Western Low Weald 14 Wivelsfield B2112 Uckfield Chailey Common A275 Wivelsfield Green Longford stream Town Little Horsted Ditchling Common Littleworth Lavender Line South Chailey Spithurst East Sussex National B Isfield Golf Course ev s er tre n Mount Pleasant Plumpton Green am Anchor Inn Race course Barcombe Cross Ditchling Plashett Wood Streat Shelleys Barcombe Mills A26 Folly Barcombe R Clayhill .O u s e Plumpton B2116 Cooksbridge Hamsey Ringmer Offham 001234 0.5 1 2 3 4 14 Western Low Weald Landscape CharacterCharacter AreaArea South Downs Downs National National Park Park Kilometers © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment Weald The Low Western Low Weald 14 large twentieth century villages e.g. Ringmer, Wivelsfield and smaller medieval villages along greensand ridge flat, open fields at foot of Downs some fine parkland and abundant trees, small ornamental woodland bold views of woods and hedgerows scarp of Downs giving secluded, sheltered feel gently undulating, relatively low lying countryside numerous lanes lined with trees, hedges and drove roads running away from the Downs © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment Weald The Low Western Low Weald 14 • Generally across the area there is a strong historic landscape Contents structure with a patchwork of medieval assart fields and A. Landscape Description hedgerow boundaries. B. Landscape Evaluation • Some areas of intensive arable agriculture and large fields where C. Vision and Strategy trees and hedges have been lost especially in the Ouse Valley, D. Guidelines for Managing Change around Ringmer and at the foot of the Downs around Plumpton. • Some smaller historic designed landscapes in the grounds of A Landscape Description fine country houses and scattered parkland, e.g. Plashett Park Key Landscape Characteristics and Offham House. • A gently undulating and low lying topography with highest • Manor houses often with medieval origins such as Middleton points on the green sand ridges and lowest in the river and Manor, Plumpton Place, Streat Place, Isfield Place and Ryngmer stream valleys. Park. • Unspoilt and distinctive rural character with few intrusive • Evidence of Roman occupation and roads across the area, features and no large urban areas. for example between Hassocks and Barcombe. • Fields are generally small and irregular; many formed from • The area has sites which are important to understanding the woodland clearance and often bounded by remnant woodland complex Wealden geology. strips known as shaws. • There are clay pits and brick manufacturing at Chailey and • A largely pastoral landscape, especially on the heavy clay soils. Hamsey and a sandpit at Plumpton. Red Sussex cattle and Southdown sheep are local breeds which • Oak and ash as predominant mature tree species in woods have been present for many centuries. and hedges with field maple, wild cherry and hornbeam • More mixed and arable farming on the higher ground and (coppice) also frequent, there are a few remnant mature elm lighter soils. trees. Alder and willow are common in the river valleys. Lime trees and horse chestnut are frequent in designed landscapes • Scattered tree features including distinctive mature oaks, tree and along roadsides. belts, woods, parkland and hedgerow trees give an impression that the area is well wooded. • Areas of remnant heathland and common land which are valued for public access and as remnant and scarce lowland heath, • A few scattered larger woods which are usually ancient in origin notably at Ditchling and Chailey Common. Both of which are notably Plashett, which is an SSSI, and Warningore woods. SSSIs and the latter is also a LNR. • Seasonal impact of carpets of celandine, wood anemone and • The flat and sometimes wide expanse of the River Ouse Valley. bluebells in woodland © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment Weald The Low WesternWestern LowLow WealdWeald 14 • Gently winding often tree lined minor river and stream valleys, • Mineral workings at South Chailey and Streat. most as tributaries to the Ouse. • Chailey windmill is in the heart of the area and is seen in • Scattered settlement of frequently picturesque villages and wide views form the South Downs. farmsteads, particularly on the Greensand ridge running parallel • Few main roads cross the area with the exception of the with the Downs. two north south A26 and A275 roads. The B2112 to the west • Small vernacular churches in hamlets and villages. of the area is a busy commuter route which puts pressure on the historic village of Ditchling. The B2116 running along the • Distinctive vernacular buildings associated with farmsteads southern edge of the area under the north scarp of the including many ancient farm house barns such as the clunch