Fordingbridge Agricultural Land Classification Survey: Detailed Soil Maps and Reports

England and Wales agricultural land classification data from detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports for individual sites, with land graded according to the official methodology, including subdivisions of Grade 3. Data is provided by Natural England and contains Ordnance Survey data.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on detailed soil survey reports and grading methodology.
• Analyze spatial patterns of soil quality and agricultural potential using scanned geospatial maps.
• Compare land classification subgrades (3a and 3b) for detailed agricultural planning.
• Integrate historical soil pit descriptions and unedited sample point data for soil science research.

Strengths

• Data follows the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' grading methodology.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for finer detail.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, preserving the primary survey record.
• Some surveys include unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Row count, file formats, and column-level documentation are unknown; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Maps were created at varying scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, which may affect spatial consistency.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (survey), Natural England (provider)

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil analysis, mapping, and report writing.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

null

Geography

England and Wales, specifically the Fordingbridge, Sandle Manor Farm site