Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Cemetery

STATEMENT OF HERITAGE IMPACT Works for Change of Use to extend Existing Cemetery ~ within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Ecclesiastical Buildings

Wroxham Cemetery, Nobel Crescent, Wroxham,

for Wroxham Parish Council

Statement to accompany Change of Use application for proposed extended cemetery within proximity of Listed Buildings; Grade I ‘Church of St. Mary’ & Grade II Trafford Mausoleum, St. Mary’s Churchyard, Church Lane

November 2019 Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery

Image taken from Church of St. Mary showing clear distance of existing Cemetery within tree-lined boundary within rural context Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery Summary for Listed Building Consent Application

The client/s; ‘Wroxham Parish Council’ who maintain the existing Wroxham Cemetery wish to extend the current grounds to provide additional burial space in response to increase demand for burial spaces within this location. Wroxham Cemetery seeks consent to provide an extended cemetery whilst preserving the existing and provide clear definition between the current and proposed cemetery plots. In addition, a link will continue to allow access to both new and existing cemetery areas to remain unchanged. The client/s would also like to utilise the opportunity to provide a more holistic approach to the layout of the new cemetery to provide contrast against the more ordered arrangement of the current existing cemetery. this will allow a more comprehensive facility to cater for preference between more traditional burial plots to current requests for a more woodland style organic burial style. The opportunity is to utilise the existing access, use and the quality of continuing visiting within the new extended cemetery, along with the variety of burial services, in addition to the traditional existing services will provide a much wider community benefit. The scheme seeks to provide a more innovative design focus for burial plot arrangement that will optimise both the aesthetics and use of visiting the site, whilst promoting the magnificent open natural views to the surrounding countryside and also ensuring the relationship between the nearby ecclesiastical buildings are maintained and not compromised in anyway.

Image/s of Existing Wroxham Cemetery (source : Treecare Ltd.) Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery INTRODUCTION

This design statement has been prepared to accompany a Listed Building Application to apply for consent of ‘Change of Use’ works, to develop existing agricultural land to a cemetery use with new burial plots, visiting and access. The existing Wroxham Cemetery is located amongst an almost secluded location within Wroxham Village, within open rural countryside, surrounded by the to the South where once regular trading Wherry boats would have sailed by dating back to 1604.

The proposed site is situated behind the existing cemetery (to the West) which is accessed at the end of a cul-de-sac, nearby to a series of residential dwellings along Nobel Crescent, including a Scout Hut almost opposite and adjoining Church lane are the referenced Listed Buildings further to the South. This statement provides supporting evidence to the proposed scheme, to demonstrate how the proposal will have no negative visual or harmful architectural impact in anyway to these Listed Buildings. The proposed works will also provide a clear and defined extension to the West of the current cemetery site, to allow a connection through an existing opening within the hedgerow between existing an proposed cemetery, to continue to be accessed via the current vehicular/pedestrian main entrance from Nobel Crescent which will remain unchanged.

The new design will provide additional burial plots (approx. 125+) with pedestrian routes through the new cemetery layout for visitors to the site including suitable hearse vehicle turning circles for burial services to maintain within the curtilage of the site. The aim is to provide alternatives for burial services not currently provided locally, that can provide several burial options dependant on various religious or also non-religious ceremonies to cater for more variety of service as required. In addition the new cemetery will provide a more organic design focused arrangement of plots to allow visitors to benefit from open views to the countryside within peaceful spots throughout the cemetery extension. This will provide a unique opportunity to allow a reposeful and tranquil setting for burial, visiting and reflection throughout the seasons in this beautiful, quiet and calm rural setting within the Norfolk Countryside. Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery

Listing Details: Building ref. A Church of St. Mary (Grade I) Location Statutory Listing Address: CHURCH OF ST MARY, CHURCH LANE County: Norfolk District: Broadland (District Authority) National Grid Reference: TG 29656 17540

Details Image of Church of St. Mary (source : R.Walton - Historic England)

TG 21 NE WROXHAM CHURCH LANE (west side) 4/84 10.5.61 Church of St. Mary. G.V. I Parish church. Fabric mainly of C15 with C12 remains in nave. West tower, nave, north and south aisles, south porch and chancel. Flint with limestone dressings, lead roofs. South aisle (rebuilt in C19) partly of red brick with slate roof. North aisle roof has C20 felt covering. C15 west tower with traceried sound holes, angle buttresses and parapets with good flush work panels. Parapet embattled with corner pinnacles. Windows generally Perpendicular, many renewed or restored in C19. Decorated east window. Very fine Norman south doorway : three orders of engaged shafts with decorated bands, capitals and abaci supporting an arch of seven orders, each order having a separate carved motif. C15 door with iron latch plate, probably C13. Interior : remains of stair to chamber over original porch. Curious nave arcades of three bays; octagonal piers, without capitals, supporting four- centred arches with double hollow chamfers. Remains of rood loft stairs on south side of chancel arch. Many good C18 and C19 monuments, notably Robert Blake Humfrey (d.1886) John Wace (d.1795) Daniel Collyer, 1774. Graded I for fine south doorway. Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery History : Building ref. A Church of St. Mary (Grade I)

The church is located within a secluded, tranquil, countryside setting within Wroxham, that sits amongst a tree-lined area curtilage of land surrounded by the Southern bank of the River Bure, towards a backdrop of open fields. This historic church has stood on this spot since the 12th Century, however there has been a church on this site for approx. 900 years yet the present Church of St. Mary building is thought to date back to around the 15th Century.

