CYNGOR CEFN GWLAD CYMRU

COUNTRYSIDE COUNCIL FOR WALES

SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST CITATION

VALE OF GLAMORGAN CLEMENSTONE MEADOWS, WICK

Date of Notification: 1972, 1982, 1990

National Grid reference: SS 920739

O.S. Maps: 1:50,000 Sheet number: 170

1:25,000 Sheet number: SS 97

Site Area: 4.9 ha

Description:

These two meadows are situated one mile to the north of the village of Wick and lie on either side of the Clemenstone Brook, a tributary of the River Alun. They occupy a shallow valley within which the Liassic limestone of the coastal plateau is overlain by alluvium, giving rise to soils of a different character to those of the surrounding area.

The meadows are an example of relatively unimproved species-rich grassland of a type which is now very rare in the county. They differ in character from both the dry calcareous grassland of the coastal limestone and from the meadows of the Mid-Glamorgan Valleys on more peaty soils. They have traditionally been managed by a regime of seasonal mowing and grazing.

There is an interesting zonation of plant communities within the site where Molinia caerulea - Cirsium dissectum fen meadow is found in the wetter areas, grading to Centaurea nigra - Cynosurus cristatus grassland on drier ground.

The fen meadow is characterised by meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum and purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea although the latter is not abundant here. Other species present in this community are meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, saw-wort Serratula tinctoria and devil's-bit scaboious Succisa pratensis. The Centaurea-Cynosurus grassland is distinguished by common knapweed and crested dog's-tail with a variety of other species which here include quaking grass Briza media, cowslip Primula veris and betony Stachys officinalis. A number of plant species including pepper-saxifrage Silaum silaus are common to both communities.