Extracts from Canterbury Landscape Appraisal - November 1998
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|2.3 Stour Valley - Wincheap and Thanington|
The broad character area of the Stour Valley extends along the length of the valley from Ashford to the Chislet Marshes. It is
characterised by the flat alluvial floodplain of the River Stour and clayey soils affected by groundwater. Traditionally this
area was managed for grazing. Its low lying and waterlogged nature mean that settlement and arable crops are not typical on the
valley floor. Grassland is often poor and the agricultural land classification is Grade 3. Meadows around Canterbury are noted in
the Domesday survey in 1086. This landscape remained largely unchanged until the introduction of the railways in Victorian times.
In the Twentieth century gravel extraction, modem agricultural practice and the growth of the City have destroyed much of this historic landscape. It is these recent developments that have brought about local changes particularly in land use that subdivide the Stour Valley.
This section describes the section of the Stour Valley to the south west of the City from Thanington to the urban edge. The continuation of the Stour Valley to the north east of the City is described in the following section.
Landscape DescriptionTo the west of Thanington areas of former gravel workings form large waterbodies surrounded by mature wetland vegetation. The Stour passes Thanington tight to the eastern edge of the urban area with the floodplain extending to the west. There are attractive views of the higher ground around Harbledown from the valley floor.
The Stour Valley is an important link between the City and the countryside and throughout history it has been an important transport corridor. Today the A2 cuts across it, and the A28 from Ashford, the Ashford to Canterbury railway and the Faversham to Canterbury railway all follow the valley into the City. The Ashford to Canterbury line and the disused Elham Valley Railway both cross the valley floor on embankment.
ConditionThe visual unity of the Stour Valley is interrupted by the introduction of elements within the valley. It is also strongly influenced by features on the edges of the valley and on the valley sides. Detracting Features in the valley include the gas holder and mobile homes. with educational and commercial establishment on fringes, In addition the A2 and railway embankments are contrasting introduced elements in the landscape.
The ecological integrity is strong. There is a good network of ditches, floodplain pasture and scrub. The extent of semi-natural habitat is good but stops abruptly at the urban edge. The tree cover associated with the ditches and railways embankments has a diverse age structure and the ditch field boundaries are generally regularly managed although some are in decline. This retains the traditional pattern of enclosure and encourages ecological diversity. Recent industrial archaeology in the form of railway heritage is evident in the valley floor, particularly where the remnant embankment of the disused Elham Valley Line curves across the floodplain.
Settlement is not traditionally characteristic of the floodplain, however there is a significant impact from recent commercial and retail development encroaching into the valley floor.
SensitivityThe strength of character of this landscape is considered to be moderate. The traditional pattern of ditches and meadows is distinct over much of this part of the Stour Valley, allthough some is lost to gravel extraction and recent development. Where it is intact the intrinsic pattern of the landscape has remained largely unchanged for many centuries.
The flat valley floor with its limited tree cover creates a very highly visible landscape. Overall the Stour Valley is a highly sensitive landscape.
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