Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership: Themes

Careful management of water is key to the functioning of the landscape – getting water at the right time to or from

the right place is essential to get the balance right for farming, people and wildlife

Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership: Themes

The Ouse Washes landscape is not often recognised as a distinct landscape. Nevertheless there are countless

fascinating but largely unknown stories to tell showing the landscape’s distinctive history and development, its past

and present: unknown and invisible archaeology; fascinating history and historic structures; beautiful and

tranquil nature areas

Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership: Themes

Famous and infamous characters have helped shape the landscape and how it is perceived; folklore & traditions

abound

Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership: Themes

Although seemingly timeless, the landscape is nevertheless always ‘on the move’, with daily and

seasonal changes. Many waves of people migrations have all enriched the landscape’s heritage

Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership: Themes

By bringing people and organisations closer together, the past, present and future issues the landscape faced and faces will be better understood. There is ample scope to link past experiences with future strategies and activities. This is an essential step to provide satisfying solutions for all involved and a long-term legacy for the Ouse Washes

landscape, its heritage and communities

Ouse Washes Landscape Partnership: Themes

THEME KEY MESSAGE & FURTHER DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE SUBJECTS

1 WATER EVERYWHERE

Water defines the Ouse Washes landscape – its past, present and future.Careful management of water is key to the functioning of the landscape – getting water at the right time to or from the right place is essential to get the balance right for farming, people and wildlife.

Water management; land below sea level; Drainage on industrial scale; Engineering; Sluices; Embankments; Ditches; Flooding; Flood prevention; Water Flows; Climate change; Climate change adaptation; Water storage; Wetland archaeology; Palaeo-environmental evidence; Black Peat; Roddons; Internationally significant wetlands; Washland; Distinctive landscape; Balance between water and land; Wildlife; Wintering and Breeding bird populations; Swans; Water voles; Otters; Eels; Basketry; Willows; Fishing; Wildfowling; Grazing; Reed beds; Stories of storms and floods; Welney; Fen Ague

2 HIDDEN HERITAGE The heritage of the Ouse Washes landscape is largely unknown or ‘hidden’.The Ouse Washes landscape is not often recognised as a distinct landscape. Nevertheless there are countless fascinating but largely unknown stories to tell showing the landscape’s distinctive history and development, its past and present: unknown and invisible archaeology; fascinating history and historic structures; beautiful and tranquil nature areas.

Neolithic/Bronze Age landscape; Romans; Anglo-Saxons; Well-preserved wetland archaeology; Huguenots; Fen Adventurers; Prisoners of War working on drainage schemes; Man-made landscape (David Bellamy’s ‘Manscape’); Unusual linearity of the landscape; Flat Earth society – 19th century experiments; Hover train experiment; Colony Farm in Manea; Charles I’s plans for Charlemont; Churches in the landscape; Drainage Engineering structures; Earith Bulwark; Beauty in huge open skies and extensive vistas; Tranquillity; Serenity; Rare and precious Flora and Fauna; Access opportunities.

3 FEN FOLK & LEGENDS

The landscape is full of fascinating stories about real and imaginary people.Famous and infamous characters have helped shape the landscape and how it is perceived; folklore & traditions abound.

Image of distinct and tough Fen Folk; Strong identity and connection with the land; Vermuyden and Adventurers; Charles I; Etheldreda; Hereward the Wake; Oliver Cromwell; Ice Skating heroes; Literature on Fens and Fen people; Landscape Paintings; Folklore and oral traditions; Molly dancers; Plough Monday traditions; Fen Tigers, ‘Devils’ and Bog creatures; ‘Figures of the Fens’ branding.

4 MIGRATION STORIES

Movement and migration are key elements of the landscape - its past, present and future -, for people, wildlife and water.Although seemingly timeless, the landscape is nevertheless always ‘on the move’, with daily and seasonal changes. Many waves of people migrations have all enriched the landscape’s heritage.

Changing prehistoric settlement patterns related to dramatic landscape changes; Transgressions & regressions of sea influencing landscape; Historic mass population displacements following drainage schemes; Settlement of refugees (Huguenots) and Capitalists (Fen Adventurers); Modern immigration (Eastern Europeans; agriculture); Irish, Portuguese; Traveller Communities; Seasonal Bird migrations; Wildlife Changes; Climate Change Adaptations for people, farming and wildlife; Seasonal and daily changes in water levels and movement.

5 FUTURE HERITAGE The future of the landscape is uncertain, with increasing demands on its resources: water, land, public access, space for nature.By bringing people and organisations closer, the past, present and future issues facing the landscape will be understood better. There is ample scope to link past experiences with future strategies and activities. This is essential to provide satisfying solutions for all involved and a long-term legacy for the Ouse Washes landscape, its heritage and communities.

Rural; farming important in the landscape; Working landscape; Grade 1 classified land; Food production, Land-based activities; Grazing; Wildlife-friendly farming; Wildlife; Bird watching; Ecosystem services; Sustainability; Improving Public access; Walking; Cycling; Disabled access; Boating; Water links; Ice Skating; Tourism; Fishing; Marketing & Branding of landscape; Changes resulting from flood prevention measure; Climate change adaptations; Wildlife habitat creation and ‘offsetting’; Green Infrastructure Strategies; Fens for the Future Vision; the Great Ouse Wetland Vision; Fens Waterways Link Developments. HLF themes: Increasing Conservation; Increasing Community Participation; Increasing Understanding & Learning; Increasing Access & Enjoyment; Increasing Skills.