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Historic Landscape
Characterisation (HLC) in Ireland:
Policy and Best Practice Guidance
SUMMARY DOCUMENT

Historic Landscape Characterisation in Ireland:
Policy and Best Practice Guidance
WHAT IS HLC?....................................................................................................................................... 1
BENEFITS OF HISTORIC LANDSCAPE AND SEASCAPE CHARACTERISATION........................... 1
THE HLC PROCESS .............................................................................................................................. 2
STAGE A DEFINING THE OVERALL RATIONALE OF THE STUDY ................................................ 4
STAGE B MAPPING AND DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................... 6
STAGE C ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS......................................................................................... 8
STAGE D MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................... 10
GENERAL ISSUES: DATA MANAGEMENT, ACCESS AND PRESENTATION................................ 11
GENERIC HISTORIC CHARACTER TYPES (HCTS).......................................................................... 14
FURTHER READING:........................................................................................................................... 15

Historic Landscape Characterisation in Ireland:
Policy and Best Practice Guidance
What is HLC?
Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) is concerned with identifying the contribution of
the past to the present day landscape.
All areas have some element of historic character, which contributes to their distinctiveness
and people’s sense of place even where such character reflects major modern change.
HLC is not particularly concerned with sites or monuments, although these can make an
important contribution to character, just as their landscape setting is an important aspect of
their historic interest.
HLC creates a seamless mosaic of historic character of the present day landscape. It begins
with identification and description of character followed by assessments of value, sensitivity,
significance and pressures. The first stage usually involves identification of generic types of
landscape which recur in different areas. These may combine together to create individual
character areas, which are specific to the locality.
A further stage of the HLC process will often involve making recommendations about how
respect for the historic character of places can be built into strategies and decisions about
future development or landuse, or enhancing public understanding.
Benefits of Historic Landscape and Seascape Characterisation
Implementation of the European Landscape Convention at a local, regional and national level as a
key plank of general landscape character Assessment (LCA) at regional county or local level
HLC can form a robust basis for covering heritage issues in drafting of Regional County and Local
Development Plans and guidance and their associated Strategic Environmental Assessments
Consideration of suitable locations for large-scale infrastructure projects including roads, bridges
and wind farms, etc;
Providing a robust basis for assessing interactions of heritage, wildlife and landscape factors in
EIAs of major developments or programme of landuse improvement.
Regeneration of small towns and villages in association with the preparation of Village Design
Statements
Targeting of landscape management initiatives, REPS agri-environment schemes, rural
regeneration, farm diversification and woodland expansion,;
Assisting development of design guidelines for a wide range of developments from expansion of
settlements and one-off rural housing to windfarms and other major infrastructure
Input to Heritage Strategies, Local Action Plans and Tourism strategies
Input to wider environmental initiatives like Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Agenda 21;
Inform the management of National Heritage Sites, Architectural Conservation Areas, Designed
Landscapes etc
Improving public awareness, appreciation and understanding of historic landscape as a key part of
people’s sense of place and identity.
Providing a valuable tool for further research into heritage at local, regional and national level.

The HLC Process
Purpose of the Guidance
This guidance is not prescriptive because historic characterisation can be undertaken at
widely different scales and for many different purposes and applications.
While not intended to impose a uniform approach, the guidance does nevertheless seek to
establish some common principles and standards of historic characterisation that should
ensure achievement of three important goals for any project:
HLC is fit for purpose – both primary uses for which it was designed and what
secondary uses or applications are also possible
There is sufficient consistency of approach across different scales of
assessment to provide a relatively seamless broad brush characterisation of
large areas from separate studies
Studies of large areas allow more detailed analysis and refinement at a more
local level.
Structure and Presentation of the Guidance
The structure of the guidance reflects the expectation that it will be used to develop and
execute specific projects, but these may differ significantly in purpose, and scale and in the
type of environment being characterised.
HLC is seen as a multi-stage process as illustrated in the Flow Chart on the page 3. There
are four key Stages, together with a series of General Issues, which apply throughout the
HLC process.
While in many cases HLC studies will seek to complete all the stages of assessment, it is
also recognised that some may be taken through only the initial stages, while others might
pick up at a later stage when the baseline characterisation is complete, or when implications
have been assessed. The Guidance sets out the issues that need to be considered under
each of these broad topics.
A more detailed guidance document is also available in a separate document. Details of
where to find this and selected other relevant documentation are given on page 15.
135 o Panorama from Tulla churchyard, Co Clare showing a variety of historic landscape
characteristics and recent changes within the setting of the ancient hilltop ecclesiastical centre
2

