Grid reference SW602296 Area 5 ha Notification 1994 | Interest Biological Area of search Cornwall | |
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Similar Phoenix United Mine, Merthen Manor, Goonhilly Downs, Round Island Light - Isle, Eastern Isles | ||
Tregonning Hill is the westerly of two granite hills overlooking Mount's Bay in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, the other being Godolphin Hill. They are approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) west of the town of Helston. Part of the hill is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and at the date of notification (1994) was the only known site of western rustwort (Marsupella profunda) in Great Britain.
Contents
Map of Tregonning Hill, Helston, UK
Germoe war memorial is on the summit of the hill.
Wildlife and ecology
The main vegetation types on the hill are western lowland heath and scrub. The heath consists of a mixture of heather (Calluna vulgaris), bell heather (Erica cinerea) and western gorse (Ulex gallii] with cross–leaved heath (Erica tetralix) replacing E. cinerea in wet areas. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and tormentil (Potentilla erecta) also occur. On the deeper soils European gorse (Ulex europaeus), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and bramble (Rubus fruticosus) are the dominant scrub species. The bare slopes of the old china clay works are where western rustwort (Marsupella profunda) occurs. By 2004 the liverwort was known from fourteen sites within three SSSIs, making Cornwall the main stronghold globally. The nationally scarce moss (Brachydontium trichodes) known from only two sites in Cornwall also occurs on Tregonning Hill. As of 7 September 2010 the condition of the SSSI was considered to be ″unfavourable declining".
Industry
Tregonning Hill is a detached outcrop of the Cornubian batholith. The granite has been altered by kaolinization and china clay has been quarried. Disused pits, gullies, waste-tips and debris litter the hillside. An elvan quarry was in operation on the summit in 1879. Export of china clay and fire bricks to New York via Hayle first started in August 1880.
Religion
In 1880 The Cornishman reported on the annual custom, by the Ashtown Free Church Sunday scholars (Ashton), to walk in procession to the ″old amphitheatre″ for a sermon.