12A: WESTERN WEALD FOREST AND FARMLAND HEATH

Longmoor enclosure, extensive international designation heathland habitat; a military training area with managed access– with East Hampshire hangers in background.

Typical pastoral Wealden landscape Typical conifer plantation at Beech lined sunken lane on the edge south of Headley – with small fields Woolmer. of the Lowland Mosaic Heath often sub divided into horse Associated and lower lying Lowland paddocks. Mosaic Small Scale Wooded LCT.

Liphook centre eclectic source of Typical clay tile hung first floor Whitehill - common edge settlement- building materials. elevation, and cat slide roof. edge of Woolmer forest

Hampshire County 1 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

Hampshire County 2 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

1.0 Location and Boundaries 1.1 This character area follows the County’s eastern boundary with Surrey and West Sussex, as far as Petersfield to the south. This landscape shares its boundary with the South Downs character areas; Blackdown to Petworth Greensand Hills and Woolmer Forest/Weaver’s Down Farmland and Heath Mosaic. The Greensand Hills landscape turns sharply eastward, near Petersfield. The western and north western boundary is formed where the geology meets the mudstones of the Gault formation.

1.2 Component County Landscape Types Lowland Mosaic Small Scale, Lowland Mosaic Heath associated, Greensand Hills, Settlement

1.3 Composition of Borough/District LCAs: East Hampshire District South Downs Whitehill to Liphook Woolmer Forest/Weavers Down Ludshott to Bramsholt Blackdown to Petworth Greensand Hills Woolmer Forest/Weavers Down Hill Brow Ridge

This character area boundary has a close fit with the grouped up character areas in the East Hampshire District assessment. It is an amalgamation of the Wealden Farmland and Heath and the Greensand Hills landscape types.

1.4 Associations with Natural Character Areas and Natural Areas: NCA 120: Wealden Greensand NA 70: Wealden Greensand

1.5 Townscape Assessment Areas: Bordon and Whitehill

2.0 Key Characteristics  Very varied landform from the plateau landscape on outcrops of sandstone associated with the Folkestone formation to the prominent steeply undulating hills formed from sandstones and cherts of the Lower Greensand group with steep slopes on the inner, western edge.  Small streams drain the greensand hills in deep ravine-like valleys. Small acid ponds and meres are typical on the Forest and Heath LCT.  Hammer ponds, set in wooded stream valleys, in the eastern half.

Hampshire County 3 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

 Diverse land use from conifer plantations with occasional areas of open heath on the most acid soils, through to rough grazed pasture and numerous horse paddocks.  Large extensive commons, traditionally used for rough grazing or heath cutting often covered by 19th and 20th century conifer plantations, but some remnant unenclosed commons providing open access land.  The fieldscapes of the small river valleys consist of small-medium size fields in regular patterns. Thick, tree filled hedges often on banks with ditches.  Rich mixture of traditional building materials and styles including: a hard malmstone typical of the Surrey North Downs , ironstone, local red brick and clay tiles, to a lesser extent the softer and paler malmstone.  Vernacular architectural styles: tile hung first floor elevations, splay roof church spires, wide range of farmstead plan types, some hop kilns and oast houses. Aisled barns with hipped and half hipped roofs appear to be concentrated in this landscape.  Very varied levels of tranquillity, changing quickly from high to very low.  Well enclosed by dense woodland cover giving a strong sense of remoteness, intimacy and secrecy.  Varied short views due to high proportion of woodland and undulating landform but occasionally long distant views over the adjoining clay and hangers from the greensand hills.

3.0 Physical Characteristics and Land Use 3.1 A landscape with diverse geology closely reflected by the varied landform. The eastern boundary (on the County boundary) is part of an extensive area of Wooded Greensand Hills created by the Hythe formation which forms part of the Lower Greensand Group and extends into Surrey and West Sussex. The easternmost part of this landscape reaches 180m AOD, the highest part of the character area. The Hill Brow ridge 150m AOD is a striking boundary feature between Hampshire and West Sussex. Moving westwards often down sunken lanes, the land falls away to a relatively small clay valley before rising gently to an elevated undulating plateau of Bargate then Sandgate and finally Folkestone beds which underly Woolmer Forest and reaches 155m at Weaver’s Down. Here the soft sand deposits are an important and exploited economic asset. The soils are generally free draining and permeable and very acidic with occasional meres and small ponds where drainage is impeded by local conditions. On the Lower Greensand and Sandgate beds the surface horizons are peaty, and subsurface ones bleached which results in nutrient poor soils. Peat extraction at Woolmer was an important economic activity until 1864.

