Exploring:

Key Historic Themes: An Introduction

Fields in the AONB The Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB has a unique history of historic development. This legacy has affected the character of the landscape seen today.

There is a vast evidence base detailling this historical development including primary records including maps and documents, and secondary sources including databases of archaeological sites and secondary mapping of features. It is often sometimes desirable to have an easily accessible synthesis of this wealth of information organised by topics or themes, such as 'Routeways' or 'Prehistory'.

These theme statement allow:

  • a broad assessment of a particular feature in the landscape such as 'woodland'.
  • a broad assessment of evidence relating to a particular time period.
  • a broad assesmment of the numbers, types and condition of surviving archaeological, or built features relating to the theme including 'living' features in the landscape
  • statements to be created that people can more easily engage with
  • the creation of Historic Environment Action Plans

This section allows you tothe explore historic themes which are crucial to our understanding of the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs.