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Upton Heath History
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The large areas of heathland that once covered southeast Dorset were created by our ancestors. Until the beginning of the 20th century, low intensity farming maintained the heathland through grazing, cutting turf, heather and gorse and some timber. The heathland was a vital component in the local economy, whilst at the same time providing habitat for specialised flora and fauna that could not survive elsewhere.
The heathland in the Upton and Creekmoor area also holds large deposits of clay and sand, which gave rise to the local pottery and brick-making industries and resulted in many ponds being formed.
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