3.2 The Greensand ridge and sand and gravel plateau is characterised by dense tree cover in the form of conifer plantations, mixed woodland and semi natural ancient woodland. The Greensand is particularly associated with large exotic individual conifer trees including magnificent examples of Wellingtonia extending high above the native tree canopy. Beech seem to thrive in these areas. The clay vale is well wooded with small fields with thick treed hedges. Small paddocks are very common together with rough grazing land. Moving up onto the sand and gravels the once open heathlands have been substantially changed by the mass planting of conifers in the late 19th and 20th century and includes Woolmer Forest.

Hampshire County 4 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

3.3 There are numerous streams which often deeply incise the Greensand such as Cooper’s Stream, often punctuated with small ponds and leats associated with mills along their course. On the clay the valley broadens, to the north east of the Longmoor watershead streams flow north to the River Wey, to the south west the River Rother. On the sandy commons of Longmoor, Woolmer and Broxhead small streams are set in shallow valleys, and there is frequent standing water in the form of small ponds where drainage is locally impeded.

4.0 Experiential/Perceptual Characteristics 4.1 There is an overriding sense of this landscape being wooded, small scale and intimate. This pattern is really only broken by the presence of open heath which has dramatic seasonal colour changes. The presence of vast expanse of conifer woodland gives rise to a simple and unified landscape. Within these woodlands there is an overpowering sense of enclosure. Travelling through this landscape on minor roads and on public rights of way there is an overwhelming feeling of being enclosed by vegetation with very short visual horizons, which is especially evident on the edge of the Lower Greensand where tunnel like sunken lanes and the thick bushy hedgerows that line the narrow lanes are common.

4.2 A large proportion of Woolmer Forest, Longmoor Inclosure, Weaver’s Down is open access land, likewise on the east, Ludshott Common, Hunters moon, Bramshott Chase and Waggoner’s Wells are areas owned by the National Trust with public access. Together with a comprehensive and well connected rights of way network, there are numerous countryside access opportunities. However there are very few definitive rights of way on the elevated heath. Coupled with the fact that roads like the A325 are straight and direct reflected the fact that there was historically little exploitation of the heath. 20th century settlement expansion and individual and small developments on the edges of commons mostly on the Lowland Mosaic Heath Associated have immediate access to doorstep countryside.

4.3 The well treed nature of the landscape gives a strong sense of enclosure and seclusion because of the relatively quiet transport network away from the major roads of the A325 and A3 are major factors in raising the tranquillity of this character area. The CPRE 2006 mapping shows the landscape has very mixed and varied tranquillity levels. Ludshot Common, Woolmer Forest and Weavers Down are considered to have high tranquillity despite the fact this is compromised by army training manoeuvres.

5.0 Biodiversity Character 5.1 This landscape character area contains internationally designated habitats associated with the Wealden Heaths SPA and Woolmer Forest SAC and Shortheath Common SAC. Wealden Heaths SPA exists within Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex and comprises areas of wet and dry heathland, valley bogs, broadleaved and coniferous woodland, permanent grassland and open water. Some habitats support nationally important assemblages of wetland plants, invertebrates and reptiles. The site has three heathland-breeding bird species in numbers of European importance: Nightjar, Woodlark, and Dartford Warbler which nest and feed in gorse. Woolmer Forest SAC contains similar habitats,

Hampshire County 5 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

including the largest and most diverse area of lowland heathland in Hampshire, outside the New Forest, and represents a transition to the Surrey heaths. It supports all 12 native reptile and amphibian species and is the only site known to do so. Cranmer Pond is a southern example of a dystrophic pond, developed from relict peat cuttings and supporting lowland bog associated species such as sphagnum. Shortheath Common SAC supports a wide range of heath associated habitats including substantial areas of valley mire. In part it has been colonized by bracken and oak woodland. Both Woolmer Forest and Shorheath Common SACs are also designated SSSIs, although the former designation includes a larger area to the south than the SAC.

5.2 This landscape character area also contains a couple of other SSSIs. These include Broxhead and Kingsley Commons SSSI (comprising a mosaic of heather dominated heath and acid grasslands with small patches of wet heath associated). On Kingsley Common, heath species include fescue and ground dwelling lichens – a distinctive southeastern habitat which is existing at it’s western most extent here. Bramshott and Ludshott Common SSSI (comprising extensive tracts of mature heathland with acid grassland and bracken stands associated). There is some birch and pine encroachment on the site but overall it supports species including the smooth snake, nightjar and Dartford warbler and also some ancient trees.

