Piggledene
Piggledene (grid reference SU141689) is a 4.7 hectare biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire, notified in 1965. Since 1908 it has been owned by the National Trust.[1] In the vernacular, it is also known as the River of Stones.[2]
Piggledene (sometimes spelled Piggle Dean)[3], is a dry, shallow valley within the local chalk deposits, the area is known for it's geomorphological and biological characteristics. It is located in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The area contains hundreds of sarsen stones covered with lichens, similar to those found in the Fyfield Down. The abundance of glacial erratic stones were transported laterally during periglacial conditions, forming a sarsen "valley train". In addition to lichens, the stones form a support for a variety of rare mosses, including Grimmia decipiens, Hedwigia ciliata, and Grimmia trichophylla.[4][2] The sarsen stones in this area are also called "Grey Wethers" as they appear to be a flock of sheep from a distance.
Sources
[edit]- Natural England citation sheet for the site (accessed 11 April 2022)
References
[edit]- ↑ "Lockeridge Dene and Piggledene". National Trust. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- 1 2 Walsh, Rory. "The River of Stones in Piggledene: Rory Walsh wades through a river of stones running through the Marlborough Downs". Geographical Weekly. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ Smith, A.C. (1884). British and Roman Antiquities of Wiltshire: A Hundred Square Miles Round Abury. Marlborough, England: Marlborough College Natural History Society. pp. Map J.
- ↑ "County: Wiltshire, Site Name: Piggledene" (PDF). Designated sites, Natural England. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
External links
[edit]- Natural England website (SSSI information)
51°25′08″N 1°47′55″W / 51.41894°N 1.79862°W
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