JCA 39: Humberhead Levels
FGU Summary: The Humberhead Levels are a predominantly flat, low lying agricultural
landscape including the floodplains of a number of rivers which drain into the Humber. The
farmland is intensively farmed and is characterised by generally large open geometric fields
usually divided by dykes. There is a mix of built up areas, industrial land and dereliction and
farmed open country. Approximately 7% is classed as urban, 78% is agricultural and 4% is
woodland. 3% falls within SSSI designations.
5 sub-units: the remnant heathland around Selby and between the Rivers Torne and Idle;
the river floodplains widespread around Goole and northwards up the valley of the Derwent;
the peat areas of Thorne, Hatfield, Crowle and Goole Moors; enclosed landscape around the Isle of
Axholme and north of Doncaster around Fishlake and Sykehouse; broad river valleys.
1.
Settlement & Development
Widespread clearance of woodland from Neolithic period led to creation of raised mires from Bronze
Age (c. 3500 BC), and settlement – concentrated on higher ground – from Neolithic period.
Wetland areas spread inland from the Humber as sea levels rose and climate cooled over the Bronze
Age (particularly marked towards end of the 2nd millennium BC), enabling use of waterways as
communication link to Pennines and via Trent into Midlands. Fishing, fowling and other marsh-edge
activities comprised important additional sources of income in wetland areas, where prior to enclosure
and drainage the lush grasslands provided a source of summer grazing for surrounding communities.
Peat moorlands used for grazing, and as a source of fuel and building materials.
Development of villa-estates and regular field systems in the Romano-British period, followed by
decline/abandonment and then development of nucleated settlements by 11th century, including planned
market centres at Crowle and Epworth.
Some planned linear settlements date from the 11th century, generally on drier ground to the north of the
area; generally low levels of dispersal in the landscape. Isolated farmsteads relate to shrunken
settlements, former monastic granges and specialist steadings, and high concentration of moated sites
around Isle of Axholme and north of Doncaster.
Depopulation and contraction of settlement in 15th/early 16th centuries, followed by large-scale drainage
undertaken by Crown from early 17th century. Population increase to 19th century underpinned by hemp
and flax production, and establishment of weaving communities. Smallholdings developed on peat
moorlands, some retaining distinctive pattern of cottage with orginal turbary plots for extracting peat.
Selby developed as a port from late 11th century, and its abbey and its granges was a major force in the
drainage of the marshes to make farmland (including the watercourse of Selby Dam, which drained the
present Gowthorpe common. The town expanded with the coaching trade from the 18th century, and
the arrival of the railway in 1834, as a bridging point, shipbuilding centre and major junction on the Aire
and Calder Navigation.
Expansion of Selby coalfield in 1960s and building of power stations at Drax, Eggborough and
Ferrybridge.
Traditional buildings constructed from red ‘Barton’ brick and red pantiles, and mostly date from mid 18 th
century. Mud and stud documented but no known surviving examples. Evidence for pre-17th century
timber-framing is generally confined to towns (eg in centre of Doncaster). Pantile roofs, though slate is
found in the north. More recent development uses a range of materials including orange bricks.
2.
Agriculture
Long history of mixed arable and pasture, and extensive use as summer grazing land for surrounding
settlements prior to drainage and enclosure. Arable intensified in tandem with drainage and from late
18th century with root crops and vegetables. The process of ‘warping’ – flooding areas with tidal waters
carrying fertile alluvial silt – has been an important factor in the agricultural development of the
landscape by bringing low-lying peat moors into cultivation.
Medium to large-scale farmsteads commonplace. Some pre-1750 linear steadings (eg in Fishlake) and
lobby-entrance farmhouses; symmetrical double-depth farmhouses dating from later 18th century. Tand L-shaped layouts predominate, with cattle-yards sheltered by northern barn ranges. Common
developments were the addition of shelter sheds and yards for fatstock, combination barns and
cartshed/granary ranges in the early and mid-19th century.
Some pre-1840 threshing barns, most steadings dominated by combination barns (dating from late 18th
century), with threshing barns (often with small doors to threshing bay) to centre or one side of stabling,
cartshed/s or (less frequently) cattle housing, with first-floor granaries and mixing houses. Outshots for
cattle a common feature, either additional or original – the latter often with internal stone piers to aisles.
Most of the area is intensively farmed with predominantly root crops and cereals and livestock farming
of pigs, poultry, beef cattle and dairy herds. This is one of the most productive areas of the UK.
3.
Fields and Boundary Patterns
Communal townfields were prevalent but widely dispersed, with later enclosure preserving strips and
furlongs (eg Sykehouse and Fishlake). It is a predominantly reclaimed former inter-tidal landscape of
rectilinear parliamentary fields with boundaries formed by dykes, drains and embankments. Although
there is evidence of attempts to drain parts of the area from the Roman period and the 12 th century,
driven by local abbeys, the major phase of reclamation began in the 17th century with the help of Dutch
engineers.
The south eastern quarter of the JCA - the Isle of Axeholme - maintains a special landscape of
medieval origin. This is the largest and most varied survival of open-field strip-cultivation in the country,
characterised by nucleated settlement , extensive areas of narrow hedgeless cutivated strips or 'lands'
often arranged in a contrasting patchwork of differently aligned groups or furlongs. Associated with the
strip field landscapes are areas of peat moor enclosed from the medieval period onwards
The drier northern part of the area contains some early enclosure whereas the marshes continued to be
enclosed during the 18th and 19th centuries when the process of draining the area was assisted by
improving technologies including, in the later period, steam-powered pumps.
4.
Trees and Woodland
Generally low woodland cover by late 11th century. Hedgerow and parkland trees in anciently-enclosed
areas to north, with small woodlands and trees to pastures and flood meadows of broad river valleys
(especially the Derwent). Areas of sandy heath have from the 19th century often been planted with
coniferous woodland. Remnant birch and oak on sandy soils to north and south.
5.
Semi-Natural Environments
The Ings are alluvial flood meadows which are important for their wetland vegetation and as habitats for
wintering and migrating birds. There are some areas of remnant heathland and there are also some
areas of neutral grassland on clay soils which are of wildlife importance.
Wet soils and peat retain palaeoenvironmental and archaeological deposits.
Largest area of raised mire in England, the result of peat formation from prehistoric to post-medieval
periods which protect woodland and archaeological deposits.
The remnant (and still actively farmed) open fields on the Isle of Axholme comprise the largest and most
varied survival of open-field strip cultivation in England.
Sand and gravel support remnant heathland to north (around Selby) and south (between rivers Torne
and Lolle).
Pastures and flood meadows.
6.
River & Coastal Features
Waterways a major communications route, artificial cuts dating from the medieval period or earlier. The
area contains a number of often navigable rivers of the Aire, Derwent, Don, Idle, Ouse, Trent Torne and
Went which drain into the Humber and the artificial waterways of the Aire and Calder Navigation and
Selby Canal.
Historic influences on the landscape largely relate to early attempts at drainage of the marshes, dating
back to the 17th century. Prominent features include drainage dykes.