The heart of Worcestershire consists of a broad rolling plain stretching from the Malvern and Abberley Hills in the west to the Lenches and the Ridgeway along the County boundary with Warwickshire in the east. The hills along the western edge of the plain are particularly prominent and they follow a major geological boundary separating the older, harder rocks of the Welsh borderland from the younger, softer rocks of the Midlands. To the south east the plain passes imperceptibly into the Vales of Evesham and Gloucester, both of which are distinguished from the Mid-Worcestershire Forests by clear and deep seated differences in their pattern of land use and settlement. These differences reflect the historic division of the County into a central and northern Forest region and a south eastern “champion”, or open-field region.
Topographically Mid-Worcestershire can be described as a lowland region, lying for the most part below 60 metres, although in the vicinity of Chaddesley Woods and along the Ridgeway the land rises to a height of 150 metres or more. Much of the region is underlain by red Triassic mudstones, in places associated with thin bands of Arden sandstone, which give rise locally to a more pronounced undulating topography. More extensive outcrops of red sandstone also occur in a narrow arc around the northern fringe of the region. These mudstones and sandstones are overlain in the south eastern part of the plain by grey Lias clays and limestones. The latter are well developed towards the base of the formation and often give rise to a low, winding escarpment marking the junction between the Triassic and Lias sediments. This escarpment is only locally prominent, but it can be followed northwards from Sarn Hill near Bushley Green, to Hill Croome and Pirton, and then again from Upper Wolverton to Crowle and Dunhampstead, before swinging westwards to Hanbury and Woodgate.
The subdued relief and nature of the underlying geology give rise to frequent poorly draining basins throughout the region. These basins, of which Longdon Marsh is the most extensive, were formally inundated by periodic flooding and have developed thin spreads of alluvium. Marshy tracts still occur in many of these areas despite the efforts that have been made to drain the land. Elsewhere, the mudstones and clays carry a well developed drainage system whose component streams have cut up the land surface into innumerable low rounded hills separated by wide shallow valleys. On the lias clay these valleys drain southwards into the Avon by the Bow and Piddle Brooks, whose upper courses have captured several of the streams draining west from the Ridgeway. The larger part of the region, however, is drained by the Severn and its tributary the Salwarpe. The Severn, together with the lower part of the River Teme, flows within a well developed alluvial floodplain frequently fringed by extensive river terraces. The alluvial corridors of both rivers are generally well defined by rising ground, the valley of the Severn being particularly pronounced above Worcester, where in places – as at Lincomb – it takes on the appearance of a shallow gorge.
The mudstones and clays that underlie much of the region give rise to rather heavy, in places poorly draining soils. The former tend to be deficient in nutrients and together with the heavy nature of the soil may explain why the region remained heavily wooded into the historic period.
In a number of places, particularly in the south western part of the region, the underlying bedrock is masked by fluvio-glacial drift that has been washed down from surrounding higher land. In the vicinity of the Malverns these spreads of drift extend from the lower slopes of the hills far out into the plain, where they give rise to poor gravelly soils, with a tendency towards impeded drainage. There appears to be a strong correlation between the distribution of these soils and the widespread occurrence of surviving and relic commons in this area.
The Mid-Worcestershire forest region forms part of a great swath of Royal forests that once extended across the central part of the West Midlands. These included the Forest of Arden in Warwickshire, Kinver Forest and the Wyre Forest on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border, and the Forests of Feckenham, Horewell and Ombersley, together with Malvern Chase in Mid-Worcestershire.
Such a large and distinctive assemblage of Royal Forests was quite unique in the country and a very relevant element of the cultural heritage and landscape of Worcestershire. Despite the fact that some of these Forests did not survive beyond the medieval period they have nonetheless left an indelible mark on the character of the present day landscape. This is reflected in the dispersed pattern of farmsteads and the clusters of wayside dwellings associated with relic commons, together with the innumerable small coppices and abundance of hedgerow trees. The latter give the region a well timbered appearance, despite the fact that the extensive woodlands of medieval times survive only in attenuated relics such as Chaddesley Woods.
