Functions of a settlement:
Industrial: means that factories are located there. These tend to be in out of town in the outer suburbs.
Commercial: means that shopping facilities are located there. This may take the form of shopping centres, cinemas, leisure centres etc.
Service Function: may include schools, hospitals, libraries, etc.
Tourism: will be a particular kind, depending on the type of settlement.
Administrative: local government has offices there, from which it runs public services.
Reasons for the Site/Situation of a Settlement.
Site- the exact location of a settlement.
Situation- is a settlement's setting in relation to surrounding features.
Relief- settlers would choose an area that was high enough to be safe from flooding.
Transport- settlers would choose a site near the fording or bridging point of a river, at a crossroads (originally tracks rather than roads) or near the coasts as this made travel more easy.
Soil- settlers would choose areas with more fertile and deeper soil as this is better for farming/agriculture.
Water Supply- settlers would choose a site near a river, spring or well as they needed water for cooking, cleaning and drinking.
Wood- settlers would choose a settlement that was near a woodland as they used wood for building and fuel.
Defence- settlers would choose hilltops, marshes and meander bends as these sites were easier to defend.
Settlement Hierarchy
Settlements can be ranked in order – a hierarchy. The order within the hierarchy is decided by population, area and range and number of services.
The Settlement Hierarchy Pyramid:
A Settlement Description Table: