SAMUEL PALMER’S EARTHLY PARADISE THE DARENT VALLEY LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP SCHEME LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN PART 1 – THE SCHEME PLAN | PART 2 - PROJECT SUMMARIES CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Establishing the Partnership .................................................................................................................................... 7 The Landscape Area, its Heritage and its People ...................................................................................................... 9 The Landscape ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 The Darent Valley’s Heritage .................................................................................................................................. 15 1. Prehistory ............................................................................................................................................................. 15 2. Roman Heritage ................................................................................................................................................... 15 3.Anglo- Saxon ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 4. Mediaeval ............................................................................................................................................................. 17 5. Early Modern ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 6. Late Modern ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 7. The Twentieth Century ......................................................................................................................................... 21 8. Art and Culture ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 9. Natural Heritage .................................................................................................................................................. 24 The Darent Valley’s People and Communities ....................................................................................................... 29 DVLPS Audience Development Consultation .............................................................................................................. 29 Existing Interpretive Provision..................................................................................................................................... 34 Transport Infrastructure .............................................................................................................................................. 34 Public Rights of Way and Access ................................................................................................................................ 34 The Landscape Area Boundaries ............................................................................................................................ 35 Defining the Scheme Area....................................................................................................................................... 35 Specifying the Boundary ......................................................................................................................................... 35 1. Upper Darent Valley (West) Sub-Character Area ............................................................................................... 36 2. Upper Darent Valley (East) Sub-Character Area ................................................................................................. 37 3. Central Darent Valley Sub-Character Area ......................................................................................................... 38 4. Lower Darent Valley Sub-Character Area ........................................................................................................... 38 5. Estuarine Darent Valley Sub-Character Area ...................................................................................................... 39 Changes to the Boundary Between Stages 1 and 2 ............................................................................................... 40 Management Information ..................................................................................................................................... 43 Employing and Host Authority ................................................................................................................................ 43 Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Board .......................................................................................................... 44 Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Forum ......................................................................................................... 45 Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Delivery Team ............................................................................................ 45 1. Landscape Partnership Manager ........................................................................................................................ 45 2. Interpretation and Community Learning Officer ................................................................................................ 46 SAMUEL PALMER’S EARTHLY PARADISE – LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN (Part 1) Page | 1 3. Landscape and Access Officer ............................................................................................................................. 46 4. Community Archaeologist ................................................................................................................................... 46 5. Finance and Partnership Officer .......................................................................................................................... 46 Delivery Partners ..................................................................................................................................................... 46 Kent Wildlife Trust ....................................................................................................................................................... 46 Sevenoaks District Council........................................................................................................................................... 47 Dartford Borough Council ........................................................................................................................................... 47 Kent County Council..................................................................................................................................................... 47 North West Kent Countryside Partnership ................................................................................................................. 47 Wide Horizons .............................................................................................................................................................. 47 Otford Parish Council................................................................................................................................................... 48 Connect Plus Services .................................................................................................................................................. 48 UK Power Networks ..................................................................................................................................................... 48 Dartford Orienteering Klubb ....................................................................................................................................... 48 The Quadrangle Trust .................................................................................................................................................. 48 Theme Groups ......................................................................................................................................................... 49 Statement of Significance ...................................................................................................................................... 51 Landscape Character ............................................................................................................................................... 51 Scientific: Biodiversity and Geology ....................................................................................................................... 52 Sites Designated for their Biodiversity and Habitat Importance ............................................................................... 54 Archaeological and Historical .................................................................................................................................. 62 Cultural and Human ................................................................................................................................................ 68 How the Darent Valley Landscape is