Table 1: Special Qualities of the Wolds AONB

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) South-west South- Landscape North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent Character scarp valleys claylands within AONB

Scenic beauty & rural General component (a rolling upland landscape of strongly Most of AONB Good, but needs Changes in land Development charm cohesive identity with farming as an underlying component). quantitive survey (see management; CAP control; Section 9.2 reforms; quarrying; interpretation & Monitoring) telecommunication education; liaison masts; wind farm with community & developments including visitors; periphery of AONB; oil new regional exploration; light funding pollution. opportunities through agri- environment schemes. Expansive, sweeping General component (views from scarp edge, High Street and Most of AONB Good, as above As above, but Development views Bluestone Heath road are particularly dramatic). particularly hilltop or control; high skyline developments. quality design and build; landscaping. Peace & tranquillity General component (once away from the main roads there is a Most of AONB Good, away from Continued increase in Quiet Road wide sense of remoteness and rural isolation accentuated by the main roads such as road freight & possible schemes; traffic combination of elevated plateau and sheltered dales). A16, A18 and High increase in air traffic calming Street. (Humberside Airport measures; and armed services); integrated public light pollution; transport unmanaged visitor initiatives. pressure. Farmed Land Primary land-use component of the AONB landscape. Most of AONB Varied, but essential Continued Development Scenic quality, element of the AONB intensification and new control, e.g. biodiversity, socio- (Between 1975 – 1994 proportion of arable increased from 69% - character (see cropping regimes; Design Guides as economic role 82 % within the AONB – EN.) component features changes to national/EU SPG; re-directing below). farm policy; new funding (EN) ‘eyesores’ (e.g. large streams for farm sheds & outside landscape, stores, grain silos); biodiversity, climate change. recreation gains.

Special Quality Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) South-west South- North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent Earth Heritage scarp valleys claylands within AONB

Chalk upland – General component (series of sandstones, ironstones and clay Most of AONB Varied Modern development Development plateau & valley underlie the chalk capping and form the essential character of (visual intrusion e.g. control; landscape the Wolds. The area has been shaped by at least two periods of telecom masts/oil rigs); interpretation & glaciation). other ‘eyesores’ (e.g. education. (LGG) sheds & outside stores, grain silos); chalk quarrying. Glacial/periglacial Key feature Key feature Varied Change in land use e.g. Improved access, features including tree planting. interpretation & remnant 1 SSSI education; lakes/spillways 4 RIGS 2 RIGS 1 RIGS 7 RIGS landowner liaison; 1 LWT 1 SSSI SSSI in favourable restoration (NE, LERC, LGG) Reserve condition schemes. Geological qualities Key feature Varied, some small Change in land use; Improved access, pits overgrown or lack of awareness; interpretation & (NE, LERC, LGG) infilled. erosion; secondary education; 1 SSSI 2 RIGS 3 SSSI 2 RIGS 14 RIGS 2 SSSIs in favourable activity including landowner liaison; 1 RIGS 9 RIGS 4 SSSI condition landfill; illegal activities. restoration schemes.

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) South-west South- Biodiversity North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent scarp valleys claylands within AONB

