Lincoln Townscape Assessment. High Street Inherited Character Area Statement

Transcription

1 Lincoln Townscape Assessment High Street Inherited Character Area Statement September 2009

2 Table of Contents Overview 1 Historical Development 2 Urban form 6 Views 13 Condition of Buildings and Streetscape 14 Use 15 Relationship to City and Surrounding Areas 16 Key Townscape Characteristics 17 Appendix 1: Character Area Attributes 18 Appendix 2: List of RAZs 19 Appendix 3: List of Ecological Sites 21 Appendix 4: Historical Components which influence the current character 22 Appendix 5: Townscape GIS Layers 23

3 Overview The backbone of High Street Character Area is formed by High Street, a road that follows the alignment of the Roman Ermine Street, as well as roads leading off it, from the site of St. Martin s Church in the north to St. Mary-le-Wigford Church to the south. It is the main commercial centre of Lincoln and its townscape is the result of the ongoing, plot-by-plot development of the area since the Roman Military Era. High Bridge, at the centre of the area, has been a strategic bridging point over the River Witham since Roman times. The area has long reflected the changing fortunes of Lincoln the city, in particular times of relative economic prosperity and economic decline. Much of the area s former High Medieval character is hidden with the current townscape, including the pattern of streets, churchyards and markets. On top of this structure lies an illustration of Lincoln s economic growth since the Early Industrial period, including the most recent developments of the 21 st century. Much of the character of the area is diverse and varied reflecting its plot-by-plot development and redevelopment of buildings and spaces along its length. Consequently, the area has one of the highest building densities in the city, giving emphasis and prominence to any open spaces as well as buildings which sit within open space. Despite the great variations of built form and streetscape, many of which reflect the fashions, materials, construction techniques and styles contemporary with their periods of construction, there are elementary congruencies as well as patterns that gel the variety of the Character Area s constituents together. An example might be the prominence and individuality of buildings facing High Street, recognising the street s long-held status as the city s premier retail space. The increased use of stone within buildings towards High Street is another manifestation of the longheld prominence of the street in comparison to surrounding areas. Shop fronts are a recurring feature of the area, and many have been repeatedly redeveloped as premises have adapted to the changing demands of the consumer. This has led to a division between ground floors and upper floors, which have changed comparatively less. This pattern is often reinforced by the subdivision of many larger properties into two or more retail units. Sustained development and redevelopment of the area has produced a highly complex townscape that illustrates the evolution of commerce in the city since the Roman period. Page 1 of 25

4 Historical Development High Street Character Area extends either side of the High Street from Garmston Street on the lower slopes of the north escarpment to the railway crossing in the south. The complex townscape is a product of successive phases of redevelopment since the Roman period, and has long functioned as Lincoln s commercial centre. The unifying feature of the area is High Street itself, the alignment of which follows Ermine Street, a road constructed during the Roman Military Era. Southerly parts of the road overlie a slightly earlier Roman causeway that crossed wetland in the Witham Valley floor, and later provided the foundation for settlement south of the river during the Roman Colonia Era [ AD]. During the Roman Colonia Era, parts of the Character Area to the north of the Stonebow were contained within the lower Roman walled city. The southern wall crossed the area roughly on the alignment of Guildhall Street and the south gate is likely to have been slightly north of the current Stonebow. Wetland either side of High Street was consolidated in successive stages between the Roman Military and Early Modern [ ] Eras. High Bridge has been a strategic bridging point over the river since Roman times. During the Roman and Medieval Eras the River Witham was much wider, and was used for fishing and waterborne trade. Several phases of quayside development took place along the northern and southern banks of the river as a result of growing river-borne trade, linking up with the lower Witham Valley and The Wash. The area was also well connected to the Brayford Pool, Lincoln s main waterfront. Much Lane, a footpath linking the High Street to the Brayford, is one of the earliest footpaths in the Character Area and probably dates back to the High Medieval Era. The High Medieval Era [ AD] saw the city emerge from a prolonged phase of decline and the current High Street was re-established roughly along the route of the Roman road. The road provided a backbone for development, including an extensive suburb known as Wigford, which accommodated substantial elite residences. Many roads were laid out during this period, several of which survive in the current townscape, including Garmston Street, Silver Street, Swan Street and Flaxengate. Land either side of High Street was divided into long narrow burgage plots which stretched back from buildings fronting High Street. The current east/west pattern of building plots and streets follows in part the former pattern of burgage plots. In the height of the High Medieval Era, the Wigford suburb stretched almost the full length of lower High Street, from High Bridge down to Sincil Dyke. The northern boundary of the suburb was formed by a chain across High Bridge. The bridge itself was constructed in several phases, the earliest of which dates back to circa 1150 AD. Figure 1 High Bridge was constructed in several phases, the earliest of which dates back to c.1150 During the High Medieval Era [ AD], Lincoln s prosperity increased, leading to the re-organisation and settlement of central areas of the city. The re-organisation included the construction of several churches including St. Mary-le-Wigford on the corner of St. Mary s Street and High Street, St. Benedict s Church within St. Benedict s Square and St. Peter-at-Arches, which was taken down in 1933 and re-erected as St. Giles Church on the St. Giles Estate. The Church of St. Mary-le-Wigford is one of the earliest in the Character Area and its tower dates back to the 11 th century. St. Benedict s Church was also constructed over several phases from c St. Martin s Church, between Garmston Street and St. Martin s Lane, has been lost, but the graveyard has survived as a small city centre park within the former boundary walls. Page 2 of 25

