28:
47:
360:
impurities. There are references in old manuscripts to "les
Bolehill" at Wolsingham and to payments being made to "bolers". Another explanation is that "baal" derives from an old spelling of "bailiff" and that the nearby Baal Hill House, referred to in a manuscript of 1558 as "Baylehilhous", was at one time the residence of the Bishop of Durham's local bailiff. The modern name is a corruption of northern dialect
54:
359:
Various suggestions have been made to explain the origin of the name "Baal Hill". One, which is favoured by Durham
Wildlife Trust, relates the name to the ancient lead-smelting industry, in which a "baal" (or "bail") is said to have been a local term for a pit in which lead ore was "boiled" to remove
204:
for both timber and charcoal, the latter supplying the smelting kilns of the local lead industry. Historical records show that the site has been woodland since at least the early 16th century, and one large oak, the "Bishop Oak", is thought to be around 400 years old.
154:
807:
1034:
1008:
1013:
541:
1003:
1044:
567:
46:
1049:
200:
of Durham from the late 13th century, and was protected both for its deer and for its timber. The woodland, originally predominantly oak and birch, was managed by
73:
532:
95:
379:
Backstone Bank is mentioned in 1647 as
Barkston Bank, a "hill where bakestones are found". Bakestones were flat stones that were used for baking in an oven.
897:
1039:
433:
647:
657:
166:
787:
525:
498:
877:
697:
582:
702:
518:
852:
27:
405:
957:
937:
907:
802:
333:
170:
927:
892:
562:
967:
672:
982:
972:
862:
557:
510:
440:
348:
279:
267:
228:
444:
208:
The woodland cover is very variable, being dependent on the soil and drainage. In wetter areas, alder,
987:
887:
817:
747:
273:
178:
1054:
912:
782:
767:
757:
712:
222:
917:
867:
857:
822:
737:
732:
677:
313:
243:
182:
33:
962:
777:
742:
632:
617:
494:
321:
932:
797:
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707:
682:
667:
637:
627:
612:
373:
307:
255:
196:
The area once formed part of a much larger expanse, Wolsingham Park, which was owned by the
882:
842:
722:
329:
301:
288:
210:
692:
406:"Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods SSSI : Reasons for designating the SSSI status"
344:
are present in sufficient numbers to require measures to protect regenerating saplings.
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602:
592:
337:
216:
1028:
837:
827:
717:
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369:
320:
As well as a diverse fauna, the site supports a variety of breeding birds, including
234:
197:
174:
872:
847:
762:
727:
662:
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325:
261:
249:
238:, which occurs here close to its northern limit and at an unusually high altitude.
812:
772:
652:
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572:
902:
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186:
110:
97:
922:
752:
642:
201:
832:
341:
232:. In one side valley, there is a small population of small-leaved lime,
190:
493:. Popular series. Vol. 3. Nottingham: English Place-Name Society.
83:
473:. Vol. 2. London: Archibald Constable & Co. pp. 349–50.
294:
808:
Muggleswick, Stanhope and
Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor
177:, England. It occupies the steep eastern slopes of the valley of
365:
514:
364:, a signal fire or beacon, based on an association with the
241:
On base-rich soils, the woodland typically consists of ash,
214:, is dominant, over a ground cover that includes soft rush,
53:
1035:
Sites of
Special Scientific Interest in County Durham
542:
Sites of
Special Scientific Interest in County Durham
351:
and is managed as the Baal Hill Wood nature reserve.
317:, is sparse and the ground-cover is relatively poor.
