LLD: Ironstone Downs

Assessment area map: Ironstone Downs

Ironstone Downs - View the map full screen in a new tab

Rolling hills on the valley side of the Shutford Brook

Strong local vernacular of ironstone Horton stone

Context

The assessment area lies to the north-west of Cherwell District and is defined by the administrative district boundary with Stratford-on-Avon to the north and west, and district boundary with West Oxfordshire to the south. The Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB) also provides part of the western boundary. It comprises part of an area of Ironstone hills, ridges and slopes, which continues into Northamptonshire to the north-east. The area is strongly rural in character and features expansive views across the surrounding low-lying farmed vale landscapes. The adjacent land within the Stratford-on-Avon District is designated locally as part of the ‘Ironstone Hill Fringe’ Special Landscape Area (SLA).

The assessment area encompasses the whole of LCA 4: Ironstone Hills and Valleys and LCA 5: Incised Ironstone Plateau described within the Cherwell Landscape Character Assessment.

Evaluation

Local distinctiveness and sense of place

Considerations

Is landscape rare/unique or special in the local context, and/or does it have a strong sense of place derived from its combinations of elements?
Does it contain character/features or elements which are considered to be important, typical or rare examples?
A landscape may have additional distinctiveness if it has a strong association with the character of a particular settlement, whether through strong views from the settlement or through providing a clear sense of arrival at the settlement.

Analysis

Complex topography of steep sided valleys and rolling rounded ridgelines and hills form a distinctive and coherent landscape, seen as a continuation of the Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB). This forms a distinct character from the flatter low-lying river floodplains and urban area of Banbury to the east.
It forms part of a wider distinctive and coherent, intact landscape of local hills and strong valley landforms, as designated locally to the north by the Ironstone Hill Fringe SLA (Stratford-on-Avon District).
The landscape is considered ‘absolutely integral’ to the character of historic settlements, including Drayton, Hanwell and Hook Norton, as described in the Conservation Area Appraisals.
Underlying geology of iron-bearing Marlstone Rock Formation is reflected in the local vernacular of warm-coloured Hornton Stone.

Landscape quality (intactness/condition)

Considerations

What is the physical state of the landscape in terms of its intactness and the condition of individual natural and cultural elements?

Analysis

Large, open plateau fields on the higher ground and gentler slopes are the result of 20^th century amalgamation, with a resulting general lack of enclosure and sense of openness. Valley slope fields retain a stronger hedgerow network, and reflect planned enclosure in the 19^th
Sunken lanes are a feature of the landscape, with the high banks still remaining. However, many of the hedgerows which would have topped the banks have been removed.
Historic villages are almost all covered by Conservation Areas, with high concentrations of Listed Buildings, are generally in generally in good condition.
Major transport infrastructure including the M40, renewable energy developments including solar farms at Duns Tews, Sibford Ferris and Shutford, and RAF stations are incongruous and detracting features in the landscape.
Quarrying has had a considerable impact on the landscape. Although stone quarries have now been restored back to agriculture, some reclaimed fields are several metres below the natural level of the land. Three former quarries are designated as geological SSSIs, for their important stratigraphic fossiliferous features. However, these are in unfavourable condition due to lack of exposure of the relevant sections, and unmanaged vegetation cover.
Banbury has expanded since the original study, and areas of residential and employment development on the northern, western and southern boundaries of Banbury are now within the assessment area.

Scenic qualities and perceptual aspects

Considerations

Does the landscape appeal to the senses, primarily visual but also considering perceptual and aesthetic qualities such as sense of tranquillity and remoteness.

Analysis

Upland ridges, particularly in the west, provide extensive views across the assessment area and wider parts of the district, for example from Oatley Hill. These views contribute to the wider rural character of the landscape.
The area has a strong rural quality. This results in relatively high levels of tranquillity, particularly in the west, as demonstrated by CPRE tranquillity mapping. Traffic noise from the M40 locally reduces tranquillity. Although the settlement edges of Banbury have expanded into the assessment area, they are not generally visible in the wider landscape, and only have a local impact on the rural character.
The majority of the area has relatively dark skies at night, as demonstrated by CPRE night blight mapping. However, the east and north of the assessment area is influenced by light pollution associated with development at Banbury, Deddington and Hook Norton.

