3F: WEY VALLEY River Wey © Andrew Smith Geograph Near Northbrook © Andrew Smith – Near Bentley – land rises to Alice View from valley floor up to the Geograph. Holt in the background. Wooded Clay Plateau in adjoining LCA, near Lower Froyle © Peter Trimming Geograph. Chawton. Converted oast house at Holt Pound The A31trunk road is well screened – hop growing was prevalent in this from the rest of the valley by planting area and the Greensand to the east. and landform. Hampshire County 1 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Wey Valley Hampshire County 2 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Wey Valley 1.0 Location and Boundaries 1.1 This landscape character area embraces the Wey Valley from Alton eastwards towards Bentley. Its boundaries are defined by the tops of the valley sides where they extend into the surrounding chalk downs/Greensands to the north and Greensands to the south. 1.2 Component County Landscape Types Downland Mosaic Large Scale, Greensand Terrace, Downland Mosaic Large Scale, Lowland Mosaic Medium Scale 1.3 Composition of Borough/District LCAs: East Hampshire District Northern Wey Valley Worldham Lasham This character area has similar boundaries to the Northern Wey Valley although the edges of the area are defined further up the valley side slopes reflecting the valley landscape unit. 1.4 Associations with NCAs and Natural Areas: NCA 130: Hampshire Downs and NCA 120: Wealden Greensand NA 78: Hampshire Downs and NA 70: Wealden Greensand 1.5 Townscape Assessment Areas Alton 2.0 Key Characteristics • Broad valley with smooth undulating valley sides through which the River Wey flows. • Distinct flat valley floor with permanent pasture, wet woodland, water meadows and open water. • Large to medium scaled arable fields cloak the open valley sides. • Woodland in the upper valley slopes form wooded skylines in places. • Valley is and has historically been an important routeway and transport corridor containing the A31 and main rail line. • St Swithun’s Way long distance route, part of the Pilgrim’s way which connected Winchester with the North Downs. • Many historic features associated with the river Wey e.g. mills, weirs, watercress beds. Hampshire County 3 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Wey Valley • Nucleated settlement pattern of a string of villages on the gravel terrace on the north side of the valley floor less development on the slightly steeper southern valley side. 3.0 Physical Characteristics and Land Use 3.1 This character area comprises a clearly defined broad valley of the River Wey which cuts through Chalk, Upper Greensand and Gault Mudstone geology in succession from west to east. Within the valley floor the geology is masked by River Terrace Deposits and alluvium which cover the wide flat flood plain and give rise to loamy soils. Predominately medium agricultural land quality, with some higher land quality on lower lying, south facing valley slopes. The valley has a distinct profile with strong chalk bluffs and incised coombes to the north and a more varied profile to the south. 3.2 The floodplain is dominated by permanent grassland for cattle grazing and some areas of pony paddock defined by well managed hedgerows and ditches. Some of grassland is neutral and there are fragmented areas of mire or fen. Woodland is also a feature of the valley floor often lining the watercourse and willow trees are characteristic. The pattern of landuse and vegetation on the valley floor gives rise to a medium scaled landscape pattern and a sense of enclosure. This contrasts with the valley sides which are generally open with little to no woodland (except on upper slopes where it forms a wooded skyline) and land use is arable. Field sizes are generally large scale defined by well trimmed hedgerows. Local crops include hops especially at Froyle, where the hop poles, wires and former oast houses create a distinctive local feature. 3.3 The area falls within the Environment Agency Wey Addlestone Bourne catchment area. The River Way and its tributaries (Lavent and Canker Streams) which rise in the chalk in the west of this character area close to Alton form part of this character area. Areas of open water comprise a number of ponds within the valley floor e.g. Kings Ponds near Alton. 