Stage A Defining the Overall Rationale of the Study
Stage A ensures that there is clarity from the outset about the intended purpose of the HLC
study, its relationship to other studies and to relevant Plans and Guidelines. This enables the
most appropriate geographical area and scale to be selected, and will ensure that the detailed
methodology to be followed will meet user requirements.
While some HLC studies will seek to complete all stages of assessment and analysis, others
may only cover the initial steps leaving the more analytical assessment to be completed at a
later stage. For example it may often be appropriate to take an initial specialist study to the
end of baseline characterisation in Stage B, leaving subsequent analysis and
recommendations to be part of other initiatives (eg broader landscape character assessment,
preparing design guidelines, development plan zoning, or Environmental Assessment).
HLC can serve many uses, including some which will be subsidiary to the main purpose of a
study. Understanding these uses is fundamental in choosing the most appropriate
methodology to characterise the area in question in ways that will helpfully inform future
decision making, research or public understanding.
Anaverna, Cooley Mountains, Co Louth showing a wide variety of HL characteristics
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A1 Defining the Nature of Project and End User Needs
Defining the purpose and potential users of the survey is crucial. These decisions include
whether the HLC is a stand-alone initiative or a contribution to wider Landscape Character
Assessment. However, its scope should not be limited to one intendeduse such if this
inhibits the HLC contributing to other purposes.
The principal uses for HLC are likely to be: strategic planning, development management,
conservation management, outreach and education, academic research, and increasing
public awareness. The role of public participation is vital and needs to be considered from
the start of the HLC process.
A2 Defining the geographical context and scale of the study and its relationship to
others
The intended purpose of the study will determine its geographical area; whether it conforms
with administrative boundaries or an area defined for a particular purpose like a specific
development proposal or research study. The purpose will also determine whether the scale
is: national/regional; county; district or local. Other considerations for scale are the
relationship with adjacent areas and other HLC and related studies, ensuring that
approaches are compatible.
A3 Range and Levels of Detail Required in Assembling Baseline Information
The range of baseline data sources to be consulted will vary according to the purpose and
scale of the study, but should include: topographical context, historic landuse, morphology of
enclosure and settlement, forms of boundaries, evidence for time-depth, historic background,
administration/tenure and cultural factors.
A4 Deciding the Approach to Defining Historic Landscape Character
Various mapping units can be used, typically based on: historic land use (e.g. groups of land
parcels), historic resource management (e.g. townlands) or modern land management
needs (e.g. Architectural Conservation Areas). Each approach has its strengths and the
most appropriate need to be selected to suit the purpose of each study.
GIS systems are typically used for mapping historic character units and must be designed so
that all the attributes associated with them can be linked and interogated. Characterisation
of small, pre-decided areas may be more purely descriptive and may not involve GIS.
A5 Defining Relationships with Other Formal Plans or Guidelines etc
The HLC needs to be organised to allow it easily to supply the information necessary for
LCA, SEA, Conservation Plans, research projects etc. It needs to address key
characteristics, capacity for change and potential impacts, providing recommendations for
addressing these issues, including possible mitigation and monitoring.
5

