Hartlebury Common
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Hartlebury Common
LocationHereford And Worcester
Grid referenceSO 824707
InterestBiological/Geological
Area90.2 ha
Notification1955, 1986
Natural England website

Hartlebury Common is an area of lowland heath in north Worcestershire, England, situated just outside the town of Stourport-on-Severn. Hartlebury Common and Hillditch Coppice are a biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which covers an area of 90.2 hectares (229 acres). [1][2][3] The common supports many varieties of wild plants and insects, especially butterflies and moths.[4] Hartlebury Common and Hillditch Pool are a Local Nature Reserve.[5][6]

The common is easily accessed from several small car parks and popular with horse riders, walkers, joggers and naturalists. There are waymarked trails for walkers and horse riders such as the heather trail and horse route.[7]

Location

The site lies on southeast edge of Stourport-on-Severn.[1] It can be accessed is via the Wilden Top car park on the B1495 Stourport to Hartlebury Road, the Lower Poollands car park off Titton Lane and three car parks on the A4025 Stourport to Worcester Road.[7]

Toponymy

The name Hartlebury is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Heoertlabyrig meaning "Hill of the Deer".[8]

Geology

Hartlebury Common lies on Quaternary wind-blown sand[9] which covers two river terraces of the River Severn overlying Bunter and Keuper Sandstone.[2] It is situated within the Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark which was launched in 2004.[10] Falling within the counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Shropshire and Worcestershire the Geopark covers 3,240 km2 (1,250 square miles). The geological and geomorphological significance of the area has been recognised for many years with 13 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and 179 Local Geological Sites (LGS) present.[11] The Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark is one of only seven geoparks in the UK.[12]

Archaeology

Hartlebury Common supports a range of archaeological remains including stone revetted banks, historic trackways (or 'holloways'), post-medieval quarries and pools that contain paleoenvironmental deposits and the site of a 19th-century rifle range.[13] There is also evidence of a large circular embanked enclosure on the common which may have been a signalling post, hunting lodge, small ringwork castle or religious site. Mesolithic and Neolithic artefacts have also been found at the site.[8][14]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 "Hartlebury Common". The Ramblers Association. Archived from the original on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
  2. 1 2 "Hartlebury Common And Hillditch Coppice citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Map of Hartlebury Common And Hillditch Coppice". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Hartlebury Common Local Nature Reserve". Visit Worcestershire. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Hartlebury Common/Hillditch Pool". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Map of Hartlebury Common/Hillditch Pool". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Hartlebury Common". Worcestershire County Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Hartlebury - hill of the deer". Kidderminster Shuttle. Newsquest. 2 August 2006. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "The Geopark Way « Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark". Natural England. 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  10. ↑ "Geopark launch to encourage greater awareness of heritage". Malvern Gazette. Newsquest. 19 March 2004. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  11. ↑ "Geopark Background". Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  12. ↑ "Geopark Way is officially open to walkers". Malvern Gazette. Newsquest. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  13. ↑ "Implementation Plan for Hartlebury" (PDF). Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  14. ↑ "Heritage Gateway". Retrieved 16 December 2012.

Further reading

  • Alma, P J; Tucker, J J; Zaluckyj, S (1986) Hartlebury Common: A Social and Natural History Hereford and Worcester County Council

52°20′12″N 2°15′35″W / 52.336703°N 2.259836°W / 52.336703; -2.259836

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