Archaeologica Ltd 7 Fosters Lane Bradwell Milton Keynes MK13 9HD tel: fax: HERITAGE STATEMENT. In connection with

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1 archaeologica Archaeological consulting and research Archaeologica Ltd 7 Fosters Lane Bradwell Milton Keynes MK13 9HD tel: fax: HERITAGE STATEMENT In connection with New House 24 Whittall Street King Sutton Banbury S/2011/1343/OUT On behalf of: Cumming Anderton Architects 38 the Green South Bar Banbury OX16 9AE Isabel M G Lisboa BA PhD May

2 1.0 Introduction Dr Isabel Lisboa holds a BA and a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Cambridge. She was a Fellow in Archaeology for two years at the University of London. She worked full-time for four years as Consultant and Project Manager with Tempvs Reparatvm prior to forming Archaeologica twelve years ago. She has written numerous desk-based reports and WSI s for evaluations, excavation and watching briefs for rural and urban sites and produced Heritage Statements for sites in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire,, Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire. The proposed development consists of the buildings of a new house in the plot if 24 Whittall Street, Kings Sutton, Banbury S/2011/1343/OUT. The location of the development is shown in Fig 1. Kings Sutton lies in the Cherwell valley, 4.5 miles from Banbury and 6.5 miles from Brackley and is a town of Saxon origins but much affected by modern expansion and the proposed development sits in the older part of the town. 2.0 Planning background NPPF National Planning Policy Framework (Department for Communities and Local Government March 2012), NPPF for short, has the concept of sustainable development at its core for both plan-making and decision-taking. One of the 12 core policies states that planning should conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations. It replaces 30 planning policy statements and guidance notes and seeks to compress and compartmentalise these statements into a more succinct and easily understood framework for local decision makers to work with when determining future local plan policies and making planning decisions. Paragraph 14 of the NPPF states that at the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development. It should be used by Local Authorities for plan making and for decision-taking. For decision-making this means: approving development proposals that accord with the development plan without delay; and where the development plan is absent, silent or relevant policies are out of date, granting permission unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the Framework; or where specific policies in the National Planning Framework indicate development should be restricted, which in terms of Heritage is exemplified by Designated Heritage Assets such as Listed buildings (footnote 9). Section 12 deals with the conservation and enhancement of the historic environment. Paragraph 128 states that in determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting with footnote 29 stating that the principles and policies set out in this section apply to the heritage-related consent regimes for which local planning authorities are responsible under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) Act 1990 such as Designated Heritage Assets, as well as to plan-making and decision-taking. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance 2

3 In the absence of a Local Plan which is up to date and consistent with the Framework, paragraph 26 of the NPPF states that planning applications should be determined in accord with the Framework, including its presumption in favour of sustainable development. The Local Development Framework The Local Development Framework (LDF) for South is a new set of documents which will include all of the planning authority's local development documents. As they are adopted by the Council, they will eventually replace the South Local Plan adopted in South Local Plan adopted in 1997 With regards to conservation areas, the South Local Plan adopted in 1997 states that it follows Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and that the Council is required to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area. This should also be a material consideration in the Council s handling of development proposals which are outside the conservation area but which would affect the its setting, or views into or out of the area. Two policies deal with the Conservation Areas: Policies EV 10 and EV11. EV10 states that the council will seek to preserve or enhance the special character or appearance of conservation areas by: (i) resisting the loss of buildings, walls, trees, hedges or other features and (vi) retaining open spaces and important views, where they contribute to the character of the area. EV11 states that planning permission will not be granted for any development proposals outside a conservation area which have an adverse effect on the setting of the conservation area or on any views into or out of the area. Kings Sutton is identified as a Restricted Fill Village in the south Local Plan. The residential policies make provision on appropriate residential development within the village confines. The centre of the village was Designated a Conservation Area in The limits of the Conservation Area are shown in Appendix HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Kings Sutton appears in Domesday as Suttone. At this time the village had a church, a priest and a market and two mills and was quite prosperous. Bridges (1791) relates that the king had in the parish 6 carucates and two in desmene with 1 servant. 7 villains and 10 cottagers had 2 carucates, it had meadow grounds. It also had a mill and a market. The manor had 4 villains with 2 carucates and a priest held 3 virgates. There were further 2 carucates of arable land with 9 villagers and a mill. It indicates that Kings Sutton was a prosperous parish with a church, a market and two mills. The end of the Civil War saw a period of rebuilding in Kings Sutton and most of the older buildings of Kings Sutton date from this period. Some of Buildings date from the 17 th /18 th century and are Listed Buildings. On July 13th, 1785 a fire spread through much of the town and over 40 houses were burnt. It is thought to have affected the centre of the village. Most of the houses in the older parts of the village were destroyed particularly in the areas around Whittall Street, Astrop Road and 3

