__NOTOC__ This is a list of the

Sites 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 ...

(SSSIs) in the former county of Avon, England, United Kingdom. In England the body responsible for designating SSSIs is

Natural England Natural England is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, ...

, which chooses a site because of its

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is '' flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. ...

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. ...

geological Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other E ...

or physiographical features. Although the county of Avon no longer exists, Natural England still uses its former borders to mark one of its Areas of Search. As of 2006, there are 86 sites designated in this

Area of Search The following is a list of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by area of search, in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are areas of conservation, consisting of protected areas, recognised for their biological or geological significance. In Northe ...

, of which 38 have been designated due to their biological interest, 39 due to their geological interest, and 9 for both. Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from

English Nature English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006. It was a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Environmen ...

in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the

Countryside Agency The Countryside Agency was a statutory body set up in England in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. The agency was dissolved in 2006 and its functions dispersed among other bod ...

and the

Rural Development Service The Rural Development Service (RDS) was formerly part of the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It ceased to exist on 1 October 2006 following the creation of Natural England. History The RDS was crea ...

. The English counties were revised under the 1974 reorganisation of local government. Until the 2010s,

, which maintains the database of English SSSIs, kept the listing of counties as it was in 1974, but by 2015 they had updated their lists to reflect some later changes. However, even though Avon was abolished in 1996 it is still used as an area of search by Natural England, rather than being divided between the

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of ...

and

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...

lists. The data in the table is taken from English Nature in the form of citation sheets for each SSSI.''English Nature'' citation sheets for each SSSI (

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

files). Retrieved on 2006-08-05. For other counties, see

List of SSSIs by Area of Search The following is a list of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by area of search, in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are areas of conservation, consisting of protected areas, recognised for their biological or geological significance. In Norther ...

Sites

, - ,

Barns Batch Spinney Barns Batch Spinney () is a 0.06-hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Dundry, North Somerset, notified in 1987. The English Nature citation says that Barns Batch Spinney is important because of the exposure ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.1 , align="right" , 0.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1987 , align="center" , , - ,

Bickley Wood Bickley Wood () is a 9.5 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest just north of River Avon, near the village of Longwell Green, Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 9.5 , align="right" , 23.5 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1988 , align="center" , , - ,

Biddle Street, Yatton Biddle Street, Yatton () is a 44.8 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near the village of Yatton in North Somerset, notified in 1994. Management practices and the variation in the soils has resulted in the watercourses ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 44.8 , align="right" , 110.7 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1994 , align="center" , , - ,

Bishop's Hill Wood Bishop's Hill Wood () is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in England. It lies just to the east of the village of Wickwar, South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial coun ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 30.6 , align="right" , 75.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1984 , align="center" , , - ,

Blagdon Lake Blagdon Lake lies in a valley at the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, close to the village of Blagdon and approximately south of Bristol, England. The lake was created by Bristol Water (Bristol Waterworks Company as it was known then), whe ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 212.7 , align="right" , 525.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1971 , align="center" , , - ,

Bleadon Hill Bleadon Hill () is a 13.52 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest just north of the village of Bleadon, North Somerset, notified in 1999. The site is a Geological Conservation Review site, as it shows a low ridge of calcite-cem ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 13.5 , align="right" , 33.4 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1999 , align="center" , , - ,

Bodkin Hazel Wood Bodkin Hazel Wood () is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), just south of the village of Hawkesbury Upton in South Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. Biological interest The site has a diverse ground flora. In addition to ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 10.6 , align="right" , 26.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1974 , align="center" , , - , Bourne , , align="center" , , align="right" , 8.5 , align="right" , 20.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1992 , align="center" , , - ,

Bowlditch Quarry Bowlditch Quarry () is a 0.25 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Clandown, Bath and North East Somerset, notified in 1952. The site provides a remarkable attenuated and broken succession stretching from ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.3 , align="right" , 0.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - ,

Brinkmarsh Quarry Brinkmarsh Quarry () is a 0.5 hectare geological 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 Irela ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.5 , align="right" , 1.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1974 , align="center" , , - , Brockley Hall Stables , align="center" , , , align="right" , 0.1 , align="right" , 0.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1987 , align="center" , , - ,

Brown's Folly Brown's Folly or Brown's Folly () is a folly tower sitting within a 39.9 hectare biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near the village of Bathford in Somerset, notified in 1974: the site itself is known as the F ...

, align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 39.9 , align="right" , 98.5 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1974 , align="center" , , - , Buckover Road Cutting , , align="center" , , align="right" , 1.7 , align="right" , 4.1 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1967 , align="center" , , - , Burledge Sidelands and Meadows , align="center" , , , align="right" , 48.7 , align="right" , 120.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 2005 , align="center" , , - ,

Burrington Combe Burrington Combe is a Carboniferous Limestone gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in North Somerset, England. "Combe" or "coombe" is a word of Celtic origin found i ...

, align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 139.1 , align="right" , 343.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - , Cattybrook Brickpit , , align="center" , , align="right" , 2.2 , align="right" , 5.5 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1989 , align="center" , , - ,

Chew Valley Lake Chew Valley Lake () is a reservoir in Chew Stoke, Chew Valley, Somerset, England. It is the fifth-largest artificial lake in the United Kingdom, with an area of . The lake, created in the early 1950s, was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956. ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 565.2 , align="right" , 1,396.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1971 , align="center" , , - , Cleaves Wood , align="center" , , , align="right" , 40.4 , align="right" , 99.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1988 , align="center" , , - ,

Cleeve Wood, Hanham Cleeve Wood, Hanham is a () is an 8.9 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in South Gloucestershire, notified in 1966. Cleeve Wood is situated on the steep south facing slopes of the River Avon valley near to the ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 8.9 , align="right" , 21.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1966 , align="center" , , - , Clevedon Shore , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.4 , align="right" , 0.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines , align="center" , , , align="right" , 6.2 , align="right" , 15.4 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Compton Martin Ochre Mine , align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.9 , align="right" , 2.1 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1988 , align="center" , , - ,

Congrove Field and The Tumps Congrove Field and The Tumps is a () is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Lansdown Hill, north of Bath in Bath and North East Somerset, notified in 1991. It is an area of calcareous grassland lying over Oolitic (Jura ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 12.5 , align="right" , 30.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Court Hill , , align="center" , , align="right" , 10.5 , align="right" , 25.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1997 , align="center" , , - , Cullimore's Quarry , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.9 , align="right" , 2.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1974 , align="center" , , - , Damery Road Section , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.5 , align="right" , 1.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1974 , align="center" , , - , Dolebury Warren , align="center" , , , align="right" , 90.6 , align="right" , 223.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - ,

Dundry Main Road South Quarry Dundry Main Road South Quarry () is a 0.7 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of East Dundry, North Somerset, notified in 1974. The quarry was cited in the 19th century by d'Orbigny as the English "type se ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.7 , align="right" , 1.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1974 , align="center" , , - , Ellenborough Park West , align="center" , , , align="right" , 1.8 , align="right" , 4.4 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1989 , align="center" , , - , Folly Farm , align="center" , , , align="right" , 3.1 , align="right" , 7.7 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1987 , align="center" , , - , Goblin Combe , align="center" , , , align="right" , 51.9 , align="right" , 128.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1999 , align="center" , , - ,

Gordano Valley Gordano (or the Gordano Valley; ) is an area of North Somerset, in England. It has been designated as a National Nature Reserve. The name Gordano comes from Old English and is descriptive of the triangular shape of the whole valley from Cleved ...

, align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 161.7 , align="right" , 399.5 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1971 , align="center" , , - , Ham Green , , align="center" , , align="right" , 1.1 , align="right" , 2.7 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Hampton Rocks Cutting , , align="center" , , align="right" , 1.3 , align="right" , 3.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Harptree Combe , align="center" , , , align="right" , 13.1 , align="right" , 32.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1954 , align="center" , , - ,

