CORNWALL AND ISLES OF SCILLY LANDSCAPE CHARACTER STUDY

Landscape Character Area Description

LCA - Upper Tamar and Ottery Valleys LCA No CA31

JCA

Constituent LDUs Total 15: 34, 86, 91, 209, 210, 212, 213U, 214, 215U, 216U, 305, 306, 315, 316, 407

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Cornwall County Council 100019590, 2008.

Location The upper Tamar Valley predominantly north of Launceston and the Ottery Valley to the west. Designations LDUs 91 and 210 are partly within the AONB; LDUs 34, 210 and 315 contain SSSIs; 11 LDUs contain SMs and 3 contain CGS.

Description This area takes in the gently rolling hills and open valley landscape defined by the upper reaches of the River Tamar and the tributary rivers of the River Ottery and the Kensey. The area is bounded by the Tamar valley to the east and the higher ground of Landscape Character Area 37 (Western Culm Plateau) to the north. To the west lies the higher land of Landscape Character Area 36 (The Delabole Plateau) and to the southwest lies the moorland fringes of Bodmin Moor (Landscape Character Area 26). The flat floodplains of the Tamar and Ottery are distinctive with their strong tree cover, including free standing oaks. It is a settled inland landscape, with medium sized fields of improved pasture and some arable to the south. Boundaries are strong Cornish hedges and hedgerows with trees. Woodland is prominent to the east of the area including on the valley sides as blocks of broadleaved, mixed or coniferous plantations. Biodiversity interest is focussed on the valleys with wetland habitats. Settlement is clustered, focussing on the main town of Launceston and churchtowns with other settlement either as small farms or estate farms to the south. Estates provide additional landscape character to the east of the area. Key Landscape Characteristics Gently rolling, inland hills and sheltered valley landscape. Larger rivers have distinctive floodplains with valley floor pasture, in particular the Tamar and Ottery. Small areas of "Culm grassland" (wetland on the Culm measures with Puple Moor Grass and Rush Pasture and Fens) along river valleys. Medium sized fields of improved grassland with some arable land and strong Cornish hedges and hedgerows with mature hedgerow trees. Broadleaved and coniferous woodland blocks on valley sides particularly to the east.

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Landscape Character Area Description

Occasional free-standing, mature trees on floodplains or hedge banks provideing parkland-like landscape character. Launceston Castle, village churches and stone bridges across rivers, forming features. Slate giving a dark appearance to river beds and as "shillet" used in vernacular architecture.

Geology and soils The majority of the area is the Carboniferous Crackington formation of shale, mudstones and interbedded sandstones. A band of Lower Carboniferous slates with thin limestone and shales runs north west/south east and appears to define the courses of the River Ottery and River Kensey to the south and produce higher ridges and small isolated hills. Soils are shallow hard rock soils on higher ground to the north and alluvial soils in the valleys. Impoverished sandy soils occur on the ridges and hills to the south. Topography and drainage This is a wide rolling landscape with gentle valleys and ridges around 140m AOD. The area is defined to the east by the south flowing River Tamar and its floodplain and to the south by the east flowing Ottery and floodplain both at around 60m AOD. Tributary valleys punctuate the landscape. The landform gets steeper, higher and more broken to the south with a steep ridge reaching 191m AOD dividing the Ottery and Kensey north west of Launceston. Small isolated hills further west are noticeable in the landscape. Biodiversity Much of the Landscape Character Area is farmed, and mostly includes improved grassland/pasture with some arable. There are small fragmented areas of wetland, with Fens and Purple Moor Grass and Rush Pasture, mostly along the stream valleys, with some designated as SSSI at Kernick and Ottery Meadows, which link to similar areas in LCA 36 (Delabole Plateau) and LCA 37 (Western Culm Plateau). This type of wetland in this part of northeast Cornwall is known locally as ‘Culm grassland’ (wetland on the Culm measures with Purple Moor Grass and Rush Pasture and Fens).. There is a high proportion of mature trees on the Cornish hedges which link to the semi-natural habitats in the valleys. Along the streams are narrow, linear broadleaved woodlands, with Wet Woodland in places, linking the small fragmented wetlands, and areas of scrub and neutral grassland. On steeper slopes along the Tamar at Boyton and south of the River Kensey, are areas of Ancient Woodland, with Upland Oakwoods, some Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland and near Boyton, Upland Mixed Ashwoods. The woodlands near Boyton have areas of coniferous plantation, which is also found in the southern part of the LCA near Lawhitton and around Werrington. At Werrington and Polapit Tamar are areas of Lowland Wood-Pasture and Parkland. A small area near Red Down in the southwest has remnant Lowland Heathland.

Land Cover Landcover is dominated by farmed land of improved grassland/pasture with arable Woodland is prominent in places, particularly in and around the valleys, including along the River Tamar, and south of the River Kensey, and is a mixture of broadleaved, coniferous and mixed woodland. Small areas of wetland and rough ground occur along the valleys and on steeper slopes especially in the upper reaches of the River Ottery. Land Use Pasture is the dominant land use both as dry permanent pasture on higher land and wet meadow pastures on the river floodplains. The wet clay soils of the valleys and valley sides are influential in the distribution of pasture and arable land, and wetland habitats occur in many valley floors. Medieval enclosure is

