Parsonage Down () is a 188.6

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...

biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire, England, notified in 1971. It lies about west of

Amesbury Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...

, in Winterbourne Stoke parish.

Description

The site is a national nature reserve in recognition of its importance as part of the

Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in the south western part of central southern England covering . It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies wi ...

landscape and calcareous grassland it supports. Parsonage Down and Cherry Lodge Farm together form the only farm directly managed by Natural England. The farm is run for the benefit of wildlife and conservation within the SSSI and NNR, and is home to the oldest registered herd of

English Longhorn The Longhorn or British Longhorn is a British breed of beef cattle characterised by long curving horns. It originated in northern England, in the counties of Lancashire, Westmorland and Yorkshire, and later spread to the English Midlands and to ...

cattle in the United Kingdom. Following the introduction of the

Countryside and Rights of Way Act The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (c. 37), known informally as the CRoW Act or "Right to Roam" Act is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament affecting England and Wales which came into force on 30 November 2000. Right to roam The Act imp ...

, the whole of the site was designated "access land" and is, therefore, open to public access.

Biological interest

The site has the largest population of

burnt orchid ''Neotinea ustulata'' (syn. ''Orchis ustula''), the burnt orchid or burnt-tip orchid, is a European terrestrial orchid native to mountains in central and southern Europe, growing at up to elevation. The plant is considered Endangered in Great Br ...

(''Neotinea ustulata'') in northwest Europe.Harrap, Anne and Simon (2005) ''Orchids of Britain and Ireland - a field and site guide''

Sources

Natural England citation sheet for the site
(accessed 11 April 2022)

References

External links

Natural England website
(SSSI information)
Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1971 {{Wiltshire-geo-stub