Hartcliff Rocks Quarry Hartcliff Rocks Quarry () is a 1.6 hectare (3.9 acre) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near Felton, Somerset notified in 1991. According to the citation, the site "provides exposures of Triassic Dolomitic Conglomerate unconformabl ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 1.6 , align="right" , 3.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Hawkesbury Meadow , align="center" , , , align="right" , 3.3 , align="right" , 8.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1987 , align="center" , , - , Hawkesbury Quarry , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.3 , align="right" , 0.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1967 , align="center" , , - , Hinton Charterhouse Field , align="center" , , , align="right" , 0.3 , align="right" , 0.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Hinton Charterhouse Pit , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.4 , align="right" , 1.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1971 , align="center" , , - , Hinton Hill, Wellow , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.3 , align="right" , 0.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1996 , align="center" , , - , Holly Lane , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.5 , align="right" , 1.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - ,

Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton () is an 11 acre (4.45 hectare) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Bristol, England, on the north bank of a lower, tidal stretch of the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, 1.9 miles (3 kilometres) do ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 4.5 , align="right" , 11.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1999 , align="center" , , - , Huish Colliery Quarry , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.8 , align="right" , 2.1 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1985 , align="center" , , - , Iford Manor , align="center" , , , align="right" , 0.4 , align="right" , 1.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1996 , align="center" , , - , Kenn Church, Kenn Pier & Yew Tree Farm , , align="center" , , align="right" , 15.4 , align="right" , 38.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1997 , align="center" , , - ,

Kilmersdon Road Quarry Kilmersdon Road Quarry () is a 0.43 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest between the village of Haydon and the town of Radstock, Bath and North East Somerset, notified in 1954. This is a key Lias locality spanning much of t ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.4 , align="right" , 1.1 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1954 , align="center" , , - , King's Wood and Urchin Wood , align="center" , , , align="right" , 128.1 , align="right" , 316.5 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Long Dole Wood and Meadows , align="center" , , , align="right" , 9.8 , align="right" , 24.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1997 , align="center" , , - , Lower Woods , align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 280.1 , align="right" , 692.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1966 , align="center" , , - ,

Lulsgate Quarry Lulsgate Quarry () is a 2¾ acre (1.13 hectare) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Felton, North Somerset, notified in 1997. The site has an excellent exposure of an irregular unconformity surface lying between ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 1.1 , align="right" , 2.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1997 , align="center" , , - , Max Bog , align="center" , , , align="right" , 10.6 , align="right" , 26.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1988 , align="center" , , - ,

Middle Hope Sand Point in Somerset, England, is the peninsula stretching out from Middle Hope, an biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. It lies to the north of the village of Kewstoke, and the stretch of coastline called Sand Bay ...

, align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 84.1 , align="right" , 207.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - , Midger , align="center" , , , align="right" , 65.7 , align="right" , 162.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1966 , align="center" , , - , Monkswood Valley , align="center" , , , align="right" , 30.7 , align="right" , 75.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Newton St. Loe , , align="center" , , align="right" , 2.3 , align="right" , 5.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1992 , align="center" , , - , Nightingale Valley , , align="center" , , align="right" , 5.4 , align="right" , 13.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1989 , align="center" , , - , North Road Quarry, Bath , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.3 , align="right" , 0.7 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Plaster's Green Meadows , align="center" , , , align="right" , 4.3 , align="right" , 10.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1989 , align="center" , , - , Portishead Pier to Black Nore , , align="center" , , align="right" , 71.8 , align="right" , 177.4 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - , Purn Hill , align="center" , , , align="right" , 6.1 , align="right" , 15.1 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Puxton Moor , align="center" , , , align="right" , 31.1 , align="right" , 76.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1994 , align="center" , , - , Quarry Steps, Durdham Down , , align="center" , , align="right" , <0.1 , align="right" , <0.1 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - ,

Severn Estuary The Severn Estuary ( cy, Aber Hafren) is the estuary of the River Severn, flowing into the Bristol Channel between South West England and South Wales. Its high tidal range, approximately , means that it has been at the centre of discussions in t ...