5.3 Beyond the designations, this landscape character area contains a diverse range of habitats. In the north west, there is an urban area (Bordon) where mixed woodland and amenity grasslands provide habitat variation. Elsewhere there is a significant portion of grassland improved for agriculture, particularly towards the east of the area, and a strong wooded character with mixed woodlands, coniferous plantations and forestry scrub. In the south, woodland further varies, with some small patches of active coppice with standards which can be biodiverse. Within the woodland there are patches of heath associated habitats with dry heath, some associated wet heath and patches of bracken. Dry heath and acid grassland mosaics also exist, as do patches of unimproved acid grassland.

5.4 This landscape character area is covered by the Wealden Heaths BOA which comprises the old hunting forest of Woolmer and has a long history of management as wood pasture and heathland.

5.5 There are over 85 SINCs designated within this character area, with designations for ancient woodland, unimproved grasslands and heathlands. Oxney Farm Woodland and Grassland is a large SINC, covering 83 hectares and designated for it’s variety of habitats, including: important woodland community types, restricted to the county; agriculturally unimproved grasslands and areas of heathland vegetation; the fens, flushes and associated habitats; and for notable species that the site supports. Other SINCs include Whitmoor Hanger: an ancient and semi-natural woodland. There are also two Local Nature Reserves including Broxhead Common (see above) and Deadwater Valley. This latter reserve is an area of woodland, heathland and unimproved grassland, representing ancient watermeadows, along the banks of the river Deadwater.

6.0 Historic Character

Hampshire County 6 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

6.1 Archaeology 6.1.1 In the Mesolithic period, the light sandy soils seem to have been attractive to the hunter gatherers, and some large sites have been discovered. These probably represent the seasonal return to single locations rather than a large community. In the Neolithic period, when some landscapes where experiencing developing agriculture it would appear that this area continued to be used by less intense exploitation. In the Bronze Age a considerable number of burial mounds were constructed, signalling the active exploitation of the landscape. But the lack of archaeological evidence for field systems and settlements seems to imply that the landscape was exploited extensively rather than intensively. This may well have continued into the Iron Age period, but the absence of Iron Age burial mounds makes this harder to trace.

6.1.2 By the Roman period there are signs of quasi industrial activities, such as pottery making, which probably reflect the extensive woodland resource. Some large villa sites are known, but may reflect this quasi industrial exploitation of the landscape, or may even reflect wealthy owners using hunting estates. This is certainly the case in the medieval period, where many peripheral wooded areas were designated as royal forests.

6.1.3 The generally low fertility and marginal nature of the sandy soils is evident in the landcover pattern which has been dominated by a heathy unenclosed landscape. The heath pasture boundary mapped at c1791 shows a large area of unenclosed heath in the eastern side of the character area at Ludshott and Bramshott commons.

6.1.4 Peat cutting was a significant economic activity. In a single year, 1782, Woolmer produced 325 loads of peat. The area was part of a larger Royal Hunting Forest during the medieval period. Most of the commons since 1900 have been appropriated for plantations, many of them coniferous.

6.2 Historic Landscape 6.2.1 This character area can be divided into four geographically distinct blocks of differing historic landscape type pattern. In probable chronological order of exploitation from the medieval:

The River Wey, Slea and Deadwater valleys of the Lowland Mosaic Small Scale landscape type and extends into the surrounding Lowland Mosaic Heath Associated landscape which has a predominantly informal enclosure landscape of small fields.

The sandy elevated soils over the (Lower) Greensand Hills which includes the pre 1800 woodland and assarts, wooded common of Ludshott and 19th century conifer plantations and later more regular formal enclosures around settlement and on the fringes of former common and Hill Brow

The Woodland and Plantation on Heath landscape type at Woolmer Forest and around Bordon and Whitehill with very acidic soils which support the 19th century conifer plantations and 20th century defence areas.

Hampshire County 7 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

The Lowland Mosaic Heath Associated landscape type around the fringes of the plantation on heath which comprise enclosed common and heath with small regular enclosures and smallholdings of 19th and 20th century origin.

