Butterby Oxbow
Oxbow lake at Low Butterby
Map showing the location of Butterby Oxbow
Map showing the location of Butterby Oxbow
Site of Special Scientific Interest
LocationMAGiC MaP
Nearest city City of Durham
Coordinates54°44′44″N 1°34′25″W / 54.74556°N 1.57361°W / 54.74556; -1.57361
Area7.29 ha (18.0 acres)
Established1957
Governing bodyNatural England
WebsiteButterby Oxbow SSSI


Butterby Oxbow is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Durham City district of County Durham, England. It consists of a former meander of the River Wear which was isolated from the main river in 1811 when, to reduce flooding in the area, a new channel was constructed across the neck of the meander.[1] It is located about 3 km south of the centre of Durham and 1.2 km north of the nearest village, Croxdale.

The site is notable for the succession series of swamp, fen and fen-carr which has developed and which is rarely found as a complete sequence in the county. It is locally important as a roosting and wintering area for wildfowl. [2]

References

  1. Griffiths, Benjamin M (February 1932). "The Ecology of Butterby Marsh, Durham". Journal of Ecology. 20 (1): 105–127. doi:10.2307/2255969. JSTOR 2255969.
  2. "Butterby Oxbow SSSI : Reasons for designating the SSSI status" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 1 March 2022.


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