Agricultural Land Classification Survey: Sway, Mount Pleasant (1989-1999)

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Sway, Mount Pleasant site includes scanned original paper maps and reports. The data was collected between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, using a grading methodology that subdivides Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b. Some surveys also contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classifying agricultural land quality based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Mapping historical land capability at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000 using the scanned original paper maps.
• Analyzing soil characteristics based on the available unedited sample point data and soil pit descriptions.

Strengths

• Data uses the current grading methodology as described in the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into more detailed subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Original survey maps are available at varying scales, typically 1:10,000.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), via Natural England and Ordnance Survey.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by MAFF, with results captured in paper maps and reports that were later scanned.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data collected between 1989 and 1999; last update unknown.

Geography

Sway, Mount Pleasant site (England).