Stage B Mapping and Description
Stage B requires the collection of a wide range of baseline data from which the key historic
characteristics of the area can be identified and described and assimilated, usually into a
database linked to digital mapping in a Geographic Information System (GIS).
Historic Character Types (HCTs) based on attributes of chronology, landuse, morphology or
form, will need to be defined and mapped where studies cover large areas. Definitions of HC
Types may draw on a generic list, but should take into account any unusual and distinctive
elements of the study area.
Historic character needs to be described as well as mapped and the use of GIS allows highly
flexible analysis and grouping of characteristics. Consideration of a pilot area will often help
to refine the methodology. On completion of mapping the distribution of these HCTs and
their associated attributes will allow more general distinctive historic characteristics and
relationships to be described.
HLC mapping of Lough Currane area, Iveragh Peninsula, Co Kerry
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B1 Detailed definition of area for mapping and any differences in levels of data
collection
The study area must be clearly defined, whether it is a single block (e.g. county) or dispersed
areas (e.g. finding areas suitable for windfarms). It may be cost-effective to adopt a ‘nested’
approach in which different levels of data are compiled to ensure clear focus on key issues
(eg detailed examination of development plan zones within general HLC characterisation). If
so, there must be a clear rationale and consistency of approach.
B2 Identifying accessing and importing data sets
The range of datasets available is extensive but should include: modern maps, aerial photos,
geology and soils, historic maps, built environment and designed landscape, archaeological
records, placenames, townland and other historic boundaries, habitats and nature reserves,
and for seascape areas, charts, shipping data and wreck registers.
B3 Defining Historic Character Types (HCTs)
In many cases GIS is used to map areas that can be assigned different historic character
types (HCTs). HCTs can be defined at various levels of detail according to the scale of a
project. Detailed categories need to capture local distinctiveness, but should also be
compatible with a number of more widely applicable generic types (see Page 14).
B4 Historic Character Attributes and Distinctiveness
The main attributes of how historic character is reflected through landscape features and
relationships are landuse function, morphology, period, form and survival. These attributes
should be recorded through descriptions and GIS attribute data.
B5 Relict landscape and archaeological potential
Coherent areas of earthworks or ruins can often infuence and may sometimes dominate
landscape character and cultural associations. Almost any HCT may occur in a ‘relict’ form,
adding time depth and historic legibility to the landscape. Archaeological potential (known
and suspected sites ) is another layer that can add depth of understanding.
B6 Cultural and associative landscape characteristics and their mapping
Cultural, aesthetic and historical associations can contribute significantly to the historic
character of an area and need to be considered. Approaches to mapping might include
plotting pilgrimage areas or defining significant vistas or views. Other historic associations,
placenames and family name associations may be described or given as attributes of places.
B7 Work needed to enhance and validate desk-based analysis
Once desk studies have been carried out and preliminary definitions of HCTs drawn up these
need to be tested in the field and refined as appropriate. Consultation, with a wide range of
stakeholders, is an important element of the characterisation process.
B8 Identifying what specific features are important in defining historic distinctiveness
For each HCT and HC Area key features that define historic distinctiveness should be
identified. These might include monuments, patterns of settlement, vernacular architecture,
historic landuses, shape size or form of enclosure, and a combination of such factors.
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Stage C Assessment and Analysis
Stage C is concerned with assessing the significance of the historic characteristics identified
in Stage B and how this relates to past and ongoing landscape change. In some studies
areas comprising several detailed HCTs will be combined to define larger areas or zones
that represent locally distinctive Historic Character Areas (HCAs).
Ongoing and future trajectories of change should be identified and the sensitivity of the
landscape assessed, taking into account both its intrinsic historic interest and value, and the
survival condition and legibility of features and relationships that particularly contribute to the
historic character of the area.
Vulnerability to change can be examined by taking account of the sensitivity of the historic
landscape character, and examining how ongoing and prospective trends and changes in
landuse and development impinge on the features and relationships that particularly
contribute to the historic character locally distinctive areas. Some may be more robust than
others, and positive benefits and opportunities as well as negative pressures should be
considered.
Changes in historic landscape coherence and integrity resulting from field boundary loss and
clearance between 1964 and 1990 at Glanfahan, Co Kerry
8