5 From the 11 th century onwards several markets were located in the northern part of the Character Area and in adjoining areas to the north, such as the Poultry Market and Hay Market close to the former church of St. Martin s. Around the same time the Clewmarket, or thread market, was held to the east of the lower part of Flaxengate, in the triangle created by Clasketgate and Silver Street which has subsequently been infilled with housing. After a further period of decline at the beginning of the Early Modern Era [ ], partly resulting from the loss of the cloth trade, the 16 th and 17 th centuries were a period of domestic and commercial growth. New residential and commercial properties were constructed or converted from previous uses, such as Garmston House at 262 High Street and the timber-framed buildings on High Bridge. Meanwhile, the markets on the slope of the north escarpment were moved further south onto High Street itself and adjacent roads. For example, the Butter Market was moved to the corner of Silver Street and High Street, the former churchyard of St. Peter-at-Pleas, until a purpose-built building was constructed on the same site until From 1598 the Corn Market was held in Cornhill, formerly the churchyard of St. John. Figure 2 During the 16th and 17th centuries new residential and commercial properties were constructed or converted from previous uses, such as Garmston House at 262 High Street Growth continued during the Early Industrial Period [ ], including the development of heavy industry in Lincoln which resulted in a growth in population. Hotels and public houses, including the Queen Hotel (1828) on the current site of HMV, and the Crown Inn (1773) on the site of Boots, were established to serve expanding local and visiting populations. New and expanding communities also brought about the construction of several mainly non-conformist chapels, such as the General Baptist Chapel (1819) on St. Benedict s Square and a large Wesleyan Chapel (1835) on the current site of Danesgate House. The growth in population resulted in considerable infill development. The backyards within plots were subdivided, leading to many working-class families living in cramped, poor quality accommodation. By the Early Industrial Period, the markets on the High Street were only being held once a week but caused significant disruption. In 1847 the first Corn Exchange was built, which was extended with the new Corn Exchange and market buildings in The Shambles and Butchery Market, which had been operating out of St. Lawrence s churchyard, moved to a purpose-built facility on the current site of Butchery Court in The boundary of the market has been retained in the current townscape by the northern and eastern sides of Clasketgate, Butchery Court and the rear of Silver Street. The single most significant development of the time was the construction of the railways in the 1840s. New railway lines divided Page 3 of 25

