Appendix 5.4: National, Regional and Local Landscape Character Assessments (Extracts)

National Character 88. Bedfordshire and Claylands Area profile: Supporting documents

Summary

The Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands National Character Area (NCA) The majority of the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands NCA is is a broad, gently undulating, lowland plateau dissected by shallow river valleys sparsely populated. Settlements are generally located along the river that gradually widen as they approach The Fens NCA in the east. Within it, but valleys and more recently along major road and rail corridors. A feeling distinct from it, is the Bedfordshire Greensand Ridge, a contrasting narrow of urbanisation is brought by the numerous large towns, including Milton and elevated outcrop of Greensand, with its associated habitats on acidic soils Keynes, Bedford, , and Peterborough, and major such as grassland, heathland and woodland. Views of the Bedfordshire and transport routes, including the M1, A1 and A14 and the Midlands and East Cambridgeshire Claylands NCA and its large-scale arable farmland can be seen Coast mainline railways. in most directions, from the elevated ground of the Yardley Whittlewood Ridge, Bedfordshire Greensand Ridge, East Anglian Chalk and Chilterns NCAs. Tranquillity within the NCA has declined, affected by visual intrusion, noise and light pollution from agriculture, settlement expansion and The NCA contains the Forest of Marston Vale – one of 12 Community Forests improvements in road infrastructure. Mineral extraction and landfill in – and to the south, around Luton, a small proportion of the activities, particularly within the Marston Vale and around Peterborough, Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). While predominantly have affected local tranquillity. Many areas, however, retain a rural feel and an arable and commercially farmed landscape, a wide diversity of semi- there are numerous opportunities natural habitats are also present within the NCA, including a number of for nearby urban communities to internationally important and designated sites that support a range of enjoy quiet, informal recreation. species – some rare and scarce – and offer opportunities for people to have A sense of place and history is contact with the natural environment. The River Great Ouse and its tributaries provided by the area’s rich geology meander slowly and gently across the landscape. and archaeology as well as historic features such as Stowe House, The Marston Vale and Peterborough areas have been subject to extensive Wimpole Hall, Wrest Park, Bletchley clay extraction for brick making. Subsequent restoration has provided Park, the Cardington Hangars, opportunities for recreation and biodiversity aided by new woodland the Grand Union Canal and the planting and other green infrastructure initiatives. Extensive quarrying of post-industrial landscapes of the sand and gravel within the river valleys has also left its mark with a series of brickfields. Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce restored and flooded waterbodies that benefit biodiversity and recreation. Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce

3 National Character 88. Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands Area profile: Supporting documents

Key ecosystem services include food provision, including unique genetic Statements of Environmental Opportunities: diversity found in local varieties of fruit; and the ability of the area’s rivers and wetlands to provide water, regulate water quality and flow, as well as ■■ SEO 1: Maintain and manage a sustainable and productive claylands arable providing benefits for biodiversity and recreation. The NCA faces significant landscape, while managing, expanding and linking woodlands, hedgerows challenges around accommodating levels of future growth and managing and other semi-natural habitats to benefit biodiversity, improve soil water resources, both within the NCA and the impacts that this can have and water quality, and ameliorate climate change by promoting good further downstream in other NCAs while, at the same time, protecting and agricultural practice. enhancing its character and increased demand for leisure and recreation. ■■ SEO 2: Protect aquifers and enhance the quality, state and structure of the River Great Ouse, its valley and tributaries, habitats, waterbodies and flood plain by seeking to enhance their ecological, historical and recreational importance while taking into account their contribution to sense of place and regulating water flow, quality and availability.

■■ SEO 3: Plan and create high-quality green infrastructure to help accommodate growth and expansion, linking and enhancing existing semi-natural habitats. Regenerate the post-industrial landscapes of the Marston Vale and Peterborough to improve and create new opportunities for biodiversity, recreation, timber and biomass provision while strengthening sense of place, tranquillity, resilience to climate change, and people’s health and wellbeing.

■■ SEO 4: Protect, conserve and enhance the cultural heritage and tranquillity of the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands NCA, including its important geodiversity, archaeology, historic houses, parkland, and Second World War and industrial heritage, by improving interpretation and educational opportunities to increase people’s enjoyment and

View of the Bedfordshire Claylands with Bedfordshire Greensand Ridge in the distance. understanding of the landscape.

