Rye-Winchelsea Area 26 River Rother r e h t o R r e v i R East Guildeford Rye Westfield r we Se ap Rye s G ry Harbour Camber Ju ary ilit l M Broomhill Sands River Brede ya Winchelsea Ro l Rye Bay na Ca Camber Castle Winchelsea Beach 59 A2 3303 1.5 0 3 Kilometers 2626 Rye Rye Winchelsea Winchelsea AreaArea LandscapeLandscape CharacterCharacter Area Area High Weald Weald AONB AONB © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment The Levels Rye-Winchelsea Area wide tract of levels dominated 26 bold, raised sites and by grazing marsh are an distinctive profiles of extension of the huge Romney Rye and Winchelsea Walland Marsh area ‘fossil’ Winchelsea – sea cliffs irregular drainage grid layouts of channels often reed-fringed weatherboard and engineered channels and tile cottages sand dunes at Camber prominent caravan parks prominent large expanses of shingle engineered banks caravan parks and lagoons at Rye Bay of River Rother, created by gravel extraction meets the sea in wide sandy Rye Bay © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment The Levels Rye-Winchelsea Area 26 • Extensive areas of arable farming Contents • Contrast between woods, farms and fields of higher ground A. Landscape Description and the flat, open levels with their sense of space and B. Landscape Evaluation C. Vision and Strategy wide open skies. D. Guidelines for Managing Change • Tree cover concentrated on the higher slopes and the towns of Winchelsea and Rye. Where ash, beech, sycamore, horse A Landscape Description chestnut lime and oak are typical species. Key Landscape Characteristics • A strong sense of remoteness in the areas further from built development. • A wide tract of coastal levels, dominated by grazing marsh as the western area of the Romney marshes and overlooked by • Views towards Dungeness power station and the wind farm at bold spurs, steep inland cliffs and ‘islands’ of higher ground. Little Cheney Court Farm. • Valley and floodplain of the lower reaches of the River Rother. • The Medieval gated village of Winchelsea with its’ historic grid layout of weatherboard and tile cottages. • The Royal Military Canal crosses the area from Winchelsea Beach to its confluence with the Rother. • Steep wooded bluffs formed from the characteristic raised beach and “sea cliffs” which have become isolated from the sea. • The twin citadels of historic Rye and Winchelsea dominate the area from their raised sites. • The distinctive Camber Castle standing above the Levels in a remote setting. • Open coastal and valley levels with straightened or engineered drainage channels. • Martello towers. • Shingle areas extending inland from Rye Harbour around to • The A259 crosses the area adjacent to the south coast railway. Camber with lakes resulting from gravel working. • There are off road sections of the National Cycle Network to the • Rye Harbour Local Nature Reserve an area of lakes and reed beds west of Rye and from Rye to Camber. formed from old gravel workings. • An extensive area of Dunes and sandy beach at Camber, unique in East Sussex. • Coastal flood banks, shingle beaches and groynes. • Pasture and sheep a feature, notably the indigenous Romney Marsh breed. © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment The Levels Rye-Winchelsea Area 26 Cultural Associations Camber Sands, with its wide bay and large dune system, has been used in a variety of creative media. The area has featured in many films and television programs. The area is mentioned in songs and pictured on album covers. It is a popular place for artists to live and has been used for art installations. Winchelsea Town holds an annual street game ritual on Boxing Day. Table 1 Key positive Landscape Attributes • A wide tract of coastal levels, dominated by grazing marsh as • A strong sense of remoteness in the areas further from built the western area of the Romney marshes and overlooked by development. bold spurs, steep inland cliffs and ‘islands’ of higher ground. • The Medieval gated village of Winchelsea with its’ historic • Valley and floodplain of the lower reaches of the River Rother. grid layout of weatherboard and tile cottages. • The Royal Military Canal crosses the area from Winchelsea • Steep wooded bluffs formed from the characteristic raised Beach to its confluence with the Rother. beach and “sea cliffs” which have become isolated from the sea. • The twin citadels of historic Rye and Winchelsea dominate the area from their raised sites. • The distinctive Camber Castle standing above the Levels • Shingle areas extending inland from Rye Harbour around to • Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, an extensive area of lakes Camber with lakes resulting from gravel working. and reed beds in old gravel workings • An extensive area of Dunes and sandy beach at Camber. • Camber Castle in its remote setting