__NOTOC__ Arcot Hall Grasslands and Ponds is the name given to a

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

(SSSI) near Cramlington in Northumberland, England, notable as the largest lowland species-rich grassland in

North East England North East England is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. The region has three current administrative levels below the region level in the region; combined authority, unitary authorit ...

. The site is composed of grassland, heath, ponds, and associated damp habitats now rare in Northumberland.

Origin of the name

Arcot Hall got its name from Arcot, Tamil Nadu, India. The land's original owner Robert Storey was physician to the Nabob of Arcot, and was involved in the

Battle of Arcot The Siege of Arcot (23 September – 14 November 1751) took place at Arcot, India between forces of the British East India Company led by Robert Clive allied with Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah and forces of Nawab of the Carnatic, Chanda Sahib, ...

. Storey's estate sold the land in Cramlington on to George Shum, who built Arcot Hall. The grasslands and ponds lie adjacent to a golf club.

Location and natural features

Arcot Hall Grasslands and Ponds is located in the north-east of England on of land situated to the south-east of the town of Cramlington. The A1068 at its south-east extent forms an easterly boundary for the area of the site, and the A19 at its north-east extent forms the southern boundary. The site is at about above sea level, within a relatively flat terrain of farmland with encroaching residential and industrial areas - notably the development of Cramington new town from 1958 onwards. The site covers a spectrum of habitats running from an inundated pond area, through wet and dry grassland and heath, to woodland. It is considered to be of regional importance for its invertebrate population, including 33 species of water-beetle. The site also provides a habitat for nationally rare Least Minor moth, ''

Photedes captiuncula ''Photedes captiuncula'', the least minor, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe, in Turkey, Armenia, Russia and much of temperate Asia (western Siberia, Altai mountains, Central Asia and Amur). Technical description an ...

''. The wet areas of the site are relatively new, arising out of upwelling water from circa 1966 onwards, and so exhibit early stages of vegetative colonisation.

Vegetation

The grassland sections of the site are colonised by adder's-tongue '' Ophioglossum vulgatum'' and dyer's greenweed ''

Genista tinctoria ''Genista tinctoria'', the dyer's greenweed or dyer's broom, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. Its other common names include dyer's whin, waxen woad and waxen wood. The Latin specific epithet ''tinctoria'' means "used as a ...

'', both uncommon in Northumberland, as well as yellow rattle '' Rhinanthus minor'', common knapweed ''

Centaurea nigra ''Centaurea nigra'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names lesser knapweed, common knapweed and black knapweed. A local vernacular name is hardheads. It is native to Europe but it is known on other ...

'', common milkwort '' Polygala vulgaris'', cat's-ear ''

Hypochaeris radicata ''Hypochaeris radicata'' (sometimes spelled ''Hypochoeris radicata'') – also known as catsear, flatweed, cat's-ear, hairy cat's ear, or false dandelion – is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Eu ...

'', eyebright '' Euphrasia officinalis'', and common spotted and lesser butterfly orchida '' Dactylorhiza fuchsii'' and '' Platanthera bifolia''. Acid grassland on the site is a habitat for mat-grass '' Nardus stricta'', tormentil '' Potentilla erecta'', heath-grass '' Danthonia decumbens'', devil's-bit scabious ''

Succisa pratensis ''Succisa pratensis'', also known as devil's-bit or devil's-bit scabious, is a flowering plant in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. It differs from other similar species in that it has four-lobed flowers, whereas small scabious and field s ...

'' and betony ''

Stachys officinalis ''Betonica officinalis'' ( syn. ''Stachys officinalis''), commonly known as common hedgenettle, betony, purple betony, wood betony, bishopwort, or bishop's wort, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, wes ...

'', as well as, in wetter areas, glaucous sedge ''

Carex flacca ''Carex flacca'', with common names blue sedge, gray carex, glaucous sedge, or carnation-grass, (syn. ''Carex glauca''), is a species of sedge native to parts of Europe and North Africa.

'' and pepper-saxifrage '' Silaum silaus''. Heathland on the site is dominated by heather ''

Calluna vulgaris ''Calluna vulgaris'', common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus ''Calluna'' in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found wid ...

''. Scrub areas are composed of birch, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, gorse '' Ulex europaeus'', blackthorn '' Prunus spinosa'' bramble '' Rubus fruticosus'' and creeping soft-grass ''

Holcus mollis ''Holcus mollis'', known as creeping soft grass or creeping velvet grass, is a species of grass, native to Europe and western Asia. Description ''Holcus mollis'' is a rhizomatous perennial grass found in woods and hedgerows, growing to tall. ...

''. Wetter areas of the site are dominated by soft rush '' Juncus effusus'', and stable wet areas exhibit Sphagnum moss. Other areas have sharp-flowered rush ''

Juncus acutiflorus ''Juncus acutiflorus'', also called sharp-flowered rush, is a rush or a grassy plant of the genus ''Juncus''. As the name suggests, the plant has notable sharp-looking flowers, flowering between July and September. Description The plant has leav ...

'' and herbs such as water mint '' Mentha aquatica'' and sneezewort ''

Achillea ptarmica ''Achillea ptarmica'' is a European species of herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the genus ''Achillea'' of the daisy family Asteraceae. Common names include the sneezewort, sneezeweed, bastard pellitory, European pellitory, fair-maid-o ...

''. The bulrush '' Typha latifolia'', floating sweet-grass '' Glyceria fluitans'' and common spike-rush '' Eleocharis palustris'' are also found.

Condition

The site is divided into three units for SSSI management purposes; all were rated "unfavourable - recovering" in 2011. The condition threat risk for two of the units is rated as high.

References

External links