Netherseal Conservation Area

Character Statement

2010 CONSULTATION DRAFT

SOUTH DISTRICT COUNCIL Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement

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Contents

Conservation Area Building Materials & Details & Details Materials Building Spaces Historic Development Development Historic Views Approaches

Loss & Damage LossDamage & Map Area Conservation • Description Area Conservation Area the Conservation to Extension Proposed • • Conservation Area Analysis Analysis Area Conservation • • Introduction Introduction Summary Appendix Distinctive architectural details details architectural Distinctive Appendix Area of Archaeological Potential Potential of AreaArchaeological Netherseal Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement judgements on the merits of development applications. themeritsdevelopment judgementsonof To the north and east of Netherseal lies the coalfield, which played an played which 19 coalfield, late the in Derbyshire part important South the lies Netherseal of east and north the To banks. river the along scattered trees is and cover copses small tree to and limited open more is character and the south west, the to Elsewhere, village. the of character enclosed with regular field patterns in the 18 the in patterns field regular with enclosed only was is area the and agriculture which for land productive Sandstone”, “Bromsgrove of good, was It sandstone. permeable” ”highly as classified knoll a on sit school primary the and church The valley. river the trailing deposits terrace river & alluvium of areas large free but clays, with bedrock, sandstone theupon shallow and draining rich generally The are Mease. Netherseal River in the soils around flat lowland, rolling almost by becoming largely characterised is area The 1897. intodrawnDerbyshire and in only was within belongtime one atdid Thevillage Leicestershire. with boundary theCounty marks also This perimeter. southern its along snakes which Mease, River the by marked is village, the of and parish, the of edge The Derbyshire. of County the of south extreme the in lies Netherseal Summary 1978. 13thJuly professional on DistrictCouncil Derbyshire South by designated was Area Conservation Netherseal The making when Council the by used be future will also for opportunities document It thus protection. and This interest of special enhancement. that worthy to Netherseal damage of of degree appearance the assesses and character the makes that interest architectural and historic special the out sets It Council. District Derbyshire South with, association in and for, Conservation Morris Mel by produced been has statement This Introduction Netherseal by any signs of industrial development or its signs industrial ofor influence. any development by untouched largely remains village the of half southern the but 1855, in pit the of sinking the following developed extensively was area, conservation the of boundary the beyond village, 19 the in planted of shrubs evergreen or many conifers are which trees, mature associated These commonly parkland. mature most with are areas wooded The th etr, ae srn cnrbto t the to contribution strong a make century, Conservation Area Conservation th century development of the village. The northern part of the of part northern The village. the of development century

1 th century. century.

Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement me surprising and memorable natural natural watercourses but the ng complex watercourses and brick boundary walls, with high ge evergreen shrubs – a mixture ent and interest along the streets ent and streets alonginterest the 2 2 century, are preserved. To the east of the church lies th century and in its place stands Newlands House, a Leonard Cheshire th a strong sense of aantiquity strong sense a variety of lines creating building continual movem of deciduous and evergreen trees (dominated by limes, Scots pine Scots of anddeciduous limes, and Cedars) trees (dominated byevergreen several large, mature landscaped gardens incorporati planted character zones of different the planned layout is influenced by village the is contained between these watercourses and neither presence the stream nor the river of immediatelyis apparent predominantly brick buildings and a preponderance of buildings in stone status gentle contours and some sharp bends give rise to so views spacious streets with wide streets spacious grassy verges verdant character with mature parkland trees and lar Netherseal Old Hall with its old, beautiful and extensive 15-acre garden and ponds, largely hidden andboundary andenclosed yewbylime hedges trees. walls, The is a significant river as it character drains is the mainly coalfield into that the of River a Thame. Its tightly water meandering from watercourse. The the guaranteed supply river of Netherseal, first recorded in Domesday Book (1086), and and an historic corn mill still survives its tributaries led today. The river is internationally acknowledged as to a site of ecological importance with the the establishment designation of Special Area of of Conservation, under the European Habitats Directive for the a corn mill rare presence of spined loach in (Cobitis taenia), a bottom-living fish, as well as white-clawed crayfish. The River Mease is fed by a series of tributaries,small such as the stream that runs around the northern perimeter of the Netherseal spring, and the large conservation Hooborough Brook to the east, which area, drains a large part of the South originally fed by a Derbyshire coalfield. The river has a quiet character with little impact on within the conservation area. the main views of Nethersealdistinctive characteristics The can be summarised as follows: • • Home, built in 1984. A large amount of the original landscaped grounds, laid out in 1756-9 and embellished in the mid 19 • • • • • • An area of archaeological potential has been defined through an assessment of the known archaeological, documentary and plan-form evidence of the settlement. It has been carried out as part of the Archaeologist, review of the each Development conservation Control area Archaeologist Record County OfficerCouncil. at Derbyshire in and consultation the with Sites the County and Monuments An area of archaeological potential may encompass both statutory designations (including Scheduled Monuments and Registered Historic Parks and Gardens) and other non-

