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 What
is the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty?
The Forest of Bowland AONB is a nationally protected landscape and is
internationally important for its heather moorland, blanket bog and rare
birds. The AONB is managed by a partnership of landowners, farmers,
voluntary organisations, wildlife groups, recreation groups, local
councils and government agencies, who work to protect, conserve and
enhance the natural and cultural heritage of this special area.
For more information about the Forest of Bowland AONB, visit the website
at www.forestofbowland.com
A Landscape Rich in Heritage
Some examples of local history:
·
Bronze Age settlers cleared trees from the fells and began
cultivating the land. They left little material evidence of their
presence, but the fells have remained largely clear of trees ever since.
·
Other prehistoric remains in the area include a cairn on Parlick
Pike and Bleasdale Circle.
·
The Romans left behind two key routeways through Bowland,
the north-south Ribchester to Carlisle road, and a lesser eastwest
route, which is evident north of Downham.
·
The Norse settlers left their impact in our language as well as
the landscape – for example the word ‘Bu’ (in ‘Bolland’ or Bowland) is
old Norse for cattle, and ‘Pen’ in Pendle means hill.
·
‘Tolfin’ was a Norseman who founded what is now called
Dolphinholme (‘holme’ is an area of flat land).
It was the medieval period that perhaps
had the greatest impact on the Bowland landscape. During this time the
Royal hunting forests were established - the title ‘forest’ refers to
hunting rights, and not to a large expanse of woodland, as we interpret
it today. The King used his rights to prevent landowners from clearing
and cultivating the land, restricting development and prohibiting
change. This controlling influence continued after the Forest laws were
revoked in 1507, as deer parks and smaller estates replaced the hunting
forests.
There were five main forests – the Royal Forest of Bowland; and three
others belonging to the earldom of Lancaster at Bleasdale, Quernmore,
Wyresdale and Pendle. Hunting in these areas was traditionally for deer
and wild boar, together with rabbits, foxes, hares, pheasants and
partridges.
Managing the land for game hunting, primarily grouse shooting, has
remained a predominant influence on the landscape, and several large
private landowners remain today - such as the Duchy of Lancaster, the
Duke of Westminster and Lord Clitheroe. The private estates were
responsible for building the distinctive villages at places such as
Slaidburn, Downham and Abbeystead. The current, largest single landowner
is United Utilities, which manages a large area of the fells primarily
for water catchment.
Other notable heritage features in Bowland include:
·
Medieval vaccaries (a type of cattle farm) at Sabden and Marshaw;
the motte and bailey castles in the Lune valley, and the monastery at
Sawley.
·
Grand halls, parks and houses at Browsholme, Leagram and
Quernmore.
·
Sixteenth to eighteenth century stone buildings with their
distinctive stone mullions, lintels and datestones can be seen in many
villages - a fine example is at Stephen Park in Gisburn Forest.
·
Dry stone walls and outbarns – the irregular field patterns are
oldest (pre 1600AD), while the more regular patterns date from the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
·
Disused quarries and lead mines.
·
Lime kilns (used to make mortar as well as lime to fertilise the
fields).
·
Nineteenth century cotton
and paper mills at Oakenclough and Caton.
What is happening with sustainable
tourism locally?
In 2005 the Forest of Bowland AONB became the first protected area in
England to be awarded the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in
Protected Areas, joining just 30 other protected areas across Europe.
The Charter is awarded to protected areas that are delivering tourism
that is both nature and landscape friendly and which contributes to the
economic development of the region. The Charter approach ensures that
organisations, local people and businesses are working together to
protect the area, whilst at the same time increasing opportunities for
visitors to discover and enjoy its special qualities.
A Place to Enjoy and Keep Special
The AONB also aims to encourage enjoyment of the area, but only
where this is consistent with its primary purposes. It is for this
reason that we are promoting sustainable tourism within the Forest of
Bowland: tourism which is dependent upon the area’s environment, and
which seeks to conserve and enhance that environment, not detract from
it.
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