Land Use

Despite being one of the Cornwall’s AONB’s smallest sections, this area is also incredibly complex. Small pockets of irregular medieval-derived fields, larger fields as a result of 20th century amalgamations of the old enclosures, 20th century WWII placements, ridge top trees and parkland of the Mount Edgcumbe Estate and patches of coastal heathland and scrub all contribute to the diverse pattern of land use.

Biodiversity & Geodiversity

Geologically, this is an area of significant interest, the beach at Cawsand is formed of rhyolite, the only surviving remains of the volcanic material that erupted above Cornwall’s intruded granites some 270 to 290 million years ago. In addition, the red sandstone further north is the only evidence in Cornwall of ensuing desert conditions. The rocks seen from the walk between Rame Head and Penlee Point are slate from a sequence known as the Dartmouth Group dating back to the Lower Devonian period and at 400 million years are some of the oldest rocks in Cornwall.

The variety of building materials reflect the varied local geology including rhyolite (a purple volcanic stone), distinctive red sandstone, and slates along with slate hanging, painted render and some brick.

There is support for habitat enhancement for farm birds and along coastal land. Dartmoor ponies graze the coastal rough ground to control scrub around Rame Head.

Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park occupies a significant proportion of this section of the AONB with many ornamental trees and shrubs incorporated into the more formal garden areas which were commenced circa.1750 and were predominately influenced by Italian, French and English garden designs. In contrast, the surrounding parkland provides a more open aspect as it runs down to the Cremyll ferry, which dates back to the 13th century as a means of ferrying passengers across the water to Plymouth.

The conical hill of Rame Head, with its medieval chapel on top, forms a prominent landmark with a widely visible and distinctive silhouette. From the exposed cliffs, the ridge top and Rame Head, the panoramic views take in the coast, the busy shipping lanes of the English Channel, the complex of estuarine features of the Tamar Valley and the urban expanse of the city of Plymouth with its cranes and naval shipyards seen across the broad waters of Plymouth Sound. The strategic position of Rame Head overlooking Plymouth sound is evidenced by the frequency of visible military fortifications in particular from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries such as at Maker Heights, Picklecombe and Penlee Point.

There can be no doubt that this area is steeped in history, much of it surrounding the Edgcumbe family seat. Rame Head was used as an Iron Age cliff castle. Archaeological finds of flint tools indicate that this area was occupied as far back as the Mesolithic period. Later Rame forts at Picklecombe, Penlee, Cawsand, Maker Heights and Edgcumbe built over hundreds of years form the western part of the most extensive and complete historic coastal defences in the UK. The 13th century church at Rame still contains a bellows operated organ.