4 the Square. The damage was valued at nearly three thousand pounds An Act of Parliament in 1804 paved the way for the enclosure of the remainder of King's Sutton in the following year. Independent Commissioners were appointed to arrange the fair redistribution of land and they produced the Enclosure Award and a Plan Enclosure Map of Transport links increased substantially in the 19 th century with the Canal and later the GWR line, Banbury and Cheltenham section. The Oxford Canal started in 1769 and the section from Banbury to Oxford was completed in Though it passes to the West of the parish through Oxfordshire, it was significant in improving the carriage of freight to the village. The Great Western Railway had completed its line between Oxford and Banbury in 1850 and later this was extended to Birmingham. The effects of the improved communication are visible in the expansion of the village as shown by the comparison between the Enclosure map of 1805 and the 1 st edition OS map of The village had increase by 50 houses between 1801 an 1821 but in the second half of the 19 th century the rate of expansion increased more markedly. In the course of the 19 th century settlement spread along Richmond Street and Astrop Road as shown in the 1 st edition OS map of There was also development in Wales Street, known before the 1950 as Station Road. Much of this development involved construction using red brick. Development proceeded apace in the early 20 th century on the eastern edge of the village with council houses built at Astrop Gardens in 1923 and later in Richmond Street and Newlands. After 1950 the village expanded further with the construction of modern housing and estates along Richmond Street Astorp Road and Banbury Lane when Orchard Way was built linking Richmond Street and Upper Astrop Road. Further development followed at Orchard Way and Dairy Ground. In addition the historic village has seen a substantial amount of new development in the recent past, consisting of brick built properties on small plots carved from earlier larger plots often clustered cul de sac serviced from a major road, as is the case with the back lane of Whittall Street and vacant areas in what were often generously sized plots have resulted in the construction of new houses and bungalows to the side of behind the older houses. The expansion of Kings Sutton since the late 19th century resulted in its the merging with Astrop into a single settlement due to infilling from modern housing. It resulted in a significant change in the geography of the town with the historic core of the village, previously in the centre now lying in the SW edge of the settlement. 4.0 THE SITE AND ITS SETTING The historic settlement of Kings Sutton conforms to the green village type and that open area now sits on the south west of the present day village. This historic core of the village sits on the higher ground of the village. It is centred around the Square flanked by a cluster of listed buildings, the oldest being the church (grade I) where some elements of Norman architecture still survive, which sits on the opposite side to the 15 th century Courthouse (Grade *) and the stocks. The Manor House (grade *) is also located south of the Square. On opposite side sits a row of houses, 9,10,11 the Square, which like the remaining buildings listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 for the village, are Grade listed. The statutorily protected buildings are shown in Appendix 1. 4

