Whiteleaf Hill

{{Short description|Local nature reserve in Buckinghamshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=January 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} [[File:Woodland on the slopes of Whiteleaf Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1458725.jpg|thumb]] '''Whiteleaf Hill''' is an {{convert|11|ha}} [[Local Nature Reserve]] near [[Princes Risborough]] in [[Buckinghamshire]]. It is owned by [[Buckinghamshire County Council]] and managed by the Chiltern Society.<ref name=LNR>{{cite web|url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=4&N=&ID=539 |title=Whiteleaf Hill |series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England| date = 9 June 2015 |accessdate= 29 October 2015}}</ref><ref name=LNRmap>{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271009272%27 |title=Map of Whiteleaf Hill|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England| accessdate= 29 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chilternsociety.org.uk/new_sites.php|title=Six Special Places|publisher=Chiltern Society| accessdate= 29 October 2015}}</ref> it is in the [[Chilterns]] [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chilternsaonb.org/ccbmaps/659/137/whiteleaf-hill-and-whiteleaf-cross.html|title=Whiteleaf Hill and Whiteleaf Cross|publisher=Chilterns Conservation Board | accessdate= 29 October 2015}}</ref> and it has five scheduled ancient monuments, including some dating to the [[Neolithic]] and [[Bronze Age]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131151/WLX_booklet.pdf|title=The History of Whiteleaf|publisher=Buckinghamshire County Council|accessdate=29 October 2015|archive-date=13 July 2014|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140713021321/http%3A//www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131151/WLX_booklet.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Whiteleaf Cross]], a chalk carving thought to date to the eighteenth century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1014597|title=Hill figure on Whiteleaf Hill, known as the Whiteleaf Cross|publisher=[[Historic England]]| accessdate= 29 October 2015}}</ref>

The southern half of the site is semi-natural beech woodland which dates back to at least 1600. Most of the mature trees were lost during storms in the late twentieth century, but they have been replaced by scrub which is regenerating into forest. Birds include [[Common whitethroat|whitethroat]]s, and there are butterflies such as the [[Speckled wood (butterfly)|speckled wood]] and the [[Aglais io|peacock]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131167/WLX_Wildlife.pdf|title=Wildlife|publisher=Buckinghamshire County Council|accessdate=29 October 2015|archive-date=13 July 2014|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140713021404/http%3A//www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131167/WLX_Wildlife.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Ridgeway National Trail]] goes through the site, and there is access from Peters Lane, which separates it from [[Brush Hill Local Nature Reserve]]. {{commons category}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131163/WLX_Map.pdf Map of Whiteleaf and Brush Hills] *[http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131159/WLX_History_Arch.pdf History and Archaeology] *[http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/131155/WLX_Geology.pdf A short summary of the geological past which can be viewed on or near Whiteleaf Hill] {{coord|51.728244| -0.810517|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}} {{Local Nature Reserves in Buckinghamshire}}

[[Category:Local nature reserves in Buckinghamshire]]