8J: MARTIN AND ROCKBOURNE DOWNS View towards Martin Down from the north showing the Open Downs landscape type. Near Whitsbury and the Gallops –More wooded landscape on the dip Looking up the Downland Mosaic several straight byways stretch up toslope – of the Downland Mosaic Large Scale landscape type from this area of the downs. Large Scale south of Rockbourne. Whitsbury. Relic watermeadows – Damerham at Long barrow – south of Breamore Green at Rockbourne (foot of the the foot of the dip slope © Clive Down typical of this ancient ritual dip slope) – numerous thatch roof Perrin – Geograph. landscape. cottage examples. Hampshire County 1 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Martin and Rockbourne Open Downs . Hampshire County 2 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Martin and Rockbourne Open Downs 1.0 Location and Boundaries 1,1 This character area is located in the far eastern corner of Hampshire and borders Wilshire and Dorset. Its northern and south-western edges are therefore defined by administrative boundaries although the character of the landscape extends seamlessly beyond, linking with the Cranborne Chase Wooded Downland in Wilshire and Chalk Uplands in Dorset. To the southeast the boundary of the character area is marked by the geological change from chalk to the lower lying sands and gravels of the Reading Beds. Collectively this character area defines classic chalk downland on a dip slope, the south-eastern edges of which have been eroded by stream valleys. 1.2 Component County Landscape Types: Open Downs, Downland Mosaic Small Scale. 1.3 Composition of Borough/District LCAs: New Forest District Cranborne Chase AONB Martin and Whitsbury Open Farmland 2B Southern Downland Belt (in part) Martin and Tidpit Downs 4A Martin-Whitsbury Downland Damerham and Rockbourne Valley Hills (in part) Wooded Sandleheath Farmland 5C Stour and Avon Tributary Chalk Valleys (in part) The boundaries of this character area show a strong correlation with those defined in the New Forest district level assessment. 1.4 Associations with NCAs and Natural Areas: NCA 134: Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase and JCA 135: Dorset Heaths NA 80: South Wessex Downs and NA 81: Dorset Heaths 2.0 Key Characteristics • Designated AONB, the rolling hills of chalk dipslope with broad sweeping skylines incised by river valleys towards the southeast are of high scenic quality. • Rich biodiversity, with chalk downland designated at a national level . • Open chalk grassland, textured with scrub with few hedgerows or boundary fences. • Geometric regular field boundary pattern. • Limited woodland in the northwest with increasing woodland cover in river valleys to the southeast. • Species rich water meadows. • Intact historic nucleated villages nestled in valley locations on spring lines. Hampshire County 3 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Martin and Rockbourne Open Downs • Communication routes follow river valleys in a NW-SE direction. • Wealth of archaeological remains which are visually conspicuous. • Panoramic views over the surrounding chalk farmland. Sweeping views to the horizon with ridgelines silhouetted against the sky. 3.0 Physical Characteristics and Land Use 3.1 Geologically this landscape comprises upper chalk geology and forms a south- easterly sloping dip slope to the chalk escarpment that lies within Wilshire. The chalk geology gives rise to brown rendzina soils which often contain flints and are typical of downland landscape. There is also an area of higher land to the southwest around Penridge Hill in Dorset which extends into the edges of this character area at Blagdon Hill and Stone Hill. Here the land rises to approximately 150m AOD. The northern upper slopes of this character area are gently rolling whereas the middle and lower slopes have become eroded to form a pattern of valleys and ‘whale backed’ ridges, often with steep slopes and occasional chalk protrusions forming distinctive knolls e.g. Damerham Knoll. On some of the highest hilltops there is a capping of clay with flints and small areas of Reading Beds. The parallel chalk valleys run southeast towards the River Avon. Agricultural land quality is predominately medium with small patches of lower quality Martin Down and Knoll Down. 3.2 This character area is dominated by arable rotation with limited pasture in the river valleys to the southeast, some of which is semi-improved or marshy. As a result it comprises a mixture of arable crops and varied patterns with seasonal changes. The enclosure pattern dates to the 18th century, with P a typical pattern of large regular fields divided by low, fragmented treeless hedgerows or post and wire fencing, but with some enclosed strip and furlong fields. Small fragments of calcareous grassland and scrub cling to the steeper hill slopes with a more extensive area of chalk grassland in the west. The scrub areas add texture and shelter to otherwise open and exposed areas. There is a strong contrast between the open downland on upper slopes in the north and more undulating wooded slopes in the southeast and southwest, and although this woodland cover is generally low there are blocks of semi-natural woodland with areas of plantation (particularly on hills which are capped by clay with flints) e.g. Martin Wood and Boulsbury Copse. Elsewhere there are shelterbelts e.g. Rockbourne Down which provide windbreaks. In the southeast there is a higher incidence of small semi-natural woods and deciduous copses which provide shelter to farm buildings. Field patterns become smaller surrounding the settlements. 