6 up the historic suburb of Wigford, first by the construction of the Midland Line ( ), shortly followed by the Great Northern Loop Line (1848) which remains active today and forms the southern boundary of the Character Area. A further impact of the railways was the increased use of buildings both on High Street and along the Brayford for the storage and processing of grain. The grain industry was Lincoln s largest employer after heavy industry. During this period there was also a dramatic change to the wetlands as the Lincoln Drainage Scheme of drained land for use in agriculture and later housing. Lincoln s only tramway was constructed along High Street in 1882, but was short lived, being dismantled in Over the years High Street has had many civic, commercial and cultural functions. The Stonebow has been used by the Council since c In 1757 a second storey was added to the Butter Market to be used as Assembly Rooms for the lower city. Parts of the façade were later incorporated into the current open market on Waterside South. From the Early Industrial Period onwards, banks began to be founded in the area, although the majority of buildings in use today were purpose built and constructed during the Late Victorian/Edwardian period. The first bank, Smith, Ellison and Co., was set up in 1775 on the current site of NatWest (1883) on the corner of Mint Street and High Street. HSBC at High Street is the former headquarters of the Lincoln and Lindsey Bank (1893), and Lloyds on the corner of St. Benedict s Square was the Capital and Counties Bank from Figure 3 The first bank, Smith, Ellison and Co., was set up in 1775 on the current site of NatWest (1883) on the corner of Mint Street and High Street From as early as 1732 there was a theatre on Drury Lane but it moved to its current location on Clasketgate in The mid- Georgian theatre was replaced by the Theatre Royal in 1806 but this was destroyed by fire and re-opened as the New Theatre in The Late Victorian/Edwardian period saw the arrival of the cinema in Lincoln. The upstairs of the Corn Exchange was used as a cinema from 1910 but Garmston House was the first property to be extensively redeveloped for use as a cinema hall. The frontage was retained but the rear was rebuilt as an auditorium, opening as the Lincoln Electric Theatre in A car park on Hungate marks the location of the auditorium which was demolished in Later the Regal Cinema (1915) opened on the site of the current Primark, which had been a grocers. Page 4 of 25

7 Figure 4 A block of flats and The Terrace built on Grantham Street in 2008/9 are part of the redevelopment of the Flaxengate area The Inter-War [ AD], Post-War [ AD] and Modern [ AD] Periods have witnessed several phases of redevelopment within the Character Area. As a result of the increased use of the private motor-car many remaining open spaces, particularly to the rear of the buildings, have been converted for use as private and public car parks. During the Modern and Inter-War Periods especially, many parts of the townscape have been comprehensively redeveloped for road infrastructure or large-scale buildings. The most major road infrastructure development of the Modern period was the construction of Wigford Way in 1972 between High Street and Brayford Pool, involving the demolition of Brayford Street, Swanpool Court and several properties off them. Retail development generally involved the amalgamation of one or more building plots to form large individual properties. Subsequent buildings often occupy the full extent of their plots, such as Marks and Spencer s as well as Boots and Bhs further south. Many of the buildings of the Modern period are mixed use, or entirely residential, indicating the gentrification of the townscape by an emerging city centre population. As well as buildings and roads, many parts of the streetscape have undergone continual repair and improvement, most recently in the east of the Character Area around Grantham Street and Flaxengate, as well as upper parts of the High Street. Page 5 of 25

