Part One: Landscape Character Descriptions 5. Southern Magnesian Limestone

Landscape Character Types

• Limestone Farmlands ...... 5.4 • Limestone Gorges ...... 5.9

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.1 Southern Magnesian Limestone CHARACTER AREA 30 A gently rolling agricultural plateau punctuated by large woodlands, nucleated villages and incised river valleys.

Landscape Character Types

• Limestone Farmlands • Limestone Gorges

Introduction Limestone Farmlands. In some original habitats to survive. In these lower lying areas to the east, the valleys, impeded drainage has The Southern Magnesian Limestone occurrence of mixed farming is restricted farming activities to the Character Area occurs in the north- indicative of heavier soils over clay. minimum, rendering much of the east of the county as a narrow belt In the Limestone Gorges where land as unimproved wet grassland. of elevated land, approximately waterlogged soils prevent arable Magnesian limestone can support 10km wide by 20km in length, which cropping, grazing meadows are a very species-rich flora, including runs between Barlborough in the characteristic. some species that occur nowhere north to Hardwick and in else in the county. the south. This is part of the great Natural Influences band of magnesian limestone that Human Influences outcrops just north of The plateau was once covered by and extends to Bedale in North dense deciduous forest, which was The caves in Creswell Crags within Yorkshire. The topography of the progressively cleared for cultivation. the Limestone Gorges provide land strongly contrasts with the Since the early 19th century, the evidence of the earliest human industrial coalfields in the west, and plateau has become dominated by occupation in Britain, dating from the low-lying regions in intensive cereal cropping and, as a 50,000 to 12,000 years ago. The to the east. result, much of the ecological post glacial period saw the development of a forested interest of the Limestone Farmlands landscape exploited by hunter has been lost. The size and ancient Physical Influences gatherer groups, but their impact origin of the remaining woodlands on the landscape would have been The magnesian limestone is are important attributes for nature minimal. It was not until the associated with other rocks of the conservation; however, many have adoption of farming in the Neolithic Permian era, including marls, which been replanted with coniferous period that significant clearance of were deposited in a desert sea trees. the forest would have occurred. approximately 250 million years Settlement and exploitation of the ago. Magnesian limestone is a soft The narrow, steep sided Limestone area continued throughout the rock, made from the skeletal Gorges remain as important natural prehistoric period and the remains of sea creatures. Marl is features in this landscape. Their succeeding Romano-British period; limey clay that formed as dust inaccessibility, along with the steep however, there is very little evidence accumulated in shallow water. rocky sides, have minimised human of their activity in the landscape disturbance and allowed many today. The magnesian limestone has Nottinghamshire formed an escarpment, which dips Hardwick gently eastwards before Hall County Boundary disappearing under the overlying Sandstone sandstone in Nottinghamshire. The Marls escarpment forms a distinctive, Magnesian upstanding, gently rolling plateau Limestone dissected by the Limestone Gorges, which were cut by torrents of melt- Coal water at the end of the last Ice Age. Measures Limestone Farmlands The rock weathers to form a light, Magnesian Limestone very fertile, friable soil which has Limestone Gorges resulted in arable farming becoming the dominant land-use of the Derbyshire Coalfield

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.2 Parliamentary Enclosure Acts beneath the magnesian limestone. between the mid 18th and mid 19th The development of collieries, spoil centuries, which often gave rise to tips and infrastructure inclusive of larger, regular fields and straight red brick terraced housing, roads, which are predominant in the radically altered the character of Limestone Farmlands. many existing villages. The disappearance of the coal industry The magnesian limestone is a good at the end of the 20th century is building material. Traditional now leading to the removal of the buildings are almost exclusively buildings and spoil heaps constructed of this stone and associated with mining and their roofed with clay pantiles which have replacement with new forms of a brilliantly red/orange colour, industry. These, in turn, are having giving these buildings a certain a major impact on the appearance distinctiveness when seen in the of the landscape. However, despite landscape. the impact of deep-coal mining and more recent urbanisation, the area Wealthy landowners have had a still retains a rural character. Creswell Crags notable influence on the area by The present character of the developing estates centred on great Due to the suitability of the soils for landscape starts to take shape in houses set in parkland. The best cultivation, the pastoral landscape, the centuries before the Norman surviving example is . which predominated up to the late Conquest. This is an ill-documented The park at Hardwick has escaped 19th century, gradually gave way to period in history and the the intensive arable farming arable production. This change was establishment of villages and their common over much of the accentuated during the Second associated fields are difficult to date. Limestone Farmlands and World War when large areas of land Place names, however, provide clear preserves historic landscape were ploughed up. Thereafter, evidence that some settlements features absent elsewhere. Government and European such as those ending in -ton (meaning a farm) and -ley (meaning a clearing or wood) originated in the Anglo-Saxon period. Villages like Palterton, Elmton and Pleasley are good examples of these. Most, if not all, of the settlements mentioned in Doomsday Book are likely to have been old by the time they were recorded.

