THE PARISH FIELD
CYNGOR CEFN GWLAD CYMRU
COUNTRYSIDE COUNCIL FOR WALES
SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST: CITATION
VALE OF GLAMORGAN THE PARISH FIELD, CAE’R RHEDYN
Date of Notification: 24 February 2011
National Grid Reference: SS 979776
OS Maps: 1:50,000 Sheet number: 170 1:10,000 Sheet number: SS 97 NE Site Area: 1. 3 ha
Description:
The
Parish
Field,
Cae’r
Rhedyn
SSSI
is
of
special
interest
for
its
species-rich
neutral
grassland.
Some
of
this
habitat
has
a
particularly
calcicolous
nature.
This
is
one
of
the
rarest
types
of
grassland
in
Wales,
now
mainly
confined
to
a
small
number
of
sites
in
the
Vale
of
Glamorgan,
Monmouthshire
and
north-east
Wales.
By
contrast,
in
other
parts
of
this
site,
the
soils
are
more
acidic,
and
it
is
a
particular
characteristic
of
The
Parish
Field,
Cae’r
Rhedyn
SSSI
that
calcicolous
and
acidic
grasslands
occur
in
an
intricate
mosaic.
Associated
habitats
include
small
areas
of
scrub
and
overgrown
hedgerows.
The
site
consists
of
a
single
field
above
the
village
of
Graig
Penllyn,
approximately
3
km
north-west
of
Cowbridge,
at
an
altitude
of
between
60
and
90m.
The
field
has
a
south-westerly
aspect,
sloping
towards
a
minor
road
that
forms
part
of
the
SSSI
boundary.
The
soils
are
free
draining
brown
earths
over
Carboniferous
limestone.
The
principal
habitat
at
The
Parish
Field,
Cae’r
Rhedyn
SSSI
is
the
neutral
grassland.
This
is
characterised
by
grasses,
such
as
common
bent
Agrostis
capillaris,
sweet
vernal-grass
Anthoxanthum
odoratum,
crested
dog’s
tail
Cynosurus
cristatus,
red
fescue
Festuca
rubra,
and
Yorkshire
fog
Holcus
lanatus.
Typical
herb
species
include
yarrow
Achillea
millefolium,
common
knapweed
Centaurea
nigra,
rough
hawkbit
Leontodon
hispidusand
common
bird’s-foot-trefoil
Lotus
corniculatus.
Where
the
soil
is
lime-rich,
these
grassland
plants
are
joined
by
lady’s
bedstraw
Galium
verum,
salad
burnet
Poterim
sanguisorba,
quaking
grass
Briza
media,
yellow
oat-grass
Trisetum
flavescens
and
downy
oat-grass
Avenula
pubescens.
In
other
areas,
where
the
ground
is
steepest,
the
soil
has
become
leached,
and
plants
preferring
more
acid
soils
occur,
including
devil’s-bit
scabious
Succisa
pratensis,
betony
Betonica
officinalis,
burnet-saxifrage
Pimpinella
saxifraga
and
tormentil
Potentilla
erecta.
Scarce
or
local
species
that
have
been
recorded
at
The
Parish
Field,
Cae’r
Rhedyn
SSSI
include
common
rock-rose
Helianthemum
nummularium,
moonwort
Botrychium
lunaria and crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha.
Remarks:
The site supports the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority ‘lowland meadow’ habitat.
The
Parish
Field,
Cae’r
Rhedyn
SSSI
is
owned
by
the
charity
Allotments
for
the
Labouring
Poor,
of
which
Penllyn
Community
Council
is the official custodian.