8 Urban form High Street Character Area is the commercial and retail centre of the city of Lincoln, the current townscape of which is the result of successive development and redevelopment since the Roman Military Era. The great diversity of buildings along its length illustrates the plot-by-plot development of High Street, and the different status and function of each building. The Character Area extends from the lower slope of the north escarpment down to the base of the Witham Valley. High Street itself, which runs north-south up the slope of the escarpment, forms the backbone of the Character Area with all other streets leading off it to east and west, many on the alignment of former Medieval streets. The loose grid pattern of streets in the Character Area divides the area into medium-sized urban blocks, many of which are permeated by footpaths and alleyways that have survived from as early as the High Medieval Era such as Much Lane and Butchery Court. Individual building plot sizes vary but include many small plots extending back from the street, some of which have survived from the Medieval Era. In these places a finer grain of development has been retained, such as along the northern side of Cornhill and the western side of High Street between Corporation Street and St. Martin s Lane. Some of the earlier surviving plots still have courtyards and outbuildings to the rear, such as and Silver Street. However, there are several large building plots interspersed within a finer grain of small plots. These larger plots relate to areas of comprehensive redevelopment where two or more plots have been amalgamated (e.g. Primark at High Street and House of Fraser at High Street). This occasionally results in a coarser grain of development where phases of demolition and redevelopment have taken place in the same locality since the Post-War Period (e.g. to the east and west of Flaxengate). Figure 5 Primark at High Street is an example of where comprehensive redevelopment has led to the amalgamation of two or more plots Properties tend to occupy the full extent of their plots. In the case of older buildings this is generally a result of the consecutive infill and redevelopment of building plots over an extended period of time. Modern buildings are often built to the full confines of the plot to maximise interior space, reflecting the high commercial value of floor space in the area. Consequently, the area has one of the highest building densities in the city. This tends to give emphasis to any open spaces within the Character Area as well as buildings which sit within open space, including a number of large religious and commercial buildings which are positioned to the centre of their plots such as the church of St. Mary-le-Wigford, the Stonebow, St. Benedict s Church and the war memorial, and the Exchange Building. With a handful of exceptions (e.g. Danesgate House at 6 storeys), buildings are almost entirely two to three storeys in height. However, due to their varying scale alongside the shallow slope of the lower escarpment, buildings are rarely of the same height. Small stepped changes in height emphasise the individuality of buildings within strong building lines, exposing gable ends and emphasising the eaves line, a key element of the varied character of the townscape. Correspondingly there is a lack of any clear building rhythm resulting from the great variety of building form, architectural style, construction and materials on properties dating from the High Medieval Era to the Modern Period. The tall height of buildings set at the back of the footway within strong building Page 6 of 25

9 lines creates a high sense of enclosure, as well as a vertical emphasis throughout much of the townscape, particularly along alleyways and the more narrow streets. Consequently, gaps in building lines (e.g. at road junctions, market places or churchyards) are key nodal points with a relatively lower sense of enclosure. Shop fronts on the ground floors of buildings are recurring features of the area. Dating from the Post-Railway Expansion Period through to the modern day, shop frontages illustrate over 150 years of commercial activity along and around High Street, and are key elements of the area s character. Many shop fronts have been redeveloped one or more times as premises have adapted to the changing demands of the consumer. To some extent this has resulted in two distinct building scapes, one at ground-floor level and one at first-floor level and above which has changed comparably less. This pattern is reinforced by the subdivision of many larger properties into two or more retail units. Consequently, ground-floor levels of buildings are more varied in style in comparison with upper floors which are often uniform across the whole building façade. Figure 6 Ground floor levels of buildings are more varied in style in comparison with upper floors which are often uniform across the whole building façade Shop fronts are diverse in style, showing heavy modification through reuse, particularly on High Street which has the highest level of footfall. There is a broad pattern of shop fronts in the area, with more modern shop fronts along High Street and a greater variety along the roads leading off it. The modern shop fronts are generally larger, often three or more bays in width, and have the door positioned centrally. Shop fronts on streets leading off the High Street are more varied, but are frequently two bays in width with the door positioned to the side or three bays in width with the door positioned centrally. These frontages are generally constructed in wood whereas those on High Street are constructed from a wider variety of materials including concrete and steel with metal-framed windows. Shop fascias are bold and generally large in size, and are rarely integrated with the shop frontages, being mostly modern plastic signs which project from the main façade. Overall, at ground level, buildings are characterised by frequent and large windows, resulting in a low solid-to-void ratio and a general feeling of activity. At first-floor level and above, windows are mainly vertical in emphasis, and are usually comparatively smaller on the second floor than on the first. The majority of windows are wooden sash windows with either single or multiple panes, although a small number of buildings have casement windows. Several buildings of Late Victorian/Edwardian date have first-floor, and occasionally second-floor, projecting bay windows, such as 261 High Street and 15 Corporation Street. Windows vary greatly on developments from the 1930s onwards. Office developments tend to have long rows of horizontal windows while retail buildings tend to have rows of very small windows, as for example, Boots and Bhs on High Street, leading to a high solid-to-void ratio at first floor level and above. Due to the high retail value of frontages there are few parts of the townscape where doors and windows do not face the street. However, the rear or side façades of some modern buildings have very few windows and doors, most notably where Primark faces onto Water Lane and North Witham Bank, the sides of Marks and Spencer s face onto the River Witham and St. Benedict s Square, the Waterside Centre looks onto North Witham Bank, and along Wigford Way. This has resulted in highly inactive frontages along well-used thoroughfares and public spaces, including the River Witham. Page 7 of 25

