Section 1: Physical and human influences
Section 2: Visual character of the landscape
Section 3: Landscape evolution and change
Section 4: Landscape strategies and key recommendations
Section 5: Landscape guidelines

Section 1: Physical and human influences

Introduction

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands forms a discrete area within Nottinghamshire, covering slightly over one fifth of the County. The region extends in a broad band from the edge of Nottingham north to the Idle Lowlands. It is bounded to the west by the Sherwood region and to the east by the lowlands of the Trent Washlands. Small nucleated villages, isolated farmsteads and quiet country lanes are important components of the region’s character, along with undulating landform, hedged fields and woodland. These features, and the fact that the area is dominated by agriculture, ensure that the region has a traditional rural character. This is reflected in the pattern of settlement and enclosure.

The shape of the land

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is closely associated with a broad belt of Triassic rocks that run northwards through the length of the County from Nottingham to Gringley-on-the-Hill and Misterton. These rocks comprise two formations: Waterstones, consisting of thinly bedded sandstones and siltstones separated by layers of mudstone, and the Mercia Mudstone (formerly known as the Keuper Marl) comprising a great thickness of stratified reddish mudstones with occasional bands of hard sandstone, known locally as “skerry”. Both formations are overlain by alluvial and fluvio-glacial drift in the Idle Lowlands, which borders the region to the north and north west. This covering of drift also extends along the Trent Valley to the east, although above Newark the Mercia Mudstone reappears again to the south of the river.

Like the rock formations above and below it, the Mercia Mudstone gives rise to a low rolling escarpment that slopes gently eastwards in general conformity with the underlying bedrock. A well-marked scarp slope overlooks the Sherwood Sandstone along the western edge of the outcrop. The Waterstones form the lower and on the whole gentler portion of this slope, while the upper and often much steeper slope is composed of Mercia Mudstone, with its more resistant skerry bands. These bands, where they are well-developed, give rise to a much more varied and undulating topography as well as giving added prominence to the scarp slope. This accounts for the distinctively rolling nature of the land surface in the southern part of the region, where the escarpment reaches its maximum altitude of 155 metres at Cockpit Hill above Calverton.

To the north of Southwell the topography becomes more subdued, although the scarp slope continues to form a prominent feature despite the fact that the escarpment itself barely rises above 90 metres. The reason for this is that along its entire western edge the difference in height between the summit and the foot of the escarpment remains more or less the same. This feature is most pronounced where it overlooks the levels and carrlands along the northern and north-western fringe of the region.

Owing to the impervious nature of the underlying mudstones, the escarpment has become heavily dissected by numerous streams, each occupying a well-defined valley. Many of these valleys are floored by alluvium, especially in the central part of the region to the east of Tuxford, where the dip slope has a more subdued relief. To the south of this area an increasing number of streams have cut through the Mercia Mudstone to expose the underlying Waterstones.

Some of these streams, like the Beck, the Greet and the Dover Beck are continuing to widen their valleys, though the upper slopes remain relatively steep owing to the presence of skerry bands in the Mudstone. In the case of the Dover Beck, erosion has exposed the Waterstones along the valley as far as the Trent flood plain.

Between Southwell and Nottingham many small valleys, some of them tributaries to the larger streams, exhibit youthful features and assume the form of narrow ravines locally called “dumbles”. These include Lambley Dumble, Halloughton Dumble and Westhorpe Dumble. Such dumbles, which can be up to 10 metres in depth, sometimes contain miniature waterfalls caused by the presence of a skerry band in the stream bed. Further north the various becks and streams occupy shallower valleys, without the ravines characteristic of the dumbles to the south.

Soils

Dark brown stoney clay loam or clay soils cover most of the region’s land surface. Dark reddish brown sandy silt loam and clay loam soils occur on the lower beds of the Mercia Mudstone group to the west. Dark brown clay loam and silty clay loam soils are found on gentler slopes in the east, where the mudstone is overlain by thin fine loamy or fine silty drift. Tongues of reddish/greyish river alluvium are found in the beck valleys. Stoney soils can be found where the skerries come close to the surface.

Landscape history

Little can be said about the early history of the landscape of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands. The clay soils of the Mercia Mudstones are not on the whole sympathetic to the production of cropmarks, the results of differential crop growth over buried ditches, pits and other features which have revolutionised our understanding of the prehistoric and Roman periods in other regions such as the Trent Washlands and Sherwood. The rural character and remoteness of much of this region has also contributed to a lack of study and survey. In consequence, the archaeology of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands depends almost entirely upon objects recovered from the surface of ploughed fields and earthworks, which have to be interpreted against the wider background of landscape history deduced from evidence elsewhere.

The presence of people during prehistory is witnessed by stone tools, manufacturing debris and metal objects occasionally recovered after ploughing. It is reasonable to assume that the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands will have been no less attractive to hunter-gathering groups and early farmers than other regions in Nottinghamshire, and that these will have had a comparable effect upon the woodland which developed after the end of the Ice Age. The composition of that woodland may be assumed to have varied with local soils and topography and to have been dominated by a mixture of oak, lime, ash and hazel. As human settlement consolidated and expanded, this woodland will have been increasingly cleared and its composition altered.

By the Roman period it is likely that most of the woodland will have been cleared and the land placed under cultivation. This is the conclusion to which the crop-mark evidence of the Trent Valley and the Sherwood Sandstones points; indeed it might be thought that the development of the Roman landscape on the relatively infertile soils of the Sherwood Sandstones is indicative that the better lands of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands had already been taken. It may be significant also that the Roman landscapes of the Sherwood Sandstones and the Trent Valley, on either side of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands, share characteristics indicating large-scale planning. In both, crop marks reveal blocks of rectangular fields, enclosures and trackways, and, in both, these are orientated in much the same way. It might not be unreasonable to assume, therefore, that these field systems were part of one landscape, stretching across the Sherwood Sandstone, the Mercia Mudstones and the gravels of the Trent Valley. That we know about this landscape on the Sherwood Sandstone and in the Trent Valley only, and are largely ignorant of the details of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands in the Roman period, may be attributed to the limitations on the discovery of evidence which have prevailed on the clays of the Mercia Mudstones. Where evidence is available it is striking. In Laxton, Roman material has come from no fewer than seven locations within the parish, indicating a number of farms and at least one villa. Other villas are know at Southwell, where at least one other Roman site is known, and at Tuxford. Similarly, a quantity of Roman material has come from Darlton and South Wheatley. All of these have the common feature of having been looked at more closely because they are centres of interest. If the density of settlement implied by the evidence from Laxton, in the heart of the highest clay lands, is any guide then there is no reason to believe other than that the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands was as well-peopled and its landscape as well-developed as anywhere else during the Roman period.

It is clear that the end of the Roman period brought great change, but we know little to provide detail of how this came about. Population decline and changes in social organisation, beginning in the Roman period and continuing into the 5th and 6th centuries, led to a retraction in cultivation and a refocusing of settlement towards the more easily worked land. The woodland regenerated on a large scale. Although there are a few objects of early Anglo-Saxon date from the region, there is at present little to suggest that the immigrants coming into South Nottinghamshire and the Trent Valley were initially interested in moving into the interior of the Mercia Mudstones. However, there is no evidence that this was a period of collapse and abandonment; on the contrary there are hints that Roman structures and settlement patterns endured. It is possible that the northern part of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands was initially incorporated into the early kingdom of Lindsey, which had British rather than Saxon origins. This might be the implication of some estates structures later recorded in Domesday Book and of the pattern of warfare between Mercia and Northumbria in the 7th century, in which Lindsey was a pawn. Particularly, significance must be attached to the mass baptism of the people of Lindsey by the missionary Paulinus at Tiowulfingacaester in 627. Tiowulfingacaester is identified as Littleborough, on the Trent in the adjacent Trent Washlands. This baptism was as much a political statement as a religious event and choice of site was undoubtedly intended to be symbolic of royal overlordship on both sides of the Trent. This would have been a pointless site had there not been a population in the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands. Another hint is given by the grant of a royal estate at Southwell to the Archbishop of York in 954. This embraced a number of the communities surrounding Southwell, where Southwell Minster was to be built, possibly on the site of an already existing church. Immediately adjacent to Southwell Minster is the site of a Roman villa. One possibility therefore is that, although the villa went out of use, its estate remained and was administered from a new centre nearby. This perpetuation of a sense of power and place from the Roman to later periods may be identifiable elsewhere in Nottinghamshire, particularly but not wholly in an association between some villas and churches. In this region, it appears possible that the estate of the Southwell villa survived as a unit into the late Saxon period, and it may well be that other estates also continued.

The changes to the landscape of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands were probably piecemeal and gradual. A number of place names refer to woodland but other activities are reflected on occasion, for example, “Wheatley” implies the cultivation of wheat in a clearing amongst woodland, whilst “Lambley” again indicates woodland but also the raising of sheep. Indeed Lambley is one of a group of place names in the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands and Trent Washlands north and east of Nottingham which mention animals. Oxton, Calverton, Bulcote and Lambley all occur in the same district, and suggest the possibility that their names could have derived from particular responsibilities which communities had for pasturing royal herds. At all events the woodland which developed in the immediately post-Roman period is unlikely to have been left to nature. It will have been a valuable source for common grazing, gathering food, timber and wood. It will have been managed to one degree or another.

Current models of Early and Middle Saxon settlement patterns are of dispersed farms and some larger settlements, not dissimilar to the basic pattern of later prehistory and the Roman period. By the 9th century, and more particularly from the 10th century, under the pressures of a rising population and the growing powers of local landlords this dispersed pattern began to be replaced by one of nucleated villages, with people grouping together around the farm of the local lord or in other geographically favoured locations. Whether as a result of this process or as a product of earlier loss of population and reorganisation, the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands developed a settlement pattern which was particularly geared to the use of local resources. Most of the settlements exploiting the region in fact lay on its fringes or even outside it. On the south and east, the villages lay on the gravels of the Trent Washlands where the best soils for cultivation were and where there was easy access to the meadows and pastures of the Trent flood plain. On the west, villages were frequently sited at the junction of the Mercia Mudstones and the Sherwood Sandstones, where the mixture of clay and sand in the soils again provided better tillage and the heaths of the sandstone provided open pastures. Although not insignificant in number, comparatively few communities occupied the heart of the clay land, often choosing sites in valleys, beside watercourses where soils on slopes were better drained. The territories of the peripheral communities ran back up onto the clays, to include the woodland resources here, while those within the core of the Mercia Mudstones developed more or less concentric patterns of land use, with the fields closest to the village, pastures beyond the fields and then woodland. The landscape of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands in the Later Saxon and Early Mediaeval periods, then, was one of communities and farmland separated by blocks and ribbons of woodland. In many instances, as later documentary references and the intricacy of boundary lines show, this woodland served the communities on either side of it as common grazing.

This is the picture of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands which can be seen in Domesday Book, a mixture of large and small communities with arable to match, much woodland and very little meadow. Most of the woodland was recorded as wood pasture, although there was a significant group of underwood (coppiced woods) in the north of the region. But recording place names such as Knapthorpe, Domesday Book also shows that expansion of settlement into the woodlands was well under way.

With rising population, this expansion continued in the 12th and 13th centuries. Villages grew, new settlements appeared distinguished by names which indicate their marginal locations, “Woodhouse”, “Moorhouses”, or their secondary status as in “thorpe”. Arable fields were expanded at the expense of the woodland, which was further degraded by grazing. In common with the other wooded regions of Nottinghamshire, parks were enclosed to conserve game and provide sport for the king and nobility. Indeed, for several generations the whole of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands was included under Forest Law, until it was deforested by Henry III in 1286. At Darlton, King John enclosed a park and built a hunting lodge at Kingshaugh, cutting across the rights of pasture in the wood which belonged to the villagers of Darlton and Ragnall Of the many other parks, large and small, enclosed by the nobility, one of the largest was the Archbishop of York’s at Hexgrave, probably created in the early 13th century. This was one of three parks belonging to the Archbishop attached to his estate at Southwell. The second was at Norwood, just outside Southwell, and the third, New Park, was around the Archiepiscopal palace at Southwell, This last was probably not laid out until the 16th century when Hexgrave was no longer of sporting interest. As their names often indicate, particularly in the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands, parks usually took in an area of woodland, but usually this was soon modified by clearances for grazing and even cultivation. This was the seed of the common fate of many parks in the later Middle Ages, to be converted into farmland.

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands has the distinction of being home to the archetype of midland mediaeval villages, at Laxton. The famous map of the parish, drawn up in 1635, gives a strong idea of the landscape here during the Middle Ages. There, on the slope above the stream, was the village, dominated by the castle which stood immediately behind it to the north. North and west of the castle was a small park with an orchard, fishponds, and horse and hay paddocks, more for exercise and pleasure than hunting, which will have taken place in East Park Wood along the north east of the parish continuous with Egmonton Wood, and in Hartshorn, a large block of wood pasture on the southern side of the community. East, west, south west and south of the village were the open fields. The East Field and the one to the south west, Mill Field, are likely to have been the original arable, to be joined by the West Field possibly during the 12th century. The South Field was the last to be created early in the 13th century. Along the stream as it ran across the top of the South Field were the principal meadows of the community, with other areas of meadow on the sykes, unploughed strips alongside the other arms of the Radbeck and more minor streams running through the open fields. Unploughed wide verges beside the trackways through the parish were also managed as meadow. Beyond the fields there was in 1635 a zone of enclosed fields, then under grass. The names of these closes clearly indicate, as much as their position, that they were cut out of the woodland, probably in the piecemeal process of clearance known as assarting. Whether these assarts were originally intended for arable or pasture cannot be ascertained. Either would have been appropriate, although some theories about land organisation might suggest pasture. One area of pasture was the common, on the north-western tip of the parish. This too was originally woodland, as its name “Westwood Common” implies, part of a substantial wood contiguous with that of Wellow and Ompton. Hartshorn also was probably grazed. At the opposite, north-eastern, end of the parish was a separate, off-shoot community, Laxton Moorhouse. This settlement developed its own set of open fields, but some of its occupants farmed strips in the South Field also. Finally, as will have been apparent already, the margins of Laxton were substantially wooded with Westwood, Hartshorn, woodland between Laxton and Moorhouse north of the meadows, and East Park Wood all in the vicinity.

