Devon Character Areas

View north from the South West Coast Path towards Cornborough Cliffs © North Devon Coast AONB - Photographer Andrew Wheatley.

Contextual description

This area encompasses a sweep of coastal land from Beckland Bay (near Exmansworthy) to Westward Ho! in Torridge district. To the north is the sea, and to the east (beyond the settlements of Westward Ho! and Appledore) is the Taw-Torridge Estuary DCA. To the south is a transition to the Torridge Valley (marked by a change in landform) and the Western Culm Plateau (marked by the change in dominant vegetation to Culm grassland and plantation) DCAs. To the west is a gradual transition to the Hartland Peninsula DCA. All of the coast and its hinterland is within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Hartland Heritage Coast.

Link to National Character Areas and Constituent Landscape Character Types

Constituent LCTs: 4D Coastal slopes and combes, 5B Coastal undulating Farmland and 4H Cliffs.

This DCA lies within The Culm National Character Area (NCA 149).

Summary character description

Deep combes cloaked in oak woodland wind inland from the wooded cliffs, with carpets of bluebells in spring. Streams rush down the valleys, and ferns thrive in the dark, damp conditions. The woodland paths, with their glimpsed views of the sea, have a sense of intimacy and tranquillity. Narrow lanes with high, fern-covered banks provide access to the sheltered combe villages of Buck's Mills and Clovelly, the latter with its picturesque harbour and whitewashed houses. On higher land behind and between the combes is a lush landscape with a rolling patchwork of fields, a peaceful settled feel, and views of the woodlands and the sea. There are open sea views across Bideford Bay towards the Taw-Torridge estuary, with Lundy a distinctive feature on the horizon.

Ornamental parkland at Clovelly Court.

Distinctive characteristics

• Underlying Culm Measures geology, with strata running east-west, parallel to the coast, giving the cliffs a tendency to landslips, and a distinctive rounded 'hog's back' profile.
• Coastal outcrop of Permian Sandstone between Portledge and Peppercombe, visible as a distinctive red patch on the cliffs.
• Striking coastal landforms including Blackchurch Rock, a truncated waterfall below Windbury Head, and the fossil cliff-line of Kipling Tors.
• A relatively sheltered bay, with gentler, more rounded coastal scenery than elsewhere along the coast.
• Southern and eastern areas dominated by agriculture on medium-quality soils, with rolling, irregularly shaped pastoral and arable fields extending to the cliff tops.
• Fields (including medieval strip-patterns around Woolfardisworthy) divided by hedgerows and banks with wind-sculpted hedgerow trees. Field boundaries are less frequent in the north-east around Abbotsham.
• Extensive coastal oak woodlands containing important lichens, ferns and ground flora within the sheltered combes, which are significant as part of Britain's 'temperate rain forest'. Bluebells carpet woodland floors in spring.
• Semi-natural habitats include the rocky foreshore, wooded and heathy cliffs, pockets of unimproved grassland and marshland (including Culm grassland), road verges and species-rich hedgerows and hedgebanks, including fern habitats.
• Impressive Iron Age defensive sites, including Clovelly Dykes and promontory forts at Peppercombe Castle, Buck's Mills and Windbury Head, just across the border into DCA 31.
• Historic coastal features, including quays, lime kilns and Clovelly harbour. Ornamental parkland inland contributes to the time depth of the landscape and provides rich wildlife habitat.
• Historic railway linking Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore through the Abbotsham cliff area, today forming part of the South West Coast Path out of Westward Ho!
• Coastal settlement of scattered farms and picturesque linear villages running down steep valleys to the sea. The nucleated villages of Woolfardisworthy and Parkham are found further inland. The towers of village churches form local landmarks.
• Sunken rural lanes with exceptionally high hedgebanks connecting villages, contrasting with the busy A39 which runs through the area.
• Attractive landscape with pleasing compositions of woodland, farmland and coastal scenery.
• An open seascape, featuring views of Lundy Island and across Bideford Bay to the Taw-Torridge Estuary.

The historic working fishing village of Clovelly, a Conservation Area.

Rolling pastoral and grassland fields, some of which are used for hay-making.

Special qualities and features

Exceptionally high scenic quality, with the coast and its hinterland part of North Devon Coast AONB and Hartland Heritage Coast.

Nationally and internationally important shoreline, cliffs, coastal heathland and coastal oak woodland habitats (Tintagel-Marsland-Clovelly Coast Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Hobby to Peppercombe SSSI).

A small part of the North Devon Biosphere Reserve buffer zone extends into the area around Cornborough.

County Wildlife Sites covering woodland, grassland and wetland sites along the coast and further inland.

Regionally Important Geological Sites found along the coast between Mouthmill and Clovelly and at the Portledge to Peppercombe Permian outlier.

Significant areas of extensive semi-natural ancient woodland in coastal combes.

Scheduled Monuments including well-preserved Iron Age sites at Clovelly Dykes and Buck's Mills (as well as Windbury Head which overlooks the coast from DCA 31), ancient well sites, and the 18th century Kenwith Castle.

Conservation Areas at Clovelly, Buck's Mills, Northam and Appledore, plus numerous listed buildings, including farmhouses, farm buildings, country houses and industrial structures such as limekilns.

Grade I listed churches at Clovelly, Woolfardisworthy, Parkham, Alwington, Littleham and Westward Ho!.

Designed ornamental and parkland landscapes at Clovelly Court, Portledge and Cornborough, with Clovelly Court supporting nationally significant numbers of ancient trees rich in lichen epiphytes.

Large areas of land in National Trust ownership, including the Brownsham Estate, coastal land at Portledge, and unimproved pastures and woodland in the Peppercombe Valley.

Strong literary associations, with Clovelly becoming a tourist destination following references to the village in Charles Dickens' A Message from the Sea (published 1860).

Westward Ho! (the only English town to be named after a book) built following the success of Charles Kingsley's book set in the area (published 1855).

Strong recreational appeal, including Clovelly Harbour and Buck's Mills 'honeypot' sites and a popular section of the South West Coast Path.

Localised sense of remoteness, seclusion and intimacy with dark night skies, particularly in the wooded combes.

Forces for change and their landscape implications

Past and current

• Post-war intensification of farming leading to field enlargement and a spread of intensive farmland backing the cliffs (fragmenting areas of unimproved and maritime grasslands).
• The amalgamation of farm units and construction of large farm buildings (often highly visible in the landscape) and localised loss of hedgerows, bringing a more open character to the landscape.
• Lack of hedgerow management, with sections replaced or gapped up with post-and-wire fencing and some old hedgebanks lying derelict.
• Cover crops for game (relating to the nearby estates, notably on the Portledge estate) introducing new geometric patterns and textures of land cover into the coastal landscape.
• 20th century planting of conifer plantations within the open landscape and a decline in levels of woodland management (e.g. coppicing) of the area's broadleaved woodlands.
• Past localised replanting of broadleaved combe woodlands with coniferous plantation, as well as coastal squeeze of traditional western oak woodlands, (especially from Bucks Mills to Portledge), changing the character of the valleys and reducing biodiversity.
• Spread of non-native species (e.g. rhododendron), including within internationally/nationally designated cliff-side woodlands.
• Positive examples of habitat restoration, including the reintroduction of grazing on Brownsham Meadows Culm grassland.
• Landslides and storm damage at Buck's Mills - particularly vulnerable due to its position on the 'Sticklepath fault'. Rising sea levels and increased frequency/severity of storm events combine with seaward earth movements.
• Increased popularity of the area as a place to live, resulting in greater demand for housing and increased congestion on roads.
• High levels of tourism and day visitors, reducing tranquility around honeypot sites in summer and creating parking problems and traffic jams on narrow lanes.
• Tourist attractions, including accommodation and recreational/ entertainment facilities such as adventure parks, a watersports centre and cafes (especially along the A39), detracting from rural qualities.
• Pressure for development of large hotels, and the expansion of permanent structures in holiday parks (e.g. the visually prominent Bideford Bay holiday village) and campsites.
• Farm diversification schemes such as campsites, farm shops/cafes and former agricultural buildings converted into accommodation.
• Introduction of commercial-scale solar farms in the landscape (e.g. at Walland Farm, near Bucks Cross). A small turbine at Greencliff Farm is also locally prominent.
• Built development (both residential and recreational) at Bideford, Westward Ho! and Northam intruding onto the skyline (and impacting on dark skies), in views from the North Devon Coast AONB.
• Urban fringe land uses, such as horse paddocks around Northam.
• Skylines in adjacent areas becoming more developed - Fullabrook Down Find Farm and the telecommunications mast on the ridge behind Westward Ho! (DCA 44) punctuate the skyline in views to the north.