5 The dominant characteristic of the houses dating from the 17 th to the 19 th century is their construction in the vernacular style using local iron stone and slate or tiled roofs though some at least would have been originally thatched and tend to sit directly on the footpath. Whittall Street, known as the High Street until the 1950 s, is one of the streets running off from the Square, heading down towards the north and Home Farm another grade listed building, and Richmond Street and Bull Lane. Red Lion Street and Church Lane run from the west of the Square, the latter also having a clutch of Listed Buildings, all grade. Astrop Road runs eastwards of the Square but is of historical interest only near its intersection with the Square. The conservation area (see Appendix 2) encompasses these streets wholly in some case. In the case of Whittall Street only a ribbon along the western edge of the eastern side of the street is encompassed within the conservation area, to the west and outside the proposed new house. The proposed new house, the Application Site, sits between Whittall Street and its back lane. It is defined to the south and the north by vegetation covered stone walls. To the east by a wooden fence separating the Site from the bungalow formerly part of the same plot. A narrow passage leads to a gate providing access to the back lane. The Site of proposed development sits outside the Conservation Area (Appendix 2). Whittall Street comprises predominantly stone and slate dwellings dating from the 17 th and 18 th century using the local vernacular style. There are many signs of 19 th century changes in architectural detail including 20th century replacement windows. Most of the houses sit directly on the pavement in a near continuous stone façade screening the back of the plots from the street view. There are a few newer buildings of 19 th and 20 th century dates. The comparison between the enclosure map of 1805 an the first edition map surveyed at the close of the 19 th century shows substantial changes in the spatial organisation of the village centre: the later map shows alterations in the backs of the properties along Whittall Street. There is noticeable more infilling in the centre with subdivisions of plots a trend which continues to increase in the centre of the village as shown in the 1900 OS map. With regards to the surrounds of the Whittall Street, the village grew to the East, along Astrop Road and Richmond Street and also to the west along Wales Street. The 1805 Enclosure map (Fig 2) confirms that the oldest part of the village sits around the Square to the SW of the Site. The dense irregular plot patterns to the north of the Square and on either side of Red Lion Street and along Church Lane suggest an early medieval date for the origin of these plots. By contrast, the plots to the north- east of the Square suggest they were set at a later date. They span between the Whittall Street and the back lane in a pattern conforming to later medieval burgage plots. A similar pattern of land division is apparent north of Richmond Street. In the 1805 map (Fig 6 a) the plot of the Application Site (plot 87) is shown to have buildings in the middle of the plot. In plot immediately to the south and adjacent to the Application Site (plot 88) two cottages are shown facing the back lane, showing the start of village infilling had started by the beginning of the 19 th century. By 1884 when the 1 st edition map was drawn there different buildings had been built in the plots of the Application Site and the earlier building had been removed (Fig 6b). The plot to the north of the Site, plot 171 (plot 86 in the 1805 map) had been subdivided so the rear became part of the plot facing Richmond street (163) which now encompasses the previous plot numbered 85 and part 86 of the 1805 map. The 1884 map (Fig 6 b) also shows that the plot to the south of the Application Site had been further subdivided so that in addition to the cottages facing the back land and Whittall Street there was a middle plot (174). 5

6 This pattern of subdivision of plots had become generalised by the late 19 th century as the 1884 OS map shows affecting practically every plot in the area defined by Richmond Street, Whittall Street, Astrop Road and the back lane of Whittall Street. The dynamic change of plot definition continued into the beginning of the 20 th century affecting the plot of the Application Site itself. The OS 1923 map shows the plot of the Application Site to been internally divided with a building in the middle of the plot (Fig 6c) By the end of the 20 th century all the plots at the back of Whittall Street had buildings built at the rear, opening to the back lane (Fig 6 d). In the case of the Application Site a single storied brick built dwelling was erected, leading to a new division of the plot. 4.0 CONCLUSIONS By the time Parliamentary Enclosure was enacted in 1803 and the Enclosure map drawn in 1805, cottages had started to be built at the back of the plots facing Whittall Street. There were also buildings in the middle of virtually every plot. By 1884 some plots in the area had been subdivided or amalgamated. (Fig 2). The process of internal division of the plots affected the plot of the Application Site as shown in the 1923 OS map (Fig 6c). More recently the plot was divided a second time when the bungalow opening to the back lane was built. It left only a narrow passage along the southern edge of the Site to provide access from the house at 24 Whittall Street to the back lane. The plot of the Application Site has thus been affected by at least two mapped subdivisions in the 20 th century, shown in the 1923 map and in the modern map. Existing impact In terms of existing impact, the Site has been negatively affected by firstly subdivision and secondly the construction of the bungalow at the rear. Its definition and character as a burgage plots has been diminished both in size and its integrity severely compromised so the character of the plot has changed form agricultural to urban. The back lane, where infilling had started by 1805, has now been totally built up so every plot spanning between Whittall Street and the back lane has dwelling/buildings opening directly on the back lane. Most of these buildings are of 20 th century date. The character of the burgage plot landscape where this area was open in order to be used for cultivation and rubbish disposal has therefore disappeared as the area is now built up and the plots have acquired the character of 20 th century built environment. There are no published criteria for the assessment of heritage assets. However there are the set criteria for designated assets. Using those criteria (condition, rarity, character and group value) we can see that the condition of the site is poor in terms of its the medieval historic character since (a) the plot has been subdivided already and it has a house at the back, (b) it has also lost its group value since most of the plots in the block are now subdivided and built up., (c) the plot is not well preserved the eastern boundary is gone and (c) the major boundaries north and south will continue to be fossilised. In addition, the character of the plot and the surrounding plots have changed from rural to urbanised. Therefore the historic significance of the plot is low. In broader terms of setting, the surrounds of the site have largely lost their historic value as they have become urbanised. Kings Sutton itself has lost much of the village character as it has expanded to join Alstrop and as it has been affected both by the construction of housing in the late 19 th century and 20 th modern estates on the edges and considerable infilling in the 6