By 1300 plough lands in the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands were at their maximum extent. Under pressure from a high population almost any land that could produce a crop was cultivated. In Laxton, poorer, wetter land normally used for meadow, including sykes, was ploughed. But the climate was deteriorating and in 1349 the Black Death arrived, ushering in a period of protracted difficulty. The Black Death and repeated visitations of plague during the 14th century reduced the national population by over one third, and it appears that the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands bore its share of this loss. With reduced population and social change, there was a turning away from arable production. Marginal plough lands and pastures were restored to grassland, leaving ridge and furrow on the sykes at Laxton, and open field rotations were reorganised to allow for larger fallows, temporary grass and the creation of closes of more permanent grass. Vacant tenancies were engrossed into occupied farms, creating more differential between large and small farms. With land exchanges, the tendency for larger farms to be made up of consolidated blocks of land within the open fields grew. Overall, the 15th and 16th centuries saw the establishment of convertible husbandry, with a more balanced, mixed farming regime.

Some communities were so weakened by the difficulties of the later 14th and early 15th centuries that their viability was completely undermined. The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands saw a number of villages either completely or virtually disappear, in the course of the later 15th and 16th centuries. Some of these were settlements of considerable antiquity like Willoughby in Norwell or Hockerton, and some had once been sizable like Whimpton. A number were the more marginal communities developed in the centuries of expansion from the 10th century on, such as Knapthorpe, Habblesthorpe or Woodcotes. Although at least 13 communities failed in this period and many other villages shrank in size, the majority survived. The open field system was inherently flexible and could be readily adapted to changes in economic need, with areas being taken in and out of cultivation according to market demands. The economy of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands thus remained one of mixed farming, still with quantities of arable, until well into the 20th century.

However, doubtless because of the resilience of the open field system and the swings in demand and profitability, which never quite made one agricultural strategy preferable to another, and made landowners think twice about the expense of enclosure, society here was inclined to be conservative. This is illustrated by the long endurance of bare fallows. The land itself also imposed certain restrictions on development. With the onset of colder, wetter conditions in the later 13th century the clay soils of the Mercia Mudstones had become that much more difficult to work and crop yields had declined. This was probably a significant factor in the demise of some communities in the 15th and 16th centuries and remained a problem until the 19th century.

Although there was an amount of piecemeal enclosure, the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands were not generally enclosed until the later 18th and 19th centuries. This was the age of agricultural improvement, when open fields were seen as anachronistic and an impediment to progress, and enclosure was promoted through Acts of Parliament to overcome any objectors. Laid out by surveyors, the field systems created through Parliamentary enclosure tend to be larger and more regular than those of preceding centuries, although in these clay lands the long-established physical frameworks of the open fields had to be taken into account. Nevertheless, it was still an expensive business and took time to become general. The clay fields of Rampton were still unenclosed in 1835, and North Wheatley and parks at Treswell and Askham were enclosed the following year. Indeed about one fifth of Eakring was still open in the 1930s, while at Laxton enclosure has never been completed. Behind this pattern lies the fact that at the end of the 18th century the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands was regarded as backward in agricultural terms and farming was less profitable than in other regions.

The retraction of arable in the 15th and 16th centuries undoubtedly saw an expansion of woodland particularly in the southern half of the region. To this was added the planting associated with the parks and gardens around the houses of the nobility and gentry laid out during the succeeding centuries. Some of these were based on earlier mediaeval parks, like those at Norwood and probably Grove Hall; others were new, especially in the 18th and early 19th centuries, but their numbers thinned with distance from the social centres of Newark, Southwell and Retford. It must be partly in consequence of this that woodland is limited in the Village Farmlands to the north east. One leavening of this was the addition everywhere of plantations, both for timber and as game coverts, particularly in peripheral areas of parishes during the 19th century. During the 18th and 19th centuries also, the villages were rebuilt in brick. Beginning in earlier centuries with the houses of the nobility and gentry, it became usual for the humblest of dwellings to be built in brick by the end of the 18th century. Gradually over the course of these two centuries the old style timber frame buildings of mud and stud construction and thatched roofs were replaced or encased in brick with tile roofs. Local clay pits were often the source of the bricks. The new farms of the enclosed landscapes created in the late 18th and 19th centuries, standing apart from the old villages, were built in brick. Since they were newly established at a time when agriculture was making new strides they often replicate the “model farm” concept with outbuildings and farmhouse convenient to one another around a quadrangle.

The advent of piped under-soil drainage during the mid 19th century and enclosure brought improvements to the region. The farming regime remained mixed, however, with extensive crop rotation on a field-by-field basis. Some new crops were tried, hops being a big business in the late 18th century, but in the main it was the traditional arable-livestock balance that prevailed. With the collapse of grain prices caused by foreign importation in the late 19th century, this balance swung towards animal husbandry, with more grassland and feed crops. Apart from a temporary swing towards arable during the First World War, this remained the situation until the 1940s. Post-war government and EEC agricultural policies then placed emphasis on arable, resulting in a marked decline in livestock. This has produced considerable landscape change as many 18th and 19th century enclosure hedges and many earlier ones have been uprooted to enable the use of large machinery.

While it would be easy to believe that the modern landscape of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is the product of the last few hundred years, this would be a complete misreading of what it has to tell us. It is not only at Laxton that a long history may be seen in the village, its fields and its woods, and a comparable longevity in the shapes and features of the countryside is apparent throughout the region. Even the relative openness of the landscape in the Village Farmlands of the north is an ancient characteristic.

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Section 2: Visual character of the landscape

Introduction

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is an area of undulating landscape with a distinctively rural, agricultural character. Arable farming is the predominant land use on the clay soils, with the exception of the area between Nottingham and Southwell, where mixed farming prevails. The historical pattern of land use and settlement is influenced by the physical characteristics of the region, particularly its soils. It is also influenced by its geographical relationship with adjacent regions where different physical conditions occur. Many villages have been established along the margins of the Mercia Mudstone outcrop where a wider range of physical resources is accessible. A more limited range of resources has historically been available to the inhabitants of the central parts of the region, consequently a sparser settlement pattern is evident.

The region is relatively remote from major population centres and has a well-defined and largely undeveloped rural character. Industry is of little significance save for the occasional clay quarry and brick works. A number of main highways cross the area, but typically roads are narrow country lanes linking the scattered nucleated settlements. A number of villages in the south of the region have expanded to accommodate commuter development; however, the majority are small and dominated by the vernacular red brick and pantile style. The villages are well integrated into the surrounding countryside with small-scale field patterns, unimproved pastures, species-rich hedgerows and remnant orchards forming common features along their edges.

A characteristic of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is the strong sense of enclosure which exists over most of the region. Earlier field patterns are common south of Southwell, further north evidence of later enclosures exists. Field patterns have remained largely intact although they have become somewhat eroded in the most intensively farmed areas, especially to the north and east. Ancient hedgerows are scattered throughout although they are more common in the south. Hedgerow trees are usually ash and oak and have a localised importance in the landscape; they are particularly abundant in the south of the area.

The landscape has a generally well-wooded character except over tracts of land to the far north and east. Woodlands tend to be mainly deciduous or mixed and are typically small to medium in size. A special feature of the area is the many ancient woodlands, often prominently sited on hilltops and rising ground. Scattered pockets of parkland add to this well-wooded character, along with the many tree-lined streams which drain the area from west to east.

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands can be subdivided into five distinct landscape types. These have been classified generically which means that, theoretically, the landscape types could occur at any location within the country where there are similar physical resources and historical patterns of land use. In reality the landscape types possess a distinctively local character, because they share the broad characteristics of the regional character area, or represent a particular aspect of that character.

Wooded farmlands

A varied undulating arable landscape characterised by remnant ancient woodlands and small rural villages

Characteristic features Varied undulating topography Ancient woodlands, often prominently sited on hill tops Well-defined pattern of hedged fields Streams defined by lines of trees and permanent pasture Traditional pattern of farms and small rural villages Red brick buildings with pantile roofs Quiet country lanes Small remnant orchards and permanent pastures around villages

Landscape description

From Southwell, the Wooded Farmlands extend northwards to the division with the Carrland landscapes of the Idle Lowlands, close to the village of Gringley on the Hill. Above Tuxford these landscapes are confined to the higher ground along the western edge of the Mudstone outcrop. The landscape has a distinctively well-wooded, enclosed rural character where arable cultivation is the dominant land use and settlements are typically nucleated villages of traditional style or isolated farmsteads.

Landform is often a distinctive feature, allowing middle distance views of wooded horizons over the gently undulating farmlands. The pattern of hedged fields and woodlands is the principal visual elements of the landscape and helps to define the character of the Wooded Farmlands. The woodlands are small to medium in size and are distributed throughout the area, particularly on hill tops and rising ground. Deciduous and mixed woodlands dominate. A special feature of the area is the large number of ancient woodlands, for example at Redgate, Wellow, Cheveral and Treswell Woods.

The field pattern is still intact and well-defined, although it has been eroded in places, leading, in some areas, to the feeling of enclosure giving way to a more open character. Hedges enclosing the large arable fields are generally intensively managed and therefore short and gappy. Hedges around the smaller, pasture fields tend to be less intensively managed and are often important visual features. Ancient hedgerows are scattered throughout, usually along roadsides, green lanes or close to ancient woodland sites. There is a variable distribution of hedgerow trees, which can be dominant in some areas and more sparsely distributed in others. Ash and oak are the species most commonly found.

The pattern of arable farming is interspersed with areas of permanent pasture, but these are localised and generally associated with settlement or watercourses. Ridge and furrow fields are found occasionally. Streams traverse much of the area and are often lined with willow, ash, alder and hawthorn, giving them significance in the landscape. Some of the riparian willows are old pollards. The Beck, which runs from east of Eakring through Caunton and Norwell towards the River Trent, has a particularly strong riparian character afforded by the trees on its banks and the corridor of grassland running alongside.

There are a number of special and historic landscape features found within the Wooded Farmlands, notably Laxton Open Field System. Here three large open fields, edged by grass sykes, are still farmed on the medieval strip farming system. Pockets of mature parkland also occur, adding to the well-wooded character. Winkburn is one of the most notable examples, where specimen trees in permanent pasture include oak, horse chestnut and lime. Clumps of trees and blocks of deciduous woodland add to the parkland feel.

The settlements of the Wooded Farmlands are nucleated red brick and pantile villages. These are small in size with predominantly traditional dwellings and only a limited amount of new build. Some settlements have remnant orchards associated with them, generally in permanent pasture fields. Isolated red brick and pantile farmsteads are also a feature throughout. The settlements are linked by a network of roads and rural lanes. The traditional settlements and country lanes add to the overall rural character of the landscape.

The Wooded Farmlands are a remote rural area that has been relatively unaffected by urban and industrial development. The Ollerton-Marnham Power Station mineral line and Butterley Brick works near Kirton have a localised impact. Probably more intrusive are the lines of pylons which dominate some areas. Industrial activity to the west in the Sherwood region and to the east in the Trent Washlands is sometimes visible in the distance.

Dumble farmlands

A distinctively rolling landscape characterised by mixed agriculture, wooded dumble valleys and a well-defined pattern of hedged fields

Characteristic features Steeply rolling topography Well-defined pattern of hedged fields Meandering tree-lined dumble valleys Mixed agriculture Scattered small woodlands, sometimes ancient in origin Expanded commuter settlements and small traditional villages Busy commuter roads and quiet country lanes Orchards

Landscape description

The Dumble Farmlands stretch in a broad band from the suburbs of Nottingham north east to the old market town of Southwell and the village of Farnsfield. The valley of the Dover Beck bisects the area between Calverton and Gonalston. The Dumble Farmlands are characterised by rolling topography which supports mixed agriculture, has a strong sense of rural enclosure, yet is greatly influenced by settlement of various types and scale. Numerous dumble streams, with their associated linear woodlands, are of great significance. Throughout the Dumble Farmlands, distinctively undulating topography prevails offering a variety of intimate, middle and far distant views. Land use is largely mixed farming with many concentrations of permanent pasture, the exception to this being the area north and east of Epperstone and the area north of Oxton where arable farming dominates. Horticulture is found on a small scale adjacent to some of the settlements; the largest area is the Norwood fruit growing enterprise north and west of Southwell which comprises commercial orchards and soft fruit production. Small remnant orchards are also a feature of many viillages.