Calcareous, meadow, Key feature Local feature Key feature Local feature Estimated 13% of 54% decline in Threat to livestock Grazing support pasture & wet Nettleton within the AONB - grasslands between farming; intensive schemes; shifts in grasslands Valley and chalk valleys. Approx 200 Sites 1975 and 1994 (EN agricultural practices national/EU policy western of Nature stats. from MAFF including land drainage; favouring scarp face. Conservation agriculture annual potential conflict with environmental Importance census). woodland planting; loss farming schemes; 1 SSSI (bats in 4 SSSI 5 SSSI (SNCI) within via woodland/scrub landowner liaison. (EN, LWT, LWCS) disused 2 LWT 3 LWT AONB. 7 SSSI in favourable encroachment. railway Reserves Reserves condition. tunnels) 10 SSSI Beech clumps (BeC) Key feature Local feature Local feature Important Many of similar age & Wide neglect & lack of AONB specific landscape feature. structure. management, limited grants & advice. markets; climate Landowner (LWCS) 28 BeC 12 BeC 8 BeC 48 + BeC change. liaison. Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Woodlands (largely Local feature Key feature Key feature Key feature 2,252 ha, 4.06% 27% is believed to be Further decline in Further surveys; 18th - 19th century of AONB in sustainable management; lack of targeted planting plantings) (including ancient management (FC, potential markets; & woodland woodlands) 2001/02). conifer planting; fragility restoration 44% broadleaved owing to small size; schemes; 17% coniferous Remaining 73% climate change; fly development of (FC) 32% mixed unknown. tipping. woodland woodland. markets; TPOs. Ancient woodlands Claxby Chalk & alder Oak & ash 609.8 ha, 1.10% As above; with isolation As above. carr of AONB of the woodland of (EN, LWT, CA, 2 SSSI Localised, but particular concern. LWCS) 2 SSSI 1 LWT highly visible 2 SSSI in favourable Reserve feature. condition. 4 SSSI River, streams and Key feature Local Key feature Key feature 9 principal river Fair – good Low flow issues; poor Further surveys; ponds feature systems. Many water quality and chalk streams 1 LWT are SNCI. fringing habitats; partnership (EA, LWCS) Reserve Ponds unknown invasive alien spaces. project; agri- environment schemes. CAMS.

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) South-west South- Biodiversity North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent (continued) scarp valleys claylands within AONB Hedgerows Local feature Key feature Key feature Local feature Unknown Unknown. Loss of traditional Further surveys; practices; landowner liaison, (LCC; State of the Widely Mainly enclosure Between 1970’s and poor management; advice and Environment Report) degraded hedges, small 1990’s over 1000m spray drift. specific grant aid; areas of pre- per km square links to other enclosure believed to have been habitats; (species rich) lost in the Wolds. development hedgerows New/restored hedges control (planning survive in pockets. put in through CSS. conditions) and Hedgerow Regulations. Roadside verges and Local feature Local feature Key feature Key feature Overall key Variable Loss of traditional Suitable future green lanes component of management, e.g. management; area. grazing & hay making; strategic inappropriate use; road framework. (LWCS, LWT) 2 RNR 6 RNR 7 RNR 15 RNR within run off & vehicle Roadside Nature the AONB encroachment; fly Reserves (RNR) tipping.

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) South-west South- Archaeology North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent scarp valleys claylands within AONB

Ancient route-ways Key feature Key feature Key feature Key feature Roman roads and Generally degraded, Loss of character Sympathetic/ salter routes, especially on byways. through road widening; traditional High Barton Street Bluestone Barton Street many as byways modern signage; signage; Street Heath Road etc. increased traffic flows; education & lack of appropriate awareness. management (e.g. (LWCS) byways); increased traffic flows. Scheduled Local feature Key feature Key feature Local feature 97 SMs within 32% SMs at risk Change of land use or Development Monuments (SMs) AONB (EH, 2010). management; farming control; landowner 13 barrow 48 sites. 26 sites 10 sites operations. liaison & advice; sites 16 DMVs/ 2 DMVs/ increased access settlements; 3 settlements; 1 DMV; 9 interpretation & structures; 3 2 moated barrows education. (LCC, NELC, EH) moated sites; 1 site; 16 hillfort; 25 barrows; 6 barrows structures Burial mounds & Local feature Local feature Local feature Local feature Visible on chalk Vulnerable feature. Farming operations; Development monuments tops & adjoining Many now only visible development control; landowner routeways as crop & soil marks. pressures. liaison.

Long Long barrows Long Long 89 long barrow & Several important key barrows and and round barrows and barrows and 232 round sites remain e.g. round barrows. round round barrows sites. Giants’ Hill long barrows. barrows. barrows. barrow.

(LCC, NELC) 2 Anglo- 4 Anglo-Saxon 9 Anglo- 1 Anglo- 16 Anglo-Saxon Saxon cemeteries Saxon Saxon cemeteries cemeteries cemeteries cemetery Deserted medieval Key feature Key feature High density of Vulnerable feature. Farming operations; Development villages (DMVs) and around North around DMVs & SMVs on development control; landowner shrunken medieval Ormsby, Wykeham, plateau & spring pressures. liaison & advice; villages (SMVs) , Biscathorpe line locations increased access, Withcall & and (Approx 84 DMVs interpretation & (LCC, NELC) Maltby & SMVs). education.

