Feature Assessment: Cultural landscapes / Villages associated with medieval strip fields
# Villages associated with medieval strip fields
Overall vulnerability |
# Feature(s) assessed:
- Villages associated with medieval strip fields from C10th Special qualities:
- Characteristic settlements with strong communities and traditions
##Feature description:
Villages associated with medieval strip fields tend to be found in the White Peak. This historic landscape is characterised by its repeated pattern of narrow strip fields - usually medieval open fields which have later been enclosed. These tend to surround villages made up of limestone buildings with traditional vernacular architecture and distinctive regional styles.
While some medieval strip fields have already been lost - some 'fossilised' strips (i.e. walled strips which preserve the layout of the open field) still remain, as many have been converted to pasture.
The types that are most visible and generally are surrounded by dry stone walls, although some are enclosed by hedgerows particularly on lower slopes. The fields often overlay surviving examples of ridge and furrow - an archaeological pattern created by a system of ploughing used during the Middle Ages.
This assessment focusses mainly on the impact of climate change on medieval strip fields, and therefore on associated villages. For an assessment of the effects of climate change on physical village infrastructure, see ‘Building materials’.
# How vulnerable are villages associated with medieval strip fields?
Villages associated with medieval strip fields in the PDNP have been rated ‘moderate’ on our vulnerability scale. This score is due to moderate sensitivity and exposure to climate change variables, a relatively stable current condition, and a moderate adaptive capacity.
To date the dominance of pasture and lower intensity livestock farming in the PDNP has been a factor in the preservation of this feature. Strip fields are vulnerable to farming intensification in response to climate change, especially a change from pasture to arable land use.
Overall potential impact rating | |
Overall adaptive capacity rating |
# Current condition:
Many medieval strip fields expressed as ridge and furrow are likely to have already been lost to the modern plough – but some fossilised strips remain. The dominance of pasture in the PDNP over arable farming has been an important factor in the preservation of these strips.
However, medieval strip fields (and therefore the villages which are associated with them) are vulnerable to farming intensification and it is assumed that at least some of these remains have been lost in more recent years due to changes in agriculture, although no evidence for this was able to be located for this assessment.
Examples of fossilised strip fields can be found in the villages of Wardlow, Chelmorton, Flagg and Monyash but also in Longnor, Tissington, Bradbourne, Edensor and Tideswell.
Most sites are not subject to any formal protection although there are some protection measures offered through Countryside Stewardship and the Environment Impact Assessment Regulations 2017 and the Hedgerows Regulations 1997.