The strong and semi-irregular pattern of enclosure is an important facet of this landscape. Field size varies from medium to large in arable areas to small in the more pastoral areas. Overgrown hedgerows typically enclose the smaller-scale pasture fields. Arable hedgerows tend to be visually less significant but still form a vital part of the overall structure of the landscape. Ancient hedgerows are found in various places, usually along minor roads, green lanes and close by ancient woodland sites.

The feeling of enclosure is consolidated by the generous distribution of trees across the area. Hedgerow trees occur frequently, with ash and oak the principal species. Pockets of parkland with more ornamental species also occur, such as those at Norwood and Welham. Small, deciduous woodlands are scattered throughout the landscape; some of them are ancient in origin. The linear woodlands of the dumbles are also ancient features and where they occur they dominate the local landscape.

The dumbles are streams running generally Trentwards through shallow ‘V’-shaped valleys. In many parts however they have cut down through the soft clay, creating narrow, steep-sided ravines. A rich diversity of woodland flora and fauna has colonised the dumble banks. In the south of the area, near Lambley, the dumble valleys are often accentuated by associated bands of pasture. Further north, near Southwell and Halloughton, the dumbles are more frequently framed by arable fields. Other water courses found in this landscape often have willows and scrub dotted along their banks.

The settlements in the south of the area reflect their proximity to Nottingham and are generally expanded commuter villages, typically comprising a combination of vernacular and modern dwellings. The suburban links are further strengthened by the busy commuter roads and the presence of leisure facilities such as garden centres and golf courses. Further from Nottingham, quieter country lanes link smaller villages and scattered farmsteads which are characterised by vernacular red brick and pantile buildings. The small market town of Southwell and its distinctive Minster has a considerable impact on the local landscape. This settlement is dominated by Georgian style in the centre, with Victorian buildings further out and new build on the fringes.

The influence of industry on the Dumble Farmlands tends to be peripheral and is either associated with the Nottingham urban fringe or is simply visible in adjoining regions. For example, the old colliery site and pit heap at Gedling which very much dominates the local landscape; the well-hidden brick works at Dorket Head; and the colliery sites of Calverton and Bilsthorpe which have a localised impact on the western edge of the region.

River Meadowlands

Flat, low-lying river corridor landscapes characterised by permanent pasture and riparian trees

Characteristic features Flat, alluvial flood plains Sparsely settled with few buildings Permanent pasture and areas of mixed agriculture Small-scale, semi-irregular pattern of hedged fields Riparian trees and shrubs Tradition of willow pollarding Clumps of deciduous trees and small woods Ridge and furrow grassland

Landscape description

The River Meadowlands are formed from the valleys of the Dover Beck and the Greet, which are located towards the south of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands region. The Dover Beck runs south of Oxton to the Trent, in a north-west to south-easterly direction bisecting the Dumble Farmlands. The Greet flows along the northern edge of the historic market town of Southwell.

The River Meadowlands are distinctive riparian landscapes with an intimate, enclosed character and a strong sense of place enhanced by the high proportion of pasture and localised abundance of willow pollards. The Dover Beck has a broader alluvial flood plain than the Greet, achieving an average width of 0.5km with its flat valley floor bound on both sides by rolling clay topography. Permanent pastures are a characteristic feature of large areas of river corridor although arable farming and horticulture have encroached into the flood plain in some areas, creating less peaceful, less traditional waterside landscapes. Ridge and furrow grasslands are a feature in some areas.

The semi-irregular pattern of hedged fields is well-defined, consisting mainly of small to medium-sized fields. Hedges around permanent pasture fields are often tall and bushy whilst those enclosing the arable fields are lower and more regularly maintained. The hedgerows are a mix of older, species-rich hedgerows and more recent hawthorn hedges; the latter dominate.

Riparian trees are important features, many of them being pollarded crack willows, found particularly along the southerly reaches of the Dover Beck and some of the tributary ditches such as the Grimesmoor Dyke. Other riparian trees include ash, alder and hawthorn. Hedgerow tree cover is important on a localised basis; the principal species are ash and oak. Ash is the dominant species, but oak becomes more common in the north west of the Dover Beck valley. There are some ornamental trees associated with the villages, like the roadside horse chestnuts close to Gonalston. A number of small, mainly deciduous woods and clumps of trees are also scattered throughout.

The River Meadowlands are a sparsely settled landscape with few buildings. Settlements are located to the margins of the valleys where traditionally there has been a reduced risk from flooding. The attractive red brick and pantile villages of Epperstone and Gonalston lie to the edge of the Dover Beck, reinforcing the rural character of that valley whilst the Greet has acted as a natural barrier to the northern expansion of Southwell.

Village farmlands

A gently rolling agricultural landscape with a simple pattern of large arable fields and village settlements

Characteristic features Gently rolling topography Simple pattern of large arable fields Nucleated settlement pattern of villages and isolated farmsteads Small-scale pastoral landscapes and remnant orchards around settlements Lines of willow and other riparian trees along streams Open views to the Trent Valley, power stations and pylons

Landscape description

The Village Farmlands extend from Tuxford in the south to Misterton in the north, along the eastern side of the Mercia Mudstone outcrop. These gently undulating, late enclosure landscapes dip slowly eastwards to the lower-lying Trent Washlands region. The landscapes are dominated by a simple pattern of large arable fields and nucleated village settlement. Other key features include hedgerow trees, small woods and tree-lined streams.

The topography is undulating in the west, flattening out in the east as it runs down towards the Trent Valley terraces. The low level of tree cover and easterly dip slope ensure that there are frequent views to the river valley and the power stations, including West Burton and Cottam.

Settlements are a mixture of large and small villages and scattered farmsteads. The larger villages are found in the north and south, adjacent to the area’s main roads. Tuxford and Misterton are examples of such villages, comprising vernacular buildings, modern dwellings and small amounts of peripheral light industry. The smaller, more rural villages are linked by a network of lanes. They typically consist of red brick and pantile houses with little new build and no industry. Small areas of permanent pasture and occasional remnant orchards occur in association with the village settlement. A concentration of villages occurs on the eastern boundary of the Village Farmlands, along the margin of the Trent Washlands. Isolated farmsteads are also a feature of the landscape, particularly within the more remote central areas where they form an integral part of the area’s traditional agricultural character.

The character of the Village Farmlands is almost completely dominated by arable farming. This is reflected by the pattern of large fields which are enclosed by low, intensively managed hedgerows. Despite intensive management the field pattern remains the most visually important feature in the landscape. Hedges are usually hawthorn but a few species-rich hedgerows do occur. Hedgerow trees are scattered ash and oak which have a localised significance.

Woodlands are small, usually deciduous and occur infrequently. Where they do occur they are of local importance. Perhaps more frequent are the becks that drain the area towards the Trent, examples of which are North Beck and Lee Beck. Where these are tree-lined they enjoy some prominence in otherwise open landscapes. Ash, willow and hawthorn are common beckside species. The Chesterfield Canal is a feature to the north and west of the area, adding to the traditional character of some of the small villages, notably Wiseton.

Industrial influences are present in this landscape but are localised. The southern part is affected by developments associated with the A1, the service area around Markham Moor being especially busy. The proliferation of pylons and cables in the Normanton-on-Trent and Weston area has a significant local impact and further north, near Sturton-le-Steeple, the pylons become dominant once again.

Pastoral scarps and terrace

A distinctively pastoral landscape located along a rolling escarpment edge and low-lying river terrace, with a well-defined pattern of hedged fields and lanes

Characteristic features Contrasting landform of steep escarpment and low-lying river terrace Well-defined pattern of hedged fields Permanent pastures, often unimproved with ridge and furrow Well-maintained pattern of thick, often species-rich hedgerows Small red brick settlements and farmsteads Narrow lanes and tracks with soft verges Urban fringe with residential housing, railway line and canal

Landscape description

This landscape lies along a short section of the steeply sloping Mudstone escarpment, extending on to the low-lying terrace of the Idle, adjacent to East Retford. The landscape has a distinctive, unified and robust pastoral character. The principal landscape components are the permanent pastures and intact pattern of small to medium-scale hedged fields. These create an intimate and relatively peaceful rural character, despite the proximity of the urban fringe.

Landform is a dominant feature of the landscape, particularly the contrast between the steeply inclined rolling escarpment and the flat, low-lying pastures on the river terrace. The escarpment allows panoramic views down the steep grassed slopes to the Idle Lowlands and Sherwood regions that lie beyond. The permanent pastures are the unifying feature of this landscape; many are relatively unimproved introducing a diversity of species, colours and textures. A large proportion of the grasslands also contains ridge and furrow. The grasslands are enclosed by a well-maintained pattern of stockproof hedgerows; many of these are species-rich. The overall impression therefore is of an historic and ecologically diverse landscape with a peaceful rural character. This is greatly enhanced by the presence of grazing livestock.

The landscape displays a well-wooded character along the top of the high escarpment; the woodlands provide a visual frame to the rolling pasture land and further emphasise the steeply inclined relief. Tree cover elsewhere arises from the widespread presence of mature ash and oak hedgerow trees which produce filtered views across the pasture lands.

The impact of settlement on the character of the landscape is variable. The village of Welham lies at the foot of the escarpment and has a traditional red brick character, although suburban influences are growing. The village has a linear form due to the steep topography and the risk of inundation on the flood plain. Little Gringley has a strong rural character, with the red brick buildings of this small settlement nestling comfortably on the escarpment. Narrow lanes and tracks link the small settlements, providing access to the grasslands. The lanes are flanked by grass verges and species-rich hedgerows, adding to the sense of rural character.

The character of the landscape is influenced by the residential edge of East Retford which is separated from the farmlands by a railway line and the Chesterfield Canal. The steeply sloping escarpment allows views over the urban areas, although there is still a strong rural character. The urban fringe is less visible from the river terrace because the level terrain and thick hedgerows limit longer distance views.

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Section 3: Landscape evolution and change

Introduction

This section examines the main forces that have brought about change and evolution within the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands over recent decades. It does this by discussing how the current structure and pattern of land use has developed, paying particular regard to agriculture, woodland, transport, industrial/residential development and mineral extraction. It also considers the trends and pressures that may produce landscape change in the future.

Agriculture

The economy of the region is dominated by agriculture with most farm land being of medium agricultural quality. Pockets of higher quality land occur to the west and east of the region on loamy drift and in the alluvial valley bottoms. Arable cropping dominates the region with the exception of the more rolling Dumble Farmlands, which contain quite large concentrations of grassland and possess a more mixed agricultural character.

Approximately 76% of the farmland in the region is under arable rotation; this figure includes temporary grass. Wheat is by far the most frequent crop, occupying about 46% of the arable area, whilst barley comprises a further 25%. The local climate and the nature of the soil mean that autumn sown crops are usually a more feasible option than those sown in spring. Peas and root crops such as sugar beet and potatoes are grown as part of rotations on the lighter, higher quality agricultural land.

The main change in agricultural practice since the Second World War has been the swing from a mixed agricultural economy to one dominated by arable farming, with an associated increase in holding size. Approximately 63% of the farmed area was under permanent pasture in 1939, compared with 19% today. The majority of pastures are now found to the south of the region and elsewhere along watercourses and settlement edges. Traditionally cattle farming was widespread, especially in the area south of the A617 where dairy herds were kept to supply the population centres of Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark and Southwell. In the 1930s strong corridors of pasture flanked most of the beck and dumble valleys The character of these features has changed with significant areas now used for cropping. A change in grassland management has also occurred, present day management being more intensive and often involving two or more annual silage crops compared to the unintensive hay crop taken 50 years ago.

Wheat has remained constant as the dominant arable crop from the 1930s to the 1990s. Oats, once a frequent component of arable rotations in the region, have become much less common, and superseded in importance by barley. Root crops, then as now, play a small role as break crops. Clover was widely planted as a break crop in the 1930s, being second only to wheat in terms of arable area. Clover crops are now uncommon with oilseed rape and field beans taking their place.

Horticulture has a similar distribution now to that of the 1930s, although it is much reduced in area. Small areas of horticulture are scattered through the region, occupying approximately 0.5% of the total farmed area. The horticultural land is located close to Nottingham and other population centres such as Southwell and East Markham. A major change in the rural economy has been associated with the dramatic decrease in the area of orchard land. In the 1930s approximately 70% of the County’s orchards were found in the region with concentrations occurring around North Wheatley (101 ha), Tuxford (162ha), Southwell (142ha) and Woodborough/Lowdham (121ha). Today the only sizable orchards remaining are found near Southwell, East Markham and Lambley. Remnant orchards are, however, a feature of many of the smaller village settlements and are suggestive of their past importance to the local land-based economy.

Woodland/tree cover

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is a relatively well-wooded landscape containing many deciduous woodlands and a high proportion of the County’s ancient semi-natural woodland. At the beginning of the present millennium the region was the most wooded part of the County despite the presence of Sherwood Forest to the west. However, in more recent times large-scale planting in Sherwood has meant that the area has been overtaken in terms of the proportion of woodland that it contains. The region now has a total woodland cover of 4%. Small and medium woodlands are scattered throughout although they are more common in the south, between Nottingham and Tuxford, and in a discrete area to the south east of Retford. In the north and east, woodlands are less common. Some of the larger woods are associated with old estates like Epperstone Park, Winkburn Park and Ossington Hall and are often accompanied by areas of parkland. Other woodlands are found on the steeper slopes where arable cultivation has been impractical. A notable concentration of woodland occurs between Eakring and Kelham where it is associated with the valley of the Wink and the bands of skerry which form abrupt relief along the upper slopes.

