THE COLNE-STOUR COUNTRYSIDE ASSOCIATION
The Association was set up in the early 1980s with the objective of protecting an area covering the countryside around the rivers Colne and Stour from Kedington in the North West and Hundon in the North, to Coggeshall in the South, and Wormingford in the South East, where custody of the Stour Valley passes to The Dedham Vale Society.
The Colne Stour area is rich in history with many exceptional buildings and villages such as Finchingfield, Clare, Cavendish, Coggeshall, Long Melford and Castle Hedingham.
It is also the area which was extensively painted by both Gainsborough and Constable. Indeed Gainsborough was born in Sudbury in the heart of the area and grew up there. Other painters of recent times include Cavendish Morton, Alfred Munnings, Cedric Morris, Arthur Lett-Haines, Lucien Freud, Maggi Hambling and many more.
Our aims are to protect the area for its heritage, outstanding beauty and the myriad of resources available for the visitor. To this end we try and support Parish Councils wherever we can when help is needed, ensuring that all development is sympathetic to the area and encourage councils to develop brownfield sites before building on good arable land. We also believe that developments should be in keeping with their surroundings. We accept that there is a need to build houses and we do not oppose all development per se.
We work closely with the Dedham Vale Society (DVS) and the Stour Valley Project which manages the river Stour from source to the sea at Cattawade. We also work closely with CPREssex and we are represented on their committee, as well as the DVS committee. www.dedhamvalesociety.org.uk www.cpressex.org.uk
Map of the Colne & Stour Valleys