C1 Defining the Historic Character of Areas or Zones
Historic Character Types typically occur in several locations dividing the study area into
many small units. Larger areas of broader historic character can be defined by combining
HCTs or groups of townlands according to broader patterns of recurring HCTs or other
attributes (eg period, sensitivity), which can be useful in analysing capacity for change.
C2 Approach to Assessing Heritage Values and Significance
The significance of historic character can be considered in terms of two groups of values.
Evidential values include criteria of period, survival and condition, rarity, coherence and
group value and trajectories of change.
Socio-economic and community values include Aesthetic and cultural value (historical,
cultural and artistic association, visual qualities and design), Community values (education,
sense of place, amenity and local distinctiveness), and Economic value (conservation-led
regeneration, tourism, agricultural diversification).
Overall the significance of a HC Type or HC Area can be considered in terms of the weight to
be given to different factors in balancing these values and criteria. In doing so professional
judgement is needed, using both the historic landscape analysis and results of consultation.
C3 Evidential Values
Landscape change is much more piecemeal than broad categorisation of HCTs would
suggest, and gradual modifications will eventually turn one type into another.
Character that reflects older historic periods may be more significant than some more recent
ones, but association with relatively recent key historical events or trends, such as the
Famine and its aftermath, can also be very important in defining historic landscape value.
The completeness integrity and legibility of historic character depends partly on survival of
elements (eg boundary removal; features in designed landscapes; urban plot shapes) and
partly on physical condition (eg boundaries; effects of clearance, architectural modifications).
C4 Socio-Economic and Community Values
The contribution of historical and cultural associations may be recognised at a national,
regional or local scale. The potential of associative values being used in tourism and the
nature of events celebrating these associations are also important.
Consultation with the local community will help to identify features seen as of particular value
or characteristic of the area and its educational potential, and important local traditions.
Both positive and negative aspects of economic values need to be considered in a context of
historic change and opportunities (eg tourism, agriculture, forestry, housing, employment).
C5 Synthesising Sensitivity and Vulnerability to Change
Assessing sensitivity needs to take account both of heritage and socio-economic values and
of completeness and integrity of character to highlight areas where historic character is rare,
especially distinctive, well-preserved, diverse, or with strong time-depth or associative value.
Assessing vulnerability to change needs to examine such sensitivity in relation to trends in
current and future opportunities and pressures that will affect historic character.
9

Stage D Management Issues and Recommendations
Stage D relates to proposals for managing the pressures and opportunities arising from
changes that impinge on historic landscape character and sensitivity, and linking these to the
decision-making process.
Significant issues, opportunities and impacts need to be identified, allowing proposals to be
developed for implementing and monitoring ways that valued historic characteristics of areas
can be enhanced, protected and managed.
HLC assessment will often be needed to inform the development of broader brush
landscape characterisation as well as contributing to specific guidance on opportunities and
constraints across many kinds of development and other landuse change.
Athenry Zoning Map
10