South Downs is also a busy route. Rat running and fast traffic barn at Hamsey. on minor roads which link these busy routes is intrusive. • The vernacular building material for the area is timber frame • The mainline London to Lewes railway crosses the area. and principally oak. • Part of the disused Lewes to Uckfield railway line supports • Typical building materials since the late 18 century include the Lavender Line steam railway at Isfield. local brick, white weatherboarding, clay tiles and Horsham slabs on the roofs of larger buildings and churches. • The heritage Bluebell Railway restores and runs steam trains from Sheffield Park via Horsted Keynes to East Grinstead. • Well managed village and farm ponds as focal points. • Larger 20th century villages which have grown on the main road and rail routes at Plumpton Green, Wivelsfield Green Cultural Associations and Ringmer. The village of Ditchling and surrounding areas have a long history • Frequent wide views of the bold scarp of the Downs to the of arts and crafts where Eric Gill founded The Guild of St Joseph and south and ‘big skies’. St Dominic on Ditchling Common. • Areas of tranquillity away from the main centres of settlement More recent resident artists have included John Skelton (sculptor) and roads. who had a workshop which is still run by his daughter in Streat, Raymond Briggs (illustrator) lives in Westmeston and painter • Distinctive pattern of north south orientated route ways and John Dunn. lanes which are considered to be drove roads along which farmers traditionally took their stock to the Downs. Typically these link with the steep bostals which climb the scarp slopes. • The Ouse Valley long distance path and boating attraction at The Anchor Inn, Barcombe. © ESCC 2015 TheThe EastEast SussexSussex CountyCounty LandscapeLandscape AssessmentAssessment Weald The Low Weald The Low WesternWestern LowLow WealdWeald 14 Table 1 Key positive Landscape Attributes • Unspoilt and distinctive rural character with few intrusive • The flat and sometimes wide expanse of the River Ouse Valley. features and no large urban areas. • Gently winding often tree lined minor river and stream valleys, • Fields are generally small and irregular; many formed many as tributaries to the Ouse. from woodland clearance and often bounded by remnant • Small vernacular churches in hamlets and villages. woodland strips known as shaws. • Chailey windmill. • A largely pastoral landscape especially on the heavy clay soils. Red Sussex cattle and Southdown sheep are local • Distinctive vernacular buildings associated with farmsteads breeds which have been present for many centuries. including many ancient farm houses barns such as the clunch barn at Hamsey. • Scattered tree features: mature oaks, veteran trees, tree belts, woods, parkland and hedgerow trees give an impression that • Well managed village and farm ponds as focal points. the area is well wooded. • Frequent wide views of the bold scarp of the Downs to the • A few scattered larger woods which are usually ancient in south and ‘big skies’. origin notably Plashett and Warningore. • Areas of tranquillity away from the main centres of settlement • Generally across the area there is a strong historic landscape and roads structure with a patchwork of medieval assart fields and • Distinctive pattern of north south orientated route ways and hedgerow boundaries. lanes which are considered to be drove roads along which • Some smaller historic designed landscapes in the grounds farmers traditionally took their stock to the Downs. Typically of fine country houses and scattered parkland, e.g. Plashett these link with the steep bostals which climb the scarp Park, Offham House and Mount Harry. slopes. • Manor houses often with medieval origins such as Middleton • Areas of remnant heathland and common land which are Manor, Plumpton Place, Streat Place, Isfield Place and valued for public access and scarce habitat. Ryngmer Park. © ESCC 2015 TheThe EastEast SussexSussex CountyCounty LandscapeLandscape AssessmentAssessment Weald The Low Weald The Low WesternWestern LowLow WealdWeald 14 B Landscape Evaluation Forces for Change impacting on positive Landscape Attributes Table 2 Current Condition This is a largely unspoilt and pleasant rural landscape with few Past / Current forces for change intrusive features. The landscape is in generally good condition • Expansion of larger villages and well managed as farmland with a strong historic structure. • Expansion of Plumpton Agricultural College to accommodate This is reflected in the southern part of the area which is in the new buildings, a wider variety of activities and intensified South Downs National Park and is the setting for the downland agricultural uses. scarp. The larger villages have some