Newtonbutler and Rosslea Lowlands  Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Broad expanse of widely-spaced drumlins with occasional small loughs, bounded by rivers.
• Mixture of intensive grassland and rushy fields due to declining farming activity.
• Rivers in unmodified natural winding channels.
• Individual trees, parkland and tall unmanaged hedges give a well wooded character; small areas of semi-natural woodland on steeper drumlin slopes.
• Small scale traditional housing scattered throughout the area; new housing on roadsides.
• Scattering of raths and crannogs.

Landscape Description

This belt of lowland lies between the Finn and Lacky Rivers and the Carnock and Mullaghfad Hills. Lines of drumlins form undulating ridges which extend across the area from west to east, influencing the pattern of rivers, lines of communication and settlement.

The drumlins form low rounded hills or ridges rising above wet intervening hollows which often have small loughs. Open views in all directions are bounded by low drumlin hills but the River Finn to the south, has an extensive floodplain. North of the B36 the drumlins increase in height and are more tightly packed together with steep intervening valleys. The relatively wooded character of the thorn hedges gives the landscape a well vegetated appearance.

At the foot of the Carnrock Hills, there is a more pronounced valley and a chain of small loughs, with fringing reed beds, carr woodlands and wet meadows. Uninterrupted pastures, tall overgrown hedges, small farms and winding roads give this landscape a rural character. The scale of the farm and landscape pattern varies to reflect drainage and management. Small estates and fine houses are juxtaposed with the single storey farm houses scattered along the sides of drumlins. Most are reached by long tracks. Settlements include the plantation town of Newtownbutler and the village of Rosslea.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

Open views in all directions are bounded by low drumlin hills, giving a strong sense of enclosure and unity to the landscape, although there are some areas of declining farming activity.

The River Finn is claimed to be the finest lowland river in Northern Ireland and the Finn and the Lacky Rivers are amongst the select few rivers in the country which have unaltered courses. Loughs with fringing reed swamps, carr woodlands and wet meadows are attractive landscape features and important wildlife habitats. There is a nature reserve at Cornagague Wood and Lough and many of the isolated loughs are designated ASSIs.

There are some small estates, old houses (often with thatched roofs) and 19th century farm houses which are in fine condition.

Principles for Landscape Management

• The management of existing hedgerows and trees, using techniques of laying, pruning, coppicing, new planting and thinning to avoid the necessity for the replacement of traditional field boundaries with wire, would be beneficial.
• There is no significant forestry and the expansion of commercial plantations would be out of character here. However, there may be scope for small mixed woodlands which follow the grain of the land and are contained within existing bushy hedgerows.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• The patchwork of pastoral land uses of varying intensities would accommodate change within existing field boundaries as long as the special landscape features - the course of the old canal, the settings to loughs, rivers and riverside meadows, estates and historic buildings are respected.
• The existing farm size varies between small estates and small farms, with single-storey buildings scattered around the sides of drumlins. Nearer Rosslea small farms are grouped in loose clusters along the many lanes.
• New scattered or loose clusters of development located on the higher ground of drumlins would fit into the existing settlement pattern and may be accommodated within the robust framework drumlins and trees. There is much scope for the re-use of established sites (many of which have derelict buildings).