Site and Situation The situation of a settlement is where it is in relation to human and physical features. The site of a settlement is where the settlement has been built.

Wet site ~ with a reliable water supply Dry Site ~ away from flooding Defensive ~ and able to protect themselves Building materials ~ such as wood and stone. Food supply ~ with good soil for crops and grass for animals. Route Centre ~ where routes from other places meet Shelter ~from strong wind and heavy rain Bridging point ~ an easier place to cross a river.

The site of a settlement is where the settlement has been built The site of a settlement is where the settlement has been built. There are a number of factors that were important to the original settlers. Water supply - this needs to be fresh, clean and reliable Building material - either stone or wood Food supply - farmland and fishing grounds were important Land for building - needs to be solid and unlikely to flood; best on low and flat land which is not marshy Fuel supply - e.g. peat, wood or coal Defensive site - a place that is difficult to attack because it is e.g. on top of a steep-sided hill.

Site factors Aspect: Aspect and shelter are two of the most important factors that were used when deciding where to locate a settlement. In the Northern Hemisphere the best slopes to locate on are those that face south, as they will receive the most sunshine, and therefore be best for agriculture. Shelter Shelter is also very important, particularly from the cold northerly winds and prevailing southwesterly winds in the UK.

Water supply: A supply of water was probably the single most important factor in deciding where a settlement might be located. Rivers provide a source of drinking water Rivers provide a food source through fishing Rivers provide a transport route Most of the world’s largest cities are located on rivers, especially the point at which they reach the sea, as this was often the first point that explorers landed.

Dry point sites: Water is vital to a settlement and is the most common factor behind their location. A dry point site is one that is slightly raised from the surrounding area, meaning that it is less likely to flood.

Wet point sites: This refers to any site that has access to water, usually through being beside a river. Towns would either grow up along the river or clustered near the point at which the river enters the sea.

Defence: In medieval times defence was one of the most important factors influencing the site of a settlement. The relief (shape) of the land often proved to be the best form of defence. Edinburgh castle sits on the top of a glacial crag, in an almost perfect position to defend itself, with very little chance for the attackers. Can you think of any other defensive sites?

The other common natural feature used for defence is water, and in particular rivers. Both Shrewsbury and Durham are very good examples of where a meander of the river has formed an area of land bounded by water on three sides. This provided both cities with excellent defences, as they only had a thin neck of land to defend.

Resources: The idea of resources covers a huge number of different things. For early settlers the most important resources were; fuel, building materials food Settlements grew in areas where wood was plentiful, stone easily accessible and good soil allowed agriculture to be developed.

Route centres: Route centres are often called Nodal Points. Anywhere where two routes meet has great potential for settlement. Often these are formed by the meeting of two valleys, but settlement nowadays will grow where two main roads meet. Stirling enjoys a very good location, where many routes join up, and this is one of the reasons for its growth. .

Bridging points: Just as water is very important for drinking, fishing, irrigation and navigation, so the ability to cross the rivers is also very important. Many towns and cities have built up at points where it was easiest to cross a large river.

Situation The situation of a settlement is the description of the settlement in relation to the other settlements and physical features around it. The situation of a settlement is the most important in determining whether it grows to become a large city or stays as a small town or village. In the UK, Birmingham is an example of a city with an excellent situation. It is located central to the country, with excellent links by road to the North and South to London.

Site Description Settlement Hill-foot Gap Wet-Point Dry-Point Route Centre Identify the type of site by matching each settlement letter to the appropriate description of its site.

Settlement 5 is a Hill-foot site because it is is sheltered and flat for building and farming. Settlement 1 is a Gap site because it is a lower and more sheltered site between two hills. Settlement 2 is a wet-point because it is close to water in a dry area. Settlement 3 is a dry-point because it is a higher, drier site above wetland. Settlement 4 is a Route Centre because it is a focus of routes (roads and river) in this area.