4 National Character 46. The Fens Area profile: Supporting documents

Summary

The Fens National Character Area (NCA) is a distinctive, historic and human- conditions for large-scale cultivation of arable and horticultural crops; influenced wetland landscape lying to the west of the Wash estuary, which holdings of more than 100 ha make up 77 per cent of farmed land. As formerly constituted the largest wetland area in England. The area is notable cultivation techniques have become more intensive, however, the soil for its large-scale, flat, open landscape with extensive vistas to level horizons. resource is increasingly diminished through desiccation and erosion. Clays The level, open topography shapes the impression of huge skies which and silts laid down by marine incursions dominate the area abutting the convey a strong sense of place, tranquillity and inspiration. One per cent of Wash and extend inland along the rivers, forming the fertile horticultural the NCA falls within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. soils of the silt fens. This area is now marginally higher in altitude than the inland peatlands which have ‘wasted’. The fertile peat soils have been It is a large, low-lying, flat landscape with many drainage ditches, dykes and historically drained and managed to support national food production at the rivers that slowly drain towards the Wash, England’s largest tidal estuary. The expense of other ecosystem services. Drained peat is more vulnerable to loss, single obvious factor uniting the Fens is the low-lying, level terrain reflecting particularly where the deposits are deep and the water table is kept artificially its geological past. With the exception of the Isle of Ely, which reaches above low. Peat wastage through shrinkage, oxidation and wind erosion is a long- 20 m, elevations rarely pass the 10 m contour, and typically vary by little more term issue affecting the ecosystem services of the Fens. than one or two metres over long distances. Much of the land is below sea level, relying on pumped drainage and the control of sluices at high and low The Wash includes salt marsh and mudflats that support large, internationally tides to maintain its agricultural viability. The level horizons and the huge important populations of seals, waders and wildfowl, including pink-footed scale of the landscape create a strong sense of isolation and tranquillity, and and Brent geese, shelduck, knots, oystercatchers, common terns and various a distinctive sense of place. There are, typically, large open panoramas and plover species. It is accordingly designated a Ramsar site, a Special Area of enormous skies, whose changing weather patterns have a strong influence Conservation (SAC), a Special Protection Area (SPA), a European Marine Site on the observer. Four major rivers drain into the Wash: the Witham, Welland, (EMS), a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a National Nature Reserve Nene and Great Ouse. All rivers now have artificial canalised courses that run (NNR) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). Other important wetland habitats straight for long distances and are bounded by high banks to contain the include areas of relic old fen, washland, rivers, drains and a network of lesser watercourse from the lower adjacent fields. drainage channels known locally as ditches, dykes or sewers.

The Fens are the bread basket of Britain. The drainage of this area from the Several SSSI in the Fens are designated for their buried interest – a geological 17th century onwards presented valuable soils which provide excellent record contained in the sediments of the Wash basin and fenland – making

3 National Character 46. The Fens Area profile: Supporting documents

an important contribution towards our understanding of the effects of were also used for monastic and secular establishments across the fenland climate and environmental change over millions of years. Also, the Oxford region (such as Ramsey, Thorney, Crowland and Chatteris). Lodes, slades and Clay and Kings Dyke brick pit have been very important for palaeontology, canals historically formed the early transport opportunities across the fens, with major Jurassic reptiles including the pliosaur Pachycostasaurus dawnii commencing after the Roman conquest of Britain but increasingly in the late unearthed here. Leedsichthys, the world’s largest fish, was discovered in these Saxon and medieval periods. sediments and is still being unearthed from them. Authors Sir Harry Godwin and H.C. Darby have written major works on the There is a long history of human occupation here, accounts of which can be Fens, and Rex Sly has chronicled the history of the Fens from Roman times found in the Historic Environment Records for Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, until the present and written about fenland families and life in a series of three Peterborough and Lincolnshire. Early prehistoric sites are mostly deeply buried books published in the 2000s. Chris Gerrard has authored a book of work by beneath the fen sediments or occur on the low slopes of the higher fen ‘islands’. fenland artists showcasing the landscapes and biodiversity of the Fens. Scheduled Ancient Monuments of prehistoric to post-medieval date are located across the fens and many undesignated sites and monuments are known, again Although many of the Fens waterways are heavily embanked, limiting views mainly from the fen edges and islands. However, Flag Fen is a site of international across the landscape, water-based recreation is a popular pastime with a importance – a preserved, wooden, bronze-age platform and causeway focus at Ely marina. Angling is popular here. crossing the marsh to the east of the Peterborough fen edge, off which votive deposits (symbolising a wish, desire or prayer) of bronze and iron tools, weapons and decorative items were thrown into the marsh.

