Newcastle Valleys Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Long, smooth rolling ridges aligned NW-SE.
• Roads parallel to the linear river valleys.
• Diverse landscape pattern of medium-sized pastures with gorse hedgerows and broken stone walls.
• Stands of trees and shelter belts; woodlands along river corridors.
• Densely scattered housing, especially in valleys.
• Numerous archaeological sites

Landscape Description

The Newcastle Valleys is an area of rolling ridges of pasture which links the Mourne Foothills to the Tyrella Coastal Dunes. It includes the river courses of the Burren, Ballybannan and Moneycarragh Rivers as far as Dundrum Bay. This is a diverse landscape, with medium-sized pastures divided by broken stone walls and gorse hedgerows. Hedgerow trees and shelterbelts around farms add some tree cover and the mature linear woodlands along some parts of the river corridors provide a visual link to the more extensive wooded landscapes of the Tollymore Forest Park to the north.

Houses are scattered throughout the area; vernacular single storey white-finished cottages are prominent, although there has been a proliferation of the modern bungalows, especially on the low ground around Newcastle. Newcastle is sheltered by the looming silhouettes of Slieve Donard and Slievnacloy, which dwarf the surrounding landscape. The scattering of individual roadside houses in the vicinity of Newcastle tends to blur the edges between the larger settlement and the distinctive neighbouring villages of Maghera, Bryansford and Dundrum. The relatively dense road network has encouraged this pattern of piecemeal development. There are small conifer plantations and patches of linear woodland in the upper reaches of the valleys and numerous archaeological remains including raths, standing stones, chambered graves and souterrains.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The landscape is in fairly good condition, although broken stone walling and gappy hedgerows indicate some scope for improvement in management. The replacement of traditional styles of architecture with modern style bungalows of different shapes and sizes contributes to an overall degradation in landscape character. In particular, there is an ongoing decline in the distinctive character of settlements around the Newcastle area, due to nondescript urban sprawl along the network of narrow roads. The sensitivity of the landscape is highest along the ridges and skylines, where it is prominent in a predominantly rural area.. The valleys are less sensitive in visual terms but are valuable wildlife corridors. They may accommodate some forms of development if woodlands provide screening and help integration.. Much of the Newcastle Valleys fall within the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; areas which are overlooked in views from the Mournes are particularly sensitive to change.

Principles for Landscape Management

• The maintenance of stone walls and hedgerows will ensure a robust field pattern is retained. The striking contrast with the smooth open summits of the Mourne Mountains is part of the distinctive character of the area and merits conservation.
• The traditional stone gateposts and wide stone walls should be conserved as features within the landscape.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Built development, which is located within the valleys and avoids prominent ridge-lines, will be most easily accommodated.
• The siting of new built development in a concentrated form, around existing settlements, will avoid continuous urban sprawl along the roads.
• The conservation of the 'green tongues' of linear woodland along the river valleys would protect the setting of the villages and the integrity of the wider landscape pattern since the woodlands provide valuable links to the more extensive Forest Parks to the north.
• Traditional cottages should be conserved where possible to retain the character of the area. New buildings may use traditional architectural forms and features to integrate them into this rural area.