4.0 Experiential/Perceptual Characteristics 4.1 Although this landscape defines the valley of the River Wey, the river itself often appears insignificant in contrast to other linear features such as the A31 and main rail line which follow the valley bottom parallel to the watercourse. Views from the valley floor are affected by the extent of vegetation but where there are views they extend to the valleys sides which provide a backdrop and strong landscape context. From the valleys sides there are more open views across the valley floor and up and down the valley but in all cases the sense of place of this landscape is determined by the valley form. 4.2 This is an accessible landscape with numerous footpaths linking the historic settlements, although many are fragmented by the A31 and railway. St Swithun's Way passes through the valley on the northern valley sides. This long distance footpath follows the Pilgrim’s Way linking Winchester to the North Downs. Another long distance route, The Hangers Way begins at Alton railway station. The steam railway the Watercress Line is popular with tourists and runs within the valley between Alton and Alresford. Hampshire County 4 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Wey Valley 4.3 This landscape is relatively tranquil and its broad character enables it to accommodate development and pylons to some degree. However the A31 impacts greatly on the tranquillity through the heart of this landscape. In the valley bottom the vegetation on the valley floor slightly reduces this impact and although the semi- natural habitats and vegetation along the valley floor enhance tranquillity and perceived naturalness, the A31, railway and settlements are the more dominant features in views from the valley sides. Hampshire County 5 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Wey Valley 5.0 Biodiversity Character 5.1 This is an arable landscape with some improved grassland, small patches of woodland and some wet grassland habitats. 5.2 The north of the area is an open, arable landscape. There are patches of broadleaved woodland, some of which are ancient and semi-natural woodlands along with small patches of mixed plantation woodlands. There are occasional patches of unimproved grassland which are calcareous towards the periphery of the area and neutral closer to the river channel where isolated patches of wetland habitats, including marshy grasslands and ponds can also be found. The south of the area has a different character, with significant areas of residential development instead of the open arable landscape characteristic of further north. Within this developed area there are still patches of wetland habitats and woodland associated with the river. There is also an increase in the amount of amenity grasslands/ sports pitches which provides habitat variation in the developed area. 5.3 The Northern Wey Valley BOA exists in this area, along the river channel. There are frequent gravel beds and riffles and a good diversity of streams/ streamside flora and fauna, particularly fresh water molluscs. 5.4 There are over 20 SINCs in this landscape character area, with most designated for their ancient woodland resource. 6.0 Historic Character 6.1 Archaeology 6.1.1 There is little Mesolithic evidence currently recorded in this character area but it would be reasonable to assume that north of Alton the area was exploited in the Mesolithic. 6.1.2 The only Neolithic feature recorded is a post hole containing Neolithic pottery which was found close to Alton and may suggest a settlement. It is interesting to note that whilst most Long Barrows are found in the open chalk down land, there are two overlooking the Wey valley close to Alton. These suggest that the Wey valley is intensively exploited, whilst land to the north and south may not have been settled, but may have been exploited less intensively and more extensively, such as by herding. 6.1.3 Evidence of Bronze Age settlement lies in and over looking the Wey valley. There are a series of burial mounds that overlook the valley from the north on the high ground (although they lie outside this character area). It would seem likely that the valley was settled and in the Iron Age a hill fort over looking the valley (but outside the character area) implies the continuing importance of the valley, probably both as a settled area and as a route. 6.1.4 At Alton in the Wey valley there is a meeting of Roman roads with settlement and activity focusing in the valley at this point. This reinforces the continued importance of the valley as settled and as a route. Hampshire County 6 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Wey Valley 6.2 Historic Landscape 6.2.1 This landscape character area can be divided into two broad areas which have experienced different and yet linked historical development; namely the valley floor and the valley sides. 6.2.2 On the valley sides there is a mixture of enclosure pattern. Firstly the enclosures on the greensand terrace (southern valley sides and the north valley sides east of Upper Froyle) include wavy edged field boundaries reflecting enclosures mainly in the 17th century from common, waste and common field origins which formed the fringes of Alice Holt. Secondly, on the chalk valley sides (mainly to the north of the river) the enclosure pattern is one of later 18th and19th parliamentary enclosure.