Ancient remains of settlements or task sites are increasingly being discovered as the peat dries out across the fenland area, or through development – for example eight log boats were found in an ancient river channel along with associated riverside settlements at Whittlesey, and numerous artefact scatters of prehistoric to Roman sites are annually ploughed up where the peat is thinnest on the gravel island edges and emerging crests. The impressive Ely Cathedral is a major landmark dominating the Cambridgeshire Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce peat fen from its location atop the Isle of Ely, as is ‘Boston Stump’ (St Botolph’s Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce Church, Boston) in the Lincolnshire silt fen, while similar island-top locations

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Lowland Village Farmlands

Summary

Overall description: This is a well settled, low lying landscape which is often crossed by major river corridors. The high density of settlement, intensive agriculture and major transport infrastructure mean that this is often a busy, rural landscape. Location: Located predominately in west Norfolk, and Bedfordshire.

Physical environment

Landform: A generally low lying, gently rolling topography, although some areas adjacent to lower lying levels can appear elevated. Natural / water features: This landscape is drained by small streams which are visually indistinct. Occasionally there are gravel extraction lakes (e.g. Hemingfords and Buckden) along the River Great Ouse and within the Ivel valley in Bedfordshire.

Vegetation and land use

Ecological character: A productive, intensively farmed agricultural landscape, with patches of wet woodland, reedbed and wet grassland along river valleys and in damp, low-lying hollows. Almost 10% of these sites are afforded some degree of designated protection. Primary land use : Arable land use predominates with some areas of pasture and orchards. Occasional mineral extraction, lake creation and brickworks. Tree cover: Groups of trees, often around farmsteads and occasional small plantations.

Cultural pattern

Historic features: Medieval moated sites and fine stone churches are a characteristic feature. Enclosure pattern: Medium/large scale, regular field pattern, defined by well trimmed hedgerows. Field systems include a mix of rectilinear & sinuous patterns, reflecting the process of planned surveyor enclosure from common fields. Settlement pattern: A dense, largely nucleated, rural settlement pattern composed of small towns (eg. Biggleswade), villages and outlying farmsteads. Larger towns (e.g. Bedford) often exert an urbanising influence on this landscape. Main building materials include Gault clay, brick, clay tile, render and thatch. Historic development : A landscape dominated by the late enclosure of common fields. Large pockets of earlier enclosure also exist, also

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created from common fields. All fieldscapes have experienced significant modification during the 20th century.

Perceptions

Tranquility: Away from major transport routes this landscape has a greater sense of tranquillity although intensive farming activity and a high density settlement pattern mean that many areas retain a busy feel. Views: Sparse woodland cover giving rise to open character and extensive views.

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Planned Peat Fen

Summary

Overall description: A flat, low lying and sparsely populated landscape characterised by dark peaty soils, a grid like pattern of large arable fields bounded by drainage ditches and wide views to distant, often dramatic skies. Location: This is the southern component of the extensive former Fenland of eastern England - stretching from south Lincolnshire, through Cambridgeshire, to south west Norfolk, and north-west Suffolk.

Physical environment

Landform: An expansive, low-lying (often below sea level), landscape with a distinctively flat landform. Natural / water features: The Hundred Foot Washes are a key water feature when flooded in winter, as are the altered courses of major rivers (e.g. Old Bedford River and the Nene). There are also occasional gravel extraction lakes (e.g. at Needingworth).

Vegetation and land use

Ecological character: A uniform and low-lying landscape, characterised by drained fenland, but supporting a mosaic of wetland habitats including fens, reedbed, wet woodland and patches of grazing marsh. Primary land use : An intensively farmed arable landscape. Tree cover: Almost no tree cover - restricted to infrequent patches of secondary woodland/scrub and discrete conifer belts around farmsteads.

Cultural pattern

Historic features: The area is dissected by long straight roads with 90 degree bends, often located on dykes above the arable fen fields, or following ditches. Occasional pump houses are a feature. Enclosure pattern: Planned geometric landscape with large fields defined by straight ditches. There is little apparent structural difference between the early and recent episodes of field creation. Settlement pattern: Settlement is sparse and limited mainly to isolated brick-built farmsteads on former fen islands. Most are post-medieval in origin reflecting the late reclamation of the area for agriculture. Thorney is the only historic nucleated settlement. To be completed at a later date. Historic development : A landscape created by drainage from the medieval period onwards to create farmland. Most comprises recent (18/19th century) fen enclosures, but significant areas of early (16th-18th century) enclosure also exist in the south and around Thorney.