10 Figure 7 The side of Marks and Spencer s facing onto St. Benedict s Square has very few windows or doors, leading to a very inactive frontage onto this side of the square Buildings are generally built of small-scale bricks, although some, mainly Victorian or earlier properties, are constructed of stone, notably along High Street such as Lloyds TSB at Number 202. As buildings get closer to High Street there is an increased tendency to use stone within building decoration such as sills, lintels and quoins. A limited number of buildings in the north of the Character Area are of timber-frame construction such as High Street and the shops on High Bridge. Late Victorian/Edwardian properties are predominantly built of red brick while brick-built properties from the Post-War Period onwards are constructed in a variety of colours of brick including red, beige and dark brown. Several buildings dating to the Late Victorian/Edwardian Period and earlier are painted or rendered, including a number of properties on the northern side of Silver Street. There is a notable increase in the use of concrete, a much larger-scale material, within Post-War buildings both in terms of construction and for building decoration. Properties are generally plain and have a strong horizontal emphasis, reflecting the capability of concrete to span wide spaces, allowing for horizontal windows and doorways. The building occupied by Ritzy on Silver Street has a strong horizontal emphasis with long and repeated horizontal bands of decoration and windows. Concrete is also used for building decoration in projecting frames around panels on the frontage of the building. Page 8 of 25

11 Figure 8 Properties like Ritzy from the Post-War Period increasingly use concrete both in their construction (enabling these long rows of horizontal windows) and for building decoration (in the projecting frames around panels on the frontage of the building) Building decoration varies extensively throughout the Character Area, with many highly individual buildings making up building lines. Properties on and near to the High Street tend to be more decorative and there is an increased use of stone to accentuate features of buildings such as windows and doors, as for example on the Late Victorian/Edwardian banks like Lloyds TSB, NatWest and the building currently in use as River Island. Many elements of building decoration are loosely Classical in style such as pediments, balustrades and cornicing at eaves level as on 4 and 47 Silver Street. Many doorways have now been replaced as shop fronts have changed but a few decorative examples have been retained, particularly on the Late Victorian/Edwardian buildings in use as banks such as the Lloyds TSB building which has a door positioned on the corner of the building with a full stone surround and carved stonework above. Occasionally it is possible to see that an earlier entranceway has been removed and/or relocated, as on many properties the building form of upper floors no longer matches the layout of ground floors. Windows in the Character Area often have stone sills and lintels, full window surrounds or bay/oriel windows as on 15 Corporation Street which also has painted stucco work. Many buildings in the Character Area are designed in a style that is typical of their period of construction, for example the Art- Deco style of the building above the Slug and Lettuce and the brutalist, concrete style of Boots. Page 9 of 25

12 Figure 9 The horizontal emphasis of the Slug and Lettuce building and the row of stained glass windows are common features of Art-Deco style buildings The majority of roofs are gabled with their ridgelines running parallel to the road and rarely form a continuous line due to the plotby-plot development of the area. The pitch of roofs varies, generally becoming increasingly shallow towards the Modern Period, with several flat roofs on buildings such as Danesgate House. Pitched roofs are mainly of Welsh slate and pantile. The majority of gabled roofs have plain closed verges, with shallow eaves. Eaves are largely plain where ridgelines run parallel to the street; however, many buildings have highly decorative gable ends facing the street (e.g High Street). Several buildings predating the Modern Period retain chimneys, most of which are fairly tall brick structures with clay pots, built within the gable wall or passing through the ridgeline. Page 10 of 25

