Landscape Character Menu
List of Figures
List of Photographs
1 Introduction
1.1 The Scope and Context for this Study
1.2 Purpose of the Landscape Character Assessment
1.3 Approach and Methodology
1.4 Structure of the Report
2 The Evolution of Lancashire
2.1 Physical Influences
2.2 Human Influences
3 Lancashire's Landscape Character
3.1 Moorland Plateaux
3.2 Moorland Hills
3.3 Enclosed Uplands
3.4 Moorland Fringe
3.5 Undulating Lowland Farmland
3.6 Industrial Foothills and Valleys
3.7 Farmed Ridges
3.8 Settled Valleys
3.9 Reservoir Valleys
3.10 Wooded Rural Valleys
3.11 Valley Floodplains
3.12 Low Coastal Drumlins
3.13 Drumlin Field
3.14 Rolling Upland Farmland
3.15 Coastal Plain
3.16 Mosslands
3.17 Enclosed Coastal Marsh
3.18 Open Coastal Marsh
3.19 Coastal Dunes
3.20 Wooded Limestone Hills and Pavements
3.21 Limestone Fells
4 Lancashire's Urban Landscape Types
4.1 Historic Core (1100-1800)
4.2 Industrial Age (1800-1930)
4.3 Suburban (1930 onwards)
A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire - Landscape Character Assessment
Drumlin Field
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Drumlin Field Character Areas 13a Gargrave Drumlin Field 13b Bentham-Clapham 13c Docker-Kellet-Lancaster |
Landscape Character
This distinctive landscape type is characterised by a `field of rolling drumlins. The consistent orientation of the hills gives the landscape a uniform grain, which is sometimes difficult to appreciate from within the field. The regular green hillocks are between about 100m and 200m high with steep sides and broad rounded tops. However, there are often solid rock outcrops within the field where the underlying bedrock is exposed, for example the reef knolls in the Kellet area which have been quarried for limestone. The more elevated gritstone outcrops are sometimes covered by moor, for example at Docker Moor. Pasture predominates and fields are bounded by clipped hedges or, more often, stone walls, which rise up over the hillocks accentuating the relief of the hills. Ridge and furrow patterns on drumlin sides reflect historic land uses. Narrow streams wind through the drumlins draining the field. Small mixed woodlands and the many designed landscapes associated with large country houses, for example Coniston Hall and Broughton Hall contribute to the rural wooded character. Major roads often cross or skirt the edge of the drumlin fields; settlement is dispersed, with small hamlets and farmsteads in sheltered sites on the mid-slope of the drumlins.
Typical View photo 28:
Drumlin Field west of the Lune at Melling
Physical Influences
The Drumlin Field landscape was created by the erosion and deposition actions of glacial ice sheets. The ice moulded dense boulder clay into oval whaleback hills. The alignment of the drumlins gives a distinctive grain to the landscape and provides important evidence of the movement of the glacial ice sheets in the Quaternary period. Becks and immature rivers wind through the hills and there are occasional tarns in the hollows between them.
Agricultural improvement through drainage, fertilisation and reseeding has reduced the extent of valuable grassland and wetland habitats to pockets of species-rich grassland and remnant mires. Important ancient woodland survives on the steep scarp slopes above the Lune and its tributaries, whilst limestone woodland, although severely affected by quarrying is still found in the Kellet area.
Rivers and streams provide important freshwater habitats for a range of species and the small areas of swamp and tall herb vegetation associated with the margins of water bodies are important as feeding and breeding sites for amphibians and invertebrates.
Human Influences
The gentle slopes of the free draining drumlins have proved attractive areas for settlement and farming from the middle of the prehistoric period. Old English place names ending in ton and ham predominate, although there are some clusters of Scandinavian place names. Roman roads and other remains occur in the Craven area. Whilst there is evidence of Parliamentary enclosure on the higher ground, many fields are considerably older, some having their origins in medieval field systems.