Royal Forests were not completely wooded but also included a varying proportion of enclosed farmland and unenclosed common pasture. In the south eastern part of the region, for example, a strongly nucleated settlement pattern is evident, more akin to that found in the Vale of Evesham, despite the fact that historically this area was part of Feckenham Forest. These differing patterns of settlement and land use, together with soil and geology differences, are reflected in the variety of landscapes that occur within the region today.
Although the forest origins provide a
strong unity to this huge area, each particular forest has its own cultural
history which is relevant to the overall landscape evolution of the area, and
is therefore outlined below.
This area is defined
by the prominent Malvern Hills to the west, the River Teme to the north and the
River Severn to the east. Historically,
Malvern Chase extended to the south
into Gloucestershire, reaching the area of the former Corse Chase. In this report the county boundary is taken
as the southern perimeter for this landscape area.
The area comprises a broad rolling plain, with an underlying geology of mudstone throughout. Subtle variations are introduced by drift deposits, notably areas of glacial outwash creating heathland in places, which contrast with the richer deposits of alluvial soils in lower hollows. Further variation is introduced by occasional bands of sandstone, creating topography of a more pronounced, undulating nature.
Malvern Forest, already established by 1086 was later administered from the King’s castle at Hanley Castle. It became a chase when it passed into private ownership c.1290 (to Gilbert de Clare who became Earl of Gloucester). Its landscape was characterised by woodland, open lawns and commons but there were patches of open field around scattered settlement nuclei. Monastic houses were established at the eastern foot of the Malverns, at Great Malvern before the Norman conquest and at Little Malvern in 1171.
There were assarts within the area in medieval times and after disafforestation (c.1632) enclosure proceeded rapidly and changed the landscape. Very little ancient woodland survives. Squatter settlements developed along the foot of the hills, as at Castlemorton , and along the roads which lead towards the hills. Open road-side commons are still a feature of the region. The only sizeable settlement in the area, Great Malvern, developed as a spa town in the early 1800s as a result of its pure mineral waters and its suburbs expanded with improved rail access later in the century. Victorian and Edwardian features are still present in today’s townscape.
The northern part of this area contains a scattering of semi-natural ancient woods and moderately species rich hedges. Further south large tracts of low-lying country prone to flooding occur at Longdon and Eldersfield Marshes. Extensive open commons butt the Malvern Hills and there are several remaining herb-rich grasslands in the southern part.
The woods in the north are mainly oak standards over old coppice and these retain a moderately rich ground flora. Aileshurst Coppice is a small but good example and its ground flora includes the uncommon yellow star of Bethlehem. The woods near Langdale Wood by the Three Counties Showground currently supports the county’s largest nightingale population.
The varied structure of the commons at Castlemorton and Hollybed contain a complex mixture of plants. Castlemorton Common is grazed and there are extensive bands of gorse and thorn scrub which are good for birds. The rough grasslands between are acid or basic, and wet or dry, with many uncommon plants.
Longdon and Eldersfield Marshes were finally drained for agriculture in quite recent times, and most of the uncommon plants once found there have gone. However a few areas of herb-rich grasslands remain. Much of the area floods in winter and at that time attracts large flocks of ducks, geese and waders. To the west and further south there are also a few meadows containing daffodils and green-winged orchids.
Several small hills, such as Gadbury Bank, have patches of herb-rich grassland and scrub or woods. Nightingales usually occur at Gadbury and a large-leaved lime is found near Berrow.
The River Severn borders the east of the zone and is an important wildlife corridor for birds and otters. Most of the low-lying wet meadows have been agriculturally improved apart from an important herb-rich meadow on Upton Ham SSSI near Upton upon Severn. At times of partial flood in winter this meadow on is visited by large numbers of ducks, waders and gulls. Upton upon Severn itself is Worcestershire’s main centre for stag beetles whose larvae live in the roots of old dead trees.
Parts of the derelict railway line between Upton and Malvern have become a nature reserve for plants and butterflies.