and scattered Martello towers. • Extensive pastures supporting sheep, notably the indigenous Romney Marsh breed. • The open levels with their sense of space and wide open skies. © ESCC 2015 TheThe EastEast SussexSussex CountyCounty LandscapeLandscape AssessmentAssessment The Levels Rye-Winchelsea Area 26 B Landscape Evaluation Forces for Change impacting on positive Landscape Attributes Table 2 Current Condition The landscape is generally well managed agricultural land with Past / Current forces for change few intrusive features. The villages and hamlets remain largely • Loss of vegetation along rivers and dykes due to maintenance unspoilt. The beaches and sea are some of the best in Sussex regimes, agricultural intensification and engineering works. for clean sea and attractive surroundings. Important historic • Creeping suburbanisation and cumulative changes in the rural features are well preserved in Winchelsea town and surrounding landscape, roads and villages which are not in sympathy with areas. local distinctiveness or vernacular architecture. • The spread of plot land, caravan and holiday chalet development along the coast. • Changes in the types and frequency of grazing animals in the countryside impacts on character as they are a characteristic feature. Lack of grazing can give an unmanaged appearance to the landscape and reduce the biodiversity value. • Farm Environment Plans across the majority of the farmed levels, with organic farming at East Guildeford and Higher Level Stewardship in Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. • The East Rother and Walland Marsh Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative across much of the area and Nitrate Vulnerable Zone to the west of Rye to protect water resources. • Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay SSSI , now designated as a RAMSAR site and Special Protection Area for birds which incorporates: o Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. o Camber sand dunes. o Walland Marsh, the open flat levels to the east of Rye. o The Rye marshes north of Rye. © ESCC 2015 TheThe EastEast SussexSussex CountyCounty LandscapeLandscape AssessmentAssessment The Levels Rye-Winchelsea Area 26 • Positive management of habitats at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Future Forces for Change due to the internationally important wildlife interests. • The need for some expansion to provide local housing in the • Increasing traffic on the A259 and rat running on rural lanes. town of Rye and village of Camber. • Power lines crossing the open landscape. • Future industrial expansion along Rye Harbour Road. • The continuing reinforcement of man made coastal defences to • Pressure for the expansion of holiday developments in coastal protect property along the coast. areas. • The popularity of Camber Sands brings huge influxes of people • Increasing traffic on rural lanes and in villages impacting on and cars on hot weekends causing significant local traffic tranquillity and on the rural character. problems. • Demands for traffic calming and road improvements which could • Pressure on the sand dunes as a landscape and habitat due to introduce increasing urban clutter to rural roads, villages and large numbers of visitors and natural drifting. lanes. • Unsightly coastal development, static caravan parks and clutter • Continued agricultural change due to changing markets, economic at Camber and Winchelsea Beach pressures and response to climate change. • Industrial development at Rye Harbour detracting from views • The spread of small agricultural holdings, hobby farming, from Rye and the setting of the town paddocks farm shops and allotments for local food production. • Loss of pasture to arable farming creating expanses of • Pressure for locating renewable energy facilities for solar, wind featureless landscape. and bio energy. • Canalisation of drainage channels and hard engineered features • Pests and diseases of trees which could impact significantly on the along the River Rother. mature tree stock. E.g. phytophora of alder and Ash dieback. • Major electricity transmission lines. • Rising sea levels increasing the demand to build defences to protect coastal properties. • Water quality in the Rother catchment, the Royal Military Canal and in Nitrate Vulnerable Zone to the west of the area. © ESCC 2015 The East Sussex County Landscape Assessment The Levels Rye-Winchelsea Area 26 Table 3 Potential Impacts of Climate Change • Potential changes in woodland / tree species composition and accelerated growth of species such as birch, • Changes in ground flora which produce distinctive seasonal displays and other native vegetation. • Increased magnitude of storm events changing the character of the coastal areas. • Increased prevalence of pests and diseases due to warmer weather e.g. Phytophera