299:, are dominant. The under-storey, of hazel, holly,
265:, and a rich ground flora that includes lady-fern,
189:and is one of the largest expanses of semi-natural
150:
142:
134:
126:
89:
79:
69:
20:
568:Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells
400:
398:
396:
394:
392:
526:
347:The southern end of the site is owned by the
8:
1045:Nature reserves of the Durham Wildlife Trust
471:The Victoria History of the County of Durham
533:
519:
511:
17:
491:A Dictionary of County Durham Place-Names
484:
482:
480:
388:
155:Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods SSSI
1050:Forests and woodlands of County Durham
898:Sleightholme Beck Gorge – The Troughs
648:Crime Rigg and Sherburn Hill Quarries
428:
426:
7:
658:Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine
68:
167:Site of Special Scientific Interest
61:Site of Special Scientific Interest
553:Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods
163:Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods
21:Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods
14:
788:Middle Side and Stonygill Meadows
286:On more acid soils, sessile oak,
1040:Nature reserves in County Durham
878:Rigg Farm and Stake Hill Meadows
253:, over an understorey of hazel,
52:
45:
26:
583:Bowlees and Friar House Meadows
133:
78:
181:, alongside and downstream of
1:
703:Green Croft and Langley Moor
853:Quarrington Hill Grasslands
469:Page, William, ed. (1907).
340:are also seen in the area.
32:Backstone Bank seen across
1071:
698:Grains o' th' Beck Meadows
185:, some 3 km north of
996:
548:
226:, and tufted hair-grass,
40:
25:
958:West Newlandside Meadows
938:Trimdon Limestone Quarry
908:Stony Cut, Cold Hesledon
803:Moorhouse and Cross Fell
277:, and hard shield-fern,
130:46.5 ha (115 acres)
928:Thrislington Plantation
893:Shipley and Great Woods
563:Bishop Middleham Quarry
372:deity mentioned in the
968:West Rigg Open Cutting
673:Far High House Meadows
489:Watts, Victor (2002).
973:Westernhope Burn Wood
863:Raisby Hill Grassland
558:Baldersdale Woodlands
441:Durham Wildlife Trust
349:Durham Wildlife Trust
280:Polystichum aculeatum
268:Athyrium filix-femina
229:Deschampsia cespitosa
988:Yoden Village Quarry
818:Newton Ketton Meadow
748:Hisehope Burn Valley
274:Dryopteris filix-mas
111:54.76056°N 1.89500°W
913:Teesdale Allotments
783:Middle Crossthwaite
768:Low Redford Meadows
758:Hunder Beck Juniper
259:, and bird cherry,
223:Filipendula ulmaria
143:Governing body
107: /
1000:Neighbouring areas
868:Raisby Hill Quarry
858:Railway Stell West
823:Old Moss Lead Vein
738:Hesledon Moor West
733:Hesledon Moor East
678:Fishburn Grassland
314:Crataegus monogyna
244:Fraxinus excelsior
183:Tunstall Reservoir
116:54.76056; -1.89500
34:Tunstall Reservoir
1022:
1021:
963:West Park Meadows
778:Mere Beck Meadows
743:Hexhamshire Moors
633:Cornriggs Meadows
618:Causey Bank Mires
411:. Natural England
160:
159:
80:Nearest town
1062:
933:Town Kelloe Bank
798:Middridge Quarry
793:Middleton Quarry
713:Hannah's Meadows
708:Greenfoot Quarry
668:Fairy Holes Cave
638:Cotherstone Moor
628:Close House Mine
613:Castle Eden Dene
535:
528:
521:
512:
505:
504:
486:
475:
474:
466:
460:
459:
457:
455:
450:on 26 March 2010
449:
443:. Archived from
438:
434:"Baal Hill Wood"
430:
421:
420:
418:
416:
410:
402:
374:Book of Jeremiah
311:, and hawthorn,
308:Sorbus aucuparia
256:Corylus avellana
247:, and wych elm,
193:in west Durham.