Ombersley was the smallest forest within the Mid-Worcestershire Forest complex and one of short duration. It forms a diamond shaped area from Worcester to Kidderminster bounded by the River Severn along the western edge.
Relics of ancient woodland and waste are still present in the landscape today and form the basis of the different landscape types present that make up the area. Settlement is largely dispersed with frequent hamlets.
This is an area of Triassic rock with Sherwood Sandstones giving way eastwards to Mercia Mudstone. The eastern part was well wooded and for a short time was the core of the royal forest at Ombersley. There were medieval deer parks at Hartlebury (the seat of the bishops of Worcester with a castle begun in 1255), Ombersley and Elmley Lovett. The light warm soils of the sandstones were intensively settled and farmed with scattered nucleated hamlet centres. Market gardening became important in this region in recent times. The village nucleus at Ombersley is outstanding for the number of its timber-framed houses.
Natural brine welling up from salt deposits in the Mercia Mudstone strata gave rise to the earliest and greatest inland salt producing centre in England. With salt already traded far afield in the late Iron Age times, Droitwich lay at the hub of a network of salt ways and this industry flourished throughout historical times. The town developed as a spa town in the 18th century and is now the only town of any note spanning both the former forests of Feckenham and Ombersley. New brine baths and hotels were built in the 19th century and a new salt works was established at Stoke Prior.
Seepage of salt water at the soil surface led to the ancient salt industry at Droitwich. These salty conditions permitted growth of several salt-dependent (or resistant) plants, further encouraged by salty run-off from salt works into both the Salwarpe River and Droitwich Canal. Although there is less salt nowadays there are large stands of dittander – normally a seaside plant.
The Droitwich Canal was disused for many years and became filled with common reeds which in turn supported Worcestershire’s largest colony of reed warblers, now partly destroyed by canal renovation. Nearby Westwood Great Pool was created behind a dam in 1620 and has since been an important site for birds and plants. Two extremely uncommon plants occur there – eight-stamened waterwort and ribbon-leaved water-plantain.
This area appears fairly well wooded although there are only a small number of ancient semi-natural woodland sites. Those on the steep slope facing west to the River Severn often contain small-leaved lime, which also grows in hedges and small copses. Ombersley Forest, together with Shrawley Wood across the Severn, are part of Worcestershire’s lime zone. The long-standing presence of lime in the area is reflected in place names like Lineholt. This tree was prominent in parts of the wildwood before man cleared the forests and is nationally an uncommon tree.
This is an area of former Royal Forest, lying between the Rivers Avon and Severn, extending from Worcester in the north to the confluence of the two rivers in the south. The Mercia Mudstone of this part of the Central Plain of Worcestershire are drained by southward flowing tributaries of the Avon and were well wooded. It is an area of predominantly dispersed settlement, with hamlets. For a time this region formed the royal forest of Horewell, but, not being demesne of the Crown, was disafforested in 1229. Large blocks of ancient woodland survive in the central core of the area, around Drakes Broughton and Defford, and elsewhere only relics of the former forest landscape remain as fragments of heathland, small woodlands etc. There appears to be an association between the survival of woodland and areas of poorer, gleyed soils.
Landscaped parks and ornamental estatelands make up a significant proportion of the western half of the area, associated with the areas of poor soils derived from Mercia Mudstone. The prior and bishop of Worcester held deer parks at Battenhall and Kempsey respectively and there were others at Wadborough and Strensham, the latter associated with the double moated castle of the Russell family. Croome Court, the mansion house and park of the Earls of Coventry, was built around 1750 and its grounds are being restored as an example of the work of Lancelot Brown. The River Severn flows along the west side of this area where several minsters were established along the river at Kempsey in Worcestershire, and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. The valley of the Severn is prone to flooding and was traditionally used as meadowland. Settlement is traditionally found on the better base rich soils associated with the Lias clays. Topography is not a distinguishing feature of the area, most of which is typified by rolling lowland. A limestone ridge occurs in the centre but is not of any prominence. Land use is primarily of mixed farming, in the main derived from woodland/mixed origins, with pockets associated with open fields. Hedgerow trees are significant, with oak being the key species, providing a link with the former forest status. Relic commons are also a feature, with several large areas of unenclosed common surviving.