Perceptions

Tranquility:

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A quiet, remote landscape where the sky plays a particularly dominant role in creating mood and interest. Views: The flat horizontal nature of the landscape can give vertical features (eg church towers and more recently wind farms) unusual prominence.

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framework of new hedges, trees and woodland planting relating to local mixes.

 Maintain the traditional linear form of by limiting backland and cul-de-sac developments.

 Ensure buildings are positioned to reflect local patterns such as mostly continuous frontages running along the back edge of pavements, with only occasional gaps, giving glimpses of countryside beyond.

 Ensure new developments reflect the form, scale and proportions of the existing vernacular buildings of the area and pick up on the traditional building styles, materials, colours and textures of the locality.

 Enclose boundaries facing onto roads by brick walls in the village core.

 Retain hedges and introduce them as boundaries alongside roads outside village cores.

 Avoid the use of standardised and intrusive urban materials, street furniture, lighting and signage as part of traffic calming measures wherever appropriate.

 Ensure large barns are sited and designed to minimise their bulk and impact on the wider landscape, normally relating them to existing groupings of farm buildings.

E. The Fen Edge

Parishes – Cottenham, Fen Drayton, Girton, Histon, Horningsea, Impington, Landbeach, Longstanton, Milton, Oakington, Over, Willingham, Rampton, Swavesey, Waterbeach, Westwick.

District Design Guide SPD Adopted March 2010 42 District Design Guide SPD South Cambridgeshire Adopted March 2010 District Council

Landscape Character

3.37 This character area has a mostly flat, low-lying landscape with open views. However, scatterings of clumps of trees, poplar shelterbelts and occasional hedgerows sometimes merge together to give the sense of a more densely treed horizon. Straight running ‘lodes’, drains and north-south droves are distinctive features. The Great Ouse river and the ‘lodes’ are enclosed by raised banks, which sometimes provide valuable grassland habitats, or are marked by lines of willows. Low sand and gravel fen ‘islands’ rise above the flat landscape and have provided an historic focus for settlements. Smallholdings for market gardens, flower growing nurseries and orchards introduce additional local variety and interest in the landscape.

Open fen landscape Enclosed farmland and long gardens Evidence of medieval long fields provide soft edge

Mature trees and hedgerows contribute Village green to landscape setting

Typical settlement landscape setting

3.38 The key characteristics are:

 A low-lying, flat open landscape with extensive vistas.

 Large skies create drama.

 A hierarchy of streams, ‘lodes’, drains and ditches dissect the landscape.

 The rich and varied intensive agricultural land use includes a wide range of arable and horticultural crops and livestock.

 Orchards are a distinctive feature.

Adopted March 2010 District Design Guide SPD 43 South District Design Guide SPD Cambridgeshire District Council Adopted March 2010

 Slightly elevated fen ‘islands’ have a higher proportion of grassland cover, trees and hedgerows.

 Small scale, irregular medieval field patterns are still visible around the edge of settlements.

 Church towers and spires create landmarks.

Settlement Character

3.39 The villages on the low fen islands are characterised by their strong linear form, often having developed outwards from crossroads along approach roads. The historic linear form is retained despite the modern estate developments that have occurred in many of the villages. Some village edges, such as at Cottenham, have a well wooded character, with hedgerows and mature trees concealing buildings, while others, such as Fen Drayton, have more open edges. Within the historic cores narrow lanes with continuous street frontages are typical, but on village edges buildings are more often setback with low walls and hedges fronting the streets. Long back gardens are also a common feature.

Willingham Fen Drayton - Groups of buildings on or close to the back - Narrow lanes of the pavement in the village core - Intimate character - Discontinuous frontages on edge of settlement

3.40 The key characteristics are:

 Historic cores of villages are located on the fen islands, although some modern development has spread onto low-lying land.