In the Midlands at the time of the Middle Ages, the majority of Hardwick Hall and park set within the Limestone Farmlands settlements would have been surrounded by their open fields, A further layer was added to the Economic Community farming beyond which would have been landscape with the development of policies have sustained the extensive areas of wastes, industry, particularly from the late intensive arable landscape. As a commons and woodland. The 18th century onwards. The rivers, result, floristic richness is confined enclosure of the open fields may particularly the Maun, Meden and to very small, uncultivated margins have begun during the late Middle Poulter, were utilised for first corn associated with rocky outcrops, the Ages; certainly early 17th century and then cotton mills in the late grips and crags, and derelict or maps show enclosures in various 18th century. Charcoal burning and reclaimed land. areas, for example around . lime burning had probably been Enclosure of the open fields carried out on a local scale for Other Considerations continued in a piecemeal fashion decades but limestone quarrying throughout the 17th and 18th on a large scale began in the 20th • Lowland Derbyshire BAP centuries, leading to a pattern of century and saw the development • Creswell Crags Limestone relatively small, irregular fields of major quarries, particularly at Heritage Area Management around the village core, with the Whitwell. The late 19th century saw Plan wastes and commons being divided the expansion of the coal mining • Creswell Limestone Strategy into larger, more regular fields. This industry eastwards to exploit the • The Creswell Crags pattern was completed by deeper seams of coal running Conservation Plan

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.3 Southern Magnesian Limestone LANDSCAPE TYPE: LIMESTONE FARMLANDS A gently rolling, agricultural landscape, characterised by large scale open farmland, estate woodlands and limestone villages.

Ecology Key Characteristics Due to the gentle slopes and • Gently rolling limestone plateau inherently fertile soils, the Limestone • Fertile soils supporting productive arable farmland Farmlands are dominated by • Large and medium estate woodlands intensive cereal cropping. As a • Amenity trees around small rural villages and isolated result, a considerable degree of farmsteads ecological interest has been lost. In • Large regular fields bounded by hedgerows spite of this, large woodlands are • Straight roads with uniform width verges still present and pockets of • Nucleated settlement pattern unimproved magnesian limestone • Historic buildings constructed of limestone with red clay pantile grassland still survive. The major roofs landscape features are the large • Panoramic views across lowland to the west woodlands, including Whitwell Wood, Park and Pleasley • Long distance views over plateau often ending in a wooded Park. The planting of coniferous skyline trees has obscured and suppressed their ancient origins and species- Geology and Landform Soils and Land-Use rich flora. Even though many of the original species remain, they only occur as scattered individual The magnesian limestone has Arable farming has become the specimens along ridges or on rocky formed massive blocks that create a dominant land-use due to the outcrops. Within Whitwell Wood, compact crystalline rock, resistant fertile, free-draining qualities of the there are also locally rare habitats to erosion. The durable nature of the limestone soil allied with the gentle which support many rare species. limestone is accountable for the topography. The soils developed on Further ecological losses have steep sided escarpment at Bolsover the marl have a heavier texture, and occurred with the loss of elm trees and justifies its extensive use as are more prone to waterlogging. due to Dutch Elm Disease. The rich building stone. Towards the county Mixed farming was probably more grassland habitats of the magnesian boundary, the magnesian limestone widespread in earlier times but, due limestone support many locally rare is broken up into thin crumbly layers to agricultural intensification, many species. However, these sites occur mixed with clay. Here the rock is of these areas have been converted only in isolated places, particularly more easily weathered and, as a to arable farming. result, the landform is lower-lying at on marginal land such as along and east of Whitwell. road verges, on railway cuttings or in old quarries.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.4 Tree Cover and are a feature around rural roofs. These materials still play a villages, such as Whitwell, Elmton defining role, particularly in the Tree cover is chiefly represented by and Rowthorne. Hedges in these heart of the historic towns, villages large woodlands such as Scarcliffe areas tend to be bushier and more and in outlying farmsteads. Park Wood (163.6ha), Whitwell species-rich than those found Between the villages there are Wood (168.8ha) and Pleasley Park elsewhere. Dry-stone walls also sparsely scattered farmsteads and (75.9ha). Even though these are of feature in places, more notably country houses. ancient origin, they have now been around the villages and along lanes. largely converted to commercial conifer woodland. There are also more recent, smaller plantations, comprising a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees. There is a distinct lack of hedgerow trees, which may be attributed to Dutch Elm Disease. Tree groups do occur around small rural villages and occasional Traditional farmstead farmsteads. Elm was once prevalent Occasional dry-stone walls as evidenced in place names like An inheritance of building and Elmton. The distinct lack of Transport landscape features still remain from hedgerow trees allied to the gentle the ducal estates developed in the relief creates an open landscape Many of the roads are straight with 16th century, the most notable allowing for middle to long distance uniform verges, resulting from late examples being around Hardwick views often ending in a wooded parliamentary enclosure. This pattern Hall and . Smaller skyline. At Shirebrook and other is clearly visible at Common examples occur as isolated features lower-lying places closer to the and Bolsover Moor, their names within the landscape, these include county boundary, there is a greater describing former use. In contrast to game coverts, plantation woodland sense of enclosure. This is mainly these routes, a simple network of and estate farms. due to distant views being limited winding lanes also connects villages. by higher ground to the west. These lanes are related to the earlier Superimposed upon this rural enclosed land and are sometimes landscape are the impacts of Enclosure sunken with species-rich modern development, deep-coal hedgerows. The road verges are mining and the urbanisation of many small villages. All the pits This is a landscape of medium to more irregular in width with have now closed but the urbanised large, regular shaped fields occasional exposed rocky outcrops. settlement pattern, derelict and bounded by neatly trimmed thorn reclaimed pit heaps and associated hedgerows. This is due to the Built Environment infrastructure remain as an removal of field boundaries and their enduring legacy of this industry. shape reflects late parliamentary The traditional pattern of settlement However, with the unifying influence enclosure. The small, narrow and is strongly nucleated and of the magnesian limestone as a more irregular enclosed land is characterised by small villages such locally distinctive building material, linked with historic settlements. as Scarcliffe, Elmton and Whaley. together with strong agricultural Here the fields are often associated The older buildings are constructed traditions, the landscape has with pockets of permanent pasture from the local buff coloured limestone with red clay pantile retained its rural character.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.5 Summary

