DB Specific Record

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***SWAAG_ID***	826
Date Entered	04/08/2014
Updated on	07/08/2014
Recorded by	Tim Laurie
Category	Tree Site Record
Record Type	Botanical HER
Site Access	Public Footpath
Location	River Tees, South Bank, upstream from Winston Bridge to Fewster Gill.
Civil Parish	Not known
Brit. National Grid	NZ 142 161
Altitude	100m
Geology	River gorge cut through thin limestones, mudstones and sandstones of Namurian Age. The presence of tufa forming seepages above shales within outcropping sandstones mark the outcrop of Marine Bands.
Record Name	Mixed deciduous woodland with both Small-leaved and Large-leaved Lime trees on riverside cliffs below the Winston Holiday Park
Record Description	This is the second of a series of records which will place on record the existence of a substantial population of native lime trees of both species, small and large-leaved limes (Tilia cordata and T. platyphyllos) and natural hybrids of these species. These trees grow on and below inaccessible cliffs, at intervals on both banks of the River Tees downstream of Cotherstone to Winston Bridge, a distance of some eight miles. The Large leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos) trees are at the northern and western limit of this species in Britain. The Tilia trees grow as small clusters of usually less than 12 trees located at the top edge of the riverside cliffs and on the talus slopes below the cliffs. These records of the Tilia trees on the Tees commenced with a record of Stony Bank Wood on the north bank of the Tees at Stony Bank Wood and will now continue with a brief photographic account of the lime trees on the south bank of the Tees upstream of Winston Bridge and across the river from Stony Bank. Future records will describe the remaining fine woodlands which include native looking Tilia trees, on both North and South Banks of the Tees further upstream. In contrast to the Tilia trees of Lower Swaledale, which are predominantly Large-leaved Limes (T.platyphyllos) or hybrids, the majority of the Lime (Tilia) trees recorded to date on both banks of the River Tees are Small Leaved Limes (Tilia cordata). However a small cluster of five Large Leaved Lime (Tilia platyphyllos) trees have been recognised on the South Bank of the Tees, at the confluence of Fewster Gill Beck with the Tees. Just one Tilia platyphyllos tree has been recognised to date on the North Bank of the Tees, further upstream at Low Barn. However this reconnaissance is work in progress and further trees of both species are expected to be located.
Dimensions	See photographs
Additional Notes	A total of 12 Lime trees of native character have been located at this locality which are provisionally identified as follows:- Small-leaved Limes, 7No. Large-leaved Limes 4No. and one hybrid Lime. For details of individual specimen trees of Tilia and other species located in Riverside Woodland on the Banks of the Tees, see the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Hunt following links from the Interactive Map.
Image 1 ID	5711 Click image to enlarge
Image 1 Description	River Tees south bank. View downstream towards Winston Bridge with large Tilia tree in mid frame.
Image 2 ID	5712 Click image to enlarge
Image 2 Description	This large, coppiced Tilia tree grows on a low outcrop just above the River and beside the public footpath.
Image 3 ID	5713 Click image to enlarge
Image 3 Description	Detail of the same tree.
Image 4 ID	5714 Click image to enlarge
Image 4 Description	River Tees, south bank with small-leaved lime tree (Tilia cordata) overhanging the river.
Image 5 ID	5715 Click image to enlarge
Image 5 Description	Detail of this very large cliff edge tree.Note that this tree grows on the top edge of a low cliff encrusted with white tufa.
Image 6 ID	5716 Click image to enlarge
Image 6 Description	Detail of this very large cliff edge tree and the tufa deposit.
Image 7 ID	5717 Click image to enlarge
Image 7 Description	View upstream with further Tilia riverside trees in fresh spring foliage.
Image 8 ID	5718 Click image to enlarge
Image 8 Description	Small-leaved lime tree on the top edge of a cliff of sandstone with interbedded black shale coated with tufa.
Image 9 ID	5719 Click image to enlarge
Image 9 Description	Green mosses mark the tufa which coats b;ack shale revealed where the tufa has fallen away.
Image 10 ID	5720 Click image to enlarge
Image 10 Description	Detail of the black shale and tufa.
Image 11 ID	5721 Click image to enlarge
Image 11 Description	River Tees South Bank. Multi stemmed or self coppiced small leaved limes, with pendunculate oak, ash, holly and wych elm grow on the edge of the tufa coated sandstone cliff.
Image 12 ID	5722 Click image to enlarge
Image 12 Description	Further detail of small leaved limes.
Image 13 ID	5723 Click image to enlarge
Image 13 Description	River Tees South Bank. Small leaved limes on the edge of the tufa coated sandstone cliff.
Image 14 ID	5724 Click image to enlarge
Image 14 Description	The species rich woodland which grows on these inaccessible cliffs includes many ancient native trees and has not been modified by human extraction or planting.
Image 15 ID	5725 Click image to enlarge
Image 15 Description	Two Large-leaved lime trees (Tilia platyphyllos) grow on the steep slope above the river just below the confluence with Fewster Gill.
Image 16 ID	5726 Click image to enlarge
Image 16 Description	The small population of native limes on both banks of the Tees includes individual trees of different age. These examples are mature trees but not ancient trees.
Image 17 ID	5727 Click image to enlarge
Image 17 Description	Two Tilia platyphyllos trees on the river bank with Quercus robur.