Describe and Explain the Distribution of Settlements on the Burgess Hill Map.

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Describe and Explain the Distribution of Settlements on the Burgess Hill Map

Burgess Hill Map

  The settlement pattern at Burgess Hill and its surrounding area is very much influenced by the physical geography of the area. In the south of the area, there is a high zone of land, averaging at about 110m in height, about 20% of the map. In contrast, there is about 150km² of low land, all around the same height, at about 35m. There are a large amount of settlements on the low land, with very little settlement on the high ground, only small, nucleated settlements in the valleys in between the high summits. The spot heights on the higher ground decrease as you move south. There is a distinct line on the map that separates the high ground from the low, roughly following the path of the South Downs Way. This is a convex escarpment. It is linked to the geology of the slope.

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  There is only one small town on the map, and this is Burgess Hill. The remaining settlements are villages and are all situated on the lower land. The only settlements on the higher ground are farms, and these are generally situated in the valleys in between the steep hills. These farms are situated here because of the protection available from the steep slopes surrounding them. The main reason for farms here is that because they are in such low ground in comparison to the high area, the water table will be very close to the surface, and farms have ...

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