District Design Guide SPD Adopted March 2010 44

AREA 3: WESTERN CLAYLANDS land has been brought into production by drainage and other soil improvements. Larger As in the South-eastern Claylands, dense farm units have created a need for large storage woodland and heavy soils deterred prehistoric buildings, which can be prominent in the farmers, and even Roman settlements are not landscape. commonly found in these regions. Population Small villages and hamlets are scattered pressure and the use of improved ploughs, throughout the area, usually in sheltered places however, led to many medieval settlements with existing trees. Small grass paddoc ks which have since been deserted or have typically occur on the edges of the villages. shrunken to tiny hamlets or single farms. Church spires and towers enliven the skyline. Ridge and furrow (a survival of medieval Existing and former wartime airfields at ploughing), deserted medieval villages, such Alconbury, Wyton, Molesworth, Glatton, as Wintringham, Weald and Washingley, and Warboys, Upwood, Kimbolton, Graveley, other substantial medieval settlement Staughton, Sibson, Bourn and Great Gransden earthworks, such as those at Steeple and Little have a significant impact on the area. Gidding, Hamerton, and Winwick, together with numerous moated sites and ruined PRINCIPLES FOR LANDSCAPE churches (at Denton and Woolley) are now all IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT IN features of this sparsely populated landscape. THE WESTERN CLAYLANDS This gentle undulating landscape is It would be unrealistic and inappropriate to subdivided by the shallow Ouse Valley attempt to restore the pre-war landscape of (landscape area 4). It consists of large-scale smaller fields with tree-lined hedges. Instead a arable farmland with open fields, sparse new landscape pattern that responds to the trimmed hedgerows and watercourses often demands of both modern agricultural practice and cleared of bankside vegetation. There are the need for landscape enhancement is necessary. scattered woodlands and approximately half of The vision is one of a fairly large-scale landscape these are ancient semi-natural woodlands of with large rolling fields enclosed by and considerable importance in the County sweeping around blocks and belts of woodland context. The biggest concentration of and broad hedgerows. In the valley bottoms, the woodlands is in the south-west corner of the objective should be to create small-scaled stream- County. Elsewhere individual woods are of side landscape zones with trees, copses, meadows importance in visual and nature conservation and other features. terms, but they tend to be isolated incidents in Where remnants of the old ridge and furrow an area dominated by arable farmland. survive as grassland or in woodland they should The landscape of this part of be preserved. Cambridgeshire has been greatly affected by Creation of the new landscape structure modern agricultural practices. Increased should be directed towards the following mechanisation has led to the removal of principles: hedgerows and amalgamation of fields. Many 1. Management of existing of the remaining hedges are ‘gappy’ and woodlands: the careful management of trimmed almost out of existence by regular ancient semi-natural woodlands and cutting. Dutch Elm Disease has taken a selective re-stocking and creation of considerable toll of hedgerow trees, and the ‘edge areas’ elsewhere (see Farmland extensive replanting which is still young has Model A4b) is essential. yet to make any major impact, although with 2. Creation of new woodlands: ideally over one million grant-aided trees having been these should be at least 2 hectares in size planted since 1974 significant change is likely and located so that they make a major over the next few decades. Marginal impact in relation to:

Western Claylands: Boxworth

- viewing points: of streams to create semi-wooded - wildlife potential; corridors of diverse habitats (see - landform and skylines. Farmland Model A6). The new woodland blocks may be 5. Hedgerows: selected hedgerows should planted to reflect landforms, thus be reinforced or managed for particularly developing a new character of wooded significant impact, based upon their visual skylines, distinctive clumps and and wildlife potential. Historically significant woodlands following the folds in the hedgerows should be carefully conserved, and land. Elsewhere, woodlands may be new hedges planted to emphasise the existing planted to reflect the existing or former landscape. field patterns, thus being derived from 6. Road margins: verges should be the inherited pattern (see Farmland managed for floral diversity; hedgerows with Model A5). In practice, a combination trees should be concentrated on lower slopes of these two approaches would emerge, to prevent loss of views from higher land and reflecting both old and new landscape planted to create a bold sequence of enclosed patterns. and open characters appropriate to the large 3. Planting of woodland belts: scale of the landscape (see Farmland Models probably based on existing hedgerows, A4a and A4b). linking woodland blocks, the belts 7. Footpath corridor improvements: a should be carefully aligned to reinforce small number of long-distance routes and also landforms and would enclose large areas circular/linking routes related to villages and of rolling farmland (see Farmland Model towns should be located, and landscape A4b). improvements implemented along their 4. Creation of landscape corridors in alignments; ideally these features will be valley bottoms: this will necessitate integrated with other new features as in 1 and setting aside 5-15m or more either side 4 above (see Farmland Model A7).