D1 Strategic Decision Making Processes
Many frameworks already exist for making strategic decisions about the historic environment
in conjunction with other management needs. They include strategic development plans and
SEAs; Heritage plans; LCA assessments; Village Design Statements; Design Guidelines;
Agri-environment schemes; Forestry planning; and Integrated Coastal Zone Management.
Assessments of impacts and recommendations for management need to be matched to the
relevant tier(s) of decision-making and the legislative requirements. For example, in SEAs
actual changes to character arising from zoning should be addressed.
D2 Frameworks for Active Management of Historic Character
Ultimately changes in historic character are the cumulative result of innumerable localised,
often very detailed decisions at a site-specific level. This is why the specific features and
relationships that embody an area’s historic distinctiveness need to be identified and fed into
strategic frameworks that guide day-to-day development and landuse management. These
include EIAs, agri-environment grant-giving, conservation planning and local outreach.
Recommendations should address predicted kinds of change in a robust, well-focussed, and
practicable manner that is reasonable for developers, landowners and local communities.
D3 Issues and Impact Assessment
Development can profoundly change local historic landscape character and HLC can be a
valuable tool in assessing and managing impacts. Change also happens more insidiously
though agricultural improvement.
The main ways that historic character is changed are loss or addition of physical features;
changes in condition; alterations affecting coherence and integrity of character; severance of
historic relationships, features or historic coherence; changes in visual appearance and
alterations to views and vistas; other changes in perceptual values and historic associations.
D4 Management, Implementation, Mitigation and Monitoring
Implementation of management actions may be strategic (eg recommended planning
policies, input to design guidelines, conservation plans) or site- specific (how actions seek to
restore or improve character or how negative impacts can be avoided, reduced or modified).
Such mechanisms must be related to the key historic landscape characteristics of the area
and identified impacts or opportunities, and should be both robust and cost effective.
In SEAs monitoring is too often related to targets and performance indicators that bear little
or no relation to real changes in historic character. The principle should be to establish ways
of directly monitoring actual change as identified by impact assessments, and to show how
well decision-making procedures deliver desired outcomes.
D5 Integration with Other Guidance and Frameworks
Although HLC does not figure in current guidance on Landscape Character Assessment or
for SEAs and EIAs or other management frameworks, it offers important opportunities to
promote an integrated approach to sustainability. This is implicit in how HLC should seek to
draw together a range of historic and socio-economic values of heritage within wider
landscape, wildlife and other environmental considerations.
11

General Issues: Data Management, Access and Presentation
Clear terminology and mapping conventions are required and large amount of data
generated, both in electronic and hard copy formats needs to be accessible for subsequent
interrogation or related studies, and should be archived to remain accessible longer term.
The format(s) chosen to communicate the results of HLC studies should address the needs
of a wide range of potential users. The content design and legibility of maps and diagrams
needs to be considered including detailed choices such as colour palettes.
Public participation as well as formal consultation is vital to the success of HLC, process.
GIS characterisation round Lough Currane, Co Kerry,shows HCT polygons (blue) and townland
boundaries (pink) on a digital historic OS 6” inch map base with RMP data as spot symbols.
12

G1 Consultation
Consultation should be integral to all stages of the HLC process. At the outset it is important
that the parameters of the study are established in consultation with those commissioning it.
Wider participation of local communities, extending beyond formal consultation, has several
potential benefits for the study. Methods of consultation may be varied but need to use best
practice in public participation.
G2 Data management
HLC employs a wide range of datasets, many of them digital. GIS provides an effective
approach to recording and querying large amounts of information, but for HLCs of small or
uncomplicated areas, or where HLC seeks to enhance characterisation of pre-defined areas,
a non-GIS approach may be appropriate. In either case, a combination of text-based data,
imagery and digital or hard copy mapping will be generated from which an accompanying
report will be developed.
Data management procedures whether or not GIS based, need to be planned to allow
creation of multiple layers of mapping and interrogation of attributes linked to features within
a particular layer. Technical terminologies and mapping conventions should allow for a range
of users, so that different types and levels of data are easily appreciated.
G3 Reporting and Presentation
While particular attention should be paid to the specific purpose and needs of the project, the
various stages outlined above should be reflected in the structure of reports and explanatory
handbooks that accompany Historic Characterisation studies.
G4 Access
Provision for access to HLC reports and GIS data should be decided from the outset. This
may achieved through circulated reports, deposition in libraries and museums, local authority
websites, pre-arranged access to GIS, CD copies, summary leaflets, print on demand.
G5 Presentation in reports
HLC reports should adopt a logical order reflecting the stages of the HLC process, presented
in user-friendly form, accessible to non-specialists as well as experts. Key points are not to
assume previous knowledge, using appendices for technical detail, cross-referencing
between report and mapping, providing a glossary and links to additional detail on websites.
Reports should be illustrated with photographs, copies of historic maps, graphs, diagrams
and GIS generated mapping. The colours used in maps need to be chosen carefully so they
are distinguishable at most scales and are reproducible in print. Keys are vital.
Web-based GIS facilities will need to reflect the requirements of the commissioning body, but
several features facilitating ease of use can be incorporated.
G6 Archiving Data
The location of both digital and non-digital archives should be determined at the start of the
project, ensuring long-term capacity for storage and adherence to archival standards
(electronic and hard copy). Archival arrangements should be explained in HLC reports.
13

