Contact:
  • Landscape Team
  • Address:
    Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath, BA1 2DP
  • E-mail:
    andrew_sharland@bathnes.gov.uk  
  • Telephone:
    01225 477589
  • Fax:
    01225 477663
  • Minicom:
    01225 477535
  • Page Updated:
    21/11/2008
  • Author:
    Matthew Hawkins
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Area 3:Upper Chew and Yeo Valleys

A typical valley field

Summary of Landscape Character

  • Flat landscape, gently sloping in parts

  • Red soils associated with mudstone outcrops

  • Spring line villages of West Harptree, East Harptree, Compton Martin and Ubley with harmonious use of traditional building materials in older buildings

  • Isolated farms, many very old including a medieval moated farmhouse

  • Small regular fields surrounded by clipped hedges

  • Arable and pastoral land cover

  • Frequent hedgerow trees and large belts of trees giving the impression of being well-wooded

  • Few small woods, conifer or willow and poplar plantations around the edges of the lakes and others consist of oak and ash.

  • Wide tree belt follows the River Yeo.

  • Views to surrounding hills but limited views within the area

  • Straight roads well enclosed by landform and/or hedges

  • Generally Quiet and peaceful away from the A368 corridor

  • Roman road

  • Tumulus north of Blagdon Lake

  • Chew lake and associated features

Context

Introduction

7.3.1 The Upper Chew and Yeo Valleys character area covers nearly 18sq km. It is a flat or gently sloping area between the Mendip Slopes character area to the south and the Chew Valley character area to the north. The boundary incorporates part of the Blagdon and Chew Valley Lakes. It then extends south-eastwards to the area boundary at Coley taking in the villages of East and West Harptree at the foot of the northern Mendip slopes. The edges of the character area are generally at the point at which the valley sides become significantly steeper and at the shores of the two lakes.

Geology, Soils and Drainage

7.3.2 The predominant formation is the Mercia Mudstones of the Triassic period. Dolomitic Conglomerate of the same period is found above the mudstones on the higher parts of the area. There are also more recent drift deposits on the lower parts of the area adjacent to the Chew Valley Lake.

7.3.3 The mudstones give rise to fertile silty clay soils that are a dull dusky red colour because of their high iron content. The clay content means that where unimproved they easily become waterlogged when wet, and hard with cracks and fissures during dry periods. The Dolomitic Conglomerate, which is a complex of limestone fragments, gives rise to thinner freely draining soils. These soils are stony and can be slightly acidic on the surface.

7.3.4 The soils over the drift deposits are similar to those derived from the mudstones but they have more silt and sand within the matrix which makes them more freely draining.

Major Planning Designations

 7.3.5 The whole of the area is within the Mendips AONB and the whole of the undeveloped area is within the Bristol/Bath Green Belt.  

Description

Landform and Drainage Pattern

 7.3.6 This area is flat or gently sloping. There are significant slopes only on the southern edge. It is about 50m at its lowest point near Blagdon Lake and about 100m at its highest where it rises to meet the spring line villages of West Harptree, Compton Martin and Ubley. The springs occur along the Dolomitic Conglomerate exposures. The area includes the tributaries and upper reaches of both the River Yeo, which flows westwards from Compton Martin, and the River Chew, which flows northwards from Coley.

Land-uses

7.3.7 The land is used for arable crops and ley pasture on the better-drained and flatter areas such as on the alluvial soils; and for permanent pasture on the wetter, stonier and more sloping parts particularly on the Dolomitic Conglomerates and parts of the Mercia Mudstones. These latter areas also traditionally supported orchards. Generally pasture is the predominant land-use throughout the area.  

Fields, Boundaries and Trees

7.3.8  The fields are small and medium sized and predominantly rectangular, others irregularly shaped. The field pattern results from the enclosure in the late medieval period into single ownership units from the open fields that surrounded the spring line villages. Neatly trimmed hedges frequently edge the fields and generally are in reasonable condition, though some are ‘gappy’. Many are supplemented by post and wire fencing where stock proofing is required. There are frequent hedgerow trees consisting mainly of oak and ash generally in good condition.

7.3.8 There are only a few small woods which are either remnant plantations or semi-scrub woodlands. There are a variety of types, those around the edges of the lakes are conifer or willow and poplar plantations, others consist of oak and ash. The area has the impression of being well wooded created in part by the frequent hedgerow trees and tree belts. The tree belts are found between fields, along the roads, around settlements and a thick belt follows the River Yeo.

Settlement and Communications

7.3.9 The main settlements in the area are the medieval spring line villages at the foot of the Mendip slopes. They are distinctive because of the trees in their vicinity and the larger houses and buildings such as the churches. Generally they fit in well with their landscape setting because of their organic pattern and the muted traditional building materials. The other forms of settlement include farms, some of which also clearly date back to at least medieval times. The moat at Moat Farm to the west of Chew Valley Lake for example is 14th century.

7.3.10 There is a well-developed pattern of roads within the area and they range from ‘A’ roads to unclassified lanes. They are nearly all enclosed by the hedges on the roadside and some are sunk below the surrounding field level. They are noticeably straight and at least one is Roman. There is an interesting road from New Manor Farm to South Widcombe with a wide grassland verge that may well have been common land or a drove road. This road follows the base of the indented scarp slope and so has many twists and turns.

Landscape Characteristics

7.3.11 In all places there are fine views to the surrounding hills. The flat terrain and trees commonly limit near views. The hedges are too low to have any significant enclosing effect. These factors help to create a feeling that is open but not too exposed. The lack of excessive traffic noise and other urban intrusions create a peaceful atmosphere only broken by occasional aircraft and traffic on the A368. This is further enhanced by very noticeable bird song and the noise from tractors and other farm equipment.

7.3.12 This area displays many features that show continual use for thousands of years, from the tumulus north of Blagdon Lake which dates back 3000 years to the Roman road and the medieval moated farm house which was a nunnery in 1881. More modern features include the two lakes dating from the early to mid 20th century. These are now designated as SSSIs. There are few detractors in the area. Locally a line of electricity pylons south of Chew Valley Lake detracts from the view.

Landscape Change and Condition

7.3.13 The most significant change to this landscape character area has been the construction of the two lakes. Blagdon Lake was created in 1904 and Chew Valley Lake was completed in 1956. Both have obviously changed the valley considerably just by their presence but clearly they have covered land that was once an integral part of the area and that contributed to its character. The lakes themselves have added an additional element; that of open water and the peripheral planting. The activities on the lake such as the presence of sailing boats add to the changes. And finally the consequential changes to the local road infrastructure have altered the old pattern of roads, lanes and footpaths. The wide road of the outfall dam and other strips of road around the lake have further modified their immediate vicinity with the fencing, balustrades and buildings associated with the water control mechanisms.

7.3.14 Other changes include hedgerow loss. Original hedge lines are now often visible only from local undulations and by rows of oak trees retained within the fields. In addition there has been a huge decrease in the amount of orchard. In 1884 all of the spring-line villages had many adjacent fields under orchard and most of the farms had some as well, today there is very little. Aerial photos taken in 1946 show many still evident and so removal has largely, though not consistently, been undertaken since then. Many of the orchards have been built upon, as they were located close to the villages. The landscape has a ‘well-treed’ appearance which would have been even more evident prior to the onset of Dutch elm disease. There appears to be little evidence of new tree planting / regeneration in the hedgerows.