Bishop's Hill

About the reserve

Bishop's Hill Nature Reserve sits north of the village of Bishop's Itchington and was once part of the old Harbury Cement Works which closed in 1970. It has since been established as an important local site for wildlife. The hill is formed from the waste lime created from the limestone quarry and cement works which opened in 1852.

Back in 1852 an aerial ropeway transported the waste material from the quarry which accumulated into the hill you find today. This low nutrient mound means a variety of lime-loving plants can grow which support a range of rare and important butterfly species such as the Small Blue (Cupido minimus) and Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae).  Today the grassland, scrub and woodland plus the blue pool provide a rich mosaic of habitats for local wildlife. There are fantastic views from the top of the mound all the way into Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. The large piece of metal winding gear at the top of the mound, which now forms a monument, was discovered when we acquired the reserve in 2018 and the woodland was cleared to provide open corridors for wildlife. It represents the area's heritage, and the opportunity provided by this fantastic site for people and wildlife. The site will be managed to control scrub on the grassland and continue to provide a diverse structure of habitats to accommodate and attract a variety of important wildlife.