Valley Meadowlands

Valley Meadowlands + Grazing marsh between Beccles and Bungay. (© L Marsden / A Yardy)

River Mimram, Tewin Meadows, Hertfordshire (© HCC Landscape )

Valley Meadowlands - River Lea near Hertford (© HCC Landscape)

Valley Meadowlands - River Mimram near Tewin Mill House, Hertfordshire (© HCC Landscape)

Valley Meadowlands - River Ver at Drop lane, Hertfordshire (© HCC Landscape)

Valley Meadowlands - Kings Meads, Hertford (© HCC Landscape)

Valley Meadowlands + The river Waveney at Scole in Norfolk (© Suffolk County Council)

The floor and slopes of the Blyth valley in east Suffolk (© Suffolk County Council)

The floor of the Waveney valley at Redgrave in Suffolk (© Suffolk County Council)

Summary

Overall description:

Flat, low lying valley floors supporting a pastoral land use, associated with notable watercourses/rivers. Generally unsettled, with occasional areas of carr woodland and gravel extraction lakes, or ancient meres.

Location:

Occurs throughout the East of England along major river valleys.

Physical environment

Landform:

Flat, low lying landform associated with deposits of river alluvium.

Natural / water features:

Open water areas associated with gravel workings or ancient meres. Notable rivers/tributaries and drainage ditches.

Vegetation and land use

Ecological character:

Wet meadowland, lowland fen and other associated wetland vegetation reflect the wet valley nature of this landscape. Habitat survival is variable, reflected in the low cover (< 2%) of protected sites.

Primary land use :

A pastoral landscape with some areas of arable and gravel extraction.

Tree cover:

Dense scattering of trees and areas of scrub, including willow and poplar trees, along the course of rivers.

Cultural pattern

Historic features:

Notable medieval and Tudor moated sites.

Enclosure pattern:

A landscape where the enclosure of fields is heavily influenced by topography, with boundaries running parallel, or perpendicular to the alignment of the river.

Settlement pattern:

Generally unsettled although occasional mill buildings often provide local built features. Urban settlements in surrounding areas often impinge on this type.

To be completed at a later date.

Historic development :

Historically this has been a grazing landscape, which over time, has been enclosed into a mosaic of riverine meadows. In places, large areas of valley floor have been removed by sand/gravel extraction and these now function as reservoirs.

Perceptions

Tranquility:

The presence of water, limited settlement and often extensive areas of grazed water meadows create a tranquil, rural landscape, which is in places disturbed by mineral workings.

Views:

An enclosed, low-lying landscape comprising grassland meadows grazed by cattle in a wider arable setting. Valley floor woodland can confine views.