Outline Methodology
The underlying rationale adopted for mapping Hampshire's historic landscape characteristics was as follows:
- The assessment should characterise the present day countryside
- The whole county should be mapped seamlessly
- Historic landscape types should reflect the range of human interaction with the environment
- Historic landscape types should be sufficiently distinct geographically to be mappable
- Historic landscape types should include distinctions which reflect change through time
- Relict patterns of land use (e.g. redundant defence sites) should be mapped as such only where they have clearly affected visible landscape character
- Characteristics derived only from historical or archaeological evidence (e.g. Parliamentary Enclosure or soil marks of Roman fields) have not been mapped
Over 80 Historic Landscape Types were identified and have been digitally mapped for use within Hampshire County Council's GIS system. This allows the user to view multiple combinations of historic characteristics, and to analyse the distribution and location of historic landscape characteristics in relation to other datasets within the GIS system, including archaeology, ecology, Historic Parks and Gardens, landscape character, and geographical and administrative areas, including districts and parishes. The Detailed Methodology page gives further details of the assessment methods, and the outline Historic Landscape Types listing provides basic information about the categories used to map Hampshire's historic landscape character, which can again be followed up in more detail. A brief outline of the county's historic landscape characteristics is to be found at Hampshire's Historic Landscape Character which provides links to statistical information derived from the GIS.
There are many potentially fruitful areas for future work on the historical
and archaeological character of Hampshire. See the User
Opportunities page for further suggestions.
Historic Landscape Homepage 
Hantsweb Homepage