The Marshwood and Powerstock Vales form a natural region in southwest England reaching to the Dorset coastline.
The region is recognised as a National Character Area (No. 139) by Natural England, the UK Government's advisors on the natural environment. It covers an area of 15,945 hectares (61.56 sq mi) and lies entirely within the Dorset AONB. The boundary of the Marshwood and Powerstock Vales NCA runs along the coastline from just east of Charmouth to West Bay, cutting briefing inland towards Bridport before heading eastwards again to Chilcombe. It then runs broadly north-northeast, taking in Eggardon Hill, before reaching the A356 near Toller Porcorum. It then heads westwards towards Mapperton, Beaminster and Stoke Abbott before swinging in a wide arc to return to the coast via Pilsdon and Whitchurch Canonicorum.[1]
The heart of the region is the clay bowl of the Vale of Marshwood surrounded by Upper Greensand ridges and hills with a deeply incised network of valleys, in the east forming the Powerstock Hills - small, conical hills divided by deep valleys. To the north, a broad plateau overlooks the valley of the River Axe and separates the region from the Yeovil Scarplands. To the east are the chalk hills of the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase, and the coastal strip of the Weymouth Lowlands, and, to the west, the Greensand transitions into the Blackdowns. Lastly, to the south is Lyme Bay on the English Channel where the coastline is characterised by slumped, mobile cliffs, prominent headlands like Golden Cap, and hidden valleys.[1]
The major watercourses of the region are the River Brit and the River Char.[2]
^ abMarshwood and Powerstock Vales - Character Area 139 at www.naturalengland.org.uk. Accessed on 6 Apr 2013.
^NCA: 139 Marshwood & Powerstock Vales - Key Facts & Data at www.naturalengland.org.uk. Accessed on 6 Apr 2013.
and 27 Related for: Marshwood and Powerstock Vales information
Vale of Wardour and to the south, the MarshwoodandPowerstockValesand Dorset Downs. With a predominantly rural landscape, Yeovil and other urban areas...
Culm, Exmoor, the Vale of Taunton and Quantock Fringes, the Blackdowns, the Yeovil Scarplands and the MarshwoodandPowerstockVales. The Devon Redlands...
Scarplands to the east and the Marshwood and PowerstockVales to the southeast. Straddling the border of Somerset and Devon, the Blackdown Hills AONB covers...
Ryall and Morcombelake in the county of Dorset, England. It rises west of the South Dorset Downs, close to the Dorset coast, and overlooks the Marshwood Vale...
Poole Town Centre, Portesham, Portfield, Isle of Portland, Poundbury, Powerstock, Poxwell, Poyntington, Preston, Puddletown, Pulham, Puncknowle, Purewell...
Mapperton is a hamlet and civil parish in Dorset, England, 3 miles (4.8 km) south-east of Beaminster. Dorset County Council estimated that the population...
(also written Little Bredy, pronounced /ˈlɪtəlbrɪdi/) is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset, situated approximately 6.5...
Winterbourne Abbas is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated in a valley on the A35 road 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Dorchester...
School, Pimperne Portesham CE Primary School, Portesham Powerstock CE Primary School, Powerstock The Prince of Wales School, Poundbury Puddletown CE First...
Godmanstone (or Godmanston) is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of...
village and civil parish in north-west Dorset, England, on the border with Somerset. The village is 3 miles (5 km) south-east of Yeovil and 5 miles (8 km)...
Puddletown is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is situated by the River Piddle, from which it derives its name, about 4.5 miles (7 km)...
Cheselbourne (sometimes spelled Chesilborne or Cheselborne) is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Dorset Downs, 7 miles (11 km)...
Warmwell is a small village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated on the B3390 road about 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Dorchester...
West Stafford is a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Dorchester. In the 2011...
hamlet, and civil parish in Dorset, England, 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Weymouth. The village is 1 mile (1.6 km) from Upwey railway station and 28 miles...
Puncknowle ( /ˈpʌnəl/ PUN-əl) is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southwest England, situated on the southern slopes of the Bride...
the MarshwoodVale ward which elects 1 member to Dorset Council. "Golden Cap". National Trust. Retrieved 4 May 2014. "Area profile for MarshwoodVale -...
Marshwood: St Mary Melplash: Christ Church Monkton Wyld: St Andrew Mosterton: St Mary Netherbury: St Mary North Poorton: St Mary Magdalene Powerstock:...
hills are important historical, archaeological and nature conservation sites, as well as popular hiking and tourist destinations in the county of Dorset...
Owermoigne (/ˌoʊ.ərˈmɔɪn/ OH-ər-MOYN) is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated 6 miles (9.7 km) south-east...
the north end of the MarshwoodVale, approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) west of Beaminster. It is Dorset's second highest point and has panoramic views extending...