ALCR03389: Detailed Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports, 1989-1999

Original paper maps and survey reports for detailed Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The data includes scanned maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, survey reports, and for some sites, unedited soil sample point data and pit descriptions. This collection is provided by Natural England and contains Ordnance Survey data.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical land capability for agricultural planning based on detailed soil survey reports.
• Mapping and comparing agricultural land grades, including subgrades 3a and 3b, based on the original classification methodology.
• Integrating historical soil point data and pit descriptions with modern geospatial datasets for longitudinal studies.

Strengths

• Data collection follows the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.
• Includes detailed subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Contains original survey artifacts like scanned maps and reports, providing primary source material.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (UK), provided by Natural England.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil analysis, mapping, and reporting.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data collection period is 1989-1999; last update date is unknown.

Geography

Individual survey sites in England and Wales (specifically New Denham).