The Limestone Hills landscape type is found across the northwestern corners of the county, extending north into Wiltshire and Somerset.
The Limestone Hills landscape is divided into three main areas; the hills around Melbury Park, the hills and ridges around Sherborne and the shallow north-south ridge between Sturminster Newton and Bourton. Each area has a distinct landform, which contrasts with and subdivides the adjacent Blackmore and Halstock vale landscape of pastures, arable fields, winding lanes and springs. The broken and varied relief is due to the complex geological structure across the area. The scenery is also varied with dense hedges, some steep open grassed slopes as well as wooded and scrub covered slopes and enclosed valleys. There are fewer trees on elevated areas and the mixed farmed fields are larger with more arable than those in the vales. There are open expansive views from these elevated areas. The settlements are defined by the use of the distinctive local yellow limestone with the use of Forest Marble and Cornbrash common, contributing to the areas sense of place. The development pattern of villages either follows the ridgetops, as at Hinton St Mary, Marnhull and Bishops Caundle, in clusters in deep, narrow valley floors, for example at Poyntington and Nether Compton or on the sloping hillsides as at Stalbridge, Buckthorn Weston, Kington Magna and Stourton Caundle. These picturesque limestone villages and their church towers; the manor houses, stately homes and scattered farmsteads are all characteristic in this limestone scenery. Stonewalls, using local limestone, are key features associated with the parkland landscapes.
The overall management objective for the Limestone Hills Landscape Type should be to conserve the intimate character of the incised valleys and wooded hillsides. Replanting new hedgerow trees, enhancing the management of existing woodland and the conservation of the parkland landscapes are also key objectives.
