Cumnor Hurst
History
Why is The Hurst Special?
As a community asset, Cumnor Hurst is of great value. The site was designated by Natural England as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1950 for its rare acid grassland, mosses, liverworts and lichens and the discovery of 153 million year old dinosaur fossils at the site.
This designation means that the site is protected by law; with Natural England having a statutory duty to manage it. The mosses and paleontological discoveries are the result of the history of the site as a source of clay for brick manufacture during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Eventually, the area, now home to the Kimmeridge estate, came to be used by Timbmet; an importer and distributor of hardwoods. The remains of some Timbmet buildings and untreated timber stock (now home to Great Crested Newts) can still be seen at the western entrance to the SSSI.
The SSSI is split into two ‘units’; Unit 1 covers the clay pits, rare mosses and geological formations. It is managed by Cumnor Hurst Charity; formed in 2008 to create Cumnor Community Woodland adjacent to the SSSI.
Unit 2 covers the acid grassland and mixed woodland grazed by Dexter cows and is managed by the Cumnor Conservation Group on behalf of the Parish Council.