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Salisbury Plain is achalkplateau in southern England covering 300 square miles (780 km2).[1] It is part of a system of chalkdownlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of theChalk Group and largely lies within the county ofWiltshire, but stretches intoHampshire.
The plain is famous for its richarchaeology, includingStonehenge, one of England's best known landmarks. Large areas are given over to military training; thus, the sparsely populated plain is the biggest remaining area ofcalcareous grassland in northwest Europe. Additionally, the plain hasarable land, and a few small areas ofbeech trees andconiferouswoodland. Its highest point is Easton Hill.
A large amount of land is set aside for military use asSalisbury Plain Training Area.
The boundaries of Salisbury Plain have never been truly defined, and there is some difference of opinion as to its exact area.[2] The river valleys surrounding it, and otherdowns andplains beyond them loosely define its boundaries. To the north thescarp of the downs overlooks theVale of Pewsey, and to the northwest theBristol Avon. TheRiver Wylye runs along the southwest, and theBourne runs to the east.[3]
TheHampshire Avon runs through the eastern half of the plain, and to the south the plain peters out as the river valleys close together before meeting atSalisbury. From here the Avon continues south to theEnglish Channel atChristchurch. TheHampshire Downs and theBerkshire Downs are chalk downland to the east and north of Salisbury Plain, and theDorset Downs andCranborne Chase are to the southwest. In the west and north west the geology is mainly theclays andlimestones of theBlackmore Vale,Avon Vale andVale of Wardour. TheMendip Hills rise to the west of Salisbury Plain, and theCotswolds to the north west.
Amesbury is considered the largest settlement on the plain (southern fringes), though there are a number of small villages, such asTilshead,Chitterne andShrewton in the middle of the plain, as well as varioushamlets and army camps. TheA303 road runs through the southern area of the plain, while theA345 and theA360 cut across the centre.
20,000 hectares are designatedSites of Special Scientific Interest andSpecial Areas of Conservation, and the entire Salisbury Plain is aSpecial Protection Area for birds.[4]
Salisbury Plain is famous for its history andarchaeology. In theNeolithic period, Stone Age people began to settle on the plain, most likely centred around thecausewayed enclosure ofRobin Hood's Ball. Largelong barrows such asWhite Barrow and other earthworks were built across the plain. By 2500 BC areas aroundDurrington Walls andStonehenge had become a focus for building, and the southern part of the plain continued to be settled into theBronze Age.
Around 600 BC,Iron Agehillforts came to be constructed around the boundaries of the plain, includingScratchbury Camp andBattlesbury Camp to the southwest,Bratton Camp to the northwest,Casterley Camp to the north,Yarnbury andVespasian's Camp to the south, andSidbury Hill to the east.
Roman roads are visible features, probably serving a settlement nearOld Sarum.Villas are sparse, however, andAnglo-Saxon place names suggest that the plain was mostly a grain-producingimperial estate.
In the 6th century, Anglo-Saxon incomers built planned settlements in the valleys surrounded bystrip lynchets, with the downland left as sheep pasture. To the south is the city ofSalisbury, whose medievalcathedral is famous for having the tallest spire in the country, and the building was, for many centuries, the tallest building in Britain. The cathedral is evidence of the prosperity thewool and cloth trade brought to the area. In the mid-19th century the wool and cloth industry began to decline, leading to a decline in the population and change in land use fromsheep farming to agriculture and military use. Wiltshire became one of the poorest counties in England during this period of decline.[citation needed]
There are a number ofchalk carvings on the plain, of which the most famous is theWestbury White Horse. TheKennet and Avon Canal was constructed to the north of the plain, through theVale of Pewsey.
In September 1896,[5] George Kemp andGuglielmo Marconi experimented withwireless telegraphy on Salisbury Plain, and achieved good results over a distance of 1.25 miles (2.0 km).[6]
The British Army first conducted manoeuvres at what is nowSalisbury Plain Training Area in 1898.[7]
Because of the large training areas inaccessible to the public, the plain is a wildlife haven, and home to twonational nature reserves, but there is concern that the low level of grazing on the plain could allowscrub to encroach on thegrassland. The plain supports the largest known expanse of unimproved chalk downland in north west Europe, and represents 41% of Britain's remaining area of this wildlife habitat.[3] The plain supports 13 species of nationally rare and scarce plants, 67 species of rare and scarce invertebrates and forms a site of international importance for birds. In addition to chalk downland, the plain supports scrub and woodland habitats, temporary and permanent pools and theRiver Bourne.