Deciduous woodlands comprise 63% of the wooded area, mixed woodlands cover 22%, conifers 10% and new plantations 5%. Some 50 or so ancient semi-natural woodlands are located within the region. These vary in size from the small, linear woods along the dumbles to the large blocks of woodland like Wellow Park, which is 130 ha in extent. Ash, field maple, hazel, oak, hawthorn and wych elm are typical deciduous woodland species.

Between 1920 and the present day there has been a slight but perceptible change in the nature of woodland cover in the region. Agricultural intensification has led to a number of established woodlands being cleared or reduced in size. An example is Muskham Wood, south of Caunton, which is a quarter of the size it was earlier this century. However, many new woodlands have been planted, often small ones of less than one hectare. The end result is that since the 1920s there has been an overall increase in the hectarage of woodland in the region but a decrease in the area of ancient semi-natural woodland.

Dutch elm disease had a major impact upon the landscape during the period 1960-1980, leading to the loss of virtually all hedge and roadside elms. Despite this loss hedgerow trees still form an important component of the region’s tree cover, with ash, oak and willow the dominant species.

Transportation

A small number of main roads affect the region, crossing the area in a west to east direction. These are linked to the rural settlements by a comprehensive network of country lanes. The A1 and A57 are the only trunk roads and these converge at the busy Markham Moor roundabout on the western fringe of the region. South of the Dover Beck a number of busy minor routes link the enlarged commuter villages to Nottingham.

Proposals for upgrading of the A1 to motorway status and major junction improvement works at Markham Moor have been cancelled, although these may be resurrected at a future date. This has considerable implications for the locality. The area immediately north east of Arnold and Gedling may be affected by road schemes in the future. The Gedling bypass is to be created and a strip of land has been protected for an orbital route linking the new bypass to the M1. Bypasses are also proposed for Southwell, Kirklington, Welham and Clarborough, although the schemes for the latter two villages are low priority.

Running parallel to the A1 is the main London railway line. The Gainsborough-Sheffield rail link traverses the northern half of the region and a freight link to Cottam power station spurs off this to the east. A further freight line bisects the area south of Tuxford linking Ollerton to High Marnham power station. In the southern half of the region a disused railway line (which links to the main Nottingham-Newark line at Rolleston) emerges from the Trent Valley in the east and traverses the area in a westerly direction from Southwell to Farnsfield; from there it runs north from Bilsthorpe to Wellow at the foot of the Mudstone escarpment, where it forms the western boundary of the region.

Urban and industrial development

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is a sparsely populated region where the largest centre of population is the old market town of Southwell with 6,600 inhabitants. The influence of Nottingham is very much in evidence in the south of the area where a number of expanded, commuter villages are found. Elsewhere the settlement pattern is formed by numerous small nucleated villages and isolated farmsteads. Current Structure and Local Plans show that only a small amount of development is likely to occur in the area in the foreseeable future, including limited provision for light industrial sites and small numbers of dwellings, generally within existing envelopes. Pressure for urban expansion from Nottingham is limited by the Green Belt which encompasses the southernmost part of the region. However, the commuter settlements of Calverton, Woodborough, Lambley, Burton Joyce and Lowdham are excluded from this and thus are not covered by Green Belt policies.

Industrial development and mineral extraction are closely linked within the region, with most activity confined to the area south of the A1. The only colliery in the area, Gedling, has closed in 1991 and the restoration of the yard and spoil heap to agriculture and amenity grassland is ongoing. The potential does exist for future mining development and the “East Nottinghamshire Prospect Area” (referred to in the Minerals Local Plan) includes a number of parishes in this region in a triangle from Caunton to West Markham to East Drayton.

Clay quarrying and associated brickworks form the most important industrial activity. Although Nottinghamshire produces less than 2% of the national output, it does support a locally significant brick manufacturing industry. Currently there are two active quarries in the region, one at Dorket Head, near Nottingham, and one at Kirton. At Dorket Head a major waste disposal scheme is following close behind the clay extraction. Kirton is the largest active clay pit in the County with a permitted area of 80 hectares, which will eventually be partially landfilled and restored to agricultural use. At Belle Eau Park near Bilsthorpe, 38 hectares of land have been permitted for clay quarrying, although extraction has not started.

Oil has been found in the carboniferous sandstone which underlies the Mercia Mudstone. Active fields in the region are to be found at Kirklington, Egmanton, South Leverton, Bevercotes (Farleys Wood) and Beckingham. In landscape terms winning oil is not very obtrusive as the necessary landtake is small. In 1988 only 20 hectares of land in the County were involved. The plant is minimal and is generally screened by low earth mounds and/ or trees. Following exploitation, land is restored to its former use. It is likely that further exploration for oil will take place in the area.

To the west of Tuxford a small but locally significant light industrial site accommodates local haulage firms and a mining engineering company. Otherwise the area is completely dominated by agriculture.

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Section 4: Landscape strategies and key recommendations

Introduction

When applied to the landscape, the notion of “character” is not a concept that merely concerns itself with aspects of scenic quality. The character of the landscape derives from a complex interaction of a wide range of physiological and historical phenomena. These include geology, topography, soils, ecology, archaeology, architecture, and local customs and culture, as well as the pattern of land use, settlement and fields. It is the varied interaction between these factors which produces the local and regional variations in character for which the English landscape is famous. The diversity of that character is a central part of our landscape heritage and vital to people’s appreciation and enjoyment of the countryside.

The landscape that we see today is a product of its historical evolution, reflecting the underlying physical resource and the changing nature of human exploitation of the land. The landscape will, of course, continue to change and evolve, reflecting the changing priorities and demands that society places on it. Over recent decades, however, these priorities and demands have often degraded rather than improved the fabric of the landscape. There is now a general consensus that positive action is needed to reverse this trend, and that this should place a high value on conserving and enhancing the inherent character and diversity of our landscapes.

A series of Landscape Strategies and Key Recommendations is set out in this section for each of the landscape types within the region. These should be read in conjunction with the Landscape Guidelines that appear in section 5. Collectively, these will provide the framework for conserving and strengthening the distinctive character and features of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands. They will help to ensure that landscape character is reflected in the many decisions and actions that affect its continuing evolution. The intention is not to fossilise change, but to provide a context that will enable policy making, planning and landscape management decisions to be made which respect and sustain the diversity and character of our countryside.

Landscape strategies
These recognise the forces acting upon the landscape and set the broad vision for its future management. The Strategies provide the framework for conserving and enhancing the character and distinctiveness of the landscape. The Landscape Strategies are given in the form of a short summary title, followed by a reasoned justification of why it has been chosen. The strategy options defined for each landscape type generally relate to one, or more than one, of the following four courses of action:
A: Conservation, where the traditional landscape character and “sense of place” are strong, or where many landscape features are notable for their landscape, ecological or historical value. The Landscape Strategy will encourage the good management of the key features which characterise the landscape and recommend the avoidance of out -of-character development.
B: Enhancement, where landscape character is still reasonably strong, but the overall structure and individual features are in decline. The Landscape Strategy will relate to areas where landscape character is perceived to be under threat, and where positive action is required to strengthen the overall character and structure of the landscape.
C: Restoration, where landscape character or individual features have suffered significant decline or damage, but the underlying character and patterns within the landscape are still evident. The Landscape Strategy will seek to replace characteristic features and rebuild the character of the landscape.
D: Creation, where little of the original landscape character or landscape features remain. The Landscape Strategy will set a vision for a new landscape. This will either relate to the characteristics of a former landscape through a process of reconstruction, or aim to create a new and different landscape.

Key recommendations

The Landscape Strategies are supported by a series of Key Recommendations. These develop and focus the overall strategy further by identifying the main actions and priorities for each landscape type. The Key Recommendations are presented as a series of aims, each followed by a justification describing the recommended course of action. The Landscape Strategies and Key Recommendations are summarised at the beginning of the description of each landscape type.

Wooded farmlands

Landscape strategy

Conserve and strengthen the traditional rural character and local distinctiveness of the landscape

Key Recommendations Conserve and strengthen the historic pattern of hedged fields and lanes Conserve the character and setting of village settlements Conserve and enhance the character and diversity of ancient woodlands Identify opportunities for strengthening the existing level of woodland and hedgerow tree cover Conserve and strengthen the visual and ecological continuity of stream corridors

Landscape strategy

• Conserve and strengthen the traditional rural character and local distinctiveness of the landscape

The Wooded Farmlands possess a distinctive and traditional rural character. The main structural elements are the small nucleated villages, the late enclosure pattern of hedged fields and the many broad-leaved woodlands. These create a landscape with a traditional rural character, with middle distance views over enclosed rolling farmlands to wooded horizons. A large proportion of ancient semi-natural woodlands are found in the area; their prominent locations on hilltops and rising ground and irregular shapes give the area a distinct local character that is unique to this part of the County. A range of other features also forms an important part of the area’s character, including small red brick villages, isolated farmsteads, quiet country lanes, scattered areas of parkland, tree-lined streams and hedgerow trees.

The main pressures acting upon the landscape have been associated with agriculture. This has led to a decline in the management of certain features although the overall structure of the landscape is still strong and intact. A particular concern is that, although woodland cover has increased during this century, there has been a reduction in the area of ancient semi-natural woodland. At the same time new woodland planting has tended to be small in scale and at variance with the traditional pattern of medium-sized woodlands. The historic pattern of hedged fields is also an important component of the landscape. Although this has remained largely intact there are areas where it has become fragmented or lost, with hedgerows becoming gappy, or dying out at the base. The overall approach advocated in the landscape strategy is therefore to conserve and strengthen the traditional rural character and local distinctiveness of the landscape. The management priorities are to conserve the historic pattern and character of settlement, woodland, hedged fields and rural lanes whilst strengthening local distinctiveness by increasing the existing level of tree and woodland cover.

Key Recommendations

• Conserve and strengthen the historic pattern of hedged fields and lanes

The framework of late enclosure hedgerows is an important historical and visual component of the Wooded Farmlands. It provides information about land tenure and the agricultural past; it links woodland and other features giving cohesion and continuity to the landscape; and it provides important habitat for a variety of plants and animals. The field pattern is largely intact, although there are tracts of countryside where it has become fragmented or lost. The retention of this field pattern is crucial if the distinctive and historic character of the landscape is to be maintained. The field pattern is primarily formed from hedgerows which are intensively managed, low, gappy and in a poor state of health. There are, however, areas where undermanagement is a problem, particularly in the smaller-scale pastoral areas adjacent to settlement and along water courses. In order to enhance field pattern, hedgerows should be managed positively with laying, coppicing and trimming being encouraged as appropriate.

The settlements of the Wooded Farmlands are linked by a network of narrow country lanes. These lanes are an important component of the overall structure and historic character of the landscape. The lanes are usually flanked by grass verges, hedgerows and mature trees. Many of the verges are species-rich and contain a wide range of wildflowers and grasses which in turn support a wealth of invertebrate life, birds and small mammals. It is essential that these features are conserved and enhanced, through both sympathetic management and the avoidance of inappropriate highway improvement schemes.

• Conserve the character and setting of rural settlement

The historic settlement pattern of small, nucleated red brick villages is a central feature of the landscape’s strong rural character, along with brick built farmsteads. Built development accounts for only 2.5% of the total land area, making this the most sparsely settled area of the region. In order to conserve the landscape’s historic settlement pattern and rural integrity it is important that new development in open countryside is avoided. The villages have retained their distinctive vernacular character, with buildings of red brick and pantile roof construction. A limited amount of more recent development is to be found within the villages, introducing buildings that do not harmonise with the vernacular style. Local planning policies should seek to balance the scale and layout of any further development with measures to conserve the integrity and distinctive character of rural settlement. It is also important that new development is directed, as far as possible, towards existing villages in order to conserve the nucleated settlement pattern.

• Conserve and enhance the character and diversity of ancient woodlands

A special feature of the Wooded Farmlands is the large number of semi-natural ancient woodlands. Ancient woodlands are defined as those which have had continued woodland cover since 1600. Two thirds of all the woodland in the area is classified as either ancient semi-natural woodland or plantation woodland on ancient sites. The woodlands are typically medium in size, located on hilltops and rising ground and characterised by sweeping irregular edges and a rich flora and fauna. These features are an important part of the rural character and local distinctiveness of the landscape. The conservation and management of the woodlands is vital if the visual character and ecological diversity of the area is to be maintained.

• Identify opportunities for strengthening the existing level of woodland and hedgerow tree cover

The Wooded Farmlands have a woodland cover of slightly over 6%. The majority of woodlands are small to medium in scale, with many of the older, larger woods being located on hill tops and rising ground. There are opportunities to further enhance the distinctive character of the landscape through the planting of additional woodlands. Careful attention should be paid to the scale and form of such woodland to ensure that new woodland planting follows the existing pattern in terms of shape, size, location and species composition. New woodlands should be broad-leaved, medium-sized, and located on hills and rising ground. The aim should be to reinforce the effect of irregular and sinuous woodland edges flowing along skylines and down slopes. Where possible, native tree and shrub species should be used. This will maintain the traditional and distinctive character of woodland cover in this part of the County. The character of the Wooded Farmlands is also heightened by the presence of hedgerow trees, although a variable distribution now exists. Some areas have quite a sparse cover of these features. Hedgerow tree establishment should therefore form part of the strategy for strengthening tree cover within the Wooded Farmlands. This will help to emphasise the pattern of hedged fields and enable filtered views across the rolling farmlands to wooded edges.

