Shooting Landscapes: the creation, management and use of grouse moorland in Yorkshire, 1750-2000

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The context of the research: The heather moorlands of the UK are an iconic, rare and distinct form of semi-natural upland landscape that have evolved since the end of the last Ice Age. However, their current extent and form, including their flora and fauna, are largely derived from their role as grouse moors within extensive shooting estates that became dominant in the nineteenth century. Today 90% of grouse moors fall within a National Park, AONB or carry some form of conservation designation: 66% of grouse moors are protected as SSSI. Much of the research directed at moorlands is concerned with the conservation and management of the ecosystems and habitats, particularly since the acidic peat soils have been shown to play an important role as carbon sinks. The landscape management and wildlife conservation issues affecting these upland landscapes are considerable and have been exacerbated by recent climatic changes. Moorlands are also a major element in the recent development of open access schemes. As such, moorland conservation is a key area of landscape management in the UK.Little research has been conducted into the recent history and archaeology of moorlands as cultural landscapes. A number of surveys recording prehistoric archaeology and the remains of industrial exploitation have been undertaken, but our understanding of moorlands as exclusive game landscapes is extremely limited. Initial studies have indicated the importance of the archaeology and landscapes associated with moorland shooting estates (Done and Muir 2001) but this has not been extended into a landscape analysis. This project is the first systematic attempt to record, interpret and present the archaeology of the modern moors, focusing on their management and use as landscapes for the elite pursuit of shooting. It will record the archaeology associated with shooting estates, such as butts, lodges, huts, stables, walls, boundary markers, as well as the impact their management for game had on landscape character. It will explore the social and economic dynamics of transition to and from exclusive shooting estates. As such it will make a major contribution to understanding about a crucial phase in the evolution of the heather moorlands, which in turn will inform current managment strategies and increase public awareness of the landscape resource. Aims and objectives:The project aims to understand and contextualise the archaeology associated with the exploitation of heather moorland as a habitat for game in the modern period and to assess its archaeological and environmental legacy to inform future interpretation and management. The project will record archaeological features associated with shooting estates; it will use, inter alia, historic maps, estate archives, game records, and environmental data to ascertain the impact of shooting estates upon the historic landscape character of the moors, including their historical ecology, since the beginning of the nineteenth century. It will also explore the impact of the estates and their decline on local communities and their economies. Potential applications and benefits: The research will: 1)be used by the AONB when putting together Higher Level Stewardship Schemes, to inform future strategies relating to the management of these unique landscapes.2)create a comprehensive record and mapping of related archaeological features to enable an assessment of the archaeological resource, informing management decisions. 3)be used to inform the development of an education and interpretation application to HLF, based on community involvement in conservation. 4)inform the management plan.5)be used to raise public awareness of historic landscape character and significance through public lectures, guided walks, web-resources, and leaflets on the archaeology of shooting estates. Done & Mui