JCA 40: Holderness
FGU Summary: Holderness is a low lying predominantly flat or gently undulating plateau of high quality
agricultural land used for large scale arable farming and intensive livestock production. There are many
glacial features in the landscape and the cliff coast is rapidly eroding. There is sparse tree and
woodland cover and dispersed settlement in a generally flat landscape. The landscape is predominantly
arable and horticultural – with agriculture accounting for 83% of land cover. 7% is defined as urban and
only 1% is woodland.
4 sub-units: sloping farmland to the west of the character area including Skidby, Cherry Burton, Kirkburn
and Kilham; urban fringe of Kingston upon Hull; coastal farmland between Bridlington, Hornsea and
Withernsea; open farmland.
1.
Settlement & Development
Widespread clearance of woodland from Neolithic period. Wetland areas spread inland 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
these former wetland areas, where prior to enclosure and drainage the lush grasslands provided a
source of summer grazing for surrounding communities.
Settlement is usually on higher ground, around edge of river valleys in south of area, and often
surrounded by smaller fields. Hamlets and villages are widely dispersed, some are closely packed and
nucleated and others are strung out along roads. Beverley developed around its Minster.
Medium levels of dispersal, lower to the north. Isolated farmsteads relate to shrunken settlements,
former monastic granges and specialist steadings, and high concentration of moated sites.
Systematic drainage commenced in 12th/13th centuries, generally complete by mid 18th century.
Bricks used for churches and high-status buildings from 14th century, and for traditional domestic
architecture from 17th century. Brick intermixed with cobbles in coastal areas. Pantile and plain tile roofs
used from 17th century, the latter including some distinctive 19th century fishscale tiles.
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.
Large and widely-dispersed farmsteads. Large-scale piggeries – mostly of mid-19th century date – can
be found on Holderness farmsteads; industrial-scale pig rearing has developed in post-1940 period.
Medium to large-scale farmsteads commonplace. Some pre-1750 lobby-entrance farmhouses;
symmetrical double-depth farmhouses dating from later 18th century. T- and 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 (which can be very large in scale)
and cartshed/granary ranges in the early and mid-19th century. Outshots for cattle a common feature,
either additional or original – the latter often with internal stone piers to aisles. There are also a number
of model farms resulting from a single building phase within the Plain of Holderness. Wheel houses, for
horse-powered threshing machinery, a distinctive feature.
3.
Fields and Boundary Patterns
Fields are often divided by ditches especially on the floodplain of the River Hull and by hedges on
higher ground.
Open field systems surrounded medieval villages, and have very long infield strips set between
trackways leading to outfield areas (subject to intermittent cultivation) and then rough grazing: these
have 9th or 11th century origin, and relate to similar strips in the Wolds and North York Moors/Vale of
Pickering border.
The boulder clay (glacial fill) over most of the area was enclosed first, whilst the peat soils around Hull
were not enclosed until the late 17th/18th century. Areas of common fields enclosed by agreement from
the 17th century onwards. In parts of the area, isolated farmsteads formed part of this early enclosure.
Coastal farmland from Hornsea to Bridlington subject to extensive early/mid 19th century enclosure, with
straight roads and tracks, and formation of new farmsteads.
4.
Trees and Woodland
Generally low survival of woodland cover by late 11th century. Shelterbelts in coastal farmland.
Boundary trees to hedges.
5.
Semi-Natural Environments
Small remnants of unimproved neutral grassland on boulder clay.
Wet soils and peat retain palaeoenvironmental and archaeological deposits. Meres and kettle holes
potentially provide the best palaeoenvironmental remains within the area of the Humber Wetlands.
6.
River & Coastal Features
Watercourses modified for flood defence and land drainage. Driffield and Leven Canal.
WWII Heavy anti-aircraft gun batteries facing the Humber Estuary
The river valleys would have been tidal and affected by changes in the sea levels. Again, the soils
deposited within these valleys provide essential palaeoenvironmental remains on the past land use, and
vegetation, as well as changes in the sea levels and archaeological material.
Lost settlements of the Holderness coast line.
Erosion of soft boulder clay leads to the exposure of new archaeological sites and finds, as well as the
loss of existing sites, settlements and agricultural land. Archaeological sites are also identified along the
beach during seasons of sand movement.