Historic Landscape Characterisation

Mapping of current and past land use has been undertaken for all of West Berkshire as well as for the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty through the Historic Landscape Characterisation Project.

Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) is a method of analysing and recording the way in which several millennia of human interaction with the land has produced the landscape we experience today. It is a means for understanding the entire landscape rather than the individual elements (like monuments or historic buildings) that have traditionally been the focus of archaeological research. HLC uses sources such as historic and modern mapping, aerial photographs and documents to unpick the components of the landscape and develop a picture of how past land-use has created the shape of our landscape. Each parcel of land is first assigned to a broad landscape group, such as woodland, settlement or fields, and then to a more specific type, such as historic settlement core or water meadow. This information is stored in a Geographical Information System dataset (digital map with database) and this means that it can be accessed and explored by anyone interested in the development of their area.

Snapshots of HLC mapping are available by clicking on the downloads to the right; more information is also available about the national HLC picture through English Heritage.

HLC is used in landscape management and strategic planning, environmental stewardship, habitat restoration and community planning and can also be used in local history research, by schools and in countryside interpretation such as guided walks.

The West Berkshire HLC data can now be viewed via the Council's Online Map under the Historic Environment theme in the legend.  By zooming in to a scale of 1:40,000, the HLC Current Types are visible; at larger scales the labels are also displayed.  By using the Show information button and clicking on the map, each polygon can be queried to show its current and previous land use types.  More detail and printouts can be obtained from the Historic Environment Record and it will soon be possible to access the project report on our website.

The HLC project took place between 2004 and 2007 and was supported by a partnership between West Berkshire Council, English Heritage, the North Wessex Downs AONB Office, Hampshire County Council, Wiltshire County Council, Swindon Borough Council and Oxfordshire County Council. The mapping and analysis was carried out by West Berkshire Council's archaeology service.