• Conserve and strengthen the visual and ecological continuity of stream corridors

A number of streams and becks drain the Wooded Farmlands. These are in part tree-lined, with native trees and shrubs, although there are examples of stream banks that have been cleared. The streams add variety and interest to the landscape and often form historic boundaries. Those streams which are still defined by fringing, woody vegetation enjoy much greater significance in the landscape than those which have been denuded; adding to the well-wooded feel of this landscape. Furthermore, the combination of flowing water habitat and linear woodland or individual trees is usually more valuable ecologically than an open stream. It is therefore important that the visual and ecological value of stream corridors is maintained and increased, through either natural regeneration or planting.

Dumble farmlands

Landscape strategy

Conserve and enhance the overall structure and distinctive rural character of the landscape

Key Recommendations Conserve the character and setting of rural settlement Conserve and enhance the historic pattern of hedgerows and rural lanes Conserve and restore the traditional character of dumble valleys Enhance the structure and unity of the landscape through new tree and woodland planting Promote measures for achieving better integration of new and existing development in the countryside

Landscape strategy

• Conserve and enhance the overall structure and distinctive rural character of the landscape

The character and structure of the Dumble Farmlands is closely related to the physiographic features of the land and its proximity to Greater Nottingham. The steeply rolling landform, narrow dumble valleys and tradition of mixed farming are the main components of the landscape, along with the well-defined pattern of hedged fields, small rural settlements and scattered broad-leaved woodlands. The wooded dumble streams are a particular local characteristic. The landscape has retained its strong and distinctive rural character, despite the pressures arising from the urban expansion of Nottingham. These have created the greatest forces for change within the Dumble Farmlands, although there have also been changes associated with agriculture. Suburban development has spread from Nottingham and now envelopes many of the villages that lie to the south of the Dover Beck. The growth of this commuter belt has eroded the traditional settlement character of the area, although its visual impact is limited to some extent by the steeply rolling topography. Further from the city the traditional rural character of the landscape is much stronger. The influence of Nottingham is much less with small red brick villages, quiet country lanes and the historic market town of Southwell dominating the rural scene. The approach advocated by the management strategy thus involves a combination of conservation and enhancement - to conserve the traditional pattern of rural settlement, land use and enclosure whilst seeking to enhance the distinctive character of the dumble valleys.

Key Recommendations

• Conserve the character and setting of rural settlement

The pattern of settlement within the Dumble Farmlands has traditionally been one of small red brick villages and isolated farmsteads. The villages to the north of the Dover Beck have retained this character; however, further south, villages such as Lambley, Woodborough, Burton Joyce, Lowdham and Calverton have grown significantly to accommodate commuter development. Suburban-style residential development has engulfed the old village centres and weakened the overall integrity and character of individual settlements. It has also disrupted the traditional relationship between buildings, areas of open space and the historic bond with the small-scale pastoral landscapes that fringe the villages. The permanent pastures adjacent to village edges form an important part of the landscape’s mixed farming character and are often associated with old species-rich hedgerows, mature trees and ridge and furrow. Local planning policies should seek to balance the scale and layout of new development with measures to conserve the integrity, setting and distinctive character of rural settlement. It is important that new development is located, as far as possible, within existing settlement in order to conserve the historic settlement pattern.

• Conserve and enhance the historic pattern of hedgerows and rural lanes

The pattern of semi-regular hedged fields and rural lanes forms one of the principal visual components of the Dumble Farmlands. In many areas this historic pattern of enclosure fields has been well preserved; however in others hedgerow removal has taken place. As well as having high visual and historic interest, hedgerows also provide important habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Many of the hedgerows are species-rich and ancient in origin, particularly along roadsides, green lanes and historic boundaries. The conservation and continued management of hedgerows is one of the key priorities for maintaining the overall structure and character of the landscape. Hedgerow reinstatement initiatives should initially focus on replacing primary hedgerows to restore the basic structure of the landscape in the more open areas. Hedgerows that have become thin or gappy should be allowed to grow thicker and taller, whilst those which are overgrown would benefit from active management. A relatively generous distribution of hedgerow trees is associated with the enclosure pattern. The establishment of more hedgerow trees will help to emphasise this further and allow filtered views across the steeply rolling farmlands.

The settlements of the Dumble Farmlands are linked by a network of narrow rural lanes. These lanes are an important part of the overall structure and rural character of the landscape. The lanes are often flanked by grass verges, hedgerows and hedgerow trees. Many of the verges are species-rich and contain a wide variety of wildflowers and grasses which in turn support a wealth of invertebrate life, birds and mammals. It is essential that these features are preserved and enhanced by sympathetic management. Many of the roads in the south of the area are heavily used by commuter traffic and this will inevitably bring demands for road improvement schemes. It is essential that these avoid standardised treatments, retain locally important features and are sympathetic to the rural character of the area.

• Conserve and restore the traditional character of dumble valleys

The most distinguishing feature of the Dumble Farmlands is the many steep-sided dumble valleys that drain the area to the Trent. These cut down through the land surface and accentuate the distinctively rolling landform. The dumble streams are visually very prominent, being defined for the most part by ribbons of semi-natural ancient woodland which support a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The traditional character of the dumble valleys is strongest where streams are tree-lined and flanked by pasture. This character has become eroded in places by the encroachment of arable farming, with the loss of both woodland and grassland habitat. The conservation and restoration of the traditional features of the dumbles provide the key to maintaining the distinctive rural character of the Dumble Farmlands. This can be achieved through the sympathetic management of the stream-side woodlands and by seeking opportunities to restore woodland and pasture in areas where the traditional character and continuity of the dumbles has been fragmented.

• Enhance the structure and unity of the landscape through new tree and woodland planting

An important feature of the Dumble Farmlands is the many small to medium-sized woodlands that are scattered through the landscape, covering 4% of the total land area. The majority of the woodlands are broad-leaved, and, leaving aside the dumble valleys, are located on hill tops and rising ground. Some of the larger woods contain a significant proportion of mixed-species stands. Tree and woodland planting can be used to good effect to enhance the structure and unity of rolling farmland landscapes such as the Dumble Farmlands. It is important that planting initiatives within the area pay attention to the location, shape and size of new woodlands to ensure that these fit with the traditional pattern. New woodlands should generally not be much larger than the average field size and be located on areas of higher ground. Woodlands should be designed to produce irregular edges tied to local landform and preferably use native tree and shrub species. Planting should avoid closing down open views along the dumble valleys and areas of unimproved pasture. Woodland planting programmes should be combined with other initiatives to strengthen tree cover. These should focus on rural settlement, the urban fringe and individual farmsteads and rural dwellings. Traditionally, hedgerow trees were an important element of the landscape’s overall tree cover.Although this remains the case today, there are areas where it has become comparatively sparse. Hedgerow tree establishment should therefore form an important aspect of the overall strategy to increase tree cover within the Dumble Farmlands. This will strengthen and emphasise the pattern of hedged fields and allow filtered views across the steeply undulating farmlands.

• Promote measures for achieving better integration of new and existing development in the countryside

Many of the settlements within the Dumble Farmlands have expanded considerably over recent decades into sizable commuter villages. The urban edge of Nottingham has also encroached into the area, with residential housing, garden centres and minerals development having a significant impact. These settlements have imposed a suburban character on surrounding areas of countryside. Residential edges sometimes appear harsh and abrupt, particularly where little effort has been expended on integrating built development into the landscape. Large-scale, intensively managed arable farmlands now directly abut some of these settlements, increasing the harshness and visibility of the settlement edges. New tree and woodland planting around existing development provides the best method to soften the impact of hard built edges. This should aim to produce filtered views of the built edges, rather than attempt to mask the settlement altogether. It is important for local residents that views out from settlement are retained. Off-site woodland planting increases the opportunity to integrate modern developments with the surrounding countryside and tie in with the wider landscape structure. Native tree and shrub species should be used where possible. New developments should be carefully designed to avoid straight and densely built edges, allowing open green breaks and areas of new tree planting to run into developments. Existing tree and woodland features should be retained and incorporated into the design.

River meadowlands

Landscape strategy

Conserve and restore the continuity and distinctive riparian character of the landscape

Key Recommendations Conserve pastoral character and promote measures for enhancing the ecological diversity of alluvial grasslands Consider options for converting arable land to permanent pasture Conserve and enhance the ecological diversity and character of riparian trees and woodland Retain and enhance river channel diversity and marginal riverside vegetation Conserve and enhance the pattern of meadowland hedgerows Conserve the sparsely settled character of the river corridors

Landscape strategy

• Conserve and restore the continuity and distinctive riparian character of the landscape

The meandering channels of the Greet and Dover Beck, together with their distinctive alluvial meadows and riparian trees, form the key component of the River Meadowlands. These features combine with the small-scale pattern of hedged fields and generous distribution of pollarded willows to create intimate river corridor landscapes with a strong sense of place. The landscapes often have a peaceful and undisturbed character which is reinforced by the presence of grazing animals, water mills and flowing water. There are, however, areas where this character has been diminished by the encroachment of arable farming with a consequent fragmentation of the visual and ecological continuity of the landscape. This has been caused by the loss of grassland habitat and other riparian features. The overall approach advocated in the strategy is therefore one of conservation and restoration - to conserve areas where this traditional riverine character is still strong, and elsewhere to strengthen the continuity of the river corridors by restoring pastoral character and other landscape features and habitats.

Key Recommendations

• Conserve pastoral character and promote measures for enhancing the ecological diversity of alluvial grasslands

The River Meadowlands have traditionally been distinguished from surrounding farmland by the continuous ribbon of pasture and meadowland which once covered the narrow floodplains. There are still significant areas of river corridor where the character of the landscape is dominated by the presence of alluvial meadowland. These meadows, in combination with other riparian features, give rise to a strong, traditional sense of place. Many of the fields in the Dover Beck valley contain ridge and furrow, which add visual and historical interest to the landscape and reinforce the antiquity of the grassland. Ecologically the grass swards are often diverse, harbouring a range of floristic and invertebrate species. Arable cultivation has now encroached into parts of the river corridors, leading to the disappearance of meadowland and a fragmentation in the visual and ecological continuity of the landscape. For landscape, historical and ecological reasons it is vital that the remaining areas of meadowland and riverside pasture are conserved.

It is the meadows and pastures that visually define the river corridors. The alluvial meadows were traditionally used for haymaking and summer grazing using low input forms of management. Traditional methods of grassland management ensured that the aesthetic and ecological value of the grasslands was high. This has now declined markedly with the introduction of more intensive forms of management. Flood plains are ideal locations for the return to traditional forms of grassland management, given the need to reduce agricultural surpluses and nitrate leaching into watercourses.

Landowners are now eligible to enter a range of schemes that promote sensitive, unintensive grassland management and a long-term increase in the aesthetic and wildlife value of the new pastures.

• Consider options for converting arable land to permanent pasture.

The principal force for change over recent decades within the River Meadowlands has been associated with agriculture, with arable cropping now covering around half of the alluvial flood plains. The key to restoring the traditional pastoral character now lies with finding a mechanism and financial incentive for taking land out of arable production and returning it to permanent pasture and meadowland. It is unlikely that such measures would affect whole farms. However there may be opportunities to encourage landowners to consider adopting mixed farming regimes. Such schemes might be linked to European and national initiatives to reduce agricultural production and promote environmentally sensitive farming. Payments could be made to farmers to convert arable land to permanent pasture within those parts of their holding that lie within the River Meadowlands. Farmers could also be encouraged to manage the grasslands in a more traditional, environmentally sensitive way. The priority areas for arable conversion should be where there is the greatest potential to extend the visual and ecological continuity of existing areas of strong pastoral and riparian character.

• Conserve and enhance the ecological diversity and character of riparian trees and woodland

An essential component of the riparian character of the River Meadowlands is the presence of small damp woodlands and waterside trees and shrubs. These features help to pick out the course of the meandering river channels and give them visual significance. Riparian trees are also important features along the network of tributary streams and ditches with willow, alder, ash and hawthorn being the common native tree and woodland species. As well as being an integral part of the riparian landscape the trees provide important habitat to a range of wildlife including birds, invertebrates, mammals and amphibians. There are, however, stretches of river corridor where the trees and shrubs have been removed. Here visual continuity breaks down, the watercourses enjoy less landscape significance and the wildlife value decreases. In order to restore these features it is vital that natural regeneration or the planting and maintenance of riparian trees is encouraged. The traditional practice of willow pollarding should also be promoted as a means of increasing the diversity of the river channels. The visual unity of the landscape can also be enhanced by the sympathetic management of existing small woodlands. The opportunities for establishing new, small-scale damp woodlands in areas where conditions are favourable should also be investigated. The river corridors have traditionally had a low level of woodland cover, which stands at slightly over 1% today. Large-scale planting should therefore be avoided, particularly where it will close off views down the river corridors or have the effect of filling in meanders.

• Conserve and enhance the pattern of meadowland hedgerows

The River Meadowlands have a well-defined and often intricate pattern of irregular hedged fields. These are visually and historically important features that also offer important habitat for a variety of plant and animal life. Hawthorn hedgerows predominate but species-rich ancient hedgerows also occur. In places hedgerows have become gappy and ill-defined and consideration should be given to regeneration or replanting. This is particularly the case in the north-western areas of the Dover Beck, where intensive arable management has led to a breakdown in the field pattern. It is especially important to avoid the further removal of these features. Hedgerow reinstatement schemes should focus on replacing primary hedgerows along roads, trackways, footpaths, bridleways and parish boundaries. Where hedgerows are low and gappy as a result of intensive management they should be allowed to grow thicker and taller to strengthen visual prominence and wildlife value. Some hedges in the grassland areas have been undermanaged and, whilst they are currently significant in the landscape, there are potential long-term survival problems. These hedgerows should be laid, coppiced and trimmed as appropriate.

