Cherry Hinton Pit

Cherry Hinton Pit

Site of Special Scientific Interest
Area of Search	Cambridgeshire
Grid reference	TL 483 556 [1]
Interest	Biological
Area	12.8 hectares[1]
Notification	1986[1]
Location map	Magic Map

Cherry Hinton Pit is a 12.8 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on the south-eastern outskirts of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire.^[1][2] The site has two former chalk quarries, East Pit and the smaller Lime Kiln Close, and it is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.^[3] It is also a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) called East Pit, although the LNR covers a slightly larger area than the SSSI.^[4][5]

These former chalk quarries have a variety of habitats, including grassland and woodland with ash trees, field maple and cherries. The site was designated an SSSI because it has four rare plants, three of which are listed in the British Red List of Threatened Species. These are great pignut, moon carrot and grape hyacinth.^[6]

Archaeologists have discovered human bones, Roman and Iron Age pottery fragments, and the remains of an Iron Age ditch on the site.^[7]

There is access from Limekiln Road, which goes between the two parts of the site.

References

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Coordinates: 52°10′44″N 0°10′05″E / 52.179°N 0.168°E / 52.179; 0.168