The Limestone Farmlands is a simple yet distinctive agricultural landscape strongly influenced by the nature of the underlying geology. The land is shaped in the form of an elevated and, for the most part, gently rolling plateau. Long distance views are characteristic, due to the gentle relief, lack of hedgerow trees and large arable fields. In places, near the county boundary in the east, views are limited due to rising ground, creating a stronger sense of enclosure.

The soils over the magnesian limestone are free-draining and fertile, inherently capable of supporting arable farming. Early farming practices and settlement have characterised the landscape today.

The pattern of fields, small rural villages and large woodlands are the result of a long tradition of human activity. Recent development, coupled with a growth in intensive agriculture, has produced a landscape with few remaining natural habitats. Nevertheless, the large woodlands and their associated flora and fauna still remain important areas for nature conservation.

Although some settlements have expanded in size, the unifying influence of the magnesian limestone as a building material, together with strong agricultural traditions, ensures that beyond the settlement boundaries the landscape retains an essentially rural character.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.6 Southern Magnesian Limestone LANDSCAPE TYPE: LIMESTONE FARMLANDS

Planting and Management Guidelines

An open, arable landscape punctuated by the occasional very large plantation woodland, often on ancient woodland sites, with small tree groups around farmsteads and settlement.

Primary woodland character: Occasional very large plantations

Primary tree character: Localised amenity tree groups

Woodland vision: Occasional very large plantations

Tree vision: Localised amenity tree groups

Typical woodland size range: Greater than 50ha large

Woodland pattern: Regular plantations

• Large scale woodland planting. • Conserve and restore all ancient woodland sites by natural regeneration or use of locally occurring native species. • Re-establish and enhance physical links between existing isolated woodland and hedgerows. • Conserve and enhance the tree groups that occur within and around rural settlements and isolated farmsteads.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.7 Southern Magnesian Limestone LANDSCAPE TYPE: LIMESTONE FARMLANDS

Woodland Species Mix Base-Rich Soils

Primary Tree Species 50% Major ‡ Fraxinus excelsior Ash ‡ Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak

Minor ‡ Tilia cordata Small Leaved Lime ‡ Tilia platyphyllos Large Leaved Lime Ulmus glabra Wych Elm

Secondary Tree Species 20% Major Acer campestre Field Maple Betula pendula Silver Birch Betula pubescens Downy Birch

