Fonthill Grottoes is a 0.69

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

biological 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 ...

, in woodland adjacent to Fonthill Lake in

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

, notified in 1994. Its SSSI designation is due to its roosting bats: the site is the sixth largest hibernaculum in Britain. The site consists of three subterranean

grotto A grotto or grot is a natural or artificial cave or covered recess. Naturally occurring grottoes are often small caves near water that are usually flooded or often flooded at high tide. Sometimes, artificial grottoes are used as garden fea ...

follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot centers on a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Follies ...

, constructed in the 18th century, split between two areas, one on the western side of the lake, at and one on the eastern side at . The three follies are named "The Dark Walks", "The Hermitage" and "The Quarry".

Biological interest

The site is used as a hibernation roost site by up to 207 bats of up to nine species. Greater and

lesser horseshoe bat The lesser horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus hipposideros'') is a type of small European and North African insectivorous bat, related to its larger cousin, the greater horseshoe bat. As with all horseshoe bats, the species gets its name from its dist ...

s are among seven species which roost here on a regular basis, and Bechstein's bat and the barbastelle, two species rare in Britain, have each been recorded on several occasions.

Sources

Natural England citation sheet for the site
(accessed 31 March 2022)

External links

Natural England website
(SSSI information) {{SSSIs Wilts biological Grottoes Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1994