A diversity of soil types, slope, aspect and past and present land-use has given rise to various grassland communities. Historical evidence suggests that large areas of grassland are of great antiquity, and areas which were cultivated at the beginning of the 20th century have experienced nearly 100 years of chalk grassland re-colonization. Parts of East Salisbury Plain and the periphery of Central and West comprise areas of grassland currently managed for grazing pasture and hay-cutting, whilst the middle of Centre and West are ungrazed. A large proportion of Salisbury Plain supportsupright brome (Bromus erectus) species-rich grassland, within which a continuous floristic variation is seen. A widespread type on the plain is characterised by an abundance ofred fescue (Festuca rubra),crested hair-grass (Koeleria macrantha),salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor),lady's bedstraw (Galium verum),rough hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus),common rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium) and dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris). The high constancy of this last species is a distinctive feature of the upright brome grasslands on Salisbury Plain and is otherwise only known from one other site in Hampshire. Where upright brome is less dominating, plants such assmall scabiosa (Scabiosa columbaria),clustered bellflower (Campanula glomerata),dyer's greenweed (Genista tinctoria),kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria),sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) andhorseshoe vetch (Hippocrepis comosa) are characteristic associates.[3]
The rare and notable plants which occur here includeburnt-tip orchid (Neotinea ustulata),slender bedstraw (Galium pumilum),field fleawort (Senecio integrifolius) and the nationally scarce British endemicearly gentian (Gentianella anglica). Particularly associated with long established turf on thin rendzina soils, and rabbit-grazed areas of the eastern and central ranges, are low-growing perennials includingsquinancy-wort (Asperula cynanchica),chalk milkwort (Polygala calcarea),dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule),wild thyme (Thymus praecox), the nationally scarcebastard toadflax (Thesium humifusum) andpurple milk-vetch (Astragalus danicus) in its most southerly British station.[3]
Devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis),saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria) andbetony (Stachys officinalis) are all abundant and exemplify the oceanic character of the chalk grassland on the plain, a feature which is confined toSouth West England. Similarly restricted is a community in whichdwarf sedgeCarex humilis forms a conspicuous component. This type of grassland has its stronghold in Wiltshire and occurs on the less disturbed areas of the central ranges. Herb diversity is generally lower in the tall, upright brome-dominated swards, butwild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa),hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) andgreater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) are characteristic. Parasitic on the latter species isknapweed broomrape (Orobanche elatior), occurring in greater quantity on the plain than anywhere else in Britain.False-oat grass (Arrhenatherum elatius) grassland is also widespread, but is particularly a feature of the western ranges, often indicating areas of past cultivation.[3]
On anthills, and in the more disturbed turf that is especially a feature of the impact area,mouse-ear hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella) is abundant together withsheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) andwild thyme. Annuals are also characteristic of this habitat, including commonwhitlowgrass (Erophila verna),rue-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites,)hairy rock-cress (Arabis hirsuta) and the nationally scarcedwarf mouse-ear (Cerastium pumilum) andfine-leaved sandwort (Minuartia hybrida). A very local community characterised by a lichen-rich turf (Cladonia species) and thebroom moss (Dicranum scoparium) is found in some stabilised missile-impaction craters on the central ranges. This vegetation type is found elsewhere only on Porton Down SSSI and on the Brecklands.[3]
Small areas of chalk-heath vegetation occur on superficial clay-with-flints deposits. Here chalk-loving plants such assalad burnet (Sanguisorba minor) anddropwort co-exist with plants typical of acid soils, includinggorse (Ulex europaeus),heather (Calluna vulgaris) and the uncommon annualknawel (Scleranthus annuus). TwoRed Data Book (RDB) plants occur on the plain. The largest population in Britain oftuberous thistle (Cirsium tuberosum) occurs on the western ranges and is notable for the low incidence of hybridisation with dwarf thistle, a contributory cause of its decline in other localities.Meadow clary (Salvia pratensis) persists as a small colony in tall upright brome grassland.[3]
Salisbury Plain supports a diversebryophyte flora with seven nationally scarce species which have seen a general decline in other chalk grassland sites, includingBarbula acuta,Phascum curvicolle,Pleurochaete squarrosa,Thuidium abietinum andWeissia sterilis.[3]
