Om Friends of the Porter Valley
Vision
Vores vision er at bevare, beskytte og genoprette økologien, landskabet og kulturarven i Porter- og Mayfield-dalene til glæde for alle og til gavn for fremtidige generationer.
Dalens geografi og natur
Porter Brook rejser sig heden over Sheffield og flyder 10 km mod øst ind i hjertet af byen. Dens dalen danner en naturlig grøn korridor, der fører til de åbne hede i Peak District Nationalpark og rækkehusene og overbelastede veje omkring Hunters Bar. I løbet af sin nedstigning falder Porteren omkring 340 meter gennem et landskab i konstant forandring. Det forbinder det stejle indhugget og skovklædt dal Porter Clough til et blidere, opdrættet landskab af grønne bjergskråninger med traditionelle græsgange og stenbygninger. Det så passerer gennem de arkæologiske rester af vores tidlige industrielle arv (vejr, mølledamme, mølleracer og dæmninger) og videre til mere ældgamle og semi-naturlige skove. Det går ned i det rekreative og dekorative parkområder ved Bingham og Endcliffe, der blev skabt til sociale formål i det 19. århundrede. Vandløbet går derefter ind i underjordiske stikledninger langs Ecclesall Road og løber østpå forbi General Cemetery ind i Sheffield City Center for at slutte sig til floden Sheaf nedenfor under banegården. "Friends of the Porter Valley" blev oprettet i 1994 for at bevare og forbedre de naturlige og historiske karakteristika af Porter Valley for offentlig gavn.
Økologiske aspekter
Omkring 5 km af dalbunden og den øvre del af dens biflod, May Brook, blev udpeget som "Areas of Natural History Interest" i byudviklingen Plan (UDP), fordi dalen rummer betydelig økologisk kapital. Botanisk set omfatter disse samfund adskillige blokke af gammel egeskove med spektakulære udstillinger af forårsblomster og efterårssvampe; semi-naturlig krat, flod og dam levesteder; våde valleyside 'flushes' indeholdende sjældne arter; gamle blomsterrige enge af en type, der hurtigt forsvinder fra landskabet og sure overdrev, der om efteråret er lyse med vokshatte-tudsehatte. Rækkefølgen af mølledamme lokalt kendt som "dæmninger" bidrager også væsentligt til økologi i dalen selv om de er i en dårlig stand af reparation med flere utætte og alle bliver tilslammet.
Vandløbene understøtter en rigelig fauna af ynglende ænder, dyppe, isfugle, hejrer, krebs og andre hvirvelløse ferskvandsdyr, mens engene og levende hegn er hjemsted for mange arter af sommerfugle og møl. Træerne understøtter mange fugle, bl.a sommergæster som pilesanger og chiff-avner, og hele året rundt familiars såsom to typer spætter, trækrybninger, nødder, mejser og korvider, herunder et mangeårigt røghus ved Forge Dam. Pattedyr omfatter flere arter af flagermus, der er iøjnefaldende, der flagrer over dæmningerne, ræve, vandmuslinger og flere grævlingesamfund. Ved at identificere og styre de dele af dalen, der spiller en nøglerolle i at levere denne biodiversitet, vil vi gerne sikre, at brugere af alle strækninger af Porter Valley fortsat vil støde på en mindeværdig rækkevidde. af dyrelivet. Dette omfatter områder væk fra dalbunden, som kan tilgås via netværket af gangstier og stille baner.
Amenity and recreational value
Urban parks were created throughout Britain in the 19th century as a response to the often appalling urban environment brought about by industrialisation and rapid population growth. They are still a vital amenity in our 21st century lives. The whole Porter Valley, except for Endcliffe Park, lies entirely within the Green Belt. It also forms a significant part of the Sheffield Round Walk and a Strategic Cycle Route out to the Peak District. Because the valley provides a direct link between the city and the countryside it is used extensively by people from all over the city and beyond. Its accessibility and unique atmosphere appeal particularly to the communities along its flanks, to Sheffield schools, ramblers, cyclists, and nature lovers. There are several frequently used access points from the roads and footpaths that border on, or run across, the Porter. Half a million people may use the Valley every year; and over 30% come from parts of Sheffield other than the nearby relatively affluent wards of Broomhill, Hallam, and Ecclesall.
Archaeological Aspects
Man has inhabited this Valley since Palaeolithic times but the most obvious evidence of human impact is the sequence of dams. In the 18th century the Porter Brook was one of Sheffield’s intensively used industrial streams and drove 20 mills mostly for the manufacture of cutlery, hand tools and other metal products. All but 6 of the original 20 millponds have disappeared over the years as their original industrial use declined and the valley became a focus for leisure. What remains is an attractive linear amenity and wildlife habitat studded with features of exceptional historic interest.
The dams provide a compelling thread of interest to the linear valley walk. Unusual features are that the mills were constructed for the metal (e.g. cutlery) trades and not preceded by corn mills. Forge Dam impounds the full flow of the stream, whereas all other dams use the by-pass system. Wire Mill once had the largest diameter wheel in Sheffield. Many of the remaining monuments and buildings in the valley have listed Grade II status and Shepherd Wheel, a water-powered grinding hull and dam, is a scheduled Ancient Monument. A conservation area encompasses Fulwood Chapel, Forge Dam and Wire Mill Dam.
The UDC map also shows an “Area of Special Character” on the northern slopes of the valley from Harrison Lane down into the brook bottom. In 2001 Endcliffe Park was included in the South Yorkshire county volume of English Heritage’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest as a grade II site. The whole Valley was given grade II listing by English Heritage in 2002 in recognition of its unique mosaic of features.
It is a landscape that has appealed to English Heritage’s interest in “the engine room” of our 18th and 19th century heritage. Neil Cossons, a former President of English Heritage, recognised the importance of the national heritage of waterways, mills, and workers’ cottages. The Porter Valley retains examples of this heritage.
The Porter Valley is also recognised as linear parkland of particular and historic interest. Patrick Abercrombie’s 1924 civic survey for Sheffield City Council describes the Porter Valley as follows “The Porter Brook Parkway, consisting as it does of a string of contiguous open spaces, is the finest example to be found in this country of a radial park strip, an elongated open space, leading from a built–up part of the city direct into the country, the land occupied being a river valley and so for the greater part unsuitable for building. As compared with the finite quality of an ornamental park of more or less square shape, there is a feeling of movement in a continuous park strip …….the human being ….is lead onwards until the open countryside is reached.“
Trustees
FoPV is run by volunteer trustees who give their time and efforts to the above.
To find out who does what, see our meet the trustees page