13 Figure 10 Roofs rarely form a continuous line due to the plot-by-plot development of the area. Changes in height emphasise the individual buildings within strong building lines, exposing gable ends and emphasising the eaves line, adding to the varied character of the townscape Development in the Character Area is ongoing, with recent buildings including the block of flats on Grantham Street and The Terrace. Building have many elements in common with older ones surrounding them, such as their position at the back of the footway, commercial/retail use at ground floor level, and often striking individual design. However, modern buildings often use a different palette of materials, or use traditional materials in different ways, such as the slate cladding on The Terrace. Properties constructed in the Modern Period are often larger in scale, mainly through a relative increase in building height, illustrating the continued high land values within the city s commercial core. Several Modern properties are entirely residential, with raised ground floor windows for privacy and communal entrances for security purposes, as well as to increase the amount of useable interior space (e.g. apartments at 1-12 Swan Street). The move towards residential properties is indicative of the gentrification of High Street Character Area by an emerging city centre residential population. The form, style, scale and construction of many buildings within the townscape reflect their city centre location, including those facing High Street, but even more so, those at junctions or in particularly prominent positions. Buildings are often landmark features of the townscape and include the Stonebow and Guildhall, Danesgate House, the Church of St. Mary-le-Wigford and the Waterside Centre. As a result the area has many landmark buildings. The Guildhall is also a terminating building as it is the focal point of views up High Street from the south and down from the north. Other terminating buildings include the Church of St. Mary-le-Wigford at the bottom of the High Street, the Exchange Building within Cornhill, and the property at the top of the High Street where it meets The Strait. Within the Character Area there are many edge buildings facing onto the street and many junctions where buildings have been designed to address the corner, for example at the junction of Silver Street and Clasketgate and the four corner buildings at the junction of Clasketgate and High Street. Building lines along more minor streets appear to be more varied with a greater mixture of smaller properties in comparison to the wide and taller buildings along High Street. Along several more minor streets, as well as to the rear of properties, there are tall walls and/or areas of car parking (e.g. Hungate) which still delineate the former plots of buildings fronting more active streets. Where they remain, public/private boundaries consist of a wide variety of features including, low and tall brick walls, stone rubble walls, and/or steel barriers at the entrance to car parks. Due to the high building density in the Character Area there are few open spaces, and those that exist are mostly urban in character. For example, there are several open areas within the public realm such as at the junction of High Street and Silver Street and on High Bridge where there are a number of benches set back from the main thoroughfare. Several of the cafes along High Street and Guildhall Street have cordoned off small areas outside their premises to set up chairs and tables, blurring the divide between the built environment and the public realm. There are also a number of former churchyards that are now in use as small parks. The River Witham itself is an open space, although it is not a particularly natural space due to the concrete canalised banks along this section of the river and the inactive frontages along its length. Many streets in the area are pedestrianised, such as High Street and Guildhall Street, reflecting the heavy use of this central area Page 11 of 25

14 by workers and shoppers. Wigford Way is the widest road at four lanes width. Clasketgate, Silver Street and Mint Street have all been limited to one-way traffic as part of efforts to manage the circulation of traffic through the city centre. Despite this reduction in traffic, there are still busy interfaces between vehicular and pedestrian traffic at the points where High Street crosses these roads. Pedestrianised streets are surfaced in a variety of materials including beige and red block paving, concrete slabs and York stone paving slabs that were laid as part of a programme of renewal in the public realm. Roads used by vehicular traffic are mainly surfaced in tarmac, although Flaxengate and Danesgate have been laid with York stone as part of public realm works in 2008/9. The area is criss-crossed by many alleyways and footpaths which are paved in York stone slabs, concrete slabs or tarmac. The condition of the public realm varies throughout the area, often being more degraded on the less frequently used back roads. Surviving cast-iron street nameplates can be seen in several places, for example Much Lane. Street furniture in the Character Area is common and includes benches, pedestrian crossings, plaques on buildings, street lighting, CCTV cameras, post boxes and railings. Figure 11 The area is criss-crossed by many alleyways and footpaths like this one connecting Silver Street and Clasketgate As this is the retail and leisure centre of the city, vitality is high throughout the day. Pubs and restaurants result in a higher level of footfall throughout the day and into the night than in other parts of the city. Page 12 of 25

