Wooded Village Farmlands

Wooded Village Farmlands + Across Sandon village green towards church, Hertfordshire (2001) (© HCC Landscape)

Summary

Overall description:

A gently rolling, elevated arable landscape with ancient woodland blocks and small, nuclear villages. Often an open landscape with long distance views, although woodland contains views particularly around settlements.

Location:

Located in southwest Cambridgeshire and along the western edge of the East Anglian plateau between Stevenage and Bury.

Physical environment

Landform:

Elevated, gently rolling landscape typically associated with broad glacial plateaux.

Natural / water features:

Minor streams drain this landscape creating shallow depressions, or valleys amongst the arable landuse. Occasional field ponds.

Vegetation and land use

Ecological character:

Clusters of small to medium sized ancient woodlands connected by a network of primary hedgerows. Good survival of primary habitats (> 6%) of which a considerable proportion is designated (> 3%).

Primary land use :

Arable land use.

Tree cover:

A wooded landscape with many ancient woodlands and frequent hedgerow trees (oak and ash).

Cultural pattern

Historic features:

Green lanes, trackways, moats, churches and deserted villages are a feature of this landscape, reflecting a more populated past. A scattering of small to medium sized parklands are also a recurring feature.

Enclosure pattern:

A mixture of small scale, sub-regular and sinuous fields (often with tall hedgerows) alongside areas of planned geometric fields, reflecting the late enclosure of former commons and waste.

Settlement pattern:

Low density small nuclear villages, often arranged around a central village green, with occasional outlying farms often set in fields away from road. Minimal 20th expansion of settlement.

Building materials include timber framed and rendered cottages, often with thatched roofs.

Historic development :

The majority of fieldscapes in this landscape are derived from the late enclosure of common fields. There are also areas of earlier enclosure, some of which may have been derived from assarting.

Perceptions

Tranquility:

Peaceful and rural character.

Views:

Elevation and openness means this landscape offers some long ranging views across lower lying areas. Woodland screens views in places creating more intimate feel particularly around settlements.