• Conserve the sparsely settled character of the river corridors

One of the special features of the narrow alluvial floodplains is their sparsely settled character. Whilst the town of Southwell has an impact upon the character of the Greet, and the traditional red brick villages of Epperstone and Gonalston lie close to the Dover Beck, there is little built development on the flood plains themselves with the exception of a handful of old water mills. Most of the farmsteads are located on surrounding areas of higher ground and roads tend to run parallel to, or around, the River Meadowlands. In order to preserve the undeveloped and sparsely settled character of the landscape, built development should be restricted, where possible, to the higher ground.

Village farmlands

Landscape strategy

Conserve and enhance the overall structure and traditional agricultural character of the landscape

Key Recommendations Conserve and strengthen the simple pattern of large hedged fields Conserve the character and setting of village settlements Conserve and strengthen the visual and ecological continuity of stream corridors Identify opportunities for enhancing the structure and unity of the landscape through new tree and woodland planting

Landscape strategy

• Conserve and enhance the overall structure and traditional agricultural character of the landscape

The Village Farmlands are dominated by arable farming and have a simple but traditional agricultural character. The main structural components of the landscape are the pattern of large arable fields and the layout of farms and rural settlement. A low level of woodland cover and sparse distribution of hedgerow trees ensure that there are frequent open views eastwards, to the lower-lying Trent Washlands. Many of the features of the landscape are now in decline, largely as a result of agricultural intensification. Hedgerows have become gappy, or are dying out at the base in many areas, and there has been a marked reduction in hedgerow tree cover. There has also been some erosion of settlement character by the introduction of inappropriate suburban-style development. This is particularly pronounced in the larger villages that border the Trent Washlands. Much of the local landscape diversity is associated with the red brick villages and farmsteads, small-scale pastoral landscapes around settlement and the becks which drain the area to the Trent. The overall landscape strategy should thus involve a combination of conservation and enhancement - to conserve the traditional pattern and setting of farms and rural settlement, whilst at the same time looking to enhance the overall structure and unity of the landscape, particularly by strengthening the pattern of hedged fields, woodland cover and the prominence of stream corridors.

Key Recommendations

• Conserve and strengthen the simple pattern of large hedged fields

A key to achieving the overall strategy for the Village Farmlands is to conserve and, where necessary, restore those features that form the essential fabric of the landscape. The large-scale enclosure pattern is an important and distinctive feature of the landscape: the priority should therefore be to maintain and strengthen the traditional pattern of hedged fields. The field pattern has been eroded in many areas and there are a few places where it has been lost altogether. It is especially important to conserve primary hedgerows, particularly along roadsides, footpaths, bridleways and parish boundaries. Hedgerow reinstatement initiatives are necessary in some areas to restore the structure of the landscape. These should initially focus on replacing primary hedgerows in the more open areas and restoring the basic structure of the landscape. Many hedgerows are thin and gappy and would benefit from being allowed to grow thicker and taller.

• Conserve the character and setting of village settlements

Settlement within the Village Farmlands is characterised by a nucleated pattern of small red brick villages. These form one of the distinguishing features of the landscape, along with brick built farmsteads. The villages in the central and western areas of the Village Farmlands have largely retained their traditional rural character and comprise many older buildings with a distinctive vernacular style of red brick and pantile roofed construction. In some villages, however, recent infill developments have weakened the overall character and integrity of individual settlements. This has introduced buildings with a suburban character, as well as affecting the traditional relationship between buildings, areas of open space and the historic bond with small-scale pastoral landscapes that fringe the village edges. This is particularly evident within the larger villages that lie close to the Trent Valley. Local planning policies should seek to balance the scale and layout of new development with measures to conserve the integrity, setting and distinctive character of rural settlement. It is important that new development is located, as far as possible, within existing settlement in order to conserve the nucleated settlement pattern.

• Conserve and strengthen the visual and ecological continuity of stream corridors

Lines of willow and other riparian scrub running along streams and becks are a feature of the Village Farmlands. These irregularly shaped linear features add variety and interest to the landscape, often forming historic boundaries. This variety is especially important in landscapes where the pattern of hedged fields is in decline. An essential element of the riparian character of the streams is the presence of riparian trees and shrubs, notably willow, ash and hawthorn. The trees pick out the meandering course of the streams and offer valuable habitat to a range of wildlife to feed, breed and overwinter. Along certain streams, trees and shrubs have been removed, leading to a loss of visual significance and reduced wildlife value. The visual prominence and ecological diversity of these features should therefore be conserved and strengthened by encouraging natural regeneration or by new planting. Willow pollards are a feature locally, adding to the diversity of the landscape. The traditional practice of pollarding should be encouraged to maintain these attractive and historic features.

• Identify opportunities for enhancing the structure and unity of the landscape through new tree and woodland planting

Tree and woodland planting can often be used to good effect to enhance the structure and unity of farmed landscapes, especially in those areas where the traditional pattern of hedged fields is in decline. The Village Farmlands are one of the least wooded areas of Nottinghamshire, with a thinly scattered distribution of small-scale woodlands accounting for only 0.5% of the total land area. Three quarters of the existing woodland is broad-leaved. Measures to increase the existing level of tree cover should therefore form a priority for enhancing the interest and diversity of the landscape. These should seek to emphasise the distinction between the Village Farmlands and some of the similarly open landscape within the adjoining Trent Washlands region. Planting using broad-leaved native tree and shrub species should be promoted, although there are opportunities for some mixed woodland planting, so long as attention is paid to edges and skylines. Woodlands should be small to medium in size, to a maximum of the general enclosure scale. New woodlands should not impede medium-distance views across the landscape and should be shaped and positioned to accord with the existing field pattern. Planting above field corner scale should be avoided in pastoral landscapes adjacent to the smaller village settlements. Woodland planting programmes should be combined with other initiatives to strengthen tree cover. These should focus on rural settlement, individual farmsteads and rural dwellings. Traditionally, hedgerow trees were the most important element of the landscape’s overall tree cover; however their distribution is now comparatively sparse. Hedgerow tree establishment should therefore form an important aspect of the overall strategy to increase tree cover within the Village Farmlands. This will strengthen and emphasise the pattern of hedged fields and allow filtered views across the farmlands.

Pastoral scarps and terrace

Landscape strategy

Conserve the traditional pastoral character of the landscape Location Plan

Key Recommendations Conserve the traditional character and setting of rural villages Conserve all remaining areas of permanent grassland and seek opportunities for restoring pastoral character Promote measures for maintaining the ecological diversity and historic character of the permanent pastures Conserve the historic pattern and features of hedgerows and rural lanes Promote measures for achieving a greater integration of existing and new development along the urban fringe

Landscape strategy

• Conserve the traditional pastoral character of the landscape

The unifying and distinctive features of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace are the extensive areas of unimproved pasture and the small-scale, intimate pattern of hedged fields. These extend across the low-lying terrace and steeply rising escarpment, combining with unspoilt small red brick villages and narrow country lanes to create a landscape with a strong rural character. Many of the grasslands and hedgerows are species-rich and contain historic features such as mature standard trees, grassed verges and ridge and furrow. The unity and distinctiveness of the landscape is further enhanced by the presence of broad-leaved woodland on escarpment tops. The overall impression is of an historic and ecologically diverse landscape where the traditional rural character and pattern of land use have survived largely intact. This is despite the close proximity of East Retford and its urban edge, which forms the western boundary of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace. The approach advocated in the management strategy is therefore one of conservation - to conserve the traditional pastoral character of the landscape.

Key Recommendations

• Conserve the traditional character and setting of rural villages

The historic settlements of Welham and Little Gringley are an important part of the character and overall landscape structure of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace. The only other settlements are a small number of isolated farmsteads, so that built development accounts for only 4 % of the total land area. In order to conserve the landscape’s historic settlement pattern and rural integrity it is vital that new development in open countryside is avoided. The villages have retained their distinctive vernacular character, with buildings of red brick and pantile roofed construction. A limited amount of more recent development is found within Welham, introducing buildings that do not harmonise with the vernacular style. Local planning policies should seek to balance the scale and layout of any further development with measures to conserve the integrity and distinctive character of rural settlement. It is also important that new development is directed, as far as possible, towards the existing villages in order to conserve the existing settlement pattern.

• Conserve all remaining areas of permanent pasture and seek opportunities for restoring pastoral character

The Pastoral Scarps and Terrace have traditionally been a landscape where pastoral land uses have dominated the rural scene. This remains the case today with around 73% of the farmland still set to grassland. The Pastoral Scarps and Terrace contain the most extensive and continuous areas of pastoral landscape within the north of Nottinghamshire. The permanent grasslands are often relatively unimproved and associated with a small-scale field pattern, old mixed hedgerows, ridge and furrow and red brick villages and farmsteads. It is crucial that the traditional pastoral land use is conserved if the historic character of the landscape is not to be lost. As part of this, changes in the use of land to non-agricultural uses should be resisted. These could introduce a suburban influence that would fracture the rural unity of the landscape. The conservation of the intimate and historic character of the landscape forms a management priority; any proposals for the alternative use of land should therefore be subject to close examination and scrutiny. There are some areas where grassland has been ploughed up and converted to arable cropping, resulting in a fragmentation of pastoral character and the loss of landscape features. Opportunities to restore pastoral character should therefore be sought. This may be achieved through the application of government grants and incentives that seek to promote environmentally friendly farming.

• Promote measures for conserving and enhancing the historic features and ecological diversity of grassland habitats

Many of the permanent pastures within the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace are floristically diverse habitats of high historical and nature conservation interest, supporting a wide variety of insect and animal life. Quite a high proportion of the pastures contain ridge and furrow. The ridge and furrow grasslands are remnants of mediaeval landscapes that were enclosed and set to pasture. Today they are of great archaeological and visual interest and an integral element of the landscape’s distinctive pastoral character. Since enclosure the grasslands have traditionally been used for haymaking and summer grazing using low input forms of management. Traditional methods of grassland management ensured the survival of the ridge and furrow features as well as creating grasslands with high aesthetic and ecological value. This has declined in more recent times with the introduction of more intensive forms of management. Managing permanent pastures sensitively, using traditional low input methods, will help to maintain and improve the conservation value of these grasslands whilst protecting the historic interest of the ridge and furrow. The agricultural improvement of grassland should therefore be avoided. To this end, landowners are now eligible to enter a range of schemes that promote sensitive and unintensive forms of grassland management.

• Conserve the historic pattern and features of hedgerows and rural lanes

The historic and intricate enclosure pattern of small-scale irregular hedged fields and rural lanes forms one of the principal visual elements of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace. The historic pattern of hedged fields has been preserved almost entirely intact, with little evidence of field rationalisation. Many of the hedgerows are species-rich. The continued retention of this field pattern is crucial if the distinctive and historic character of the landscape is to be maintained. The grubbing out of hedgerows should therefore be avoided. The field pattern is formed by well-maintained stock-proof hedgerows. These should continue to be managed positively, with laying, coppicing and trimming being encouraged as appropriate. Hedgerow trees are an important feature of the enclosure pattern, with ash and oak standards contributing greatly to the distinctive character of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace. A significant proportion of the trees have now reached an advanced stage of growth with their height and stature adding to the impression of a mature pastoral landscape. The existing hedgerow tree cover should be maintained and enhanced with over-mature trees being replaced. New woodland planting is not appropriate to this landscape unless located along the escarpment top, where it should be designed to reinforce the framing effect of existing woodland.

Narrow rural lanes are an important component of the overall character and structure of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace. These are flanked by floristically diverse grass verges and old species-rich hedgerows. The lanes are therefore important for their historical and ecological value, as well as their visual appeal. It is essential that these features are conserved and enhanced, through both sympathetic management and the avoidance of inappropriate highway improvement schemes.

• Promote measures for achieving a greater integration of existing and new development along the urban fringe

East Retford has expanded considerably over recent decades into a sizable town. Its settlement edge imposes a suburban character along the western fringe of the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace, although it is separated from the surrounding countryside by a railway line and the Chesterfield Canal. Parts of the residential edge of Retford appear harsh and abrupt with little effort expended on integrating built developments into the landscape. New tree and woodland planting around existing development provides the best method to soften the impact of hard built edges. This should aim to produce filtered views of the built edges, rather than attempt to mask the settlement altogether. It is important for local residents that views out from settlement are retained. Only locally native tree and shrub species should be used. New developments should be carefully designed to avoid straight and densely built edges, allowing open green breaks and areas of new tree planting to run into developments. Existing tree and woodland features should be retained and incorporated into the design. The opportunities for off-site woodland planting are limited as this would lead to the loss of important grassland habitat.

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Section 5:  Landscape guidelines

Introduction

The Landscape Guidelines that follow act as the mechanism for implementing the aims of the Landscape Strategies and Key Recommendations by indicating how specific aspects of landscape character can be conserved, enhanced or restored. The Guidelines are design-based and relate to the management of all the individual features and components of the landscape, highlighting possible courses of action and mechanisms for implementation. The Guidelines provide the framework to place wider landscape considerations at the heart of the conception and design process for individual projects. They also recommend appropriate courses of action for integrating nature conservation measures into the process of change.

