A2: Historic Landscape and Settlement Analysis A2: Historic Landscape and Settlement Analysis 1. Background Valley Borough Council have commissioned Great Britain has been an island, physically separate Kirkham Landscape Planning Consultants, Gifford from continental Europe, since around 10,000BC. From and Partners, and Countryscape to undertake a this period onward, the island has developed a rich and landscape character assessment of the District. varied landscape through a combination of natural and The contents of this volume form the main results man-made processes. Much evidence for, particularly of the assessment of the historic landscape man-made processes, survives as visible remains and characterisation portion of the commission and are increasingly recognised in planning policy guidance provide supplementary information to the principal and European law. These guidances and directives report. This appendix should therefore be consulted recognise that archaeological remains are a ‘finite and in conjunction with the main study. non-renewable resource’ deserving consideration and protection for its own inherent properties and linked to 2. Approach the concept of sustainable development1. Hampshire has been the focus of several studies into the changing ecological, historical and archaeological The concept of the landscape (the visual appearance aspects of the environment, the most recent of of the land including its shape, form and colours) was which has been the Hampshire Historic Landscape recognised as part of this finite and non-renewable Character Assessment undertaken by the Oxford resource and needed to be quantified. Formal advice Archaeological Unit in 19995. The HHLCA sought on ‘landscape assessment’ was first detailed in not to add a further layer of complex interpretation TEST VALLEY TEST COMMUNITY VALLEY LANDSCAPE PROJECT ‘Landscape assessment: A Countryside Commission to an already well-studied but horizontally based TEST COMMUNITY VALLEY LANDSCAPE PROJECT approach’ (1987). Since this first advice document, appreciation of the landscape. Rather, the study numerous landscape assessments have been attempted to quantify the landscape in terms of its undertaken at various levels of detail ranging from the historic complexity using the study to develop a county study, through District level to studies of specific vertical appreciation of the landscape through the areas of land. introduction of time depth. Each of these studies has sought to understand the The results of the Hampshire Historic Landscape landscape as a dynamic system resulting from natural Assessment have formed the framework for this and human interaction over thousands of years. current study on the historic rural landscape of the The degree to which the layers of interaction survive Test Valley District (Figure 1). Consequently, the depends upon the level and extent of later impacts and current study has focused upon the development the concept of time depth arises. This is a methodology of a vertical appreciation of the historic landscape to aid in the understanding of the multi-layered tapestry (taken from available map-based and aerial of the historic landscape. Our appreciation of the photographic resources). landscape is the result of ‘the visual appearance of the land including its shape, form and colours’2, time The Brief and Client requirements ensured that depth is measured by the survival of visible remnants the general framework of the HHLCA formed the of our past. underlying framework of the historic landscape character assessment for the Test Valley District. Hampshire itself has been the focus of a county- Therefore, the current study has drawn extensively wide landscape assessment undertaken in 1993. from the experience of the HHLCA using its The Landscape Character Types and Areas were classifications of Character Areas as and where later analysed for their historic characteristics in applicable. Our approach was not to exhaustively 1998. At this point, Hampshire County Council copy the earlier study, but rather to assess its and English Heritage commissioned the Oxford applicability on a point-by-point basis. The rural Archaeological Unit and Scott Wilson Resource character areas were generally retained although Consultants to undertake an historic landscape specific groups were amalgamated to provide assessment of the entire county3. A two volume a more comprehensive understanding of the report on the results of the project were produced in landscape as, for example, with parliamentary field 1999. Their approach to this study was essentially systems. Where further information was available to classify landscape types and areas using primarily and warranted inclusion, specific character area map-based and aerial photographic evidence to be descriptions were developed and employed to followed by targeted ground testing. The Hampshire identify these inclusions to the map of the Test Valley Historic Landscape Assessment (HHLA) clearly District. Principally this included detailed reference to stated its aim to provide a supporting framework for the results of the Water Meadow Survey carried out future, district-level studies of the historic landscape4. by the Oxford Archaeological Unit during 1996. Following this Hampshire landscape study, Test 6 7 A2: Historic Landscape and Settlement Analysis A2: Historic Landscape and Settlement Analysis It is important to note that this study and its landscape. Elements such as Bronze Age barrows, conclusions have been based upon secondary medieval moated sites and post-medieval water source material. Of necessity, much of this meadow systems are all considered to be ‘historic material is of a considerable age and has not monuments’. The combination of surviving historic been updated recently while much information is monuments and extant historic landscapes can be not currently available in a published form. It is used to develop an overarching picture of time depth therefore recognised that statements within this across the District to identify areas where the visible text may be out of sympathy with current academic survival of monument is relatively higher or lower archaeological and historical thinking which only in relation with the associated landscape character future research and fieldwork may address. areas. Therefore the following sections offer an historic and archaeological précis of the Test Valley and have 3. Methodology And Applicable Studies been designed to offer an overview of the District’s Mapping was carried out using the 1:25,000 OS historic character rather than providing specific “Outdoor Leisure” maps series for the Test Valley detailed interpretation of areas within the District. If District. The existing GIS plot produced by the HHLA the reader is interested in particular aspects of the was taken as the basis for the map based checking District’s history and archaeology or a specific area which this project undertook. Where inconsistencies they are asked to consult the specialist literature on were identified with the character area designation or the subject. with the ‘drawing up’, amendments were made to the TEST VALLEY TEST COMMUNITY VALLEY LANDSCAPE PROJECT existing GIS plot. This information was overlaid onto the TEST COMMUNITY VALLEY LANDSCAPE PROJECT An analysis of historic settlement development was digital copy of the 1:25,000 OS “Outdoor Leisure” map. undertaken and focused upon producing a broad As with the HHLA study, the base map date for this understanding of historic change in the towns and study is 1996/76. villages of the District where sufficient data existed. It was found that the early development of the As the current study continued with the pre-existing principal settlement forms was determined largely by general Historic Landscape Areas ascribed by the the surrounding topography and underlying geology. HHLA, a similar ‘general rationale’ was followed for the Later settlement development and expansion from definition of adapted or wholly new landscape areas. historic core areas during the post-medieval period Therefore: appears to have been less restricted by topography and geology as construction techniques and the The assessment sought to characterise the prpresentesent requirements of housing and industry pushed day landscape. developments away from historic settlement cores. The District should be mapped seamlesslyseamlessly.. The ‘Winchester District Landscape Assessment’ Historic characteristics should reflect different types of was found to provide a useful set of settlement types human interaction with the environment. which approximated to the situation found in the The visible rresultsesults of these interactions should be neighbouring Test Valley District and so these were readily mappable. used throughout this study. A more detailed outline It should be able to reflect change through time. of the approach used is discussed in the ‘Settlement The assessment should be able to map currcurrentent and Analysis’ section of this appendix. relict land use. The assessment should not map arareaseas which can Where time depth is concerned (this will be defined only be defined by the evidence of below ground and discussed in Section 6 of this appendix), the archaeological fieldwork or survey but should HHLCA quite rightly did not set out to produce represent visible elements within the landscape. detailed phase or period plans. Instead, time depth in the HHLCA sought to identify the chronological In certain circumstances the