Westhay Moor
Westhay Moor (sometimes, historically, referred to as West Hay Moor) is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Westhay village and from Wedmore in Somerset, England, notified in 1971. Westhay Moor is also notified as part of the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive and as a Ramsar site, and a National Nature Reserve.

The low-lying swampy area of Westhay Moor has had peat laid down over older rocks for the last 10,000 years. The Neolithic people lived on the areas of slightly higher ground but exploited the reed beds for materials and built wooden trackways to cross the raised bog. Peat extraction on the Somerset Levels has occurred since the area was first drained by the Romans. Measures to improve the drainage were carried out in the Middle Ages largely by Glastonbury Abbey. In the 17th and 18th centuries further drainage work was undertaken including digging a series of rhynes, or ditches and larger drainage canals. Peat extraction peaked in the 1960s but has since declined.

The geology of the moor and prolonged peat extraction has provided a unique environment which provides a habitat for a range of flora and fauna. Much of the nature reserve managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust is based around abandoned peatworkings which have now become flooded. It is particularly noted for the millions of starlings which roost at the site in winter.
Q422211
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest
LOC
Q4479841
Westhay
LOC
Q2700621
Wedmore
LOC
Q23157
Somerset
LOC
Q422211
notified
LOC
Q6376320
Somerset Levels and Moors
LOC
Q2463705
Special Protection Area
LOC
Q458
EU
ORG
Q5637838
Birds Directive
MEDIA
Q19683138
Ramsar site
LOC
Q18379650
National Nature Reserve
LOC
Q36422
Neolithic
TIME
Q3240227
raised bog
Concept
Q7158464
Peat extraction on the Somerset Levels
UNK
Q185103
Romans
LOC
Q12554
Middle Ages
TIME
Q544113
Glastonbury Abbey
LOC
Q7321737
rhyne
UNK
Q7559917
Somerset Wildlife Trust
ORG
Q25469
starlings
Concept
Q16248761
Westhay Moor
LOC
Q16248761
Westhay Moor
LOC
Q16248761
Westhay Moor
LOC
1971-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1971
DATE
1960-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1960
DATE
+17^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
17
NUMBER
+18^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
18
NUMBER
heritage designation
main regulatory text
applies to jurisdiction