Fire Beacon Hill
Encyclopedia
Fire Beacon Hill is a Local Nature Reserve
in East Devon
, England
, registered as Common land
and known as Harpford Common. Sidmouth
Town Council are the current owners, and are responsible for the management of the site.
dissected plateau, composed of calcerous upper greensand
capped by clay
, Flint
s and chert
, and overlying Keuper marl
s.
The north part of the site is 225 metres above sea level and the ground slopes steeply to the south down to 150 metres.
The site is open to the public and is used for recreation and education. Being on top of a hill near the Jurassic coast
(one of the World Heritage Sites), the fine views give the site a high aesthetic appeal.
The East Devon Way
footpath runs from north to south across the site.
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
in East Devon
East Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, registered as Common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
and known as Harpford Common. Sidmouth
Sidmouth
Sidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
Town Council are the current owners, and are responsible for the management of the site.
Geology
The site is part of the East DevonEast Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...
dissected plateau, composed of calcerous upper greensand
Greensand
Greensand or Green sand is either a sand or sandstone, which has a greenish color. This term is specifically applied to shallow marine sediment, that contains noticeable quantities of rounded greenish grains. These grains are called glauconies and consist of a mixture of mixed-layer clay...
capped by clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, Flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
s and chert
Chert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
, and overlying Keuper marl
Keuper marl
Keuper marl is the former name for a layer of mudstones and siltstones from the late Triassic period . Typically red, or occasionally...
s.
The north part of the site is 225 metres above sea level and the ground slopes steeply to the south down to 150 metres.
Ecological features
The site contains- Lowland heathLowland heathLowland Heath is a Biodiversity Action Plan Habitat as it is an ancient wild landscape type. Natural England's Environmental Stewardship scheme describes it as containing dry heath, wet heath and valley mire communities, usually below 250 metres, on acidic soils and shallow peat, typically...
a rare Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)habitat - wet woodlandWet woodlandWet woodland is a biodiversity habitat in the United Kingdom.This is a woodland that occurs on poorly drained or seasonally wet soils. They are typical of river valley, the surroundings of mires and raised bog, the transition zones between open water and drier ground, and beside small winding...
also a rare BAP habitat - Ling CallunaCallunaCalluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
Vulgaris - the most common species of heather. 4 Corola (flower petals) and Calyx unlike Erica which are bell shaped - Bell Heather Erica cinereaErica cinereaErica cinerea is a species of heather, native to western and central Europe. It is a low shrub growing to tall, with fine needle-like leaves long arranged in whorls of three...
- leaves in whorls of 3 - Cross leaved heath Erica tetralixErica tetralixErica tetralix is a species of heather found in Atlantic areas of Europe, from southern Portugal to central Norway, as well as a number of boggy regions further from the coast in Central Europe. In bogs, wet heaths and damp coniferous woodland, Erica tetralix can become a dominant part of the flora...
- leaves in whorls of 4 - European Gorse
- Western Gorse Ulex gallii - Lower growing and more spreading than European Gorse
- Bristle Bent AgrostisAgrostisAgrostis is a genus of over 100 species belonging to the grass family Poaceae, commonly referred to as the bent grasses...
curtisii - fine leaves, grows in tufts - Purple moor Grass Molinia caerulea - a BAP habitat species
- BrackenBrackenBracken are several species of large, coarse ferns of the genus Pteridium. Ferns are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells . Brackens are in the family Dennstaedtiaceae, which are noted for their large, highly...
Pteridium aquilinum - threatens to dominate the areas where it is found - Common BluebellCommon BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:...
- Sheep Sorrell Rumex acetosellaRumex acetosellaRumex acetosella is a species of sorrel, also known as Acetosella vulgaris Fourr, bearing the common names sheep's sorrel, red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel. The plant and its subspecies are common perennial weeds. It has green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinted deeply ridged stems, and...
- Bramble Rubus fruticosus
- Foxglove Digitalis purpureaDigitalis purpureaDigitalis purpurea , is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae , native to most of Europe.-Description:...
- Some recolinising by Heath Bedstraw Galium saxatileGalium saxatileGalium saxatile or Heath Bedstraw is a plant species of the genus Galium. It is related to Cleavers ....
, BilberryBilberryBilberry is any of several species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium , bearing edible berries. The species most often referred to is Vaccinium myrtillus L., but there are several other closely related species....