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) South-west South- Archaeology North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent (continued) scarp valleys claylands within AONB Roman villas and Local feature Variable condition, Change of land use; Development settlements (but no data for all). farming operations; control; 6 sites 17 sites 3 sites 1 site 27 known development landowner liaison Vulnerable features. pressures. & advice; Many are only visible increased access, as crop marks. interpretation & education; agri- (LCC, NELC) environment schemes.

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) Cultural associations North-west Chalk wolds South-west South- Total extent (community value) scarp ridges and eastern within valleys claylands AONB Literary/artistic General component, especially chalk wolds & south-west ridges and Most of Strong. Change in ownership; Interpretation & valleys AONB loss of records or education; Alfred, Lord information; improved access Local and AONB-wide cultural associations Tennyson, Poet lack of interest or to cultural sites; Local and vernacular idiom/dialect. Laureate awareness. landowner liaison; Peter de Wint, support specialist landscape painter, interest groups. (CCP414 pg 24-26) A.S. Byatt, Booker prize winner novelist

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) Historic South-west South- Landscapes & North-west Chalk wolds ridges and eastern Total extent scarp valleys claylands within AONB Buildings Village character, Key feature Key feature Key feature Key feature 72 villages with Variable Insensitive Development control, including churches distinctive development e.g. Design Guides as Local Villages hidden Local sandstone Linear churches. 3 Listed buildings within including infill; SPG; ironstone & from view. buildings, with villages the high risk category. change of use; interpretation & limestone rectangular plan 16 villages without visitor pressure. education. buildings. villages. a church.

Conservation Conservation area Many houses of (LWCS) Conservation area in 1 village; of part of 1 village. brick and pantile. Conservation areas area in 2 conservation (LCC - MapInfo) villages. area of part of 1 town. Traditional farm Local feature Key feature Key feature A feature of the Variable Change of Development control, buildings area, especially agricultural e.g. Design Guides Built of local Victorian Victorian planned the planned practices and as SPG; stone, many planned farmsteads, Victorian legislation landowner liaison & still house farmsteads mainly built of farmsteads e.g. demand larger advice; increased livestock. mainly built of brick and housing Turnor buildings buildings for access, interpretation brick. livestock. at Kirmond le livestock and & education. Mire. machinery; insensitive (LWCS) 9 11 32 3 developments. 55 known Industrial heritage; Local feature Local feature. Local feature Small pockets of Poor General neglect; Landowner liaison; airfields, railways, interest through limited access. improved access, mine workings Ironstone 3 former RAF Old railway line. out. interpretation & mining. airfields. Key feature - education. Old railway line Mast. (LWCS) and buildings. Manors and parkland Local feature Key feature Isolated Modest Tudor & Variable - parkland trees Change in Landowner liaison; feature Georgian style. of a similar age and ownership/land advice/support for (LWCS) 5 10 1 16 known structure. management. parkland restoration via HLS.

(LCC, NELC) 62 parks known

Special Quality Local Landscape Character Area – Quality & Extent Condition Threats Management (Importance to natural options beauty) Historic Landscapes & North-west Chalk wolds South-west South- Total extent scarp ridges and eastern within AONB Buildings valleys claylands (continued) Moated sites Key feature Vulnerable feature Farming Development control; operations; landowner liaison; 43 known development improved access, pressures. interpretation & (LCC, NELC) education. Watermills & Local feature Local feature Local feature Local feature A localised feature More than half have at Many now lost Development control; Windmills within the Wolds, least bricks/evidence through changes landowner liaison & Paper Thoresway Stockwith Mill Windmills at many have no on the ground of the into private advice; improved making and is best Hagworthing- surviving remains. site. residence with access, interpretation industry at watermills remaining in ham and watercourses & education. Tealby remain Wolds. Ketsby Grebby .At least 13 known to often diverted; utilised Mill has 29 known be standing or neglected feature (LWCS) watermills potential converted to other use under threat.

Dry stone walls Key feature Limited to the Variable condition but Neglected feature; Further surveys; north-west scarp. maintained in places lack of building landowner liaison (LWCS) e.g. Tealby church wall. material. AONB specific grants/advice