Minor Ilex aquifolium Holly Malus sylvestris Crab Apple Populus tremula Aspen Prunus padus Bird Cherry Sorbus aucuparia Rowan Taxus baccata Yew

Shrubs 10-30% Major Corylus avellana Hazel Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Prunus spinosa Blackthorn Salix cinerea Grey Willow

Minor Cornus sanguinea Dogwood Euonymus europaeus Spindle Ligustrum vulgare Wild Privet Rhamnus cathartica Purging Buckthorn Salix caprea Goat Willow Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose

Open space 0-20% ‡ Amenity Trees - tree species most appropriate for planting as amenity trees associated with settlement, or other locally occurring large woodland species. Hedgerow Species Mix Suitable hedgerow plants Suitable hedgerow trees

Primary 70-75% Primary 95-100% Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Fraxinus excelsior Ash Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak Secondary 25-30% Acer campestre Field Maple Secondary 25-30% Corylus avellana Hazel Acer campestre Field Maple Ilex aquifolium Holly Tilia cordata Small Leaved Lime Prunus spinosa Blackthorn Tilia platyphyllos Large Leaved Lime Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Occasional 0-5% Occasional 0-5% Malus sylvestris Crab Apple Cornus sanguinea Dogwood Populus tremula Aspen Euonymus europaeus Spindle Prunus padus Bird Cherry Ligustrum vulgare Wild Privet Sorbus aucuparia Rowan Rhamnus cathartica Purging Buckthorn Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Taxus baccata Yew Salix caprea Goat Willow * only to be used if occurring locally within Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose the landscape character type

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.8 Southern Magnesian Limestone LANDSCAPE TYPE: LIMESTONE GORGES Incised river corridors, characterised by steep rocky cliffs, overhanging woodland and grazed meadows.

gorges provide a striking contrast Key Characteristics in scenery. The major landscape features are the gorges themselves. • Narrow gorges with steep, rocky cliffs and flat bases Their inaccessibility has minimised • Wet meadows with permanent pasture human disturbance and allowed • Thin belts of woodland along rock faces, with scattered trees the woodland, species-rich associated with watercourses grassland and natural river valleys • Medium sized regular fields bounded by hedgerows and some to continue as valuable ecological dry-stone walls habitats. • Restricted transport routes due to inaccessibility The woods of the gorges are • Settlement is absent or sparse remnants of ancient woodland and • Textile mills and relict industrial buildings made from the local consist of a rich mixture of limestone broadleaved trees, some of which • Strong sense of visual containment are protected for their rarity. Unimproved magnesian limestone Geology and Landform grassland is nationally scarce. In Soils and Land-Use the Limestone Gorges, this type of grassland occurs extensively on The gorges, locally known as grips, The valley floor is underlain by the steep slopes, supporting many were formed during the last Ice Age material carried down by the rare species. when torrents of melt-water cut torrents of melt-water and debris through the magnesian limestone. fallen from the gorge sides. This Water, though present within the Due to the nature of the rock, the mixture of rock and soil has Limestone Gorges, is not a major river valley was quickly eroded to impeded drainage, forming the ecological feature. The waterlogged form a distinct ‘U' shape. The waterlogged soils characteristic of soils, on the other hand, play a key exposed buff coloured rock is the gorges. Unimproved pasture is role in forming some important clearly visible on the cliffs which, the dominant land-use in this grassland habitats. Hollinhill and associated with the narrow river landscape. Markland Grips and Pleasley Vale valley, creates a strong sense of have both been designated as visual containment. Ecology Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for these reasons. The caves In a region dominated by intensive in the gorges also have significant cereal cropping, the limestone ecological importance supporting rare and unusual fauna.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.9 Enclosure Built Environment

Enclosure pattern is not an Prehistoric man occupied caves at important characteristic within this Creswell Crags. Archaeological landscape type. Fields are generally evidence indicates it be the most of medium size, regular to semi- northerly site used during the last regular in shape and enclosed by Ice Age, making it internationally hedgerows with the occasional dry- important. Modern man harnessed stone wall. At one time the river the area's watercourses for valleys would have been industry and, at Pleasley Vale, has Wetland habitat at Pleasley Vale unenclosed grazing meadow. constructed large textile mills using Tree Cover the local limestone. These survive Transport today as industrial relics, largely disused and are imposing features Linear remnants of broadleaved within this narrow gorge. Many are ancient woodland dominate the The inaccessibility of the Limestone Gorges is a characteristic feature. now undergoing redevelopment for steep gorge sides. Scrub is alternative uses. apparent throughout the landscape, Most of the gorges have no colonising poorly maintained fields vehicular access. The road at and steeper slopes. Pleasley Vale is a more recent addition associated with its industrial development.