Vaccinium myrtillus, TormentilTormentilCommon Tormentil is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the rose family , also known as Septfoil or simply as "tormentil" .-Characteristics:It is a low, clumb-forming plant with slender, procumbent...
Pontentilla erecta, and Heath Milkwort Polygala serpyllifoliaPolygala serpyllifoliaPolygala serpyllifolia is a native perennial of heaths and grassy places. Height to 25 cm. The lower leaves are in opposite pairs. Flowers May to August.... - AlderAlderAlder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, BeechBeechBeech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, BirchBirchBirch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, Holly Ilex aquifolium, Hazel Corylus avellanaCorylus avellanaCorylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
, Oak Quercus robur, WillowWillowWillows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere... - Grayling (butterfly)Grayling (butterfly)The Grayling is a species in the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. It sometimes occurs in coastal areas of northeast Scotland such as the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve. It can also be found near the coast around England, such as Fire Beacon Hill...
- YellowhammerYellowhammerThe Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It is common in all sorts of open areas with some scrub or trees and form small flocks in winter....
- Dartford WarblerDartford WarblerThe Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe, and northwestern Africa. Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy...
- as a mediterranean bird, it can be found in the heather and gorse as these offer relatively warm microclimates for them. - European StonechatEuropean StonechatThe European Stonechat is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a subspecies of the Common Stonechat. Long considered a member of the thrush family Turdidae, genetic evidence has placed it and its relatives in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae.It is 11.5–13 cm long and...
- can be found on the tops of bushes. - Common ravenCommon RavenThe Common Raven , also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids...
- LinnetLinnetThe Linnet is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.The Linnet derives its scientific name from its fondness for hemp and its English name from its liking for seeds of flax, from which linen is made.- Description :...
- favours low down thorny bushes and scrub, with good supply of small-sized seed - Eurasian BullfinchEurasian BullfinchThe Bullfinch, Common Bullfinch or Eurasian Bullfinch is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. In Anglophone Europe it is known simply as Bullfinch, as it is the original bird to bear the name bullfinch.This bird breeds across Europe and temperate Asia...
-nests in tall hedges more than 4 metres high and wide, and prefers fruit seed - European NightjarEuropean NightjarThe European Nightjar, or just Nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, is the only representative of the nightjar family of birds in most of Europe and temperate Asia.- Habitat and distribution :...
- nests on the ground and is well camouflagued. Waving a white handkerchief is said to attract them. - Common BuzzardCommon BuzzardThe Common Buzzard is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is usually resident all year, except in the coldest parts of its range, and in the case of one subspecies.-Description:...
- Adder Vipera berusVipera berusVipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
- mates mid-May and gives birth between July and October - Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara
- Fox Vulpes vulpes, Badger Meles meles, Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus
- Deer Grass MuhlenbergiaMuhlenbergiaMuhlenbergia is a genus of grass in the Poaceae family. It is named in honour of the American amateur botanist Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg. There are around 155 species. Many are known by the common name muhly....
rigens
Historical
- Fire Beacon Hill was the site of one the beacons set up to warn Elizabethan London of the approaching Spanish ArmadaSpanish ArmadaThis article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
- It was part of open heathland that once stretched from HonitonHonitonHoniton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
to SidmouthSidmouthSidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
. The rest of the land was taken for conifer plantations. The site is now seen by environmental organisations as a potential seed bank and species reservoir for future heathland restoration and re-creation projects. - An apple tree can be found on the southern side. Fruit trees were used as landmarks as far back as Saxon times.
- Fire Beacon Hill was described in the Journals of the Reverend John Swede who travelled through it on horseback in 1795. He describes for example a hedgerow of beech, which is now a remnant in the form of a few trees.
- In June 1993 a balloon crashed into a power line above the site. The resulting intense fire sterilised the soil.
Public recreation and access
Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
(one of the World Heritage Sites), the fine views give the site a high aesthetic appeal.
The East Devon Way
East Devon Way
The East Devon Way is a long distance footpath in England. It runs for 38 miles between Exmouth in East Devon and Lyme Regis in Dorset.Landscapes seen on the path include; estuary, high open commons, woodlands and river valleys. The route includes some fairly steep climbs but is generally not...
footpath runs from north to south across the site.