildlife Trust plans to preserve the barren landscape in selected areas to preserve the habitat for these and other species.

The north western area of the quarry is dominated by hawthorn scrub, some well developed, but with occasional patches of open grassland and much dog rose (Rosa canina) and bramble (Rubus spp). There is also some maturing oak (Quercus robor) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) woodland.

Further east, along the northern edge, down a slope from the track, there are the varied remains of quarrying infrastructure, with open rubble ranging from heating bricks to scree. On the far eastern edge of this strip the final slope has well developed limestone grassland species, including basil thyme (Clinopodium acrinos), and marjoram (Origanum vulgare), which are very attractive to butterflies, and other insects.

The eastern edge of the quarry rises up to the boundary with the adjacent quarry (also referred to as Old Sulehay Quarry). Here there are varied scrub types, with hawthorn, spindle (Euonymus europeaus) and dog rose (Rosa canina) scrub extending from partial hedgerow along the edge, but with large areas of birch (Betula pendula and pubsecens) scrub, in places forming dense stands with very little undergrowth.

The south eastern corner of the quarry, and much of the southern edge, is scrubbed over, again mainly by hawthorn, grading into the open grassland of the central quarry.

The south western corner is more open. There is the remains of a concrete revetment, and a section of scree ('clinker') running down the slope from the road to the west. Just north of the revetment is a seasonal pond, extending under well developed osier (Salix viminalis) scrub.

The central area of the quarry is generally more open with good quantities of St. John’s-wort (Hypericum spp) and hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum officinale).There are sections of bare sand and rock, and occasional small standing outcrops, with some more developed limestone grassland. The stony areas are dominated by drought tolerant plants such as biting stonecrop (Sedum acre), with varying numbers of bee orchids (Orchis apifera).

On areas which have been disturbed less recently, autumn gentian (Gentianella amarella) and viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) occur, as do common cudweed (Filago germanica) and small flowered buttercup (Ranunculus parviflorus). Tor grass (Brachypodium pinnatum) communities are developing in small areas.

On the open, fractured surfaces of the hillocks on the eastern and northern sides of the quarry there are extensive areas of wild clematis (Clematis vitalba) scrub developing. Towards the south there are deeper soils with elder scrub (Sambucus nigra).

The open sand and rock, short turf and the bare earth within the vegetation, together with the varied topography, provide an ideal range of microhabitats for diverse invertebrate communities.

The flora is very rich and new species are regularly found. The quarry is a sanctuary for many species once common in the surrounding countryside and now destroyed by herbicides.

Great crested newts (Triturus cristatus) occur in the quarry pools and probably wander onto the site.

The breeding birds were surveyed in 2002 and include bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), song thrush (Turdus philomelos) and good numbers of blackbirds (Turdus merula). Five species of warblers breed in the scrub: lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca), common whitethroat (Sylvia communis), blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), garden warbler (Sylvia borin), willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) and chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita).

Under the previous ownership, signs were erected on the quarry site stating that it was a conservation area and inviting the public to use the site for recreation. In 1991, the quarry was designated a County Wildlife Site.