Natural qualities

Considerations

Are there natural attributes that contribute to the value of the landscape?
Consider distinctiveness of landforms and the presence and extent of semi-natural habitats and wildlife that contribute to sense of place.
Consider any particular functional value associated with the natural landscape, particularly in the healthy functioning of the landscape.
Consider landscapes and landscape elements that have strong physical or functional links with an adjacent national landscape designation, or are important to the appreciation of the designated landscape and its special qualities.

Analysis

Faulted and complex geology dominated by Marlstone Rock Bed and White Limestone is reflected in the convoluted valleys and rounded hills.
Other visible expressions of the underlying geology include important fossiliferous stratigraphic features at Horsehay Quarries SSSI, Sharp’s Hill Quarry SSSI and Hook Norton Cutting and Banks SSSI.
Important limestone habitats contribute to the value of the landscape, including at Hook Norton Cutting and Banks SSSI, designated for its rare and uncommon calcareous grassland flora, and bee and butterfly populations. Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) at The Slade and Adderbury Lakes are also locally valued for their wet meadow and woodland habitats.
The Rivers Swere and Stour and their tributaries flow through the assessment area. Extensive areas of flood meadows, marsh and neutral grassland are found in their valleys. Streams are also often marked by willows. Mature hedgerows contribute to a wooded character.
Occasional small woodlands on valley and hill sides provide structure and visual interest within the landscape. These are often associated with parklands, such as at Wroxton and Hanwell.
The highest and most exposed areas contain patches of gorse, bracken and scrubby heath, which contribute to the upland heath character of these areas.

Cultural qualities

Considerations

Are there cultural attributes that contribute to the value of the landscape?
Consider the extent to which the landscape displays time depth: either in terms of the presence of natural features, historic field patterns or heritage assets that contribute to landscape character.

Analysis

The Oxfordshire HLC identifies much of the area as comprising post-medieval ‘planned enclosures’, interspersed with areas of post-medieval ‘amalgamated enclosures’ and ‘reorganised enclosures’. The historic field pattern, along with clear remnant areas of ridge and furrow earthworks, provides a sense of time-depth.
Settlements retain an historic pattern, and are set in valley locations with churches located near the highest point of each village. The majority of villages within the assessment area contain many listed buildings, and are designated as Conservation Areas. Farmsteads and farm buildings are dispersed across the assessment area, many at the end of access tracks.
A distinctive line of Iron Age hillforts is clearly visible on hilltops west of Banbury. This includes Tadmarton, Madmarston Hill and Castle Bank which are designated as Scheduled Monuments and form significant historic features.
Parkland landscapes at Broughton Castle and Wroxton Abbey are Registered Parks and Gardens (Grade II and Grade II* respectively). Combined with non-designated parklands at Swerford and Hanwell, the parkland features and historic buildings associated with the parks provide a sense of historic character and time-depth.

Recreation value

Considerations

Is there evidence that the landscape is valued for recreational activity where the experience of the landscape is important?

Analysis

The area is crossed by a network of public rights of way, including National Cycling Network routes, footpaths and bridleways, which provide valuable access to the landscape. The promoted routes D’Arcy Dalton Way and Macmillan Way also cross this landscape.

Associations

Considerations

Is the landscape associated with particular people such as artists or writers or events in history that contribute to its character?

Analysis

The designed landscapes within the assessment area have associations with historic events and figures. Broughton Castle was home to Parliamentarian intrigues prior to the English Civil War. George Gilbert Scott restored Broughton Castle in the 19^th Wroxton Abbey was owned by Sir Thomas Pope, who founded Trinity College Oxford. The pleasure grounds and house were altered in the 18^th century with advice from Sanderson Miller.
More recently, Broughton Castle has been used as a location in a number of films and TV shows.