8. Village approaches: increased tree 10. Urban fringe: where the claylands cover with trees along road margins, border the Ouse Valley towns (St Ives, woodland belts alongside roads, planting at Huntingdon, ) a substantial increase edges of villages and hedgerow planting is in tree and hedge cover is needed with trees desirable; it is important to ensure key along road margins, and woodland belts views are not lost. alongside roads and edges of developments. 9. Old airfields: there may be unsightly buildings which require fresh landscape treatment.

WESTERN CLAYLANDS Before

Dead tree Very little sense Poor, sparse Large, modern Small scrubland of landform or hedgerows. farm buildings on land difficult to enclosure. prominent on the cultivate. skyline.

WESTERN CLAYLANDS After Dead tree Tree line on Hedgerows Farm Woodland New woodland retained for hole- horizon helps to emphasise buildings on forms strong nesting birds. tie features landform and well horizon feature. Saplings together and give screened provides selected from enclose the character; by good hedge and space. tree planting planting. backdrop. allowed to grow in hedge. untrimmed.

PLANT SPECIES GUIDELINES FOR Avenues THE WESTERN CLAYLANDS Quercus robur (oak) Tilia sp. (lime) Mixed Woodlands Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) Quercus robur (oak) Environs of villages only. dominant tree. Avenues – all as single species, not mixed. Fraxinus excelsior (ash) dominant tree. Stream sides, wet clay soils Prunus avium (wild cherry) Alnus glutinosa (alder) less common. dominant, in copses and small groups. Acer compestre (field maple) Salix alba (white willow) glades, near edges. Sub-dominant, not in mixes. Corlus avellana (hazel) Salix fragilis (crack willow) dominant shrub, edges, glades, scrub. typical pollarded tree. Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) Salix caprea (goat willow) near edges, mixed thickets. scrubby copses. Sambucus nigra (elder) Fraxinus excelsior (ash) occasional, understorey and edges. occasional where not waterlogged. Quercus robur (oak) Hedgerows, woodland edges and scrub occasional where not water logged. Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) Corylus avellana (hazel) Corylus avellana (hazel) occasional on stream banks if not waterlogged. Prunus spinosa (blackthorn) Populus tremula (aspen) Rosa canina (dog rose) in thickets; not in mixes. Acer campestre (field maple) Viburnum opulus (guelder rose) Malus sylvestris (crab apple) occasional as individuals and small groups. Cornus sanguinea (dogwood) Cornus sanguinea (dogwood) occasional. occasional as individuals and small groups.

Trees in hedgerows Quercus robur (oak) dominant. Fraxinus excelsior (ash) sub-dominant. Acer campestre (field maple) sub-dominant.

AREA 8: FENLAND tidal salt water in the brooks, and the rearing of sheep and cattle. Various HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT canals were made, mainly for transport, The fens are a complex landscape covering linking major rivers, or, like the Fen 550 sq. miles produced from draining the tidal Causeway, connecting the Peterborough basin of the Wash. The area has undergone region with East Anglia. The canal continual transformation since the last ice age became silted and was later turned into a 10,000 years ago, as with each relative change road. An even longer waterway, the Car in sea level the balance between saltmarsh, Dyke, linked Lincoln with Peterborough fen, bog and woodland has altered. Large- from where connection with Cambridge scale drainage work in Fenland stems from the could be made via natural rivers and human desire to manage these potentially finally by the Cambridgeshire Car Dyke productive lands. This has been achieved in cutting through Cottenham and three principal phases spanning the last 2,000 Waterbeach years. 2. In the early Middle Ages much of the remaining fenland was drained through 1. The silty marine deposits lying ‘assarting’, the process by which common around the Wash became habitable for land is enclosed by private landowners. the first time during the Roman period This produced extensive areas of pasture with the construction of a sea wall and the products which formed the basis around the Wash to exclude the of the wealthy Fenland economy – meat, highest tides. The nature of the butter, wool, livestock and traditional settlement was rural with farm products of reed, sedge and peat. clinging to the higher ground along the 3. The final major phase of drainage levees of steams and rivers. The main was designed by Vermuyden and economic activities were salt implemented in the seventeenth century, production, using fen peat and the with an elaborate system of drains and

