Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Anston Stones Wood
The Independant Botanical Illustration Society, was set up in 1995, its aim - to work with local volunteers and children from Anston School to raise awareness of the natural heritage of the local woodland
Bradgate Brickworks
The disused Bradgate Quarry lies one mile to the west of Rotherham town centre. The special interest is within an exposed quarry face. This is the best available exposure of strata lying immediately above the Clay Cross Marine Band in the Pennine coalfields. The marine band itself is poorly exposed here, however, the 30 or so metres of overlying non-marine sediments are very well seen and include the Lidgett Coal Seam, a useful marker horizon which occurs over a wide area. As an aid to interpreting the development of the Coal Measures in the Pennines basin-complex, the most important source of coal in Great Britain,this site is of considerable scientific interest.
Lindrick Golf Course
The outcrop of Magnesian Limestone running north-south between Rotherham and Doncaster still supports a typical limestone flora where neither agriculture, industry nor residential development have led to severe modification. Lindrick Golf Course occupies what was formerly common land, allowing the survival of a natural flora away from the greens and fairways. Boundaries have been drawn to encompass the concentrations of special interests within this important site and include two disused quarries. Lindrick Dale Quarry is valued for its notable invertebrate fauna. The mixture of habitats includes grassland, whose composition is dictated by thickness of soil, extent of scrub invasion and frequency of cutting. Gorse, scrub, woodland and the marshy fringes of the River Ryton, although not of special interest for their flora, support a number of notable invertebrates. These include the rare crane fly, and the soldier-fly. The glowworm, a declining species nationally, is found here at two separate locations. A small pond and associated fen vegetation north of the A57 is the only location within the Rotherham District for the tubular water dropwort. Amphibians and reptiles within the site include common lizard, grass snake and both smooth and great crested newts.
The eighteen-hole heathland golf course founded in 1891 was designed by Willie Park and N.H. Fowler.
Maltby Low Common
Maltby Low Common, a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve is situated east of Maltby on the Middle Permian Marl which overlies the Lower Magnesian Limestone. The calcareous rock outcrops to form Pieces Bank. Associated with this community are numerous herbs including wood anemone, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, betony Betonica officinalis and common dog-violet. Several more uncommon species are also present including common spotted-orchid. Drainage is impeded towards the centre of the common despite the presence of a water course artificially incised into the marl. Here the marshy grassland or fen communities flourish Other habitats include a small ephemeral pond fringed by greater reed mace and areas dominated by bracken. On Pieces Holt , the more mature trees include the wild service tree Sorbus torminalis.
Roche Abbey Woodlands
The Roche Abbey Woodlands lie on the Magnesian limestone immediately south east of Maltby and include the wooded valley slopes and rocky crags around Roche Abbey. Although the majority of the site comprises woodland it includes also areas of marshy grassland and calcareous grassland. This site is the most important woodland for nature conservation on the southern parts of the Magnesian limestone in Great Britain and is the largest of its type in South Yorkshire. The semi-natural parts include examples of rare woodland types. The main tree species are sessile oak, ash, lime, wych elm and silver birch. Hazel, holly and yew are common.
Wood Lee Common
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