Historic Landscape Characterisation - Early 21st Century

The Oxfordshire Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) Project commenced in October 2012, funded by Historic England and hosted by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC). Due to a change in key personnel, the Project was not brought to a close until July 2017. The Oxfordshire HLC is the final project to be completed (outside of London) within Historic England’s national programme and represents the comprehensive coverage of HLC data across England. The aims of the Oxfordshire HLC were: To characterise, digitally map and make available in a web-based format, the historic dimension of the current landscape of Oxfordshire, in order to inform its management, conservation, and understanding at a local, county, regional, and national level. The Oxfordshire HLC project, therefore, identified and recorded evidence of the processes which have shaped the character of the current landscape. To achieve this, polygons, units of land grouped by shared characteristics, were mapped across the whole of the county. For each spatially distinct polygon, data were recorded in an Access database. This included information on the dominant attributes common to the polygon, the Broad and HLC Types those attributes assigned the polygon to, the date of origin of the current landscape type, previous landscape types, associated monuments, and evidence sources used. This methodology was primarily desk-based, using maps and aerial photographs as the primary sources of evidence. A photographic survey was conducted in the field to enhance understanding of different HLC Types. All mapping was carried out within MapInfo, a GIS program, and the linked database was created within the HLC module of HBSMR, an Access database developed and managed by Exegesis. Accuracy of Content: The level of detail and the accuracy of the information held on each HLC type reflect the nature or content of the sources used to compile the record. Users of this data should consult the HER to clarify the level of reliability and/or precision that should be afforded to information derived from the HBSMR. The Site and its Content is provided for your general information only; we do not undertake that Content will always be accurate and complete. Therefore, if you propose to do, or refrain from doing, something in reliance upon Content you find on the Site, you must check the accuracy of the relevant Content by some other means.