6A: EAST HAMPSHIRE WOODED DOWNLAND PLATEAU
There is more grazing and permanent grassland in this landscape compared with
the rest of the Downs – Bradley
Long distance views glimpsed through Dry Valley or Coombe at Bentworth. Wooded
Dowland
Plateau
at
woodland from Wooded Downland
Colemore Common – elevated and
Plateau near High Cross
heavily wooded.
Brick and flint school at Bentworth
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
Bentworth parish church. There are Sunken lane at edge of Downland
several substantial churches, like this Plateau east of Axford.
in small villages.
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
1.0
1.1
Location and Boundaries
The
East
Hampshire
Wooded Downland Plateau
is an elongated area located
towards the eastern edge
of the Hampshire Downs,
stretching from close to
Alton in the north, to the
top of the chalk escarpment
north west of Petersfield.
The boundaries of this high,
gently undulating plateau
are closely related to the
extent of a deep clay cap
over the chalk.
1.2
Component County Landscape Types
Wooded Downland Plateau, Downland Mosaic Large Scale.
1.3
Composition of Borough/District LCAs:
East Hampshire District Council
Froxfield Clay Plateau
Four Marks Clay Plateau
Very closely associated with the above - combined but boundary taken at top of
perimeter slopes rather than at base.
1.4
Associations with NCAs and Natural Areas:
NCA 130: Hampshire Downs and JCA 125: South Downs
Natural Areas: 78 Hampshire Downs
2.0
Key Characteristics
•
An elevated plateau landscape, mainly fairly flat but with dry chalk valleys,
creating gentle undulations, capped with a deep layer of clay.
•
Characterised by being one of the most wooded downland areas in the
County, comprising large woodland blocks to small copses and ancient
hedgerows which are well connected.
•
A landscape dominated by pasture but also with some arable fields, including
considerable areas managed for horse grazing.
•
Few streams, but spring-line settlements along the LCA boundary.
•
A landscape that appears to have had little pre medieval exploitation and
human activity.
•
There is strong survival of early enclosure field systems and particularly fields
bounded by tracks and lanes.
•
Abundance of 18th and 19th century farmsteads connected by a dense rights of
way network including byways open to all traffic.
•
Historical association with clay pits and brick kilns and distribution of early
brick buildings from locally sourced clay. Some evidence of dew ponds.
•
Settlements tend to be small, often hamlets and small villages located at the
edge of the character area or in elevated locations within the area.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
•
A landscape of contrasting views, from panoramic and far reaching to very enclosed,
but always heavily wooded.
3.0
3.1
Physical Characteristics and Land use
This is an elevated chalk landscape, with extensive drift deposits of clay with flint
that overlie the chalk and give rise to heavy, poor quality agricultural soils. The
highest land lies in the mid to northern half of the character area, with the
triangulation point at Four Marks being the third highest point in the County.
Occasionally, at its junctions with the underlying chalk, there are minor but steep
‘mini scarps,’ as at Ropley, and major ones such as on the southeast boundary with
the greensand. Dry valleys or coombes are common, often deepening in profile at
the edges of the character area. Historically the clay was exploited for brick and tile
manufacture, but commercial activity has virtually ceased.
3.2
One of the defining characteristics of this area is the extent of predominantly
broadleaved, coniferous and mixed woodlands, which can often be substantial is size.
There is also an abundance of small copses under 2ha and strips of woodland and
treed hedgerows which are relatively well connected. Interspersed with the
woodland is a mix of arable and improved grassland/pasture. Field boundaries are
variable, from woodland edge and tall hedges to well trimmed low hedges and post
and wire. Typically the average field size is smaller here than in other downland
landscapes, with the parishes of Four Marks, Froxfield, Ropley and Medstead tending
to have average field sizes of below 7ha. The northern parishes such as Herriard and
Ellisfield have a range of larger field sizes although the overall pattern reflects the
relatively small holding size of farms.
3.3
This character area forms the upper parts to several local hydrological basins, in the
form of dry valleys such as the tributaries to the River Wey, and Candover stream.
There are several spring line settlements around the periphery or just outside the
boundary of the clay plateau, often where the chalk is exposed, such as at Preston
Candover, and Langrish. There is a noticeable lack of streams and standing water
within the character area.