15 Views Views are often funnelled along streets due to the high building height and strong sense of enclosure. However, from several places, including the junction of High Street/St. Mary s Street and from Flaxengate, there are views onto the Cathedral and buildings on the upper slope of the north escarpment. There are also views onto water both east along the River Witham from High Bridge and onto the Brayford Pool from Wigford Way. Page 13 of 25

16 Condition of Buildings and Streetscape The condition of buildings in the Character Area is generally very good, particularly those facing directly onto the main pedestrian thoroughfares of High Street and Guildhall Street, partly due to the regular replacement of shop frontages at ground-floor level. The public realm around Flaxengate and on High Street between Mint Street and St. Martin s Lane was replaced in 2008 and is in relatively good condition. The public realm on Guildhall Street and the lower part of the High Street is more degraded in places and seems incoherent as a result of the use of different coloured block paving and other surface materials along these streets. A number of buildings along High Street and other roads are currently vacant. Page 14 of 25

17 Use The Character Area is a mixed-use area incorporating retail, commercial and leisure uses such as shops, offices and bars. There are a few plots that are unoccupied, where earlier buildings have been taken down, and some of these are currently being used for car parking. Figure 12 This open area, currently used for parking, was created when buildings were taken down along Swanpool Court during the construction of Wigford Way Page 15 of 25

18 Relationship to City and Surrounding Areas This Character Area forms the backbone of the city and is the main commercial and retail centre, as well as a popular areas for bars and clubs. The bus station, train station and several car parks have all been built close by to enable easy access into this part of the city. High Street connects the area to the historic core of the city to the north and to retail and residential areas to the south. There are also strong east-west links as Silver Street and Clasketgate connect to Broadgate which is a major access road into and out of the city on the eastern side of the High Street, and Wigford Way functions as an inner-city ring-road on the western side of the Character Area taking traffic entering the city from the west to southern parts of the city. Figure 13 Wigford Way, an inner-city ring-road, takes traffic around the High Street. Buildings tend to have their backs onto this road and as a result there are many inactive frontages Page 16 of 25

19 Key Townscape Characteristics The Character Area is based along High Street and roads leading off it from the site of St. Martin s Church in the north to St. Mary-le- Wigford Church in the south It is the commercial centre of Lincoln and its townscape is the result of the ongoing, plot-by-plot development of the area since the Roman Military Era Earlier developments that influence the current landscape include: The Medieval High Street which follows the alignment of the Roman Ermine Street High Bridge, a strategic bridging point over the river since Roman times. The earliest surviving parts of the bridge date back to c.1150 Surviving Medieval pattern of streets, churches, burgage plots and market places Butchery Market still visible in the plot boundaries around Butchery Court There are several large building plots interspersed within a finer grain of small plots. These relate to areas of comprehensive redevelopment where two or more plots have been amalgamated The area has one of the highest building densities in the city, giving emphasis to any open spaces within the Character Area as well as buildings which sit within open space Buildings are almost entirely two to three storeys in height. Small stepped changes in height emphasise the individual buildings within strong building lines, adding to the varied character of the townscape The tall height of buildings set at the back of the footway creates a high sense of enclosure and results in views that are funnelled along streets Shop fronts are a recurring feature of the area. Many shop fronts have been redeveloped several times as premises have adapted to the changing demands of the consumer. Shopfronts at ground level have changed comparatively more than upper floors. To some extent this has resulted in two distinct building scapes, one at ground floor level and one at first floor level and above. This pattern is reinforced by the subdivision of many larger properties into two or more retail units Shop fascias are bold and generally large in size, and are rarely integrated with the shop frontages, being mostly modern plastic signs which project from the main façade Buildings are generally built of small-scale bricks, and as they get closer to High Street there is an increased tendency to use stone for building decoration such as sills and lintels There is a notable increase in the use of concrete within Post-War buildings both in terms of construction and for building decoration Building decoration varies extensively as the area is made up of many highly individual buildings Many buildings in the Character Area are designed in a style that is typical of their period of construction Several streets are pedestrianised, reflecting the heavy use of this central area by workers and shoppers Wigford Way functions as an inner-city ring-road on the western side of the Character Area. Despite attempts to reduce traffic, there are still busy interfaces between vehicular and pedestrian traffic where the High Street crosses these roads Page 17 of 25

