Rolling, relatively elevated farmland landscape on the margins of the Antrim basalt plateau. The area is characterised by rounded hills and shallow slopes, although there are some gullies and the southern boundary of the landscape character area is marked by a steeper escarpment slope. Many slopes are divided by straight, narrow glens which form a ladder pattern in views from below. The plateau descends gently to the west, where there is a gradual transition to the claylands on the edge of Lough Neagh. The farmland landscape often has a relatively untidy character, with patches of gorse and scrub and a rather disconnected hedgerow network.
The shallow valleys often contain areas of marsh and many fields are partially infested with rushes. Gorse and holly are typical hedgerow species and often mark the transition to marginal farmland. There are typically small farms and small-holdings which are surrounded by paddocks and scattered barns, although there is a gradual transition to a landscape of larger fields, hedgerow trees and more prosperous farmsteads on the western margins of the plateau. Most farmsteads consist of small, white rendered buildings sited on the mid-slopes or local ridges and connected to roads by straight, right-angled tracks. There are numerous small houses along the roads, although the majority of traditional dwellings are derelict or replaced by modern bungalows, which generally have an abrupt relationship with the surrounding landscape. The older farmsteads are often focal points in the landscape, particularly where they are associated with lines and stands of mature trees. A network of straight roads follow the ridges and connect linear villages; most junctions are staggered cross-roads.
Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to ChangeSome parts of the landscape have many derelict buildings and patches of waste ground, while others have a prosperous character. The latter are usually on the lower slopes, where the farms are generally larger, while the condition of the farmland generally worsens towards the east where the plateau becomes increasingly more elevated and the soils are of poorer quality. There is evidence of hedgerow removal, which has resulted in unusually large fields and a disconnected field pattern.
The landscape is more sensitive in the more open, elevated parts of the plateau, and on the steeper slopes to the south, where small-scale landscape features, such as the deep wooded valley at Lagmore and the small valley by Duncan's Park, form part of the wider landscape setting for Lisburn. However, pressures of new built development on the fringes of linear villages have a detrimental effect on landscape character in many parts of the plateau.
Principles for Landscape Management