6.2.2 The field systems of the valley floors and sides associated with the Rivers eg Wey, Slea and Deadwater are typically small but regular in pattern with wavy and straight boundaries in similar proportions. The informal enclosures are likely to have medieval field boundary origins, evolved from the clearance of woodland and reflected in today’s landscape by ditches, banks and ancient hedgerows. These organic wavy hedgerow lines lead up the valley sides to areas of former common – the fields evolved incrementally up to these areas. There has been relatively little boundary alteration or loss in this landscape since the mid 19th century.

6.2.3 The heavily assarted area of the Greensand Hills probably evolved organically and informally from wood pasture in a less intensive way than the farmland in the adjoining stream valleys to the west. There are remnant commons some of which have plantation areas and on their fringes and some instances of regular more formal enclosures mostly from the 19th century. Agricultural incursion here was less intensive due to the more marginal physical conditions of topography and soils compared with the stream valleys.

6.2.4 The Lowland Mosaic Heath Associated landscape shares characteristics of the above landscape type in its evolution but there are very few remaining areas of assart and emerged from a landscape of heathy and wooded common through relatively late enclosure and replanting of woodland with 19th century conifers.

6.2.5 In medieval times the area now identified as Woodland Plantation on Heath was probably a mix of open heath, bog and woodland and a core area of Woolmer Forest. It may have supported some heath and wood pasture husbandry on very marginal land from farming communities in the adjoining landscapes. Woolmer Forest remained unenclosed until the mid 19th century when it was disafforested. The low agricultural land value as well as its proximity to London made it an ideal place to set up military training establishments. It is likely military training has been located in this landscape since the early 19th century. There are a number of extensive holdings as a result, with potential for some of the most diverse archaeology of military training. The area was also subject to establishment of 19th century and 20th century conifer plantations. There have been large areas of heath lost to development since 1st edition mapping around the settlements of Bordon and Whitehill, Headley, Liphook and Grayshott.

6.2.6 In the south east of this area Ludshott Manor may have been a hunting lodge and is one of a group of parks including Downlands, Bramshott Place and Foley Manor. Also of note are the grounds of Adhurst St Mary just outside Petersfield. There is also a cluster of Arts and Crafts gardens in Bramshott and Liphook designed by the architect Inigo Triggs including his own house of Little Boarhunt (EH Grade II).

6.3 Built Environment 6.3.1 Traditionally, settlements were concentrated in the small river valleys, typically irregular/regular row plan form and at the edge of the large commons, common

Hampshire County 8 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

edge plan form. Historically, the density of dispersion of settlements (hamlets and farmsteads) is much greater in the Weald than to the west, on the chalk and indeed most of the rest of Hampshire. In other words there were traditionally many small sized settlement (hamlets and farmsteads) relatively equally spaced in the landscape. Locally, in this landscape this is not the case with settlement concentrated in the stream valleys. The largest settlements are Liphook, Whitehill and Bordon, the latter established as a training ground in the 1860s with barracks built c.1900 to accommodate troops returning from the Boer War. Together with Headley and Grayshott these later settlements on the elevated sandier soils, have seen significant expansion during the 20th century. Large individual and small scale developments on the edges of commons have mostly been on the Lowland Mosaic Heath Associated landscapes.

6.3.2 The parish of Headley in the north of the character area has a significant proportion of isolated farmsteads of medieval origin. Farmstead density is highest in the clay valley landscapes whilst the heath commons have almost none. Farmsteads on the edge of Woolmer and Broxhead are associated with Hamlets such as Standford and Shortheath. There is a great number of small farms and farm holdings and a predominance of loose courtyard plan forms. It is not unusual to find farms with buildings around a road junction or on opposite sides of the road. Mixed farming practices meant that smaller barns in particular were required. There are a few oast houses and kilns in this landscape but not as significant a grouping as on the Upper Greensand further west.

6.3.3 The importance of the settlements along the River Wey is reflected in the designation of a long conservation area associated with this watercourse. There are concentrations of listed buildings at Headley, Bramshott, Liphook and Blackmoor. Headly parish, has the richest range of historic buildings in the character area with over 70 listed buildings.

6.3.4 There is a significant concentration of pre 19th century buildings using locally quarried stone, from, Lower Greensand outcrops (carstone or ironstone). This material was considered to be the extensive preserve of higher status buildings from the 18th century to mid 19th century. Being unsuitable for ashlar work it was usually laid in rough rubble courses of irregular sized piece. It varies in colour from ochre to chocolate brown. There is a tight grouping of buildings using ironstone in the Lower Greensand with a concentration around the fringes of Woolmer Forest. It was also used in galleting; probably for decoration and to fill the large gaps left by rough coursing resulting in less shrinkage and expansion of mortar. The power for the bellows and working iron products came from the mills along the watercourses and the presence of hammer ponds is likely evidence of this process in today’s landscape. Most pre 19th century farm buildings were of timber frame construction usually with weatherboard elevations. Within this area, brick and tile industries from the 15th century had been established and so tile may have been used from the medieval period for wealthier holdings. Interestingly, there is a high instance of milestones within this landscape.