Summary of landscape value and qualities

Aspects of landscape value (qualities and/or elements/features/areas of value) are:

Underlying geology of Marlstone Rock Bed and White Limestone reflected in a complex topography of convoluted valleys and rounded hills; a distinctive and coherent landscape, seen as a continuation of the Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB).
Occasional woodlands, combined with a generally strong hedgerow network, and areas of calcareous grassland provide ecological integrity.
Historic villages in a valley setting provide time-depth, with a distinctive local vernacular use of underlying Marlstone Rock Bed ironstone and thatch roofs.
Time-depth is provided by the series of Iron Age hillforts, and historic parklands and estates at Swerford, Broughton Castle and Wroxton Abbey.
A strong rural landscape with a good experience of dark night skies.
Extensive long-distance views across the surrounding countryside possible from the highest points, while villages are often ‘hidden’ in the folds of the valleys.
Crossed by a number of public rights of way, including footpaths and bridleways, which provide valuable access to the landscape.

Based on the above, it is considered that the assessment area has ‘above ordinary’ landscape value. It shares many characteristics with the adjacent ‘Ironstone Hill Fringe’ SLA in Stratford-on-Avon District and the Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB) within both Stratford-on-Avon and West Oxfordshire Districts, such that it could be considered to form an extension of this LLD.

The boundaries of the former AHLV are largely appropriate for a reinstated LLD. These would need to be altered around Banbury, to take account of urban expansion, and in the north-west to fit both the administrative boundary and boundary of the Cotswolds National Landscape. The proposed boundary changes are shown on the Map at the top of the page.

The eastern boundaries of the LLD follow the LCA boundaries for the Ironstone Hills and Valleys and Incised Ironstone Plateau, where they meet the edge of the Cherwell valley.

Landscape guidelines

Landscape management

Conserve the surviving areas of permanent and ridge and furrow pasture on the steeper slopes and hillsides.
Safeguard, maintain and enhance the characteristic landscape features of existing parklands including veteran trees, avenues of trees, lakes, woods and walls.
Strengthen the field pattern by planting up gappy hedges using locally characteristic species such as hawthorn, and hedgerow trees such as oak.
Enhance tree cover through small-scale woodland planting next to streamlines and on steeper hillsides, while ensuring that it does not interrupt or foreshorten characteristic views across the landscape, keeping the feeling of openness.
Promote environmentally-sensitive maintenance of hedgerows, including coppicing and layering when necessary, to maintain a height and width appropriate to the landscape type.
Enhance and strengthen the character of tree-lined watercourses by planting willows and, where appropriate, pollarding willows.
Conserve permanent pastures and all remnants of semi-natural vegetation including the distinctive patches of gorse scrub. Encourage conversion of arable to pasture where appropriate.
Ensure that all priority habitats, particularly grasslands, are in favourable condition and management.

Development management

Avoid development that would intrude on locations currently remote from urbanising influences, either through its size, scale or character, or its impact on levels of activity (such as traffic generation).
Minimise the visual impact of intrusive land uses at the fringes of Banbury, the villages and farms with the judicious planting of tree and shrub species characteristic of the area. This will help to screen the development and integrate it more successfully within its surrounding countryside.
New development should not expand villages beyond constraints imposed by landform and ground water characteristics. The historic nucleated settlement pattern should be retained where possible.
Promote the use of the local vernacular, including characteristic ironstones and slate tiles, and a scale of development that is appropriate to this landscape type.
Seek to reduce lighting impacts and avoid any reduction in tranquillity; minimise the use of lighting, in particular blue light emissions, and use shielding and sensors effectively to direct lighting downwards in relation to development visible on higher ground.
The exposed character of the plateau is particularly sensitive to visually intrusive development, large buildings and communication masts.