Future

• Forthcoming changes to agricultural subsidies (including the new ELMs scheme, which will pay landowners for the delivery of public goods and services, including for the restoration of nature) potentially affecting farm viability and management of landscape features such as hedgerows, and habitats such as unimproved Culm grassland and heath.
• Impacts of climate change on valuable remaining areas of maritime grassland and sessile oak woodland, with potential for increased growth rates accelerating the spread of scrub and trees into the open coastal landscape.
• Loss of coastal grazing, especially where coast path is fenced off leading to loss of extensive coastal grasslands.
• Change in woodland/tree species composition as new pests/diseases spread (including Ash dieback and Phytopthora pathogens) and species intolerant of climatic extremes die back.
• Coastal erosion, more frequent storm conditions and sea level rise likely to see the 'squeeze' of intertidal and coastal habitats such as the characteristic rocky foreshore and pockets of sandy beach. This may also lead to the loss of important historic coastal features such as the lime kilns at Buck's Mills as well as vulnerable lengths of the South West Coast Path.
• The Shoreline Management Plan cites a fast rate of erosion around Abbotsham in particular. A largely undefended coast, the policy stance is to continue allowing the coast to evolve naturally along much of its length.
• Increasing popularity of UK-based holidays (accelerated following the Covid-19 pandemic), leading to the potential for higher visitor and access demands. This could lead to further development pressures, demand for facilities/infrastructure and increased traffic levels.
• The future designation of the England Coast Path.
• Expansion and coalescence of larger settlements in the north-east of the area (e.g. Northam, Appledore, Westward Ho!), with associated visual impacts on the wider landscape (including light pollution).
• Ongoing increase in renewable energy sources, including biomass crops, solar farms, offshore and onshore wind, wave and tidal developments, and domestic-scale renewables which potentially have a cumulative landscape impact.
• Proposed underground/undersea electricity cable, (likely to make landfall at Abbotsham Cliff) is the preferred choice for the trans-ocean Moroccan (Sahara) Renewable Electricity Generation Project.

Communication masts and telegraph wires can form prominent features on open skylines.

Varied levels of hedgerow management have resulted in some boundaries becoming degraded and being replaced with post and wire fencing.

Landscape guidelines

Protect

• Protect the open vistas and important sea views, avoiding the location of new development and vertical structures on prominent skylines.
• Protect the area's distinctive coastline and open seascapes, as well as the sense of seclusion within combes.
• Protect winding rural lanes, resisting unsympathetic signage and highways improvements (including lighting).
• Protect the landscape's high levels of tranquillity and dark night skies. Investigate opportunities to minimise light pollution from Northam, Appledore and Westward Ho! which spills into the wider landscape.
• Protect (and sensitively restore if necessary) heritage features such as mills, limekilns and quays, providing low-key interpretation where appropriate.
• Protect the dispersed settlement pattern of the area, encouraging the sensitive location of new development (including farm buildings and tourism facilities) away from open skylines.
• Protect the locally distinctive building styles of whitewash, cream cob/render and exposed local stone with red brick detailing.