Generic Historic Character Types (HCTs)
The following Historic Character Types are intended to be applicable to any HLC study and
may be divided into more numerous sub-types to provide more detailed resolution of
character (see main Policy and Good Practice Guidance document for some indicative
specific types within these categories).
While they can be grouped under their headings to provide a broader brush classification,
this is moving the character more towards simple landcover than historic distinctiveness.
C Coastal
CU Coastal: upland and hard rock
character
CL Coastal: lowland and soft rock
character
W Water
WN Natural inland water bodies
WA Artificial water bodies
B Bog
BB Blanket bog
BR Raised Bog
O Open rough ground and commons
OR Open upland rough ground
OE Semi-open rough ground (open
ground divided by large enclosures)
and scrub
OC Open lowland commons
T Trees and Woodland
TW – Ancient and mixed woodland
TP – Plantation woodland and forest
F Fields
FA – Ancient fields
FH – Historic fields of distinct character
FI – Sinuous bounded and irregular fields
FS – Straight sided and surveyed
rectilinear fields
FM –Fields of mixed origin or resulting
from boundary loss
FO – Other fields for specialist productive
uses
P Parks and Demesne Landscape
PF – Demesne farmland
PP – Designed parks and gardens
PD – Deer Park
D Devotional Ceremonial and Funerary
DR Devotional Religious complex
DF Devotional funerary only
DC Ceremonial
S Settlement in Rural areas
SM Medieval rural settlements
SV Settlements of ‘village’ form
SC Settlement clusters of particular
historic forms
SS Other street-form and linear
settlements
ST Late 19 th and 20 th century and recent
rural settlement
U Urban Settlement
UM Urban Medieval
UP Urban post medieval
UV Urban Victorian and Edwardian
UT Urban mid to late 20 th cent
UR Urban recent
I Industry and Commerce
IL Light industry and commerce
IC Major Industry and commerce
U Utilities and Infrastructure
UE Utilities (electricity and
telecommunications)
UI Utilities (terminal based infrastructure)
E Extractive Industry and Landfill
EX Mineral extraction
EP Peat extraction
EW Landfill
C Communication and transport
CR Linear communication routes and
associated infrastructure
CA Area communication and transport
M Military
MF Military fortifications & batteries
MS Military support facilities
R Recreation Sport and Tourism
RS Recreational sports
RT Recreational tourism
14

Historic Landscape Characterisation in Ireland:
Policy and Best Practice Guidance
Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) is concerned with identifying the
contribution of the past to the present day landscape. It can be applied anywhere and
can contribute substantially to improved understanding of and conservation of the
historic distinctiveness of landscape and places. This can be achieved through a range of
different applications benefiting many different users. This Guidance is designed to help
those commissioning or carrying out HLC to ensure that the results are robust, flexible
and reasonable and clear to users. More detailed guidance and information on the
background to HLC is available, including the documents listed below.
The multi-period landscape around Strokestown House and village Co. Roscommon
Further Reading:
Atlas of the Rural Irish Landscape (Aalen, F.H.A., Whelan, K. and Stout, M.(eds),1997)
European Landscape Convention (www.coe.int/T/E/cultural-co-operation/Environmental/Landscape
National Heritage Plan 2002 (Government of Ireland)
Landscape Guidelines(Julie Martin Associates with Alison Farmer Associates 2006, Heritage Council)
Historic Landscape Characterisation in Ireland: Policy and Best Practice Guidance (Oxford
Archaeology & George Lambrick HeritageConsultancy, Heritage Council)
Review of Irish Historic Landscape Characterisation (Oxford Archaeology & George Lambrick
HeritageConsultancy, Heritage Council)
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