The extent of the Feckenham Forest area is largely defined today by its historic boundary. Feckenham was the largest forest, being bounded by Arden to the north east Kinver to the north-east, Ombersley to the west, Horewell to the south-west and the Vale of Evesham to the south.
Generally the forest region was one of dispersed settlement, composed of scattered farmsteads and dwellings, with clusters of linear settlement associated with old commons. To the south-east, however, a strong nucleated settlement pattern is evident, more akin to the Vale of Evesham and the Vale of Gloucester although historically this was part of Feckenham Forest.
The forest core, maintained from before 1086 until 1629, lay around the royal manor of Feckenham (the moated centre is still visible near the present village) and the King had a park nearby at Hanbury. The core region extended from Hanbury in the west to the ridgeway along the Worcestershire / Warwickshire boundary, but the forest was extended in the 12th century northwards to the Lickey Hills, southwards to the Avon and eastwards to the River Arrow within Warwickshire. The ancient boundaries were however restored by 1301. Although woodland was extensive in the 13th century, vert offences (historic records) show that assarts were being made and by the time of disafforestation the woodland had been pushed back to a narrow band along the ridgeway. There was a concentration of medieval deer parks in the east of the area, with twelve recorded between Bentley and Knighton (near Inkberrow). With an abundance of available timber some of the best timber-framed houses in the county are found within this region, such as the 16th century Huddington Court in Huddington or Mere Hall in Hanbury. Hagley Hall is an 18th century mansion built in Classical style for the first Lord Lyttelton, set within parkland.
The area to the south and north between Hadzor and the Lenches was probably cleared at an earlier date due to population pressures. Although patches of woodland survived there were also villages set within open fields, many of which were to become shrunken or lost between the 15th and 18th centuries.
The area to the north remained an area with extensive woods and commons. Chaddesley Woods are some of the best preserved areas of ancient woodland. A dispersed settlement developed, associated with the woodland, with many outlying farmsteads and hamlets, although Bromsgrove, the centre of a large royal estate with numerous dependent manors before the Norman Conquest and a medieval borough and market, was to develop into a substantial town. The nailing industry was established in the neighbourhood by the 16th and 17th centuries, employing many cottagers who dwelt around the extensive commons of Belbroughton and Lickey End and marketed their goods in the town. Rural industry was widespread and water power along the Bell Brook was harnessed for the scythe industry of Belbroughton which also flourished from the 17th and 19th century.
Most of this large area contains irregular fields with hedges rich in woody species indicating their origins from assarts cut into the ancient wildwood.
There are many ancient semi-natural woodlands including Chaddesley Wood (the biggest wood in the County outside the Wyre complex) and Pepper Wood in the north. These two are on somewhat acid, well-drained soils and partly coniferised. Further south in the centre of the area near Himbleton is very wooded with large woods such as Trench Wood, Goosehill Wood, Grafton Wood and many others. These are on neutral or basic soils. Near the Lenches are another group of woods on similar soils. All these woods were once managed as coppice with standard woods and consist primarily of big oak trees over mixed coppice, mainly hazel. All are good for spring flowers, especially those once managed by L.G. Harris as coppice wood (Trench Wood, Goosehill Wood). Many of the others consist of oak around 100 years old whose shade has depressed coppice-associated plants. Parts of some have been coniferised.
The zone contains some important herb-rich hay meadows, especially Eades Meadow at Fosters Green National Nature Reserve. This habitat type is now scarce in Britain and Worcestershire contains about 20% of those remaining.
The steep slopes at the south edge of the area near Wood Norton, and along Bishampton Bank, contain small patches of limestone grassland, one of which has a good population of early gentian, a nationally scarce endemic species. There are also stands of scrubland. Near Sheriffs Lench there was once an outstanding scrubland containing juniper and many rare species. This has been cleared but uncommon plants may survive – slender tare, last seen in 1932, was found here in 1998.
