In medieval times these were thought to be fossilized adders' tongues, able to detect poisoned food.
In World War II it was used by the Hitler Youth and it was also used for snake experiments – a snake from the genus of Coluber was set in the location to fight the adder and a kind of serum was developed there that Rommel used in Africa.
8 of Britain's 12 reptiles and amphibians breed here; Common Lizard, Slow Worm, Adder, Grass Snake, Common Frog, Common Toad, Smooth Newt and Palmate Newt.