Fenland: 16ft drain at Stonea

river diversions, including the LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS construction of the Ouse washes. This Fenland is a landscape of contrasts and variety. scheme enabled deep drainage of the Superimposed upon the regimented and highly southern peat fens leading to the organised drainage patterns is a much more conversion of pasture to arable haphazard pattern of settlement and tree cover. It cultivation, which in turn accelerated is a large open landscape and although appearing the shrinkage of peat resulting in the monotonous, it is in fact characterised by need to maintain most of Fenland by continuous change as the visual characteristics of continued pumping into the now high one fen merge into the next. The open landscape drainage channels and rivers. provides distant views where the scattering of clumps and individual trees merge together to FENLAND ARCHAEOLOGY produce a feeling of a more densely tree-covered Fen islands and edges are exciting horizon. archaeological areas because their build-up of There are many ‘islands’ which rise above the peat has protected early sites. Lowest levels flat ocean of the fens. These range in size from are still wet and therefore preserve organic the dominant Isle of Ely which rises over 20m materials and other evidence. The area has above the adjacent peat fens, to much smaller always been rich in natural resources (e.g. features which are elevated an almost waterfowl, peat, reed) and was settled imperceptible metre or two. These islands are wherever changing water levels permitted. significant in the landscape: most are occupied by Early prehistoric habitation was widespread settlements or farmsteads which, with their and the Romans organised drainage and associated tree cover, gives them special farmed the fens as an imperial estate, probably prominence. Heavier soils predominate on the concentrating on wool and leather production larger islands, resulting in a landscape more for the army. Saxon monks actually typical of the Western Claylands with mature experienced wetter conditions providing them trees and thick hedgerows. with remote strongholds at Ely, Ramsey and In the expansive open landscape isolated Thorney. agricultural buildings, farmsteads and loose-knit Peat shrinkage is constantly exposing new villages are often prominent against a background archaeological sites in the Fenlands, and of a constantly changing sky where vast therefore up-to-date information is always cloudscapes provide drama and visual delight. needed before development or planting There is considerable variation within schemes are planned. Survey work carried out Fenland, each fen having its own characteristics. by English Heritage’s Fenland Project Journeying through Fenland these subtle changes provides invaluable information for individual in character become gradually apparent with the sites. constant change in the balance of landscape components.

Wide open spaces; distant trees merge to form a softened horizon, but uncluttered spaces of several square miles in extent create a dramatic and dominant character.

Examples of areas within Fenland with Tree and Hedge Planting strong individual characteristics include: 1. Around agricultural buildings and - the larger islands of higher ground such farmsteads: modern farm operations, as a March, Chatteris, Haddenham and Ely. require large, industrially scaled These have more tree cover, retained buildings. The scale of the fen landscape hedgerows and often extensive areas of can enable these to become an acceptable grassland; element in distant views. Careful siting - the Duke of Bedford’s former estate at and choice of colour cladding is Thorney where nineteenth-century planting important. Attempts at screening need to on a grand scale has produced a landscape be equally bold to succeed. However, it strongly influenced by tree belts and is not necessary to surround buildings avenues; with trees. Planting up to quarter of a - the fruit-growing area around Wisbech hectare of trees in front, to the side or including villages such as Parson Drove, even behind buildings will soften the Wisbech St Mary and Leverington, situated harsh outlines of buildings and combine on the northern silt fens. Here an early to form visual ‘islands’ within the open settlement pattern with an irregular layout Fenland. of connecting roads combines with mature 2. Isolated trees and clumps: a trees in the villages and orchards characteristic features of Fenland is the surrounded by windbreaks of poplar or scattering of lone trees, often willows of hawthorn to produce a distinctive pollarded origin, which grow on drove landscape; edges, road verges, out of ditch banks or - land adjacent to the Ouse and Nene adjacent to buildings. Small-scale Washes, and other large drainage channels planting is needed if the presence of where huge linear grassy banks dominate isolated mature trees is to be maintained the landscape; in the landscape. The regular shape of - extensive plantations of poplars in the fen fields and the large number of drains Shippea Hill area, once grown for match provide few obvious sites for planting production, have produced blocks of even occasional trees. A willingness to woodland in scale with the open landscape: tolerate ‘lone’ trees in an arable - extensive linear planting of poplars and environment will be needed by farmers willow on field edges and road verges in and landowners, to perpetuate their the Isleham-Prickwillow area on the presences in Fenland. initiative of vegetable growers has 3. Planting of avenues/tree belts: the produced features which now dominate the planting of avenues and lines of trees can local landscape; do much to improve and diversify the - remnant wet fenlands at Wicken, Holme landscape if undertaken on an appropriate and Woodwalton dominate the local scale. The tree belts in the Thorney area landscapes and provide a sharp contrast are appropriate because they were with modern usage of the fens. planted on a grand scale by the Duke of Bedford and in combination they produce PRINCIPLES FOR LANDSCAPE the character of that area. An isolated IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT IN avenue or tree belt is likely to appear out THE FENLAND AREA of place on its own, within an open The fens are large open landscapes. Their landscape. present character is a result of the interrelation The planting of avenues/tree belts between the regimented pattern of drains and should be undertaken: roads and the more scattered elements of trees - within areas already characterised by and settlements. In many areas the essential similar features; character is the open view of land, sky and the - where the scale of work is appropriately field drains. Any landscape proposal must suit large, e.g. as part of a planned scheme the massive scale of the landscape and be in covering a large estate; keeping with the local character of the particular area.