Evidence of 12th Century stonework within the building fabric is still visible in the nave, with the magnificent West tower dating back to the 15th Century. One of the iconic features of this Church is the South doorway displaying a wonderful example of Norman architecture. The doorway composed into three orders with decorated column shafts and capitals rising t arches with traditional Norman motifs such as roll-moulding, chain symbols and zig-zag carvings, also include a variety of grotesque monsters including a ‘Sheela-na-gig’ (believed to be from Celtic origin) depicting an often explicitly exposed naked women which has various theories of it’s representation, from being used to ward off death, evil and demons, to represent fertility or a Mother Goddess figure where woman gives life to man.

Inset within the door way is a beautiful 15th Century oak door with an earlier iron latch plate dating back to the 13th Century. The internal spaces display some fantastic monuments predominantly from the Victorian period, with memorials to John Wace (d. 1795) and Daniel Collyer (d.1774), with remains of the medieval rood loft stair and alabaster and panel depicting the Holy Family, create an incredible collection of historic architecture within this unique Church building. Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery Listing Details: Building ref. B Trafford Mausoleum, St. Mary’s Churchyard (Grade II) Location Statutory Listing Address: TRAFFORD MAUSOLEUM, ST MARY'S CHURCHYARD, CHURCH LANE County: Norfolk District: Broadland (District Authority) National Grid Reference: TG 29637 17557

Image of Trafford Mausoleum (source : R.Walton - Historic England) Details TG 21 NE WROXHAM CHURCH LANE (west side)

4/85 Trafford Mausoleum, St. Mary's Churchyard. G.V. II Mausoleum. Built c,1830 to a design by Anthony Salvin in Early English style. Design exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1830. Limestone with steeply pitched lead roof. Three bays of blank arcading on each side; staged angle buttresses with gabled heads surmounted by corner pinnacles. Eaves and gable parapets with roll-moulded copings. Cross-finials on each gable apex. Entrance door in west gable under arch of two orders and hood mould with stops. East gable has blank arcade of four lancets under a large circular window. Iron perimeter railings and gates.

Listing NGR: TG2963717557 Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery History: Building ref. B Trafford Mausoleum, St. Mary’s Churchyard (Grade II)

The Trafford family can trace their lineage back to Randolph Lord de Trafford who lived during the reign of King Canute and Edward the Confessor. The Trafford family name originating from the North East, Lincs, has connections with iconic landmarks such as Old Trafford Cricket Ground and Old Trafford Football Stadium. This was previously named ‘Trafford Park’ which Trafford family members once owned and is now the home of Manchester United football stadium.

With a continuation of family ties involving London Merchants, Lords and various estates, one of the more infamous members of the Trafford family was Sigismund Trafford, who famously fought in the Battle of Waterloo, who’s letters that were sent to his family home, Wroxham Hall which no longer exists, still provide an invaluable historical resource today. Upon Sigismund Traffords' death, his wife, Margaret Trafford who carried on living at Wroxham Hall, commissioned a young aspiring architect named Anthony Salvin, to build the mausoleum as a memorial to her late husband and was granted permission to build a Roman Catholic burial vault in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Wroxham.

Anthony Salvin himself, soon became a renowned Victorian architect as he developed his career, who’s work included a list of famous castles including Windsor, Warwick and Castle. The Trafford Mausoleum design incorporated an early gothic ‘medieval’ style building to be used as a commemorative resting place for members of the Trafford family. This was built between 1827 and 1828 and exhibited the plans of the mausoleum at the Royal Academy, London in 1830.

The building with ornately carved pinnacles, buttresses and blind arcading along the exterior was also mentioned ‘Gentleman’s Magazine’ in the 1830’s which called the mausoleum a ‘pleasing and exquisite miniature chapel’. Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery SITE LOCATION AND GENERAL CONTEXT

The site is located to the set to the East of the River Bure, along Nobel Crescent where the road ends to the North and provides private access only to the fields further to the North. To the South & S/E are a series of residential bungalow dwellings with 1st Hoveton & Wroxham Sea-Scout Group located directly opposite to the East of the Cemetery entrance.