Although there is some scrub development on the plain, it is remarkable that large expanses of the chalk grassland remain open with very little invasion of woody species. Of particular interest are the large stands ofjuniper (Juniperus communis) on Bulford Downs and Beacon Hill. Both pyramidal and prostrate forms are present and this site, along with Porton Down SSSI to the south, supports the best remaining examples of the lowland type of juniper associated with chalk and mixed scrub in England.[3]
The botanically and structurally diverse grasslands support a large range of rare and uncommon chalk downland invertebrates. Where abundance has been assessed strong populations of national and local importance are present, and the large area of habitat available to them is important in ensuring their survival.[3]
The plain is an important stronghold for declining downland butterflies. A high concentration of colonies of three nationally scarce species, theAdonis blue (Polyommatus bellargus),Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina), and the largest population ofmarsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) on the chalk, occur. A colony ofbrown hairstreak (Thecla betulae) is present on East Salisbury Plain at one of its two Wiltshire localities. Strong populations of other downland species such aschalkhill blue (Polyommatus coridon) anddark green fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) are found, and of note here is the occurrence ofgrayling (Hipparchia semele), a butterfly rarely found away from the coast.[3]
An outstanding assemblage of two rare (RDB), 36 nationally scarce and two regionally notable moths are present, most of which are either chalk grassland specialists or are partly dependent on chalk grassland. The RDB speciesscarce forester (Adscita globulariae) is present, and amongst many species of nationally scarce moths are thecistus forester (Adscita geryon),six-belted clearwing (Bembecia scopigera),oblique striped (Phibalapteryx virgata),pimpernel pug (Eupithecia pimpinellata),shaded pug (Eupithecia subumbrata) andnarrow-bordered bee hawk moth (Hemaris tityus). Larvae of these moths feed on the chalk grassland plants which are widespread on the plain. Other nationally scarce moths such asorange-tailed clearwing (Synanthedon anthraciniformis) depend on the associated scrub habitats.[3]
The bee fauna is particularly rich in species which depend on chalk grassland. One of only two British populations of the endangered (RDB)mining beeMelitta dimidiata is present on the plain, and two other RDB species which occur areAndrena hattorfiana and its nest parasite thecuckoo beeNomada armata. This is a rare inland site for the nationally scarcebrown-banded carder bee (Bombus humilis),[3] and the only lowland English site for thebroken-belted bumblebee (Bombus soroeensis).
TheDiptera (flies) include four RDB species which depend on chalk grassland, thepicture-wing fliesChaetorellia loricata,Urophora solstitialis andTerellia vectensis and thehover flyVolucella inflata.[3]
Recent observations have shown that Salisbury Plain is an important site for the RDB crustacean, thefairy shrimpChirocephalus diaphanus which is dependent on temporary pools, a rare and declining habitat. On the plain this habitat requirement is met by numerous pools created by repeated tank movements along the earth tracks which cross the chalk grassland.[3]
Other nationally scarce invertebrates occur within theOrthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets),Heteroptera (bugs) andColeoptera (beetles), the latter group including a RDBsoldier beetle,Cantharis fusca.[3]
The area as a whole is of national and international importance for breeding and wintering birds. It supports seven species listed on Annex 1 of the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, populations of six species of Red Data bird and several species of candidate Red Data bird. Amongst the breeding birds three species are particularly noteworthy. Up to 20 pairs ofstone-curlew representing 12% of the British population breed on the plain. The area accounts for approximately 20% of breeding records forquail in Britain each year, and numbers of breedinghobby are thought to exceed 1% of the British population on a regular basis. Other important breeding species includecommon buzzard,barn owl,long-eared owl,nightingale,stonechat,whinchat,wheatear,corn bunting and, on occasion,Montagu's harrier.[3]
The overall breeding assemblage is exceptionally diverse for a British dry grassland site. In winter the plain is an important area for foraging flocks of thrushes, finches and buntings. These, together with abundant small mammals are prey for winteringhen harrier,merlin andshort-eared owl. Hen harriers occur in nationally significant numbers each winter, and the plain is an important winter roost for this species in southern England.[3]In 2003 thegreat bustard was reintroduced into Britain on Salisbury Plain.[8]
Other species of interest on Salisbury Plain include thegreat crested newt (Triturus cristatus). This newt occurs in dew ponds across the plain and in pools along the Bourne River, together withsmooth newt (Triturus vulgaris),common frog (Rana temporia) andcommon toad (Bufo bufo).Barred grass snake (Natrix helvetica) are also often seen near pools, andcommon lizard (Lacerta vivipara),slowworm (Anguis fragilis) andadder (Vipera berus) are present.[3]
The folk songRoud 1487 is titled "Salisbury Plain".[9] The song appears onMartin Carthy's 1969 albumPrince Heathen.[10]