There are important wetlands in the Feckenham Forest area near Upton Warren where lakes and pools were formed following subsidence due to underground extraction of brine. The shallow pools at the Flash Pools, Upton Warren, are brackish and support an inland saltmarsh with plants, like sea marsh grass and sea spurry. These pools are also visited by many wading and wetland birds. At Feckenham Wylde Moor marshland areas are fed by underground base rich springs. The resultant peatland is rich in rushes, wet grassland plants, and dragonflies.
The area is bounded to the north by the contrasting hard rock area of the Wyre Forest plateau, to the west by the prominent topography of the Malvern and Abberley Hills, to the east by the River Severn and the south by the River Teme.
This is a heavily wooded area where the landscape types are largely derived from woodland assarting and enclosure of waste. However, marked areas of former open field also occur in this area. Settlement is largely dispersed and of variable density with hamlets and small villages as features. The main settlement in the area is the historic riverside town of Worcester.
The area was known as Weogorena leah in the early Anglo-Saxon times, “the wood pasture” of the Weogorna (the men of Worcester region), and provided seasonal pasture in open woodland, although settlement inroads had been made from the east. Away from the western rim of ancient hard rock, the area represents an extension of the clay Central Worcestershire Plain fringed by sandstones to the north. Historically, the area was largely a pastoral region with settlements small and scattered. Only small patches of ancient woodland survive.
Small village nucleations, mainly in the east and south of the area, lay within restricted areas of open field. There were a number of medieval deer parks, with those at Hallow, Grimley and Wick Episcopi belonging to the prior, monks and bishop of Worcester respectively. In Holt the Beauchamp family built a castle in the 15th century upon the site of an earlier fortified house, and surrounded it with a deer park. There are a number of provincial country houses, such as the 17th century Witley Court, which was extensively remodelled in the mid 19th century for Lord Ward. Burnt out in 1937, it is being maintained as a ruin within gardens designed by Nesbit which include several fine stone fountains. The nearby Baroque church dates from 1735. In the 17th century there was a charcoal-fired blast furnace on the Dick Brook in Astley in the north of the area.
Important features of this area are ancient woodlands, hedges, and the adjacent River Severn.
The area is fairly well wooded with important ancient semi-natural woodlands at Monkwood, Ockeridge Wood and Shrawley Wood, together with many smaller woods The first two were managed for centuries as oak standards over mixed coppice until purchased by L.G. Harris Brushworks who cleared the woods and encouraged growth of white-wood poles for brush handles from native species and in-planting with beech, sycamore and other species. The ancient character of the woods is revealed by the ancient ditch and bank boundaries which contain old trees, especially small-leaved lime and wild service. These woods have a rich woodland flora and Monkwood is notable for butterflies, including the uncommon wood white.
These and other woods in the area appear to hold a nationally important dormouse population – a species which has declined and is subject to a species recovery programme.
Shrawley Wood is the largest stand of small-leaved lime in Britain and unique in this respect. Other woods also contain lime. The trees carry their own specific insects and the wood has been renowned for its fungi for over a hundred years. The wood has traditionally been managed under cyclical coppice regimes which benefit many summer immigrant birds in their first 10-20 years of growth.
The land use history (assarts formed in wildwood) is reflected in the hedgerows which contain a wide range of woody species including small-leaved lime, large-leaved lime (a nationally scarce tree) and wild service. Away from intensively farmed areas there is similarly a rich flora.
The majority of the area is represented by Principal Timbered Farmlands, Wooded Estatelands, Settled Farmlands with Pastoral Land Use, Settled Farmland on River Terraces, Village Claylands, Estate Farmlands and Principal Settled Farmlands are well represented within this area. Also represented within the Mid-Worcestershire Forests are Riverside Meadows, Wet Pasture Meadows, Timbered Plateau Farmlands, Estate Sandlands, Unenclosed Commons and Principal Wooded Hills.