7 area shown in the 1805 maps. The core historic centre which was the settlement of Kings Sutton now forms the southwestern corner of Kings Sutton, having lost its central place and so it now site on the edge of the village. Future impact The area of the Site has seen a substantial amount of development to the rear of buildings on the street frontage of Whittall Street. The recent additions now line every plot on the back lane. The buildings consist of brick built largely but not solely single storey building different in character from the established character of the Whittall Street frontage. It is also very different in character from the historic character of this area which was as agricultural plots for the street front houses. The delineation of the conservation area reflects this division between the well preserved street frontage of Whittall Street and the much altered, 20 th century character of the back plots. In terms of the setting of the conservation area, the additional house would have little negative impact to the setting of the conservation area given that the character of the back plots which already built up, with houses in the middle and back of the plots. In terms of the existing impact, the existing division of the plot itself, the modern infill, amalgamation of plots and building in every plot around it, has diminished the character of the plot so the heritage value is low and the impact of the proposed development is minor. The heritage value would have been enhanced by the group value of the plot but the map evidence shows that character disappeared as a result of modern building in the rear and middle of the plots and amalgamation of plots particularly between the 1920 s and the late 1970 s. The landscape of the whole block is now a built landscape and the small amount of open area subtracted by the proposed development and the new house would have little further negative impact, given the existing loss of integrity and historic reference within and without the plot. Unlike many of the existing neighbouring developments (where amalgamation of plots has occurred), the major historic boundaries of the plot would be maintained, so the northern and southern boundaries would remain fossilised, further diminishing the impact of the proposed development. There are no Designated Heritage Assets in the surrounds of the Site of Proposed Development, the nearest (Rose Cottage Listed Building Grade ) not being visible form the plot in any case. The buildings in the street front are of local interest. The impact of the proposed house on Designated Assets is null. summary The historic value of the plot has already been compromised internally with the construction of the single bungalow in the rear facing the back lane. A significant part of value of a burgage plot lies in it being part of a group of plots, an organised planned landscape which is how they were set out originally. The plots were set out so as to provide land for the sustenance of the householders in the houses on the street front. That group value has been severely negatively affected by the infilling of the most of the plots in the medieval planned landscape in the area delimited by Whittall Street to the west and Richmond Street, so the integrity of the plots had disappeared by the 1970 and early 1980 s. The proposed development will continue to fossilise the major plot boundaries, to the north and south. The impact of the proposed house on the historic asset is low. In terms of destruction of the integrity of the plot at the rear of 24 Whithall Street, the process of internal division started between 1884 and 1923 and became more profound with the subdivision of the plot and the construction of the bungalow at the rear. 7