122:
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119:
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30:
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1025:
1024:
1023:
1018:
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883:Rogerley Quarry
843:Pittington Hill
723:Hawthorn Quarry
544:
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463:
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414:
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408:
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390:
385:
357:
334:pied flycatcher
330:common redstart
302:Ilex aquifolium
289:Quercus petraea
220:, meadowsweet,
211:Alnus glutinosa
146:Natural England
115:
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1016:
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1009:Northumberland
1006:
1001:
997:
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993:
991:
990:
985:
983:Witton-le-Wear
980:
978:Wingate Quarry
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
953:Waldridge Fell
950:
948:Upper Teesdale
945:
943:Tuthill Quarry
940:
935:
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615:
610:
605:
603:Butterby Oxbow
600:
595:
593:Brignall Banks
590:
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476:
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387:
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356:
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338:common buzzard
217:Juncus effusus
198:prince bishops
179:Waskerley Beck
158:
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31:
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13:
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4:
3:
2:
1067:
1056:
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1051:
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1043:
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1038:
1036:
1033:
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1015:
1014:Tyne and Wear
1012:
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1007:
1005:
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999:
998:
995:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
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966:
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959:
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949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
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926:
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921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
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904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
888:Sherburn Hill
886:
884:
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874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
838:Pike Whin Bog
836:
834:
831:
829:
828:Park End Wood
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
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746:
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731:
729:
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724:
721:
719:
718:Hawthorn Dene
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
688:Frog Wood Bog
686:
684:
683:Foster's Hush
681:
679:
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671:
669:
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664:
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631:
629:
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621:
619:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
598:Burnhope Burn
596:
594:
591:
589:
588:Brasside Pond
586:
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579:
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569:
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547:
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536:
531:
529:
524:
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517:
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500:0-904889-65-3
496:
492:
485:
483:
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477:
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465:
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446:
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435:
429:
427:
423:
407:
401:
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395:
393:
389:
382:
380:
377:
375:
371:
370:Old Testament
367:
363:
354:
352:
350:
345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
318:
316:
315:
310:
309:
304:
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298:
296:
292:, and birch,
291:
290:
284:
282:
281:
276:
275:
271:, male fern,
270:
269:
264:
263:
258:
257:
252:
251:
246:
245:
239:
237:
236:
235:Tilia cordata
231:
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219:
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206:
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194:
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180:
176:
172:
171:County Durham
168:
164:
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137:
129:
125:
120:
92:
88:
85:
82:
75:
72:
48:
39:
35:
29:
24:
19:
16:
873:Redcar Field
848:Pow Hill Bog
763:Kilmond Scar
728:Hell Kettles
693:God's Bridge
663:Durham Coast
623:Charity Land
552:
490:
470:
464:
452:. Retrieved
445:the original
413:. Retrieved
378:
361:
358:
346:
326:wood warbler
319:
312:
306:
300:
293:
287:
285:
278:
272:
266:
262:Prunus padus
260:
254:
250:Ulmus glabra
248:
242:
240:
233:
227:
221:
215:
209:
207:
195:
173:district of
162:
161:
15:
918:The Bottoms
813:Neasham Fen
773:Lune Forest
653:Dabble Bank
608:Cassop Vale
573:Botany Hill
135:Established
114: /
90:Coordinates
1055:Wolsingham
1029:Categories
903:Slit Woods
578:Bowes Moor
383:References
187:Wolsingham
99:54°45′38″N
1004:Cleveland
923:The Carrs
753:Hulam Fen
643:Crag Gill
305:, rowan,
202:coppicing
102:1°53′42″W
74:MAGiC MaP
833:Pig Hill
454:9 August
342:Roe deer
322:woodcock
191:woodland
70:Location
415:1 March
169:in the
151:Website
84:Tow Law
497:
368:, the
295:Betula
175:Durham
448:(PDF)
437:(PDF)
409:(PDF)
165:is a
495:ISBN
456:2010
417:2022
366:Baal
362:bale
355:Name
332:and
138:1987
127:Area
297:sp.
1031::
479:^
439:.
425:^
391:^
376:.
336:;
328:,
324:,
283:.
534:e
527:t
520:v
503:.
458:.
419:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