20 Appendix 1: Character Area Attributes Character Area Type: Civic/leisure area near main road Broad Use Type: Civic Broad Sub-Use Type: Abattoir Secondary Type: Civic Secondary Sub-Use Type: Abattoir Urban Rural Type: General Urban Average Building Type: 2 storey Page 18 of 25

21 Appendix 2: List of RAZs The churches of St Peter and the Silver Street burial Central elements of former Roman city and Roman network Reserved enclosure(s) defined by the Roman city walls Riparian deposits High Bridge and ford market Housing in Upper Wigford (north of Great Gowt) The Maltmarket Houses in the lower city The Clewmarket Wetlands Wigford eastern shoreline - La Gulle, Old Eye and Thorngate Wigford western shoreline City docks 2) northern waterside between the walls Long distance roads Local roads Market Hill, the High Street from St Mary-le-Wigford to St Martin s parish St Benedict St John the Evangelist Wigford St Mary-le-Wigford St Martin St Lawrence St George Holy Trinity Clasketgate All Saints Hungate St Peter-at-Pleas and St Peter-at-Arches St Edmund The cloth production area The mint and jewellery quarter Baxtergate, the bakers' street Pottery production sites in the lower walled city The High Market of the lower city and other lower city markets Lower city defences The Wigford causeway Buildings on the sand islands in the Brayford Valley Floor deposits Waterside installations Potential western quaysides Road up the northern hillside Northern hill slope area with springs and possible secular occupation Hill side springs, streams and pools Settlement site on Brayford island Valley floor deposits Limestone uplands Houses within the southern suburb Houses within the walled lower city Quayside east of High Bridge Riparian deposits Roads entering the city Temple complexes in the lower city The defences St Benedict St John the Evangelist Wigford St Mary-le-Wigford St Martin St Lawrence St George Holy Trinity Clasketgate All Saints Hungate St Peter-at-Pleas and St Peter-at-Arches Page 19 of 25

22 Baptist Chapel at Brayford Head The possible Wigford island temple Upper Ermine Street Brayford s eastern waterside Fossdyke, Brayford and Witham navigations Long distance road routes High Bridge and ford Intermediate road routes Local road routes Tram system Railway transport network The wetlands The shambles, Clasketgate Working class housing of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Newport, the Bail, the lower city and Wigford. Working-class housing estates c in Newport, Newland, Butwerk Wigford and elsewhere Newly-built Victorian housing for the middle and upper classes c Food processing industries and brewing industry Textile industries Wood processing industries Banking industry Dispensaries Elementary Schools The Stonebow Prisons Lower City (City) Assembly Rooms Theatres and cinemas St Benedict St Mary-le-Wigford St Martin (original site) St Peter-at-Arches Baptist Chapels at St Benedict s Square, Mint Street and Monks Road Wesleyan and Methodist Chapels City docks 2) Waterside North between the walls Wigford western shoreline Wigford eastern shoreline - La Gulle, Old Eye and Thorngate Wetlands Local roads High Bridge and ford Former High Market of the lower city - The drapery Former High Market of the lower city - The skin market Former High Market of the lower city - The hay market Former High Market of the lower city - The shambles Former High Market of the lower city - The new butter market The New Market in the High Street (St Lawrence's/ St Martin s parishes south to St Mary-le-Wigford parish The swine, beast and sheep markets in Broadgate, St Rumbold s Churchyard and Sheep Square The Clewmarket Housing in the lower city Housing in Upper Wigford (north of Great Gowt) The mint and jewellery quarter The bakers' street Pottery production sites in Upper Wigford Lower City Assembly Rooms Lower City defences Page 20 of 25

23 Appendix 3: List of Ecological Sites St Martin's Lane Open Space River Witham, Central East Page 21 of 25

24 Appendix 4: Historical Components which influence the current character Page 22 of 25

25 Appendix 5: Townscape GIS Layers Page 23 of 25

26 Page 24 of 25

27 Page 25 of 25

28 Page 26 of 25