Fenland Before Wide sweeping vistas where the farm buildings are the main element to break the skyline

FENLAND After Planting concentrated around the No planting along Encourage verge and dykeside vegetation for wildlife. farmhouse and its ‘industrial’ scale drove because this buildings. This would provide shelter would conflict with the and soften the forms of the buildings. wide open vista.

- after consideration has been paid to 5. Settlements and large the qualities of the existing landscape development s: many Fenland villages and the impact on the belts on have suffered from unsightly fringe existing views, e.g. will an existing development. Planting thick hedgerows prominent view of Ely Cathedral be with trees or wide shelterbelts on the lost? margins would soften harsh boundaries 4. Planting of new woodlands: between rear gardens and farmland. true woodland is largely absent from These types of landscaping Fenland, though records show that opportunities should be incorporated some ancient woodland did survive into sizeable developments affecting the on the larger fen islands until quite edges of settlements. Entrances to some recent times, the last site being villages would be improved by tree cleared at Doddington earlier this planting along verges. Avenue planting century It is on these larger islands of large trees with scale and presence, that new woodland planting would be such as horse chestnut, is appropriate. most appropriate. For example, there Tree planting within the settlements will would be substantial benefits from soften their profiles and reinforce their establishing extensive new woodlands island character within the open fen on the fen islands round Ely, Chatteris setting. and March.

Fenland Village Entrance : Before

Fenland Village Entrance : After

6. Fen islands: opportunities species by extending clearance cycles. should be sought to increase tree cover through hedgerow planting, and Recreating Wet Fenland the creation of new copses and In the intensively managed fenland landscape few woodland, thus providing a contrast areas of semi-natural fenland remain. All to the surrounding fens. At the practical opportunities for recreating wet fenland transition area between fen and should be exploited. island, the creation of small grass paddocks surrounded with thick PLANT SPECIES GUIDELINES FOR THE hedges and trees or areas of woodland FENLAND would reinforce the contrast and the sense of moving from one landscape Since many of Fenlands’ trees are of planted to another. origin we will find that the typical naturally occurring species such as willow, ash, oak and Management of Dykes and Drains elm are very commonly supplemented with In managing these features opportunities introduced horse chestnut and sycamore. As a should be taken to enhance the landscape and general rule these should only be used in villages conservation value by: or in association with buildings - reprofiling banks; - creating dyke deltas; - encouraging more diverse grass and flora

Fenland: the Isle of Ely from Stuntney.

Peat and silt Fenland Fen islands Fraxinus excelsior (ash) Fraxinus excelsior (ash) Salix alba (white willow) Quercus robur (oak) Alnus glutinosa (alder) Acer compestre (field maple) Quercus robur (oak) Malus sylvestris (crab apple) Acer compestre (field maple) Prunus avium (wild cherry) Betula pendula (birch) Populus alba (white poplar) Populus alba (white poplar) Salix caprea (goat willow) Populus robusta (hybrid black poplar) Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) Salix caprea (goat willow) Corylus avellana (hazel) Salix cinerea (grey willow) Cornus sanguinea (dogwood) Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) Prunus spinosa (blackthorn) Viburnum opulus (guelder rose) Ligustrum vulgare (wild privet) Cornus sanguinea (dogwood) Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) Cornus sanguinea (sycamore

Selected dykes could form linear landscape corridors through the fens. Here, a smaller-sale character is appropriate, with meadow, copses, pollarded willows, changes of level and wetland habitats. From these more sheltered corridors, there would be contrasting views out to the open Fenland beyond.