The Landscape Guidelines are presented in the form of a summary statement, followed by a justification for that course of action. The Guidelines are grouped under a number of topic headings, rather than by landscape type, as this better reflects the specific management issues and range of potential users of this manual. To aid clarity each topic area has been assigned a stylised symbol as follows.

	Rural villages		Parkland and ornamental grounds
	Farmsteads and rural dwellings		Historic features
	Urban development		Farmland
	Woodland		Recreational land
	Orchard		Highways and rural lanes
	Hedgerow trees		Utilities and industrial sites
	Hedgerows		Development mitigation
	Meadowland and pasture		Mineral extraction
	Rivers and stream lines

Conserve the nucleated settlement pattern of red brick villages by avoiding new development in open areas of countryside

The historic nucleated settlement pattern of redbrick villages is an important component of the rural character of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands. This pattern has been determined by the physical characteristics of the region with a greater concentration of settlements lying along its fringes than its centre. The region has been largely unaffected by large-scale modern development, with built development accounting for only 4% of the total land area. To maintain this historic settlement pattern and undeveloped character, new development in open areas of countryside should be avoided. Built development should be restricted, as far as possible, within existing villages and settlements to conserve the nucleated settlement pattern. Where new housing is necessary in the wider countryside, it should reflect the dispersed pattern of isolated farmsteads and other buildings that lie outside the village envelopes. Single dwellings rather than groups of dwellings should be preferred. This will maintain the traditional pattern of settlement, as long as attention is given to the scale, siting and design of new buildings, which should incorporate features reflecting the local vernacular character.

Conserve and enhance the local vernacular character of village settlements

The traditional character of villages within the region is set by the vernacular style of redbrick and pantile roofed buildings. The bricks and tiles were made from local clay and sit naturally within the landscape. A range of other building styles is also found, including newer developments that do not harmonise with it.

Conserve and enhance tree cover in and around rural settlements

The attractiveness of rural settlements within the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is often enhanced by the presence of trees.These introduce colour, shape, texture and height variations into the angular built environment. They provide wildlife habitat and cultural and historical links for the village dwellers and help tie the built landscape and wider farmed landscape together. Many of the villages are fringed by small-scale pastoral landscapes with mature hedgerow trees. In these areas the landscape of the village edge exhibits a particularly strong and unified character.The retention and replacement of existing trees is therefore essential to the maintenance of the distinctive rural character of these settlements. Garden trees play an important role in linking settlement edges into the wider landscape. Property owners should therefore be encouraged to plant appropriate longer-lived trees rather than quick-growing non-native species. New planting should also be undertaken to soften the hard edges of more recent development and consolidate the well-treed character of the villages.

Conserve the character of rural village side pastoral landscapes

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands was traditionally a mixed farming region until the 1940s, when government and latterly EEC policies promoted a large swing toward arable cropping. A high proportion of the permanent pastures that now survive are linked with village edges. They are often relatively unimproved and associated with ancient small-scale field pattern, old mixed hedgerows, and occasional areas of ridge and furrow. These peaceful, undisturbed and aesthetically pleasing landscapes provide an important contrast to the more uniform arable areas. They provide much of the diversity within the region, introducing varieties of scale, colour and texture to the wider landscape pattern. Visually, they are an important setting for the village settlements enabling their irregular built edges to integrate more “naturally” with the surrounding countryside. It is vital that this historic character and diversity is maintained by conserving village side pastures.

Conserve and enhance tree cover around farmsteads and rural dwellings

Clumps of trees are an important feature around farmsteads and rural dwellings where they provide shelter and give a sense of proportion and balance to the built environment. Mature trees are particularly valuable as local landmarks where their presence often produces a strong sense of place. Trees can soften the hard edges of new buildings and help to link the new development into the wider farmed landscape. Tree planting, using locally occurring species, should be encouraged around farmsteads and rural dwellings. The intention is not to hide the buildings, but rather to integrate them into the landscape. Ornamental species planted as quick growing screens, particularly Leylandii, should be avoided.

Conserve and restore old orchards

Earlier this century, the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands supported approximately 550 hectares of commercial orchard as well as numerous small orchards which were usually associated with farms and village settlements. Today the area of commercial orchard is much reduced, with the largest, Norwood Fruit Farm, being located to the south of the region. Many domestic and farm orchards have disappeared or fallen into disrepair as their importance in the rural economy has decreased. Much tradition and folklore surrounds orchards and they are important in the social history of the area. The Bramley Apple was discovered and first marketed from Southwell, within the Dumble Farmlands. To maintain the past tradition of orcharding in the region and to retain these attractive, interesting landscape features, it is vital that they are conserved and restored appropriately.

Enhance the appearance of urban fringes and settlement edges with new tree and woodland planting

The only place where the rural character of the region has been significantly affected by urban development is in the south, where it runs against the urban fringe of Nottingham. With the exception of the disused Gedling Colliery site, the urban edge of Nottingham is formed by residential development. Some of the villages in the south of the region have grown into commuter settlements. Urban edges often appear harsh and abrupt with little effort expended on integrating built development into the wider countryside. In some areas large-scale, intensively managed arable farmlands directly abut urban edges, increasing the harshness and visibility of the built environment. New tree and woodland planting around existing development provides the best method of softening the impact of hard built edges.This can be best achieved by allowing established trees to run into built-up areas and by new planting.This should aim to produce filtered views of the built edges, rather than attempt to mask the settlement altogether. It is important for local residents that views out from settlement are retained. Off-site woodland planting increases the opportunity to integrate modern developments with the surrounding countryside and tie in with the wider landscape structure. Only locally native tree and shrub species should be used. New developments should be carefully designed to avoid straight and densely built edges, allowing open green breaks and areas of new tree planting to run into developments.

The design of all new woodland planting should complement the shape and scale of the surrounding landscape pattern

Woodland planting can be used to good effect to enhance the visual, amenity and ecological diversity of the region, as long as the location and scale of new woodland planting reflect the shape, scale andcharacter of the surrounding landscape. In the Dumble Farmlands planting should generally be small to medium in scale and located on hill tops and rising ground to a maximum of average field size. In the Wooded Farmlands new planting should also be located on the higher ground and seek to reinforce the pattern of medium-sized, irregularly shaped ancient woodlands. In the River Meadowlands the focus should be on establishing small damp woodlands, whilst new planting in the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace should generally be avoided. The opportunities for using woodland planting to enhance landscape diversity are the greatest in the Village Farmlands where the existing level of tree cover is very low. Here new planting should be to a maximum of the general enclosure scale. It is important that new planting follows the advice given in the Key Recommendations for each landscape type and that a survey is carried out prior to planting to identify any important features that should be conserved.

Consider options for restocking mixed and non-native broad-leaved woodlands to increase the proportion of native tree and shrub species

Approximately one third of the woodland within the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands consists of non-native broad-leaved and conifer species. The use of appropriate species in well-designed mixes is important in determining how well tree planting will fit into the landscape. Selection of species will need to reflect a wide range of considerations, including the balance to be struck between nature conservation, landscape enhancement and timber production. It is important however that broad-leaved species predominate if the traditional appearance of the landscape is to be enhanced. Restocking with appropriate native trees and shrubs should be the management priority.

Conserve and enhance the traditional wooded character of dumble streams

The steep-sided, wooded dumble valleys are the most distinguishing features of the Dumble Farmlands. Ribbons of woodland highlight the meandering course of the streams as they cross the area west-east towards the Trent. The dumbles are important for their landscape and ecological interest. The narrow strips of woodland are effectively ancient in origin and support a wide diversity of flora and fauna. A number of the dumble woodlands are falling into a state of disrepair, sometimes causing problems on adjacent farmland. Appropriate sensitive management, including pollarding, coppicing and encouraging natural regeneration, should ensure that these important features are conserved.

Maintain the continuity of the dumbles by replanting denuded lengths with appropriate native tree and shrub species

In places there are lengths of dumble where the associated woodland has been removed, often for purposes of agricultural intensification or convenience of access to the stream channel. Where this has happened the visual continuity breaks down and the dumbles are barely significant as landscape features.Their ecological value is also significantly reduced. There planting of bands of deciduous woodland adjacent to the dumbles should be encouraged. New planting should avoid areas of unimproved pasture and use locally native species. These measures will increase the visual continuity, amenity and ecological valueof the dumbles.

Conserve all ancient and native deciduous woodland sites

Irregularly shaped semi-natural ancient woodland and woodlands containing native deciduous species are a special feature of large parts of the region. The highest priority must be afforded to the conservation and appropriate management of all ancient woodland sites. In nature conservation terms, native deciduous woodlands provide habitat for a much wider range of flora and fauna than do non-native woods. Ancient woodlands in particular accommodate vast ranges of species, including invertebrates, fungi and wildflowers which can only survive in the specialised conditions provided therein. The wildlife value of woodlands containing a high proportion of exotic species is often less than that of native deciduous woodlands. Further use of non-native species inexisting woodlands should be avoided and, wherever possible, restocking with appropriate native trees and shrubs should be the management priority.

Conserve and enhance tree cover through the replanting and regeneration of hedgerow trees

The enclosure pattern of hedged fields forms a key visual element of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands. In many areas this pattern is reinforced by the presence of hedgerow trees. Variations in the density of hedgerow trees occur throughout the region and this has implications for the character and diversity of the landscape. Greater densities of hedgerow trees occur within the smaller-scale pastoral landscapes adjacent to the village settlements and in the Dumble Farmlands. Hedgerow trees help to define and emphasise the pattern of hedgedfields, enabling filtered views across the rolling farmland and hills. The establishment of more hedgerow trees should be a main priority for increasing tree cover, along with appropriate woodland planting. Hedgerow tree cover should therefore be maintained and enhanced, either through selection and natural regeneration, or the planting of individual hedgerow trees in gaps. Regular spacing should be avoided with, suitable species for planting including ash and oak, and willow on damper sites.

Conserve the traditional pattern of hedged fields

The pattern of hedged fields is an important and distinctive feature of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands. The retention of field pattern is crucial if the character of the landscape is to be maintained. Agricultural intensification has led to the loss of hedgerows in some areas and an increase in field size; however overall the field pattern has survived comparatively intact. In the areas where field pattern has become fragmented, it is especially important to conserve primary hedgerows, particularly along roadsides, footpaths, bridleways and parish boundaries.

Promote the positive management of hedgerows to maximise their visual and nature conservation value

The condition of hedgerows in the landscape is variable. In the Pastoral areas they are often well-managed and stock-proof but there are many where under-management is a problem, leading to overgrown and gappy hedgerows with potential long-term health problems. In the arable areas, hedgerows have been intensively managed to maximise the cropping potential of the land. These hedges are typically low, gappy and in a poor state of health. In order to enhance overall field pattern and nature conservation value, hedgerows should be managed positively as landscape and habitat features. This should involve laying, coppicing and trimming as appropriate. The aim should be to achieve “fuller” and thicker hedgerows. Excessively gappy hedgerows should be gapped up to maintain and enhance the field pattern.

New or replacement hedgerow planting should complement the existing structure and traditional pattern of hedged fields

New hedgerow planting should be encouraged in areas where the traditional pattern of hedged fields has become fragmented or lost. Priority should be given, where practicable, to the reinstatement of primary hedgerows such as those along parish boundaries, roads, and public footpaths. New or replacement planting should complement the existing pattern of hedged fields. Variations in the species composition of hedgerows occur throughout the landscape. The later enclosure hedgerows are overwhelmingly dominated by hawthorn, particularly within the broad areas of arable farmland. Hedgerows are more mixed and species-rich in the Dumble Farmlands, Pastoral Scarps and Terrace and small-scale pastoral areas adjacent to settlement. The gapping up or reinstatement of hedgerows should seek to mimic the original species composition wherever possible. This will generally involve hawthorn and a mix of other locally characteristic species; in the Dumble Farmlands, Pastoral Scarps and Terrace and village side pastoral landscapes the proportion of hawthorn can be reduced.

Conserve the traditional character of pastoral landscapes

The traditional, mixed farmland character of the region has been greatly eroded over the last few decades. The result is that only 19% of the farmland is now set to grassland. A significant proportion of this is concentrated in the Dumble Farmlands, which still has a mixed character, and the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace, where pastureland still dominates the rural scene. Arable cultivation is the dominant land use elsewhere with pastoral landscapes confined to watercourses and village edges. Where the traditional mixed farmland character survives it is an important component of the overall landscape structure; elsewhere pastures and meadows contribute greatly to the visual and ecological diversity of the landscape. It is important, therefore, that all remaining pastoral landscapes are conserved.

Manage grasslands in a traditional manner and consider opportunities for converting arable land back to pasture

Although there has been a significant reduction in the area set to permanent pasture there are still many floristically diverse habitats to be found. These are of high nature conservation interest, supporting a wide variety of insect and animal life. Managing permanent pastures sensitively, using traditional low input methods, will help to maintain and improve the conservation value of these grasslands. The agricultural improvement of grassland should be avoided. Where grasslands have been ploughed up, features are often lost with a subsequent fragmentation of the character of the pastoral landscapes. Opportunities to restore pastoral character should therefore be sought, particularly within the Pastoral Scarps and Terrace, and along water courses and settlement edges. This may be achieved through the application of government grants and incentives that seek to promote environmentally friendly farming.