3.3 The area falls within the Environment Agency Ashford Allen catchment area except for the far eastern portion which falls within the Middle Avon Hants Catchment. Although this area predominately comprises free-draining chalk geology, it has eroded to form the two distinctive river valleys of the Allen River and the upper reaches of Sweatfords Water. These watercourses flow in a south-easterly direction into to the Avon. Along the length of the Allen River are small ponds e.g. Allenford Pond. Occasional springs occur within the chalk such as on Rockbourne Down and north of Rockbourne village. Hampshire County 4 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Martin and Rockbourne Open Downs 4.0 Experiential/Perceptual Characteristics 4.1 This is a large scale, expansive landscape offering long distance views from hilltops and valley sides and from the A354. In these more elevated locations the landscape can appear exposed and wild. Within the river valleys and closer to settlement (where vegetation cover increases) the landscape is more intimate and views more restricted. 4.2 There are no long distance footpaths through this landscape, although there is an extensive area of common land with open access and accessible woodland along the north-western edge comprising Martin Down and Vernditch Chase respectively. Martin Down is part managed as a nature reserve. 4.3 The areas of highest tranquillity are on the ridges above the river valleys and on Martin Down, where absence of roads and limited accessibility contributes to the feeling of remoteness. Tranquillity is undermined within the valleys which form communication corridors and have been the traditional location for settlement. The northern slopes of the area are affected by the A354. 5.0 Biodiversity Character 5.1 This is an agricultural landscape comprising mostly arable land with some patches of improved grassland. In the west there is a large area of unimproved calcareous grassland associated with Martin Downs; there are smaller strips and patches of semi-improved calcareous grassland throughout the area. There are also some small areas of unimproved and semi-improved neutral grassland. There is a large area of broadleaved plantation and broadleaved woodland in the south which is largely ancient and semi-natural. Small copses and strips of woodland also occur within this landscape, including mixed, broadleaved and coniferous plantations and broadleaved woodlands. 5.2 Martin and Tidpit Downs SSSI is located in the west of the character area on the Hampshire-Wiltshire border. It comprises an extensive tract of chalk downland, chalk heath and scrub over a gently undulating plain. It rises to a high east-west ridge with Bokerley Ditch linear prehistoric earthwork on the crest. The chalk flora is exceptionally rich and includes species with both distinctly south-west and eastern distributions. There are large populations of bastard toadflax, field fleawort, early gentian, saw-wort and lesser centaury, and at least eight local orchid species, including burnt-tip orchid. Two other SSSIs exist at Toyd Down and Quarry and Boulsbury Wood. 5.3 Two BOAs intersect with this landscape character area. Martin Down – Boulsbury – Toyd Down BOA is an extensive tract of chalk downland, chalk heath and chalk scrub. Downland comprises grassland of varying ages from ancient herb rich swards to recent turf ploughed in 1940s and now reverting. The Avon Valley BOA comprises the River Avon, a classic chalk stream of European importance with a broad flood plain. It shows the greatest range of habitats and most diverse flora and fauna of any chalk river valley in England. Hampshire County 5 Status: FINAL May 2012 Integrated Character Assessment Martin and Rockbourne Open Downs 5.4 Martin Downs National Nature Reserve contains notable plants including bastard toadflax, field fleawort, early gentian, lesser centaury and twelve orchid species. It is also noted for its bat species, butterflies and moths. 5.5 There are over 25 SINCs, varying in size from over 60 hectares to under 1 hectare. Most are designated for their ancient and semi-natural woodland. 6.0 Historic Character 6.1 Archaeology 6.1.1 The area is open downland to the north with small scale mosaic downland to the south. The division between these two areas seems to be particularly relevant in terms of archaeological data. 6.1.2 There are few records of Mesolithic data and the few finds recorded cluster on the interface between the small scale mosaic downland and the adjacent lowland mosaic landscape which separates this area from the Avon valley.