South-West of the cemetery (approx. 120m) is the Grade II Trafford Mausoleum and a further. 150m approx. away to the South-West is the Church of St. Mary. The curtilages of the Listed buildings, fields and cemetery are all tree-lined which allows the spaces to be both broken up visually and allow good amounts of privacy between the various buildings. As a result views are naturally screened between residential buildings, listed buildings, Scout hut and cemetery. The quite area is further protected by Nobel Crescent being a ‘no through’ road which affords an idea setting for the cemetery to benefit from this peaceful, rural location. Area of Existing cemetery and Proposed extension shown highlighted (Red) Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The proposal aims to provide much needed additional burial space with a discreet and seamless link between existing cemetery and new extended layout. The cemetery also looks to provide a more orchard style burial contrast to the formality of the existing site, yet maintain the views of open countryside and continue vistas of the listed buildings located along Church lane. The proposed scheme looks to develop the harmony and relationship between the two sites to ensure there is no conflict either visually or obstruction of any established views, which will continue to be unaffected by this scheme. The proposed site layout looks to promote views of both the open countryside and especially the iconic tower of Church of St, Mary in the foreground, which provides a well suited backdrop to the setting and tranquility of both the existing and new proposed cemetery.

The scheme has been developed to provide clear access on arrival and also around the cemetery during visits. Within the design, the key emphasis was to engage both the open views and also the architectural backdrop of the listed buildings to enhance the zeitgeist when visiting the cemetery. The proposed design will also utilise the existing contours of the existing landscape and the ground levels will be maintained as a result, with no significant increase of levels, platforms or structure proposed. Instead, the continuation of landscaping to compliment the scheme layout, to provide subtle definition to the curtilage of the site with sympathetic planting, use of materials to be of a more natural palette of wood, stone and typical burial head stones with additional dedicated areas to scatter ashes to be encompassed within the scheme.

With the continuation of the existing cemetery to remain as the foreground to the proposed cemetery extension, the site will look to prolong the benefit to the community and offer further opportunity for burial options that are not available currently within Wroxham Cemetery. The key objective of the scheme looks to utilise the existing access, continue the relationship with the locality of the site and to provide a peaceful retreat for the benefit for all visitors. Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery

Grade II Listing Building (our ref. A) Image/s of Church of St. Mary (source : R.Walton - Historic England) Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery

Area of existing and proposed extension to cemetery shown highlighted (Red) Grade II Listing Building (our ref. B)

Image of Trafford Mausoleum (source : R.Walton - Historic England) Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery

CONCEPT DESIGN/S FOR CEMETERY OPTION ACCESS : Burial Vehicles + Pedestrian/visitors

VIEWS : Views promoted from new cemetery to open countryside/River Bure and maintained from surrounding dwellings and Listed Buildings

Proposed Layout showing access and views from/across new cemetery Heritage Statement - Works within proximity of Grade I & Grade II Listed Buildings - Extended Cemetery Works, Wroxham Cemetery FURTHER INFORMATION:

To summarise, the client/s wish to carry out the following;

• Provide a new extension to allow for approx. 120 burial plots within a more holistic style ‘orchard burial’ style environment, to also include dedicated areas for scattering ashes, various religious and non-religious burial services • Provide a seamless transition between existing and proposed cemetery areas with a clear contrast between style of layout • New cemetery to provide provision for; burial services, with vehicle turning for funeral cars, visitor access to walk to all areas/burial plots with designated seating provisions across the site and promote vistas across open countryside and to local listed buildings within the location

This application will also provide additional information to include further details on; aboricultural, soil investigation, EA consultation (all by separate consultation), with proposed details to include site plans, proposed layout and site location plans (all to scale).

Whilst the intention of the client/s is to provide additional burial plots within a specific design focused proposal, the client/s are equally focused to preserving the character of the locality of this setting, prolong the aspect of the architectural and landscape context whilst also compliment the relationship between the proposed cemetery site and the nearby listed buildings.

Therefore our application looks to work with the Local Authority to achieve a suitable consent. It should be highlighted that the client/s have demonstrated they provide a much needed service to the community as the Wroxham Parish Council and will continue to promote the quality of this location within this proposed application.

Acknowledgements for Source Ref:

• Historic England - https://historicengland.org.uk/ • Norfolk Heritage Explorer - http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF8074-St-Mary%27s-Church-and-Trafford-Mausoleum- Wroxham&Index=7417&RecordCount=57339&SessionID=f94e773d-956b-4b8a-a59e-f2dfab4baff5 • Norfolk Churches - http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wroxham/wroxham.htm • Wroxham History - https://wroxhamhistory.wordpress.com/wroxhams-gothic-masterpiece/ • MM Trust - http://www.mmtrust.org.uk/mausolea/view/116/Trafford_Mausoleum • Network Norwich - https://www.networknorwich.co.uk/Articles/475126/Network_Norwich_and_Norfolk/Regional_News/North_Norfolk/ North_Norfolk_Archive/Wroxham_church_opens_Trafford_Mausoleum_for_one.aspx