Ellenborough Park, Weston-super-mare
Encyclopedia
Ellenborough Park is a park situated in the centre of Weston-super-Mare
, North Somerset
, England
.
The western half of the park, an area of 1.8 hectares (4.4 acre), is of significant biodiversity interest, due to its plant communities, and was notified as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1989. The eastern half of the park contains a play area for local children, which was opened in 2005.
Ellenborough Park was also the subject of a significant legal case Re Ellenborough Park
in 1955 which determined criteria for easements in English property law
.
of the Bristol Channel
. The soil here is calcareous
and sandy, and the short-turf grassland which is supports is believed to be remnant dune grassland from this dune system, which was enclosed in the 19th century.
Sand Cat's-tail Phleum arenarium, Red Fescue Festuca rubra, Sea Fern-grass Desmazeria marina and Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata. Herb species present include Sea Stork's-bill Erodium maritimum, Buck's-horn Plantain Plantago coronopus, Rough Clover Trifolium scabrum, all of which are indicative of a maritime influence, plus Wild Clary Salvia verbenaca, Smooth Hawk's-beard Crepis capillaris and Pink-sorrel Oxalis articulata.
Ellenborough Park supports two Red Data Book plants, Branched Horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum and Smooth Rupturewort
Herniaria glabra. Branched Horsetail is only found in one other locality in Great Britain, in Lincolnshire
. Smooth Rupturewort is found in eight other localities in Britain, all in East Anglia
.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
, North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The western half of the park, an area of 1.8 hectares (4.4 acre), is of significant biodiversity interest, due to its plant communities, and was notified as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1989. The eastern half of the park contains a play area for local children, which was opened in 2005.
Ellenborough Park was also the subject of a significant legal case Re Ellenborough Park
Re Ellenborough Park
Re Ellenborough Park [1955] is an English property law case primarily concerning the validity of an easement.-Facts:Ellenborough Park is a large area of parkland in Weston-super-Mare. The land was owned in 1855 by two tenants in common, who sold off parts of the land for the building of houses,...
in 1955 which determined criteria for easements in English property law
English property law
English property law refers to the law of acquisition, sharing and protection of wealth in England and Wales. Property law can refer to many things, and covers many areas. Property in land is the domain of the law of real property. The law of personal property is particularly important for...
.
Site description
The park is situated 75 m (246.1 ft) inland from Weston-super-Mare beach, on a site which was formerly part of a sand dune systemDune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
of the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. The soil here is calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
and sandy, and the short-turf grassland which is supports is believed to be remnant dune grassland from this dune system, which was enclosed in the 19th century.
Vegetation
The species composition of this grassland includes the following grasses:Sand Cat's-tail Phleum arenarium, Red Fescue Festuca rubra, Sea Fern-grass Desmazeria marina and Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata. Herb species present include Sea Stork's-bill Erodium maritimum, Buck's-horn Plantain Plantago coronopus, Rough Clover Trifolium scabrum, all of which are indicative of a maritime influence, plus Wild Clary Salvia verbenaca, Smooth Hawk's-beard Crepis capillaris and Pink-sorrel Oxalis articulata.
Ellenborough Park supports two Red Data Book plants, Branched Horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum and Smooth Rupturewort
Smooth Rupturewort
Smooth Rupturewort is a plant of the family Caryophyllaceae. Growing in North America and Europe, it is believed to have diuretic properties. It contains herniarin, a methoxy analog of umbelliferone...
Herniaria glabra. Branched Horsetail is only found in one other locality in Great Britain, in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. Smooth Rupturewort is found in eight other localities in Britain, all in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
.
See also
- Re Ellenborough ParkRe Ellenborough ParkRe Ellenborough Park [1955] is an English property law case primarily concerning the validity of an easement.-Facts:Ellenborough Park is a large area of parkland in Weston-super-Mare. The land was owned in 1855 by two tenants in common, who sold off parts of the land for the building of houses,...
for summary of English Property Law case.