Pleasley Vale Mills

Summary

The Limestone Gorges were formed as torrents of water during the Ice Age eroded the limestone to form deeply incised, 'U' shaped river corridors. The gorges are characterised by steep, rocky cliffs and narrow inaccessible river valleys.

Many of the original habitats, such as the ancient woodland and species-rich grassland, have remained in excellent condition and support species of national importance. The accumulation of debris in the flood plain has given rise to waterlogged soil. As a result, pastoral farming is characteristic with wet grassland being a key feature in the river valleys.

The steep cliffs coupled with narrow river valleys impart a strong sense of enclosure and visual containment creating a peaceful, secluded riverside environment. Of international significance are the caves at Creswell Crags as the most northerly site used by prehistoric man during the last Ice Age. Large mills, relics of the textile industry, are still imposing features within some gorges.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.10 Southern Magnesian Limestone LANDSCAPE TYPE: LIMESTONE GORGES

Planting and Management Guidelines

Limestone gorges with dense overhanging semi-natural woodland, some of ancient origin, with scattered watercourse trees.

Primary woodland character: Widespread small woodlands

Primary tree character: Scattered watercourse trees

Woodland vision: Widespread small woodlands

Tree vision: Scattered watercourse trees

Typical woodland size range: 0.5 - 5ha small

Woodland pattern: Organic/ linear

• Conserve and restore all ancient woodland sites by natural regeneration or use of locally occurring native species. • Ensure the use of indigenous tree and shrub species, including a proportion of large, long-lived species. • Ensure a balance is maintained between new woodland creation and areas of nature conservation value. • Enhance the visual and ecological continuity of river corridors by management, natural regeneration and planting of riparian trees. • Ensure new woodland does not conflict with features (e.g. ridge and furrow) that help to define landscape character.

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.11 Southern Magnesian Limestone LANDSCAPE TYPE: LIMESTONE GORGES

Woodland Species Mix Neutral/ Base-Rich Soils Waterlogged Conditions on all soil types Primary Tree Species 50% Primary Tree Species 50% Major Alnus glutinosa Alder Fraxinus excelsior Ash Betula pubescens Downy Birch Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak Fraxinus excelsior Ash † Salix fragilis Crack Willow Minor Tilia cordata Small Leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos Large Leaved Lime Ulmus glabra Wych Elm

Secondary Tree Species 20% Secondary Tree Species 20% Major Major Acer campestre Field Maple Salix caprea Goat Willow Betula pendula Silver Birch Salix cinerea Grey Willow Betula pubescens Downy Birch Minor Minor Corylus avellana Hazel Ilex aquifolium Holly Sorbus aucuparia Rowan Malus sylvestris Crab Apple Populus tremula Aspen Prunus padus Bird Cherry Sorbus aucuparia Rowan Taxus baccata Yew

Shrubs 10-30% Shrubs 10-30% Major Major Corylus avellana Hazel Salix purpurea Purple Willow Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Salix viminalis Osier Prunus spinosa Blackthorn Salix cinerea Grey Willow Minor Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Minor Prunus spinosa Blackthorn Cornus sanguinea Dogwood Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose Euonymus europaeus Spindle Ligustrum vulgare Wild Privet Rhamnus cathartica Purging Buckthorn Salix caprea Goat Willow Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose

Open space 0-20% Open space 0-20%

† Watercourse Trees - tree species most appropriate for planting as watercourse trees.

Hedgerow Species Mix Suitable hedgerow plants Suitable hedgerow trees

Primary 70-75% Primary 95-100% Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Fraxinus excelsior Ash Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak Secondary 25-30% Acer campestre Field Maple Secondary 25-30% Corylus avellana Hazel Acer campestre Field Maple Ilex aquifolium Holly Tilia cordata Small Leaved Lime Prunus spinosa Blackthorn Tilia platyphyllos Large Leaved Lime Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Occasional 0-5%* Occasional 0-5% Malus sylvestris Crab Apple Cornus sanguinea Dogwood Prunus padus Bird Cherry Euonymus europaeus Spindle Sorbus aucuparia Rowan Ligustrum vulgare Wild Privet Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Rhamnus cathartica Purging Buckthorn Taxus baccata Yew * only to be used if occurring locally within Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose the landscape character type

Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.12 Southern Magnesian Limestone Character Area 30 Part 1 - 5.13