Manage

• Protect and appropriately manage the landscape's archaeological heritage including prehistoric defensive sites at Godborough Castle, Clovelly Dykes and on the eastern slopes above Buck's Mills, as well as medieval defences and an 18th century castle at Kenwith. This should include livestock grazing at appropriate levels and managing recreation pressure.
• Manage the landscape's valued woodlands (including cliff woodlands designated as SAC/SSSI), controlling invasive species and moving towards a predominance of broadleaves over conifers to enhance their wildlife interest. New planting should consider species of greater resilience to a changing climate.
• Manage and enhance ancient coastal and combe woodlands through traditional techniques such as coppicing and low-level grazing.
• Manage semi-natural habitats such as coastal heathland, Culm, maritime grassland and less-improved valley pastures to retain a mosaic of vegetation types, and create buffer zones between cliff communities and improved agricultural land behind.
• Encourage farmers to continue to farm 'marginal' areas as an integral part of their farming system, and to protect these areas from alternative land uses.
• Manage and extend wet woodland and wet meadows through appropriate grazing and traditional land management, to enhance their wildlife value and capacity for flood prevention.
• Manage and protect the landscape's network of hedgebanks and characteristic wind-sculpted hedgerow trees, replanting ageing or diseased specimens (with climate hardy species of local provenance) to ensure the future survival of these characteristic features.
• Manage parkland and ornamental grounds through (for example) the planting of a new generation of specimen trees and extensive grassland management.

Plan

• Plan for changes to agriculture and farm diversification as a result of market pressures (including Brexit and increased demand for domestic food production) and the new Environmental Land Management Schemes. New crops may also become viable as a result of climate change and the potential landscape impacts of these should be considered (e.g. tall bioenergy crops could impact on iconic seascape views).
• Replace gappy sections of the hedge network and lengths of fencing to reinforce important field patterns. New hedge bank construction should reflect local variations (e.g. choice of species, height/width of bank and patterns of stone-facing).
• Plan for future restructuring of conifer plantations to mixed woodlands and areas of open habitat, retaining timber production to assure long-term sustainability.
• Link fragmented patches of semi-natural habitat within the farmed landscape, such as Culm grassland, unimproved species-rich grassland and scrub. Patches of maritime grassland, wet flushes and bracken along the coast should also be managed as part of a wider nature recovery network.

• The natural regeneration of woodland should be encouraged and new planting (using climate-hardy species and in line with Right Place, Right Tree principles) undertaken to link fragmented sites, including within combes and on steep coastal slopes. Avoid new planting which could obscure important coastal views.

• Plan for the impacts of a changing climate on the coastline, allowing natural processes to take place whilst considering how wildlife habitats, heritage assets and the South West Coast Path can be expanded or relocated to account for coastal squeeze. Involve local people in decision-making.
• Plan for habitat roll-back as coastal cliffs retreat, including through managing cliff-top land extensively to reduce nutrient levels.
• Develop a sustainable transport strategy to reduce tourist traffic on the landscape's road network.
• Plan for the expansion of nearby settlements (Westward Ho!, Northam, Appledore and Bideford), incorporating green infrastructure links to contribute to nature recovery networks and provide sustainable opportunities for travel, access and recreation.
• Avoid siting new residential development on prominent, open skylines.
• Ensure any new developments to meet ongoing tourism demand are well-sited and appropriately screened, incorporating sustainable design principles and reflecting local vernacular styles/materials where possible.
• Ensure that plans for future energy and telecommunications infrastructure consider landscape and visual effects, (including cumulative effects), are sited in appropriate locations, and their impacts mitigated through careful design and planting where appropriate.

DCA 3 Bideford Bay Coast (PDF, 1 MB)