Dew Ponds - Softcover

Rivière, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1398124613 ISBN 13: 9781398124615

Publisher: Amberley Publishing, 2026

Synopsis

For a relatively ephemeral feature of the landscape of those English uplands made of porous chalk and limestone, the artificial watering sites for livestock known as dew ponds have been the subject of a great deal of legend, outright misinformation, experimentation and scientific research. This generated much published material from the late 1700 onwards, the key elements of which are highlighted in this book. These parts of the farmed landscape are of uncertain age, and for centuries they had been essential water sources for the great flocks of sheep that grazed the upland pastures. Today, a well-watered dew pond is an attractive aspect of the landscape, and they are increasingly recognized as valuable sources of wildlife diversity. David Rivière explores the history, construction and restoration of dew ponds as well as their representation in myth and art in this introduction to an increasingly forgotten feature of the country’s landscape heritage. 

About this title

About the Author

David Rivière is a geography graduate with a deep interest in the landscapes and cultural history of the South Downs. Following retirement in 2014 from a life in finance, he worked as a volunteer researcher for the South Downs National Park Authority surveying historic dew-pond sites for existence and condition, inputting to dew-pond restoration activity for environmental benefit.

Edition details

• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1398124613
• ISBN 13: 9781398124615
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96