, align="center" , , align="center" , , align="right" , 15,950.0 , align="right" , 39,410.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1976 , align="center" , , - , Shiplate Slait , align="center" , , , align="right" , 33.9 , align="right" , 83.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1987 , align="center" , , - , Slickstones Quarry, Cromhall , , align="center" , , align="right" , 2.7 , align="right" , 6.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1966 , align="center" , , - , Spring Cove Cliffs , , align="center" , , align="right" , 2.0 , align="right" , 4.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - , St. Catherine's Valley , align="center" , , , align="right" , 156.1 , align="right" , 385.7 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1997 , align="center" , , - ,

Steep Holm Steep Holm ( cy, Ynys Rhonech, ang, Ronech and later ) is an English island lying in the Bristol Channel. The island covers at high tide, expanding to at mean low water. At its highest point it is above mean sea level. Administratively it ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 25.5 , align="right" , 63.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - ,

Stidham Farm Stidham Farm () is a 17.3 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the town of Keynsham, Bath and North East Somerset, notified in 1991. This site contains Pleistocene terrace-gravels of the River Avon. At least of sandy ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 17.3 , align="right" , 42.8 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Tickenham, Nailsea and Kenn Moors , align="center" , , , align="right" , 129.4 , align="right" , 319.7 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1995 , align="center" , , - ,

Tytherington Quarry Tytherington Quarry () is a 0.9 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Tytherington, South Gloucestershire, notified in 1989. The quarry is still working, operated by Hanson Hanson or Hansson may refer to: ...

, , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.9 , align="right" , 2.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1989 , align="center" , , - ,

Uphill Cliff Uphill Cliff () is a 19.8 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Uphill, North Somerset, although it is in the Avon Area of Search used by English Nature which is based on the 1974-1996 county system. The s ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 19.8 , align="right" , 48.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1952 , align="center" , , - , Upton Coombe , align="center" , , , align="right" , 7.4 , align="right" , 18.3 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1989 , align="center" , , - , Walton Common , align="center" , , , align="right" , 25.5 , align="right" , 63.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1991 , align="center" , , - , Weston Big Wood , align="center" , , , align="right" , 37.5 , align="right" , 92.6 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1971 , align="center" , , - , Weston-in-Gordano , , align="center" , , align="right" , 12.6 , align="right" , 31.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1993 , align="center" , , - , Winterbourne Railway Cutting , , align="center" , , align="right" , 2.0 , align="right" , 4.9 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1990 , align="center" , , - , Writhlington , , align="center" , , align="right" , 0.5 , align="right" , 1.2 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1992 , align="center" , , - ,

Yanal Bog Yanal Bog () is a 1.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern edge of the North Somerset Levels, just north of the village of Sandford, North Somerset. It was notified as an SSSI in 1988. Site description Yanal ...

, align="center" , , , align="right" , 1.6 , align="right" , 4.0 , align="center" , , align="center" , 1988 , align="center" ,

Notes

:Data rounded to one decimal place. :Grid reference is based on the

British national grid reference system The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system (OSGB) (also known as British National Grid (BNG)) is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, distinct from latitude and longitude. The Ordnance Survey (OS) devised the ...

, also known as OSGB36, and is the system used by the

Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency's name indicates its original military purpose (see ordnance and surveying), which was to map Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite rising of 1745. There was a ...

. :Link to maps using the ''Nature on the Map'' service provided by ''Natural England''. :Size smaller than can be shown with one decimal place. Actual size: 0.006 (ha.) 0.015 (ac.). :Incorporates two former SSSIs: Severn Estuary (notified 1976) and part of Brean Down and Uphill Cliff (notified 1952). It was unified as Severn Estuary in 1989. It also overlaps with several other SSSIs: ::*Avon: Spring Cove Cliffs,

, Portishead Pier to Black Nore and

Aust Cliff Aust Cliff () is a 5.3 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest adjacent to the Severn Estuary, near the village of Aust, South Gloucestershire, notified in 1954. The Severn Bridge crosses the cliff. Its SSSI designation is d ...

. ::*Gloucestershire: Purton Passage ::*Somerset:

Brean Down Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset, England, standing high and extending into the Bristol Channel at the eastern end of Bridgwater Bay between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea. Made of Carboniferous Limestone, it is a ...

::*South Glamorgan: Penarth Coast :The Severn Estuary extends into two other counties and so can be found on lists of SSSIs in

and

. :The Long Dole Wood and Meadows site extends into the county of

and so can be found on the list of SSSIs in Somerset.

References

{{SSSI AOS lists Avon Avon (county)