Rolling drumlin lowlands with deep hollows and linear valleys. Broken rocky topography to north of Irvinestown
Good quality grassland with tall hedges, prominent hilltop farms and scattered woodlands.
Dense cover of trees in hedges and small woodlands. Mature woods and parkland of estates. Birch and willow scrub on cut-over bogs.
Traditional siting and design in rural houses and farms. New development in and around farms.
Several small disused quarries on limestone rocks in the north.
Wide variety of archaeological sites.
Landscape DescriptionSurrounding the small towns of Ballinamallard and Irvinestown, is a broad area of lowland farmland. The shores of Lower Lough Erne lie to the west and to the east the lowland stretches as far as the foothills to the south of the Sperrins. The lowlands are underlain by beds of Old Red Sandstone.
To the north of Irvinestown, ice movement has exposed harder limestone crags and eroded small lough basins, for example at Parkhill and Maghera. The landform is broadly aligned along a NW-SE axis, with elongated drumlin ridges divided by narrow stream valleys. The main channel and numerous tributaries of the Ballinamallard River link the linear hollows in a complex drainage pattern and the river valley is a local landscape feature.
Most of the farmland is managed for silage and grazing. On higher ground, farms are smaller and fields are often infested with rushes. Throughout the area, field boundaries are marked by hedges; they are often thick and uncut, giving the countryside a well wooded appearance. In bogs and damp hollows, there are areas of scrub which contrast dramatically with the grassland. Within Necarne Estate, a derelict castle is enclosed by a designed parkland landscape, dominated by mature deciduous woodland.
he influence of the early 17th century Plantation settlement remains evident in the landscape today. Irvinestown is laid out formally around a square and there are several attractive large houses within small estates which are of historical interest. Many have imposing hilltop locations. In some areas, housing density is higher, buildings smaller and there is some dereliction.
Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to ChangeThe landscape condition is generally reasonable, with a strong landscape structure capable of accepting change. The combination of trees, hedgerows and landform provides enclosure. The existing land uses are already quite varied so further change would not seem too intrusive.
Landscape elements which are in poorer condition include cut-over bogs, gappy, bushy and overgrown hedgerows and small quarries. In general, it is the smaller farms which have a degraded character and there is evidence of abandoned plots and rush infestation. Ridge-tops and rounded summits are the most sensitive parts of this landscape as they form local skylines. The river corridors and their associated wetlands and loughs are also potentially vulnerable to the impact of landscape change.
Principles for Landscape Management