Physical Influences
Geology
7.17.1 The area has Oolitic Limestone with Fuller’s Earth on the
upper slopes.
Landform and Drainage Pattern
7.17.2 This is a distinctly rounded hill rising to 127m above
sea level. It has steep sloping sides to the north and east and the
northern one, Beechen Cliff, is covered in woodland. The slopes to
the south and west are much shallower. One aspect that makes it so
distinctive is the large expanse of uninterrupted sky seen from
Alexandra Park. This is due to the hill being so high and quite
separate from its neighbours.
7.17.3
There are no surface watercourses. Springs were known on the sides
of Beechen Cliff but they are no longer visible today.
Land Use and Buildings
Land Use
7.17.4
The area is mostly public open space of one sort or another and
almost without development. The flat top of the hill is Alexandra
Park, a formal park from the early C20. It has the typical elements
for a park of its kind, with large areas of mown grass, a bowling
green, play area, a circular drive and many excellent trees. On the
eastern slopes is a small area of allotment gardens as well as a
number of small horse-grazed fields with tall overgrown hedgerows.
All of this is publicly accessible. To the south is Beechen Cliff
School and its grounds. It has large mown playing fields and these
are partly accessible to the public. To the north is Beechen Cliff
itself, very steep and entirely wooded. The steep slope of
Beechen Cliff includes a number of well used walkways which are one
of the main ways of experiencing the area and accessing the
viewpoints.
Buildings
7.17.5
The only buildings in the area belong to the School. This is a
large complex of mostly two storey buildings that date from early
C20 to present. They look out from the hill across to Lyncombe
Vale.
Influence of Vegetation and Open Space
Trees and Shrubs
7.17.6
Trees and shrubs are very important to the character of this area.
The woodland of Beechen Cliff itself is a much loved and highly
prominent landscape feature visible from most of Bath.
7.17.7
The trees of Alexandra Park form a screen all around its edge with
an additional group at the central high point. These are all very
important features that contain the park most effectively. They
create an unusual mixture of intimate enclosed spaces that at the
same time allow stunning views all around from the points at the
edge where there are gaps in the trees and shrubs.
7.17.8
The trees and shrubs of the eastern slopes also play an important
role in the character but this time as overgrown field hedgerows.
Many of these hedgerows are quite species rich and are clearly very
old.
Open Space
7.17.9
The contained, yet sky-filled, formal open space of Alexandra Park,
the intimate field network of the eastern slope fields and the
rather more open and exposed school playing fields are three quite
different areas of open space. However, they merge and blend
together to form one coherent and distinctive landscape.
Features, Landmarks and Views
7.17.10
Beechen Cliff, and especially its woodland, is an important Bath
landmark.
7.17.11
From Alexandra Park much of the city can be seen spread out from
the various vantage points at the edge of the park. Looking north
the city views are undoubtedly the most spectacular of any to be
seen in Bath. Within the park itself there are extensive “big
skies” views above and around.
7.17.12
The eastern slopes also have a share of beautiful views. Glimpses
may be had between the tall hedgerows to the valley and hillsides
south and east. Here lie the magnificent Prior Park, the Abbey
Cemetery chapel and Widcombe itself. In many of the fields high
hedgerows restrict the views.
Cultural Influences
7.17.13
The area is extremely popular with the neighbouring communities and
people from all over Bath, as a place to walk, to gather for
events, to play with their children or just admire the
view.
