关于波特谷之友
想象
我们的愿景是保护、保护和恢复波特谷和梅菲尔德谷的生态、景观和文化遗产，让所有人都能享受并造福子孙后代。
山谷的地理和性质
波特布鲁克崛起 谢菲尔德上方的荒野，向东流 10 公里进入市中心。 它的 山谷形成一条通往山顶区开阔荒野的天然绿色走廊 国家公园和梯田房屋和 Hunters Bar 周围道路拥挤。 在下降过程中，波特下降了大约 340 米穿过不断变化的景观。它连接着陡峭的 Porter Clough 的切割和树木繁茂的山谷到更温和的农场景观 绿色的山坡上有传统的牧场和石头建筑。那么它 穿过我们早期工业遗产的考古遗迹 （堰、水池、水坝和水坝）以及更古老和 半天然林地。它下降到娱乐和观赏 Bingham 和 Endcliffe 的公园是为社会目的而创建的 19世纪。溪流随后进入 Ecclesall 路旁的地下涵洞，向东流经 General Cemetery 进入 谢菲尔德市中心在火车站下方与 Sheaf 河汇合。 “波特谷之友”成立于 1994 年，旨在保护和 增强波特谷的自然和历史特征 公益。
生态方面
大约5公里的 谷底及其支流 May Brook 的上游被指定为城市发展中的“自然历史兴趣区” 计划（UDP），因为山谷包含相当大的生态资本。在植物学上，这些群落由几块古老的橡树林组成，春天的花朵和秋天的菌类非常壮观。半天然灌木、河流和池塘 栖息地；含有稀有物种的潮湿山谷“冲刷”；一种从农村迅速消失的古老的花草丰富的草地和秋天因蜡帽毒菌而变得明亮的酸性草原。序列 在当地被称为“水坝”的水坝也对 山谷的生态虽然它们的修复状态很差 有几处漏水，全部淤塞。
水道支持 丰富的繁殖鸭、北斗鱼、翠鸟、苍鹭、小龙虾和 其他淡水无脊椎动物，而草地和树篱是 许多种类的蝴蝶和飞蛾。树木支持许多鸟类，包括 柳莺、糠秕等夏季游人，一年四季 熟悉的动物，例如两种啄木鸟、爬树者、五子雀、山雀和 corvids，包括 Forge Dam 的一个长期栖息地。哺乳动物包括 几种蝙蝠在水坝上显眼地掠过，狐狸， 水田鼠和几个獾社区。 通过适当地识别和管理在提供这种生物多样性方面发挥关键作用的山谷部分，我们希望确保波特山谷所有地区的用户将继续遇到令人难忘的范围 的野生动物。这包括远离谷底的区域，这些区域可以通过人行道和安静的车道网络进入。
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.“
