Sobre Amigos do Vale do Porter
Visão
Nossa visão é conservar, proteger e restaurar a ecologia, a paisagem e o patrimônio cultural dos Vales de Porter e Mayfield para o desfrute de todos e o benefício das gerações futuras.
A geografia e a natureza do vale
O Porter Brook sobe em os pântanos acima de Sheffield e flui 10 km para leste no coração da cidade. Seu vale forma um corredor verde natural que leva aos pântanos abertos do Peak District Parque Nacional e as habitações geminadas e estradas congestionadas ao redor de Hunters Bar. No curso de sua descida, o Porter cai cerca de 340 metros através de uma paisagem em constante mudança. Ele liga o abruptamente vale inciso e arborizado de Porter Clough para uma paisagem mais suave e cultivada de encostas verdes com pastagens tradicionais e construções de pedra. Isso então passa pelos vestígios arqueológicos do nosso antigo património industrial (represas, lagos de moinhos, canais de moinhos e barragens) e para mais antigos e matas semi-naturais. Desce para a área recreativa e ornamental parques em Bingham e Endcliffe que foram criados para fins sociais em o século 19. O córrego então entra em bueiros subterrâneos ao longo da Ecclesall Road e flui para o leste passando pelo Cemitério Geral em Sheffield City Center para se juntar ao rio Sheaf abaixo da estação ferroviária. O “Amigos do Vale do Porter” foi criado em 1994 para preservar e valorizar as características naturais e históricas do Porter Valley para benefício público.
Aspectos ecológicos
Cerca de 5 km da fundo do vale e o curso superior de seu afluente, o Riacho de Maio, foram designados “Áreas de Interesse de História Natural” no Desenvolvimento Urbano Plan (UDP) porque o vale contém um capital ecológico considerável. Botanicamente, essas comunidades compreendem vários blocos de bosques de carvalhos antigos com exibições espetaculares de flores da primavera e fungos do outono; matagal semi-natural, ribeirinha e lagoa habitats; 'flushes' úmidos à beira do vale contendo espécies raras; prados velhos ricos em flores de um tipo que estão desaparecendo rapidamente do campo e pastagens ácidas que no outono são brilhantes com cogumelos venenosos. A sequência de lagoas conhecidas localmente como “barragens” também contribui significativamente para a ecologia do vale, embora estejam em mau estado de conservação com vários vazando e todos ficando assoreados.
Os cursos de água suportam uma fauna abundante de patos reprodutores, mergulhões, maçaricos, garças, lagostins e outros invertebrados de água doce, enquanto os prados e as sebes albergam muitas espécies de borboletas e mariposas. As árvores sustentam muitos pássaros, incluindo visitantes de verão, como a toutinegra do salgueiro e o joio, e durante todo o ano familiares como dois tipos de pica-pau, trepadeiras, trepadeiras, chapins e corvids, incluindo uma colônia de longa data em Forge Dam. Os mamíferos incluem várias espécies de morcegos que sobrevoam as barragens, raposas, ratazanas de água e várias comunidades de texugos. Ao identificar e gerenciar adequadamente as partes do vale que desempenham um papel fundamental no fornecimento dessa biodiversidade, gostaríamos de garantir que os usuários de todos os trechos do Porter Valley continuem a encontrar uma gama memorável da vida selvagem. Isso inclui áreas distantes do fundo do vale que podem ser acessadas pela rede de trilhas e ruas tranquilas.
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