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Landscape Character Area Description dominant with a significant proportion of post medieval enclosure, often on higher ground. Some arable occurs on the higher land notably in those areas of recently enclosed land north of Werrington and east of Tregeare. Many of the coniferous woodland and mixed woodland plantations are managed commercially. Launceston is the major settlement, with a few nucleated settlements based on medieval churchtowns and small farms elsewhere. Field and woodland pattern Fields are medium scale and are predominantly derived from medieval enclosure (Anciently Enclosed Land), although there are substantial areas of post-medieval enclosure of former rough ground (Recently Enclosed Land) in the northern part of the LCA. In the Recently Enclosed Land boundaries tend to be straight while in the Anciently Enclosed Land they are predominantly sinuous. There has been some alteration to both Anciently Enclosed Land and more recent enclosure patterns. Boundaries tend to be strong Cornish hedges and hedgerows with hedgerow trees, oak being dominant. Woodland is a significant component of the landscape particularly to the east around the Tamar and Ottery valleys. To the west, in the upper reaches of the Ottery and its tributaries, this thins. Large blocks occur in the river valleys, particularly the Tamar, both as coniferous, mixed and ancient coppiced oak woodlands on valley sides, e.g. Bradridge Wood. Elsewhere there are smaller farm woodlands including species such as holly, oak, beech and ash. Similarly, these species occur regularly in the hedgerows, along with bracken, creating an overall semi-enclosed landscape and visually reinforcing the anciently enclosed field pattern. In some places, beech clumps occur on hillsides creating landmarks. On the floodplains of the main rivers, there are often mature oak trees which provide the sense of a mature and ancient pastoral landscape as well as significant tree belts. Within the river valleys and along the disused railway which runs from Launceston to Padstow through the Kensey Vale, there are limited patches of rough ground. This variation adds detail and interest to the river valley landscape. Settlement pattern The settlement form includes some nucleated villages (usually based on enlarged medieval churchtowns) with small farms generally with estate farms north west of Launceston. The main farm type is medieval farm settlements, often formerly hamlets but now typically a single farm. Settlement is generally sparse, reducing to the west. Launceston is the largest settlement, a planned medieval town around the 11th century castle. It overlooks a crossing point on the River Kensey and its satellite, St Thomas, around the crossing, was a separate medieval borough. Several other settlements – Egloskerry, Yeolmbridge, North Tamerton – are also located at river crossings. Most of the churchtowns occur on valley sides, e.g. North Tamerton, Boyton, Yeolmbridge, North Petherwin, Egloskerry and Lawhitton and, in some cases, views to the churches, while moving through the landscape, make them important landmarks. There are some post- medieval roadside settlements as at Warbstow Cross and Canworthy Water. Rural Methodist chapels are also scattered throughout the area. Vernacular buildings are varied with materials ranging from slate to thatch roofs, slate hanging, cob and slate or even orange/red brick within the town of Launceston. Housing types are varied with Victorian houses, cottages, terraces or more modern semi-detached housing. Transport pattern The area is relatively poorly served by major roads with the A30 running south of Launceston and the A388 meeting it at the town. The B3254 runs north on the ridge line. The A39 lies to the far west. Between these roads there is a network of winding lanes often with strong high hedges. The river valleys serve as barriers and roads keep to higher ground. A Landscape Characteristic of this area is the number of ridgeway routes, medieval or earlier. These are important local routes and are lined by scattered cottages. They include the B3254 to Bude; the Launceston-Wilsey Down route; North Tamerton to Wilsworthy Cross, and North Tamerton to Bridgetown. Besides Launceston, North Tamerton, Yeolmbridge and Canworthy Water are major crossing points of rivers.

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Landscape Character Area Description

Historic features There is an Iron Age hillfort at Castle Park Wood, one of a cluster of earthworks on the Cornwall and Devon sides of the Tamar. Battle Ring, near South Petherwin, is one of a number of Iron Age or Roman-period defended farmsteads (rounds). A particular feature of this CA is its place-names, with numerous examples including elements in -cott, -worthy and -ton. These are unusual in Cornwall and provide evidence of Saxon settlement and influence expanding from Wessex in the late early medieval period. Launceston Castle is the most obvious historic feature in the area, with the well-preserved medieval walled town around it, preserving much of its medieval urban topography, including an arched entrance through the town wall, and the historically discrete late Saxon and medieval settlements nearby at St Stephen and St Thomas / Newport. The former deer park of the Dukes of Cornwall on the west side of Launceston is a notable feature. There are medieval bridges at St Thomas and Greystone on the Tamar Werrington Park boasts a mansion with parkland. Part of the Bude Canal survives on the west bank of the Tamar north and south of North Tamerton.

Condition Generally the area is in good condition and is well managed. In very isolated areas some fields in valley floors (such as west of Launceston) and in higher areas, are reverting to rough ground. South of Launceston, the new A30 bypass has encouraged extensive modern developments which collectively have altered the historic framework of the town and surrounding landscape. Similarly, new and sometimes unsympathetic developments within the town itself, coupled with continued heavy traffic through the town from the north, have eroded some of its historic landscape character and scale. Pressures New development around the towns e.g. Launceston. Quarries. Infill in villages. Aesthetic and sensory The area is a comfortable, settled and enclosed lush pastoral landscape. The maturity of its trees, old lanes, bridges and settlements indicate a stable and unchanged landscape.

Distinctive features The tranquil flat floodplain of the Tamar with strong tree cover and valleys sides with woodlands; views of the castle at Launceston on approach from the north which considerably reinforce the historic quality of the surrounding landscape and river valleys.

Visions and objectives Conserve and enhance the field pattern with Cornish hedges and trees, broadleaved ancient woodland, mixed valley side woodlands, valley floor wetlands while ensuring the sympathetic development of historic settlements. Planning and Land Management Guidelines Conserve and enhance field boundaries including planting field corners. Manage existing Cornish hedges and hedgerows. Manage ancient woodlands and plant new woodlands. Conserve wet pastures and unimproved valley pastures. Conserve mire [Fen] BAP and Lowland woodland pasture BAP habitats.

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Landscape Character Area Description

Support the retention of distinctive free standing trees, particularly on the floodplain. Encourage use of design guidance around Launceston.

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