Breckland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Breckland is a landscape region and unusual natural habitat of England. It comprises the gorse-covered sandy heath that exists in the north of the county of Suffolk and the south of Norfolk. An area of considerable interest for its unusual flora and fauna it lies to the south east of another unusual habitat, The Fens, and to the south west of the Norfolk Broads. The typical tree of this area is the Scots Pine. The Brecks are one of the driest places in England.

The area of Breckland has been substantially reduced in the twentieth century by the impact of modern farming and the creation in 1914 of Thetford Forest. However substantial areas have been preserved, not least by the presence of the British Army on the Stanford Battle Area.

During the Prehistoric period the Breckland was mined for flint, evidence for which can be found at Grimes Graves just outside the town of Thetford in Norfolk. The word 'Breck' is medieval and was defined as being an area of heathland broken up for cultivation before being allowed to retreat back into wilderness. Up until 200 years ago, much of it consisted of open heathland. The Brecklands today provide a tourist attraction as well as an area of scientific and geographical interest.

The Breckland landscape region has given its name to Breckland District, a local government district that contains Norfolk's portion of the Breckland. Forest Heath District covers the Suffolk portion.