The The grounds of two former large houses them sits dominate the Church the of conservation St. Peter. area To the and west lie between the Hall, grounds largely hidden behind of tall brick the boundary walls, which former retain mature Netherseal gardens, parkland trees and shrubberies. The demolished in the 20 Hall, which dated from the 1620s or thereabouts, was Areaof ArchaeologicalPotential Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement ie t is ot, ut bv te lo pan ad t s ee ht stlmn ws first was settlement a that here is it 7 the and in plain, originating flood possibly established, the the above with just parallel south, roughly its runs to Street river Church 1086. by community well-established and large a already was , & Netherseal around area the for name collective the “Seal”, H Analysis Area Conservation area. conservation the of boundary the with coincide necessarily not need potential archaeological of area an Consequently, shift. may focus their develop, and grow settlements as centuries, the Over that expectation ground. below reasonable be survive may periods may medieval post and/or there medieval the to relating potential evidence archaeological archaeological of area the Within post- and/or medieval the during activity industrial periods. medieval and settlement of extent probable the shows It Record. Monuments and Sites Derbyshire the from information site statutory Netherseal Hall (demolished) and Netherseal Old Hall. It was only in the 18 the in only was It Hall. Old Netherseal and (demolished) Hall Netherseal houses: are large two of crofts grounds the within gardens further crofts. landscaped of creation Street, the as by obliterated Main originated into been has probably pattern settlement early turns any for and evidence the it street the of River, north the where To evident. the Street, to Church down of west drop Stretching street the of side south the medieval period for the lord of the manor. The L-shaped planned layout of the village the of layout planned L-shaped The manor. the of lord the for period medieval the in food fresh of source reliable and valuable a were fishponds pike and bream Well-stocked ponds.the in levels theup top and thestream of flow the divert to easy was it as fishponds, of creation the enabled river, the as well as stream, the of presence The indicates. buildings along the west side of Main Street by the 17 the by Street Main of side west the along developed certainly was village The Lane. Dog on frontages the behind lane back a possibly Road, Clifton as crofts far as its with northwards extending “tofts”) (with and “crofts” settlement of medieval pattern the of part been have to appears Lane Dog Street. Main along form linear a in developed quickly have toappears Street, Church along located group small a as originated which settlement, small the but village the for reason original the have been may Mease River the of proximity The closeto thepresent very mill. probably but unknown whereabouts precise its (1086), Book Domesday in recorded was mill A right). (pictured century eighteenth is building mill present the although 1650, least at since mill present the of site the on existed have to appears mill corn water-powered A 1799. by ofin subsequently was Act enclosure confirmed Parliament The fields. open from enclosed was land farm outlying the that 1755, of agreement private istoric Development Development istoric th etr. h pos ewe te oss n the on houses the between plots The century. 3 th century, as photographic evidence of the old old the of evidence photographic as century, th century, by a by century, Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement century tower with full-height th century north arcade is the earliest part, th angle buttresses that has the greatest impact in the local scene. Ralph de Seile held the manor of Netherseal as a sub-tenant of Earl Ferrers in the time of Henry II (1154-89), but disposed of part of it. The mill was sold, with Ferrers’ consent, Ralph de to Gresley, and 120 acres of land were given to the Cistercian Abbey Ralph’s of son, also Merevale. Ralph, gave further gifts Merevale. to This would opposition from