8 While the street frontage is well preserved, the setting of the rear of those buildings is now comprises a built environment, not open land, so that the construction of the new dwelling would have little impact in what is already a built, back lane townscape. The new house would not be visible from Whittall Street and would have no impact on this streetscape. References Baker George The History and Antiquities of the County of Northampton vol 2 John Bridges 1791, The History and Antiquities of vol 1 Kings Sutton Village appraisal group Kings Sutton RCHM 1982 County of :archaeological sites vol 4. Enclosure Map 1805 A pan of the parish of Kings Sutton in the county of Northampton NRO 2994 OS inch to the mile 1 st edition LX 6 NRO 2382 OS 6 to 1 mile 1900 XL NW OS 6 to 1 mile 1823 XL NW OS 1: SP 45 NE OS 1: SP 53 NW 8

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15 BRIDGE AT KINGS SUTTON LOCK OXFORD CANAL BRIDGE AT KINGS SUTTON LOCK OXFORD CANAL, OXFORD CANAL, Adderbury, Cherwell, Oxfordshire GATEPIERS AT ROAD TO NEWBOTTLE MANOR AT JUNCTION OF NEWBOTTLE AND KINGS SUTTON PARISHES NEWBOTTLE MANOR, GATEPIERS AT JUNCTION OF NEWBOTTLE BOUNDARY GATEPIERS AT ROAD TO NEWBOTTLE MANOR AT JUNCTION OF NEWBOTTLE AND KINGS SUTTON PARISHES, Kings Sutton, South, ASTROP HOUSE ASTROP HOUSE, ASTROP, Kings Sutton, South, * ST RUMBALD'S WELL APPROXIMATELY 70 METRES SOUTH OF ASTROP HOUSE ST RUMBALD'S WELL APPROXIMATELY 70 METRES SOUTH OF ASTROP HOUSE, ASTROP, Kings Sutton, South, WELLHEAD AT SP WELLHEAD AT SP , ASTROP ROAD, Kings Sutton, South, No name for this Entry 2 AND 4, ASTROP ROAD, Kings Sutton, South, OLD LACE HOUSE OLD LACE HOUSE, ASTROP ROAD, Kings Sutton, South, SUTTON HOUSE SUTTON HOUSE, 1, CHURCH AVENUE, Kings Sutton, South, HOME FARMHOUSE HOME FARMHOUSE, RICHMOND FARMHOUSE, Kings Sutton, South, CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, I HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 5 METRES WEST OF WEST DOORWAY OF CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL HEADSTONE APPROXIMATELY 5 METRES WEST OF WEST DOORWAY OF CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, No name for this Entry 9, 10 AND 11, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, THE COURTHOUSE THE COURTHOUSE, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, *

16 ROSE COTTAGE ROSE COTTA GE, 1, WHITTALL STREET, Kings Sutton, South, MANOR HOUSE MANOR HOUSE, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, * CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 4 METRES SOUTH WEST OF WEST DOOR OF CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL CHEST TOMB APPROXIMATELY 4 METRES SOUTH WEST OF WEST DOOR OF CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, WHITE HORSE PUBLIC HOUSE WHITE HORSE PUBLIC HOUSE, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, Q COTTAGE Q COTTAGE, 6, WALES STREET, Kings Sutton, South, STOCKS STOCKS, THE SQUARE, Kings Sutton, South, GATEPIERS AND GATE AT ENTRANCE TO ASTROP PARK GATEPIERS AND GATE AT ENTRANCE TO ASTROP PARK, UPPER ASTROP ROAD, ASTROP, Kings Sutton, South, THE NUTSHELL THE NUTSHELL, 3, CHURCH AVENUE, Kings Sutton, South, No name for this Entry 4, LION STREET, Kings Sutton, South, No name for this Entry 33 AND 35, RICHMOND STREET, Kings Sutton, South, KINGS SUTTON LOCK OXFORD CANAL KINGS SUTTON LOCK OXFORD CANAL, OXFORD CANAL, Adderbury, Cherwell, Oxfordshire Buildings is in Kings Sutton listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest. Source: The National Heritage List for England

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