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46. The Fens
• Large-scale, flat, open landscape with extensive vistas to level horizons and huge skies.
• A hierarchy of rivers, drains and ditches provide a strong influence throughout the area. Embanked rivers and roddons create local enclosure and elevation. Banks provide good grazing and grassland habitats.
• Modestly elevated 'islands' within fens provide isolated higher ground for most settlement. A higher proportion of grassland, tree cover and hedgerows are associated with these areas.
• Settled Fens or 'Townlands', in arc set back from the Wash, exhibit an ancient medieval and irregular field pattern. Typically smaller-scale with scattered farmsteads and dispersed ribbon settlements along the main arterial routes.
• Peaty Fens drained in 17th century comprise large rectilinear fields of black soil. A geometric road and drainage pattern with major high-level drains, washes and associated pumping stations. Roads and rail links often on elevated banks.
• Area south of Lincolnshire Wolds most recently drained with Wolds providing marked 'Upland' horizon to north.
• Woodland cover sparse. Occasional avenues to roads, elsewhere isolated field trees have marked significance. Shelter belts including poplar, willow and leylandii hedges around farmsteads. Numerous orchards in Wisbech area.
• Fragments of relic wet fen areas at Wicken, Woodwalton and Holme.
• Built forms exhibit strong influence ranging from historic cathedrals and churches, like Ely and Boston to large agricultural and industrial structures. Domestic architecture displays combination of elegant Georgian brick houses and bland 20th century bungalows.
• Marshes directly adjacent to the Wash exhibit an exceptionally open aspect, broken only by a series of sea walls. Associated river outfall structures, tidal saltmarshes and mudflats.
• Rich and varied intensive agricultural land use including wide range of arable, root crops, bulbs, vegetables and livestock. Field labourers prevalent at harvesting. Horticultural glasshouses and general agricultural clutter a significant feature.
• Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman landscapes emerging from below the falling peat. Very rich archaeology especially on fen margins.
For further details on this character area and for an introduction to the region, please see the PDF documents in the box at the top right hand side of this page.
