01 – Hartland Marsland to Menachurch Point

01 – Hartland Marsland to Menachurch Point

The key landscape characteristic of this section is a high coastal plateau of carboniferous sandstones and slates known as the Culm Measures. The cliffs are sheer; reaching 140m in some places and are intensely folded and faulted. The sea has sculpted a striking wave-cut platform, which at low tide reveals a rock stratum of folded and faulted ridges. These shores are punctuated occasionally by sandy coves and beaches at the mouths of stream valleys, notably at the aptly named Sandymouth.

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Welcome to Section 01

Section Statistics

Area (ha)
2,601
% of total AONB area
2.7%

This small section of the AONB runs southwards from the Devon border to just above Bude. It shares a boundary with the North Devon AONB at its eastern boundary and more or less follows the A39 trunk road (Atlantic Highway) to Menapoint Church.

Download this section from the management plan

01 Hartland Marsland to Menachurch Point

  • Character areas

    CA37: Western Culm Plateau
    CA38: Bude Basin

  • Areas covering the coast

    MCA 44: Hartland Point to Port Isaac Bay

Special Qualities of Hartland (Marsland to Menachurch Point)

The Key Landscape Characteristic of this section of the AONB is a high coastal plateau of carboniferous sandstones and slates known as the Culm Measures. The cliffs are sheer; reaching 140m in some places and are intensely folded and faulted. The sea has sculpted a striking wave-cut platform, which at low tide reveals a rock stratum of folded and faulted ridges. These shores are punctuated occasionally by sandy coves and beaches at the mouths of stream valleys, notably at the aptly named Sandymouth.

Kilkhampton Castle
Kilkhampton Castle

The land rises gently to a ridge of 200m and is dissected by numerous streams which form deeply incised valleys containing streams that cascade as small waterfalls onto the rocky, narrow, boulder strewn shoreline below.

Coastal heathland and grassland mosaics fringe the cliff tops, particularly in the north, whilst the steep valley sides are colonised with broadleaved woodland, some ancient, as found in the Coombe and Marsland Valleys.

Views along the coastline are breathtaking and extensive. The dramatic coastal cliffs and unusual rock formations, together with its ancient history, provides an interesting and unique landscape.

Small hamlets and isolated farm holdings make up this sparsely populated section

of the Cornwall AONB and the lack of populace further emphasises its remoteness. Local slate and sandstone, together with cob and thatch, are characteristic of the homes in this area. Originally these were lime washed or slate-hung but are now more commonly rendered.

On a clear day Lundy Island can be seen out to the northwest. Further south, the coastal plateau decreases to a much lower cliff line with views southward towards Bude and the visually intrusive GCHQ at Morwenstow.

Land Use

This is a pastoral landscape with the field pattern revealing ancient enclosures, although many of the hedges have now been removed to provide access for farm machinery. The Section features large areas of land for arable crops and further inland there is a significant amount of dairy farming.

Key species of interest for this section

  • Peregrine
  • Atlantic woodlands
  • Chough
  • Rare lichens
  • Bryophyte

Biodiversity & Geodiversity

The key habitat types in this Section include culm grassland, maritime cliff and slope, lowland heathland, species-rich grasslands, heath in coastal valleys and native broadleaved woodland.

The Culm grassland found on the unimproved wet pasturelands of the inland plateau has an acidic quality producing a unique flora, which is nationally rare.

Significant Landowners

The National Trust manages land specifically around the coastline at Morwenstow and from Duckpool to Sandymouth.

Kilkhampton Castle
Kilkhampton Castle

Culture and Heritage

At Morwenstow, the Norman Church is built into the valley side with its tower on the seaward side. Its vicarage, notable for its many chimneys of differing styles, was once home to the late Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker who wrote Trelawney – The Song of the Western Men.

A little way north from the vicarage, on a steep sided coastal cliff, sits Hawker’s Hut, owned by the National Trust where the Reverend Hawker used to compose his sermons and poetry.

A Romano-British fort and medieval port for Kilkhampton was discovered on the beach at Duckpool in the 1980s.

Partnerships and Neighbourhood Plan

  • Support joint working with the North Devon AONB Partnership on the actions for the Hartland Peninsula
  • Kilkhampton have a Parish Plan

Other Designations

Much of the coastline in the Hartland section of the Cornwall AONB is included in the ‘Steeple Point to Marsland’ SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and SAC (Special Area of Conservation). The sea off Hartland Point to Tintagel is designated as a Marine Conservation Zone.

Chris Bull - Marsland
Chris Bull – Marsland

Key species of interest for this section are Peregrine, Atlantic woodlands, Chough, Rare lichens,

Landscape Condition

The Council for the Protection of Rural England’s tranquillity, intrusion and night blight mapping shows Hartland to be the most ‘undisturbed’ section of the Cornwall AONB

The Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (ERCCIS) report that few areas of culm grassland now remain in north Cornwall.

Bracken encroachment affects coastal marginal land especially within the coastal valleys leading to loss of biodiversity and changes in landscape character.

Sycamore has become established in broadleaved woodlands.

The large structures of GCHQ Bude at Morwenstow are visually intrusive.

Coastal erosion poses a significant risk to heritage features and coastal communities, potentially resulting in them being lost.

Dutch elm disease has had a significant impact on hedgerow elm in this area affecting habitat connectivity and landscape character.

The Cornish Hedge

The earliest Cornish Hedges are understood to be over 4,000 years old,making them one of the oldest human-made structures still used for their original purpose. They are as old as the Egyptian pyramids. They are neither a hedgerow or a dry stone wall, they are uniquely different and only found in Cornwall.

Cornish Hedges

In This Section

Scheduled Monuments in Section 01

The Monumental Improvement project will ensure that 38 Scheduled Monuments in the Cornwall National Landscape will be better identified, supported and enjoyed by a wide range of communities and visitors.

Project Page

Kilkhampton Castle

Perched high on a hill, Kilkhampton Castle (also known as Penstowe Castle) has watched over the land since its construction during the turbulent 1100’s.

Monument Themes

Caring for our History Defence and Attack How People Lived

Monument Types

Fortification

Monument Period

Medieval
Find out more
Kilkhampton Castle

Case Studies

Projects in Section – 01

Farming in Protected Landscapes

Farming in Protected Landscapes

Project Description

Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) is a programme providing grant-funding for Farmers and Landowners designed to deliver for People, Place, Nature and Climate. The programme is funded by Defra and delivered by Cornwall National Landscape.

Project Aim

FiPL is helping to address the climate and biodiversity crisis, improve people’s engagement with the landscape, and support sustainable farm businesses and communities.

More details

The Heart of Natural Beauty - Landscape Connections

The Heart of Natural Beauty – Landscape Connections

Project Description

Our aim is to strengthen the living connections between people, place, nature and climate so that Cornwall’s landscapes can thrive for generations to come.

Project Aim

To connect people, place, nature, and climate through digital innovation, amplifying voices and protecting Cornwall’s natural and cultural heritage.

More details

Policies & Objectives

The policies and objectives below are applicable to this Local Section – they should, however, be read in conjunction with the Cornwall AONB Strategy Aims, Policies and Objectives which are applicable to the whole designation.

Policies

Objectives