JCA 63 Oswestry Uplands
FGU Summary: This is a small area of steep-sided, flat-topped hills, lying within the county of
Shropshire. It is bounded by the Shropshire Plain to the east and south, the Welsh hills to the west and
the River Ceiriog to the north. Almost 5% of the Character Area is urban, 9% is woodland, and nearly
50% is LFA.
3 sub-units: Selattyn Hills; Oswestry foothills; Treflach hills.
1.
Settlement & Development
Iron age forts at Llanymynech and Old Oswestry provided a focus for surrounding lowland communities.
Strong Welsh influence in place names, the border character reinforced by presence of Wat’s Dyke
(around Oswestry) and later Offa’s Dyke in the 8th century.
Strongly and anciently-rooted dispersed pattern of settlement with isolated farmsteads, connected by
deep and winding tracks, and hamlets. Late 18th and 19th century farmsteads with straight roads to
northern Selattyn Hills, associated with enclosure of the landscape and 18th and 19th century by growth
of squatter settlements linked to quarrying industry to south of area. Norman castle formed focus for
growth of Oswestry as market centre.
Deposits of lead and copper (e.g. Llanymynech) being mined by Iron Age/Romano- British period.
Extensive quarrying of limestone in the southern Treflach hills, with very large quarries at Whitehaven
and Llanymynech Hill which began large-scale production in 18th century. Limestone was burned near
the quarries and moved along the Ellesmere Canal, opened in 1796 and replaced by a railway in the
1860s.
Extensive parks and designed landscapes, such as Brogyntyn, clustered to west and surrounding
Oswestry. Nearly half of the former extent of parkland has been lost (mainly to agriculture) since the
end of the First World War.
Traditional buildings mostly date from 18th and 19th centuries, in local limestone rubble (sometimes
whitewashed and occasionally rendered) with slate roofs. Many small houses associated with commonedge settlements near quarries.
2.
Agriculture
Long history of cattle farming on the hill farms, with extensive sheep grazing from late 18 th century.
More arable-based mixed agriculture to east.
Low survival of pre-1750 farmstead buildings. Linear farmsteads predominant in hill farming areas, more
dispersed plans with cartshed/granary ranges and cattle housing to other areas. Some 17th/18th century
combination barns.
3.
Fields and Boundary Patterns
Hedgerows to boundaries.
Predominant pattern of piecemeal enclosure to east, intermixed with reorganised fields created through
boundary removal. Small irregular enclosure, generally of medieval date, in valleys, with large-scale
planned enclosure to Selattyn Hills and other higher ground.
4.
Trees and Woodland
Substantially wooded in late 11th century.
Deciduous and mixed woodland is abundant along the steep valley sides. Also copses and natural
regeneration around disused quarries. In the north, a few conifer plantations.
5.
Semi-Natural Environments
earthworks.