4.0
4.1
Experiential/Perceptual Characteristics
This is a landscape of visual contrasts and opposites of experience, with both a sense
of prospect and of refuge. The more open, elevated areas have far reaching views
over the downland to the west and north, and over the Weald and South Downs
ridge to the east and south. In the more densely wooded parts and within the folds
of the dry valleys there is a sense of containment uncharacteristic of most other
downland locations in Hampshire.
4.2
The public rights of way network is mainly dense, and well connected, especially
between farmsteads. There is a strong east-west alignment of paths connecting the
surrounding land with the large blocks of woodland on the clay plateau which were
probably historically significant to the local economy. The underlying clay can limit
the use of farm tracks by farm vehicles in wet weather. Byways open to all traffic are
particularly frequent, such as in the area south of Bentworth. Commoner’s rights
over the wooded commons had been extinguished by the early 19th century, so
there is no open access land in the area. Accessible woodland at Monkwood, Four
Marks, and Burkham, north of Bentworth are significant access resources.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
4.3
The northern part of this LCA above Alton is particularly tranquil but the rest of the
character area has generally moderate tranquillity. The high presence of woodland
and the quality of extensive views over undeveloped landscapes heightens tranquillity
overall.
5.0
5.1
Biodiversity Character
This landscape comprises a mosaic of agricultural grasslands and woodlands.
Woodland varies but there is a dense concentration of replanted ancient woodlands
and some ancient and semi-natural woodland. Much of the agricultural land is arable
land with improved grasslands often associated with settlements. Small patches of
unimproved grassland are associated with areas of improved grasslands including
neutral and calcareous. There is a strip of unimproved acid grassland in the north of
the area, associated with Norton’s Wood.
5.2
Woodland varies in type, with mixed, coniferous and broadleaved plantations,
broadleaved woodland, wood pasture and parkland as well as some active coppice
with standards. Woodland patches tend to be larger in the east than in the west.
5.3
The north of this landscape character area is covered by the Herriard Wooded
Downland Plateau BOA. This BOA comprises an exceptional dense concentration of
ancient semi-natural woodland SINCs on the clay cap, supporting important rare
plant populations. There are over 160 SINCs in this landscape character area.
Ancient and semi-natural woodland is by far the most frequent reason for their
designation although there are also unimproved grassland SINCs and SINCs which
support notable species.
6.0
6.1
6.1.1
Historic Character
Archaeology
The character area is agriculturally poor and this is reflected in the weak patterns of
archaeology. There is very little Mesolithic evidence with only a broad scatter across
the northern part. This scatter joins two richer areas of activity and may indicate an
ancient route across the landscape.
6.1.2
There are no Neolithic sites recorded which suggests that this area was not subject
to early agriculture, although some Neolithic artefacts indicate some level of
exploitation, perhaps grazing or for timber. There are no Bronze Age settlements
and very few Bronze Age finds, restricted to the very edges of this landscape, again
suggesting that through this period there was little exploitation. By the Iron Age
there are were a few settlements in the north located at the periphery, related to
spring lines. Even in the Roman period there were few sites and certainly no villas.
6.1.3
The archaeological evidence suggests that the plateau was not greatly exploited for
much of the past, and was probably a high wooded area with limited penetration.
This is reflected in the historic landscape character where dispersed settlement, late
enclosure and assart imply a landscape evolution covering only the last several
hundred years.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
6.2
6.2.1
Historic Landscape
There is a very mixed pattern of enclosure in this landscape. Overall the fieldscape
evolved fairly late from a mix of woodland, some early enclosures and open fields
near nucleated settlement and substantial areas of common wood pasture and
woodland management. The latter is likely to have played a significant role in the
medieval and post medieval local economy.
6.2.2
In the southern parishes e.g. East Tisted and Froxfield the pattern in the present
landscape is characteristic of medieval and post medieval enclosures which have
evolved from assarting, with sinuous shared field boundary hedges and lanes and
tracks with internal wavy boundary hedges at a relatively small scale. There are
assarts which have 19th century plantation additions, and also a concentration of 17th
and 18th century farmsteads in the far south and which support the probability of
associated post medieval enclosures. There is also some regular parliamentary
enclosure in the south west in West Tisted parish which has evolved from common
and open filed.
6.2.3
In the north, e.g. in the parishes of Ellisfield, Herriard and Farleigh Wallop the assart
is of a much larger scale indicated by the larger woodland blocks than the south.