Hampshire County 9 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

EVALUATION

7.0 Forces for Change 1. New large scale urban extensions associated with Bordon/Whitehill. 2. Farm conversion to residential and loss of traditional land management practices. 3. Pressure for urban fringe use related activities. 4. Climate change on semi natural habitats. 5. Forestry and woodland management change. 6. Mineral extraction potential in the west particularly associated with soft sand from the Folkestone beds. 7. MoD land release potential

KEY QUALITIES AND EFFECTS OF FORCES 7.1 Varied historic landscapes including early piecemeal enclosures of medieval origin in stream valley floors to later formal small enclosure reaching up the valley sides. Numerous remnant commons, former wood pasture and extant archaeological features such as Bronze Age burial mounds (often hidden within woodland) give a significant sense of time depth. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1.2.5.7 Threats: Further loss of farmland and in particular hedges and hedgerow oaks. Development within or adjoining former remaining open forest landscapes. Decline of traditional wood pasture management and links with field grazing.

Opportunities: Support and influence grant schemes and management of unenclosed common land to retain links with past predominant land use and perhaps re-instate common grazing. Greater exposure of upstanding archaeological features through conifer plantation reversion to heath.

7.2 High density of dispersed small settlements in wooded settings away from the Woodland and Plantation on Heath landscape retained away from major settlements, which is important in maintaining rural and tranquil character. Distinctive vernacular building materials of carrstone and red brick and tile hanging. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1.2.3 Threats: Change from rural to suburban character extending further into the character area from settlement and domestication of farm land and farm buildings to residential use. This trend is particularly prevalent in and around settlement such as Liphook, Ardford and Headley. Incremental small scale development of common edge settlement particularly along main routes increasing overall sense unbroken development. Reduction in use and availability of building traditional materials and building styles.

Opportunities: Promote the importance that wooded settings to these settlements and lack of modern development outside the major settlement in this area helps to retain sense of ruralness and natural quality- e.g. extent of non built land within the River Wey conservation area.

Hampshire County 10 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath

7.3 This landscape represents the western extremity of the Wealden heaths and is notable for its rich interlinking deciduous semi natural ancient woodland, acid ponds, and heathland assemblages, in particular Woolmer Forest. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: All Threats: Further loss of unimproved grassland to agricultural improvement from pressure to provide grazing land for horses as the National park status makes the area a greater magnet for recreation – the marginal nature for agriculture making this area more vulnerable than the chalk. Extreme seasonal changes to surface and ground water levels - which adversely affect pond and damp/wet habitats from climate change. Undergrazing of areas of heath and scrub and bracken encroachment.

Opportunities: To influence Forestry management and design plans to restore forested areas to heathland. To influence the identification of Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) to compensate for impact on the Wealden Greensand SPA from proposed development at Bordon and Whitehill. Support EA led initiatives and programmes to manage ground and surface water levels so critical to the management of ponds – Woolmer Forest is identified as one of 12 areas in the EA southern region as an IAP (Important Area for Ponds) Support B.O.A target habitats for conservation, habitat linking, creation, reversion opportunities for lowland woodland, unimproved grassland, heath and damp habitats.

7.4 A predominantly high quality landscape of perceived natural beauty and remoteness provided by extensive and rich semi natural habitats and tracts of accessible heath and woodland common. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1.2.3.6.7 Threats: The marginal agricultural conditions make this landscape more vulnerable to purchase for hobby farming and horse grazing and for other recreational uses which affect the perceived rural / natural qualities. Over formalisation of semi-natural areas to provide recreation facilities on fringes of settlements. Increasing access opportunities as part of National Park status could introduce greater likelihood of conflict through misuse (e.g. fly tipping trespassing) on local farmland.

Opportunities: MoD training land release at Woolmer and Longmoor could potentially provide greater access opportunities. Influencing design and location of urban fringe development recreational facilities to minimise impact on the semi natural environment and their visual prominence. Agri-environment scheme funding could be used to target support for traditional grazing pasture management.

Hampshire County 11 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Western Weald Forest and Farmland Heath