Whilst Lancaster and other towns are on the edges of the Drumlin Field the landscape is generally rural with isolated historic farms, hamlets and villages linked by winding lanes. Nevertheless important transport routes including roads and railways and in one area the Leeds and Liverpool canal traverse the Drumlin Fields. The most obvious evidence of recent industry are the extensive limestone quarries of Nether and Over Kellet.
CHARACTER AREAS - DRUMLIN FIELD
Drumlin Fields occur inland, on higher land than the Low Coastal Drumlins. They are found on the edges of upland areas where the retreating ice sheets left moulded boulder clay deposits in their paths.
Local
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Character Areas |
Description |
| 13a |
Gargrave |
This area of drumlins occurs to the east of Ribblesdale, at the far eastern edge of the study area. It is a typical drumlin field consisting of large scale regular hillocks reaching over 200m AOD. Associated with the drumlins is the localised feature of Salterford flats, a former glacial lake. Although the drumlins have been formed from boulder clay, the underlying limestone geology is evident in the stone walls and local stone buildings which punctuate the scenery. Major communication routes cross the area. The A65(T) and A59(T) cut across the landscape, bearing no relation to the grain of the drumlins; they pass through on embankments and in cutting. The railway lines skirt around the edges of the area while the Leeds and Liverpool canal winds its way through the drumlins. The A56 and a dismantled railway follow the valley of the Earby Beck from Foulridge to Broughton. The line of the Roman road can be clearly distinguished near Barnoldswick and Thornton-in-Craven along with the remains of a Roman fort at Burwen Castle. Whilst the settlement pattern is dominated by farms, hamlets and villages, the small towns of Barnoldswick and Earby also lie on the edge of this area. There are a large number of designed landscapes in this area: Coniston Hall, Gledstone Hall, Hellifield Peel and Broughton Hall, which all enhance visual amenity locally. There are long distance views from the highest hills. |
| 13b |
Bentham-Clapham |
The drumlin field along the north-eastern boundary of the study area, between Kirby Lonsdale and Giggleswick, follows the foot of the Yorkshire Dales. It therefore supports most of the infrastructure and settlement on the edge of the Dales; the A65 and A687 are amongst these major routes. The Roman road can be traced running south from Over Town, close to the Roman fort at Over Burrow. This is a neat, well maintained landscape of grazed pasture divided by a network of stone walls and neatly clipped hedgerows. Some of the hills are up to almost 200m AOD; for example Newby Moor which shows signs of marginal pasture, moorland grasses and gritstone walls. Although the field occurs at a relatively high altitude the individual drumlin forms are not always pronounced due to partial drowning of the drumlin field, particularly close to the Lune. The river courses of the Leck, Greta and Wenning wind their way through the peaceful drumlins; camping and caravan site are scattered along the banks of these picturesque wooded rivers. Scattered stone farmsteads with slate or grit stone roofs and the traditional limestone or gritstone villages of Clapham, Newby, Ingleton and Burton in Lonsdale are characteristic of the area. |
| 13c |
Docker-Kellet-Lancaster |
This drumlin field has a distinctive north-east, south-west grain and runs from the edge of Lancaster northwards into Cumbria. The area is underlain by limestone and is distinguished by large scale undulating hills of pasture, some formed from glacial till and others which are outcrops of limestone, or reef knolls. These are particularly evident around Over and Nether Kellet where the limestone is exposed; significantly by the extensive quarries where limestone extraction is ongoing. The smooth rolling scenery is emphasised by the network of stone walls. Greater variety of texture is provided by the isolated areas of moorland which protrude from the field, for example at Docker Moor, and the River Lune which cuts a gorge through the hills at Halton. This gorge provides a major transport route through the hills with a number of parking, picnic and camping sites scattered along its length. Woodlands are often associated with designed landscapes and built development takes advantage of views from the hill tops, for example the Ashton Memorial on the edge of Lancaster which sits atop a drumlin and is a landmark for miles around. The drumlins create a setting for the city of Lancaster and its university. |