This area roughly corresponds with the southern extent of the medieval forest of
Eversley which was disafforested in the early 14th century. There is place name
evidence that this landscape evolved later from common wood and down and deer
park than the far south and less intensively. Post medieval enclosures evolved from
this landscape and a similar concentration of 17th century farmsteads can be found.
6.2.4
In the central parishes the enclosure pattern is almost completely of a medium scale
formal, regular straight boundary character. The Forests of Woolmer and Bagshot
which covered this area were disafforested in the 19th century and this landscape
was completely overwritten by the subsequent organised enclosures. The majority
of enclosures by Act were in the first half of the 19th century. Much of the central
area comprises distinctive formal enclosures of small fields. Around Medstead, Dry
Hill and Four Marks, this regular rectilinear pattern has been subject to further
subdivision in the early 20th century, creating some of the smallest fields, in the
Hampshire Downs. These small holdings are a particularly distinctive, recent change
and may be attributed mainly to homes for heroes post WW1 and people choosing
lifestyle changes as ‘hobby’ farmers.
6.2.5
Throughout the character area there is a dispersed pattern of 19th century
farmsteads which is in contrast to the adjoining chalk landscapes. There has been a
certain amount of recent field reorganisation associated with these farms which has
affected the earlier enclosures in the north and south.
6.2.6
Along the eastern boundary of the character area, there are a significant number of
woods and parklands. Herriard and Rotherfield Park are both on the English
Heritage register, whilst those on the Hampshire register include, Thedden Grange,
Basing Park and Bentworth and several smaller parks. Weston Patrick Park and
Chawton Park contain remnant earthworks of the park pale as does Bushy Leaze
Wood. The large woods along the eastern side were typically commons, later
enclosed.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
6.2.7
1st edition mapping shows numerous small chalk and clay pits less than 0.25ha, often
close to settlement. Today, many of these appear as overgrown and wooded dells,
or have been filled in.
6.3
6.3.1
Built Environment
Major roads such as the A31, A339 and A32 cut across this character area,
otherwise the area is served by a network of quiet, winding rural roads and lanes.
The generally wooded road margins help to mitigate the intrusion of road noise and
movement into the rest of the landscape. Overhanging, wooded, sunken lanes and
tracks with banks and ditches occur particularly where there are dry valleys around
the margins of the character area.
6.3.2
Overall, this is a lightly populated area with a low settlement density. Hamlets and
agglomerated settlements tend to be distributed on the edge of the character area
and none are of market town scale. Place names such as Monkwood, Kitwood and
Charlwood are evidence that this area was historically well wooded. The churches
in small hamlets like Privett, High Cross, Bentworth and Ellisfield are significant
landmarks.
6.3.3
There is a particularly high density, for a downland landscape, of 18th and 19th
century farmsteads, connected by a high density of rights of way. The farmsteads are
often well hidden in the wooded folds of the landscape and are a rich architectural
asset, representing a high point in the agricultural history of the area.
6.3.4
Higher settlement density of more recent origin is found around Four Marks.
Veterans of the Crimean war were allocated plots for their smallholdings here.
Regular row settlements are more typical in the north such as Ellisfield, Bentworth
and Lower Wield.
6.3.5
The drift geology of clay with flints gave a ready local source of building material.
Concentrations of buildings incorporating brick in Froxfield and East Tisted parishes
are noteworthy. Outside the Hampshire clay lowland landscapes, this area has been
a historically significant source of clay for brick and tile manufacture, particularly
post 1800. Most of the listed buildings are located around the periphery of the
character area, reflecting the settlement distribution. Historic buildings in
settlements close to the Upper Greensand on the eastern side of the character area
have utilised both flint and malmstone.
6.3.6
Lasham airfield, built as a wartime airfield, is now a popular gliding facility.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
EVALUATION
7.0
Forces for Change
1. No large scale development envisaged but there is likely to be pressure for
new small scale development within and on the fringes of villages
2. Farm conversion to residential and possible loss of grazing land
management practices to gardens and paddocks
3. Climate change; storm frequency and intensity, changes in crop choice.
4. Take up of land management grant schemes i.e. woodland grant schemes.
5. South Downs National Park and South Downs Management Plan.
KEY QUALITIES AND EFFECTS OF FORCES
7.1
A late evolving landscape with a strong formal enclosure pattern in central areas, small
regular fields and medieval and post medieval influences of large assarts in the north and
more organised sinuous fields to the south.
FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES
CHANGE:
Most influence: Threats:
Reordering field boundaries undermining connections to ancient countryside enclosures.
1,2,4,5
The small field patterns around Four Marks and Medstead are particularly vulnerable to
pony paddock use and boundary loss and change from small scale backland development.
Opportunities:
Further interpretation of the historic landscape including the extent of the open field
systems and early enclosures by post medieval times and extant associated features such as
ancient tracks, hedges and old drove routes. Identify extent of wood pasture husbandry.
Former areas of common and plantation woodland have potential to reintroduce wood
pasture. Coppice and manage the reintroduction of broadleaved woodland such as
Weston, Herriard, Colemore and Newton.
NMP cropmark survey suggests high concentration of charcoal pits particularly in the
southern half of the character area associated with former common and small assart –
further investigation to determine if a locally distinctive distribution is present.
7.2
Remote tranquil character formed by the mosaic of pasture, arable and woodland in an
elevated downland landscape with occasional long distance views, quiet lanes and sparse
settlement but with good opportunities for access.
FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES
CHANGE:
Most Influence Threats:
Insensitive responses to traffic management issue exampl e.g. at settlement entrances.
1,2,3,5
Elevated landscape character may make it visually vulnerable to impact of tall structures.
Woodland may be most susceptible to predicted increased frequency of storms and
windthrow due to elevation resulting in changed perception of wooded character.
Opportunities:
Sensitive approach to rural lane traffic issues and involvement of local community.
Increase draw to the area from national park designation particularly as striking off point
from small settlements.
Opportunities for recreation through accessible woodland i.e. Chawton Park wood
Local opinions could be sought for particular valued views points to help with identifying
important receptor sites and assessing impact of vertical structures.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau
7.3
Distinctive settlement pattern comprising small nucleated settlements in elevated
positions with prominent church spires above the tree line and high density post
medieval farmsteads in the north and south.
FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES
CHANGE:
Most influence: 1 Threats:
Although no major development is very unlikely to be proposed in this landscape, many of
&2.
the small settlements in the north and south have had very little or no modern
development and therefore more susceptible to change in character with any modern infill
development or extensions.
Four Marks and Monkwood and Medstead areas have been subject to substantial changes
over the last 150 years and there have the most SHLAA sites in the character area.
Change of use and domestication of existing farmsteads, and farmland to residential use
with gardens and horse paddocks especially west of Alton and around Four Marks.
Pressure could grow in the northern and southern half of the character area where
marginal economic farming conditions on heavy clay soils and desirability of living in the
National Park may result in more farm to residential conversions.
Opportunities:
Conservation area appraisals of Bentworth, Shalden, Lasham, Upper and Lower Wield,
Froxfield Green and Ellisfield provide basis for monitoring condition and retaining character
of the most historically important built parts of settlement.
When designing new or built additions promote reference to historic building guidance
documents (HCC, EH and local) particularly in respect of historic farmsteads, brick and
flint, timber frame, and clay tiles.
7.4
The area supports a number of non statutory woodland sites, including several of
ancient origin and several large areas of plantation woodland often well connected by
wooded hedgerows, with a mosaic of permanent pasture.
FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES
CHANGE:
Most influence: Threats:
Uncertainty of grant funding for woodland management - particularly coppice management.
All
Balancing nature conservation interest of potential reversion to ancient woodland and
recreational and amenity resource value of accessible plantation woodland.
Species composition change/loss from climate change - susceptibility to windthrow from
likelihood of increased storm incidence particularly because elevation and exposure.
The majority of smaller woods do not appear to be under grant aided management and the
extent of coppice management is not clear.
Opportunities:
Environmental stewardship take up is quite widespread at ELS and there could be a focus
for HLS take up – particularly regarding small woodland management sites.
A large proportion of woods appear to be under WGS or EWGS. However there is scope
to improve knowledge of smaller woodland under management and possibly target small
woods for support – particularly as potential to connect larger woodland blocks.
There are several PAWS with reversion opportunities.
There is very little chalk grassland habitat creation opportunities apart from the steeper
upper parts of the Wey (partly in adjoining character area) and along the steeper parts of
the A339 valley.
Hampshire County
Integrated Character Assessment
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Status: FINAL May 2012
East Hampshire Wooded Downland
Plateau