Conserve the traditional pastoral character and diversity of river meadowland

The alluvial meadows, wet pastures and meandering river channels provide a valuable habitat for a wide range of plants and animals, as well as being essential features of the river corridor landscapes. In recent decades alluvial meadows have been lost, mainly through agricultural improvement. This has resulted in a fragmentation in the overall structure and unity of the river corridors. In order to arrest this process and prevent further fragmentation it is vital to conserve all remaining areas of river meadow and pasture.

Conserve and restore the traditional pastoral character of dumble valleys

Some of the dumbles have an associated corridor of small pastures, which adds greatly to the riparian character and strong sense of place. In other areas large arable fields stretch down to the dumbleside and the riparian corridor effect is much diminished. Prior to the Second World War the majority of the dumbles were framed by permanent pasture fields; it is only comparatively recently that intensive farming has encroached right down to the dumble banks. The reintroduction of permanent pasture fields, adjacent to the dumbles, should be encouraged to restore the traditional pastoral character of the dumble valleys.

Enhance the visual and ecological continuity of the river and stream corrridors

Waterside trees and shrubs are a characteristic feature of the region. These are found along the main river channels, becks and streams that drain the region. They help to pick out the meandering watercourses and provide a sense of unity, particularly where associated with permanent pastures and meadows. Willow, alder, ash and hawthorn are the principal species, providing a valuable habitat for wildlife. They should be conserved and managed to retain their interest. Significant stretches of river have limited tree cover and would benefit from a programme of tree and shrub establishment along the river bank. This should include natural regeneration and planting. The visual prominence and irregular form of the stream lines could also be greatly enhanced by such a programme, which should generally be restricted to the immediate waterside environment using locally native species such as willow and ash. The watercourses should also be managed to provide maximum benefit for wildlife by maintaining a margin of semi-natural vegetation on at least one side of the channel. This should be as wide as possible and ideally include trees and shrubs.

Conserve and enhance the diversity of aquatic and marginal vegetation associated with river channels

Marginal and aquatic vegetation along river channels contributes significantly to the visual interest of the riverside environment as well as providing habitats of high wildlife value, supporting a range of flora and fauna. Much of this diversity has been lost because of modern farming methods and river engineering techniques. These have created uniform steep-sided channel edges with little space for emergent vegetation and little opportunity for colonisation by riverside trees and shrubs. In such areas opportunities should be sought to diversify the riverside environment. This might include reprofiling to create a more natural bank profile, or cutting a notch into the base of the bank to allow for colonisation by emergent plants. Identification of riverside enhancement opportunities should be based on detailed survey of individual river corridors.

Encourage the continuing practice of pollarding to maintain the traditional riparian character of the landscape

Many of the willows which line main river channels and their tributaries have been pollarded in the past. Pollarded willows are historic and attractive riparian features that provide a link with the past. Although the original reasons for pollarding willows are no longer strictly relevant, it is important that the practice of pollarding is continued if these traditional waterside trees are to be maintained. Neglecting to pollard and repollard willows can lead to top-heavy branches breaking off, sometimes splitting the main bole and threatening the life of the tree. Repollarding at the appropriate time prevents this from occurring. A proportion of the willows in the region are repollarded on a regular basis but many are neglected. To retain these attractive trees as part of the traditional waterside landscape, pollarding is crucial.

Conserve and renew ornamental parkland planting and individual parkland trees

A number of mature parkland landscapes are located within the region, including those at Norwood, Grove Hall and Winkburn. As ornamental settings to large country houses, the woodland plantings and specimen trees create localised areas of well-wooded landscape. The parklands add diversity, are visually appealing, offer historic interest and often provide homes to a variety of wildlife. The conservation of the parkland plantings and specimen trees should form a priority for these landscapes. Measures should be taken, via appropriate management, to enhance the interest of the parkland, taking full account of the original design intentions of individual parks.

Conserve the pastoral character of traditional parkland landscapes

Parkland landscapes have great visual appeal, much of this arising from the permanent grasslands which have traditionally been grazed by a range of parkland animals. Parkland grasslands often contain a diversity of wild flora and fauna due to their antiquity and because the grasslands have tended to be managed in a traditional manner. The grasslands, therefore, are of historic, landscape and nature conservation importance. They should be conserved and, where possible, managed in a traditional manner.

Consider opportunites to restore pastoral character to parkland areas

There are areas of parkland that have been agriculturally improved through the ploughing up of permanent grassland. Grasslands are an important design component of the parkland landscapes and, where opportunities arise, consideration should be given to the restoration of former grassland areas. This is particularly important where scattered mature trees have been retained. Such measures will help restore the historic and landscape integrity of the parklands.

All areas of ridge and furrow should be managed to maintain their historic interest

Grasslands containing ridge and furrow landscapes are found in fields across the region. The largest concentrations occur within the Dumble Farmlands and Pastoral Scarps and Terrace. The ridge and furrow grasslands are remnants of ploughed mediaeval landscapes that were later enclosed and set to pasture. Many ridge and furrow grasslands have been lost over recent decades with the ploughing up and arable conversion of land. This has increased the historic importance and rarity of the remaining features. Where ridge and furrow survives, its very antiquity is an indicator that the grassland sward has never been ploughed and reseeded and it is often floristically diverse. Ridge and furrow grasslands therefore have high historic, landscape and nature conservation interest. All surviving areas should be conserved.

Retain and manage field ponds to maximise their visual and ecological value

The region supports a scattering of field ponds, many of which have now fallen into disrepair. Field ponds have disappeared almost completely in the arable areas as their function as a source of drinking water for stock is no longer necessary. The ponds that have survived in the arable areas are often unmanaged and lacking in interest. It is estimated that nationally 75% of field ponds have disappeared. Although their practical function is often no longer relevant, field ponds do provide diverse wildlife habitat, add to the visual appeal of local landscapes and are of historical interest. For these reasons the retention and sensitive management of those which remain is important.

Farmland should be managed positively to enhance its landscape and wildlife interest

A variety of options are now available to farmers within the current set-aside scheme. These range from short-term rotations through to longer-term schemes where the same piece of land can be set aside over several years. Land managed under habitat and forestry schemes can now count as part of the set-aside obligation under the Arable Area Payments Scheme. There is now considerable scope for farmland to be managed positively in order to enhance landscape and wildlife interest. Both wildlife and landscape features can be restored or created at the field scale, or as conservation headlands, wildlife margins and grass margins. Such areas are of greatest value where they provide linkages between existing features such as woodlands, hedgerows, streams and ponds. The longer-term options allow the restoration and creation of a range of features such as wildflower meadows and damp lowland grasslands. Woodland establishment schemes are now eligible to be counted as set-aside, offering significant opportunities to enhance landscape character.

Conserve rural character by retaining existing features in all development schemes

The suburbanising influences associated with new development are an increasing pressure on the rural character of the countryside. These influences are having a subtle, but cumulative impact, especially on all matters of design. Examples include: the external modernisation of buildings; the erection of corporate roadside signs; the replacement of roadside hedges with quick growing ornamental screens; the increased use of security fencing; and even standardised landscaping schemes. Much more discretion is needed when applying design standards in rural landscapes. In particular, original features such as walls, traditional gates and pillars, roadside hedges and mature trees should be retained if at all possible. Where this is not possible, consideration should be given to moving or replacing such features.

The design of recreational and sporting facilities, such as golf courses, should reflect the character of the local landscape

The Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands has a strong rural character, although suburban influences have affected the character of the landscape locally. The introduction of large numbers of ornamental or coniferous trees, the removal of hedgerow or stream-line trees, or the erection of modern buildings using introduced materials would compound this growth of suburban character. In the more remote areas it would also lead to fracturing of the rural unity of the landscape.

Conserve and enhance the rural character and historic features associated with roads and lanes

A key characteristic of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is the irregular network of rural lanes and roads. These lanes contain many special features, including species-rich verges; thick roadside hedgerows; narrow sunken lanes; hedgebanks; and mature roadside trees. These are important features in their own right and a central component of the region’s rural character. They should be conserved and managed to retain their historic, visual and ecological interest. Any improvements to the road network should respect local landscape diversity by avoiding uniformity and standardised treatments and by replacing any lost features.

Diversify roadside character through the management and creation of flower-rich grasslands on highway verges

A special feature of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands is the grass verges flanking the roads and narrow carriageways. Roadside verges serve a number of practical purposes, including acting as a buffer between the road and the ditch/ hedge, a safe place for walkers and riders, and a convenient place to locate services. As well as these practical functions, roadside verges also perform an aesthetic and ecological function. Many of the road verges are species-rich, similar in species composition to remnant hay meadows that have never been ploughed, reseeded or agriculturally improved. They still contain a variety of wildflowers and grasses which in turn support a wealth of invertebrate life, birds and mammals. The conservation interest of the verges should be maintained and, where possible, enhanced through appropriate management. The creation of flower-rich verges containing native, slow-growing grass species would add to the visual appeal and diversity of the landscape, offer greater habitat potential for wildlife and require less management than many of the existing verges. The creation of new verges and the reseeding of disturbed verges offer obvious opportunities for this.

All road improvement schemes should include a landscape impact assessment

The construction of newroads and the widening or realignment of existing roads can have a major impact on the character of the landscape. The visual impact of new roads can often be reduced by careful route selection. It is important therefore that landscape considerations are carefully assessed at the start of all such schemes, as no amount of landscaping will disguise the impact of a badly chosen route. Where improvements to existing roads are necessary, an early assessment should also be undertaken to identify locally important features that need to be retained or replaced.

Conserve rural character by limiting standardised treatments during highway improvement schemes

The improvement of rural roads and lanes to meet modern highway standards invariably results in the removal of existing features and the introduction of new suburban influences into the countryside. Traffic calming measures should therefore be considered as an alternative option in rural areas. Where improvements are necessary, standardised treatments such as concrete kerbing, galvanised crash barriers, new or replacement streetlighting and the erection of modern road signs should be used only where absolutely necessary. Such features look out of place in the countryside. As an alternative, consideration should be given to the use of more traditional materials and locally distinctive designs for such things as kerbing, streetlighting and road signs.

Agricultural buildings should be sited, designed and landscaped to blend with the surrounding farmed landscape

Farmsteads have traditionally been constructed using materials that conform with the vernacular style. The red brick and pantile roofed buildings were constructed in the18th and 19th centuries, at the same time as the farmlands were enclosed. They represent an important feature of the landscape fabric, contributing greatly to the local sense of place. The older farmsteads are often surrounded by small pasture fields, hedgerows and mature trees. These features ensure that the red brick buildings are well integrated with the wider farmed landscape. Many new farm buildings are large and constructed from materials that do not complement or fit in with the vernacular style. When considering the siting and design of new agricultural buildings, careful consideration should be given to positioning and choice of building materials. Existing features such as hedgerows, woodlands and trees can be used in conjunction with land form to reduce the visual impact of large buildings. Darker colours are less obtrusive and will harmonise better with the vernacular style. New landscape features can be created using locally characteristic species to help blend agricultural buildings into the landscape. These should form an important part of the design process and not be used as a means of simply screening unsightly buildings.

Landscaping around utilities and other rural development should be better integrated into the wider countryside

Landscaping around utilities and other development in the countryside usually involves screen planting in geometric blocks, or on raised bunds, to hide new development. While these mitigation measures are better than nothing at all, the effect is often lost because the contrast between the landscaped area and surrounding farmland is just as obvious. In rural areas the success of landscaping around sites, such as sewage works, will depend to a large extent on how well they have been integrated into the wider landscape. Particular attention should be given to the treatment of the site perimeter to ensure that it is tied strongly into the adjoining field pattern. Similarly, tree planting within the site should be linked to new or existing trees beyond the perimeter of the site. Better siting and design of new buildings should also be considered in addition to landscaping works. It is better to soften a well-designed building with a few trees than hide an ugly building with screen planting.

Restoration proposals for pit heaps should reflect the character of adjacent areas, defined by a detailed assessment of local landscape character

The old Gedling Colliery and spoil heap are located within the Dumble Farmlands, along the urban edge of Nottingham. The mixed farming character, early enclosures, hedgerow trees and small to medium-scale broad-leaved woodlands found nearby should be incorporated into the design for the old colliery and pit heap to enable it to blend in with the surrounding area and to offer diverse opportunities for a range of wildlife. The exact landscape plan should be defined following a detailed assessment of local landscape character.

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Species list
Mid Nottinghamshire farmlands

Dominant Species
Other Species Present

The following list includes native tree and shrub species that are commonly found within the Mid-Nottinghamshire Farmlands and are suitable for inclusion in planting schemes. These are important for determining the area’s regional character. A range of other native species may also be appropriate to particular locations or sites. In these cases professional advice should be sought. A list of organisations able to provide such advice has been included in the section 'Further Information'.

TREES	Woodlands	Hedges	Hedgerow Trees	Wet Areas/Streamsides
Alder (Common)
Ash
Aspen
Cherry (Wild)
Crab Apple
Elm (English)
Elm (wych)
Horse Chestnut
Lime (Small Leaved)
Lime (Large Leaved and Hybrid)
Maple (Field)
Oak (Common)
Oak (Sessile)
Willow (Crack)
Willow (White)

SHRUBS	Woodlands	Hedges	Hedgerow Trees	Wet Areas/Streamsides
Blackthorn
Buckthorn (Purging)
Dogwood (Common)
Guelder Rose
Hawthorn
Hawthorn (Midland)
Hazel
Holly
Osier
Privet (Wild)
Rosa Spp.