Earl Ferrers, not as Merevale was have met founded with by Robert de Ferrers was in 1148 therefore and one causes”. of The monastic the farm or Netherseal, family’s set “grange” up “good as at a result of has left these its mark in the gifts, name “Grange Wood” and other associated placenames in the north partwest of the parish. Eventually, the manor reverted to Earl but but it is the 15 Hall), as mediaeval churches so often are. The 13 4 4 century, close to the manor house (now Netherseal Old th Ferrers, who granted it in 1192 to William de Ridware. Between 1192 and 1648, when the Old Hall was sold, the manor passed in unbroken succession through a number of families by marriage: de Ridware, de andStafford, Pipe,Mather. de Vernon Thomas Ridware obtained a grant for a 1311, but yearly as the centuries passed the estate fair gradually diminished in stature and importance and weekly market at Netherseal in in the village. William Mather sold some land and the lordship of the manor to George was was influenced by the presence of the two natural watercourses and the village is contained watercourses.between these The plots on the east side of Main Street, with their backs form towards the a stream, together shallow, rectilinear slice boundaries of are bordered land, by the with gardens of sparse the Hall, clearly development indicated the common orplan. roadside onto wasteland.built They appear beencroachments, to on in the 1829 1785. estate Their rear Nether (i.e. lower) and Over (i.e. upper) seal are separate parishes today, but Overseal did not have its own Anglican Netherseal. church Netherseal was sometimes, until therefore, known as 1840 Great Seile and or Church Seile. was “Seal” is spelt in various ways originally in historic documents; Seal, Sela, Scegla, Sheile or Sceyle, part and of the parish copse. probablyfrom came“scegel”, little meaningoriginally of The Domesday Book (1086) refers to “SELA” which was part of Norman the Henry large de barony Ferrers. of the Between 1066 and 1086 Henry’s the land third had been son handed Robert. over to 6 carucates smallholders,acres a of meadow.mill12 and of land and 21 villagers are mentioned with 12 A church was founded in the 12 Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement NethersealAlmshouses original - datestone of 1699 (aboveleft)andof row almshouses six (right) 19 the throughout property the owned Hewetts The itself. Hall Old the bought who Hewett, George General Major was sale of time the at purchaser major The 1797. in pieces in sold being before families Jervis and Moore the through passed then estate Hall Old The 1699. in built Street, Church of side south the on “hospital” or almshouses the establish to funds left 1697) (died Richard nephew whose Johnson, Zachary to sold was Hall Old the 1648 In new the to place second in one. firmly Hall Old the of status the putting former village, the in land the of the at bought Crown the having majority by vast the own to came Gresleys confiscation the Mather, from purchase the their Netherseal, With Reformation. following c1564, in in there owners lands Abbey substantial Merevale already were Gresleys at the house this, before manor Even stands. new now House a Newlands where built church the manor, of west the Netherseal, of lord new the Gresley, 1614. around Gresley TheRectorybuilt - by the Gresleyfamily c1863 th century, sometimes letting it and sometimes residing there themselves, making making themselves, there residing sometimes and it letting sometimes century, 5 ogt h “e” al s el and well, as Hall “new” Manners the Trent. on bought Worthington Burton the in of Brewery Manners to J. 1928 around Ernest sold was Hall Old The additions. and alterations belonged manorto the house (OldHall) The17thcentury dovecote oncewhich Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement , 1863 is inscribed on a th Gates & yew trees to the new graveyard of 1869 of graveyard the tonew trees Gatesyew & 6 6 century. In line with common practice, the Gresleys used the th centuries, it is the old hall that has stayed the course and which th and 17 th large foundation stone. A few years later, in 1869, a new detached graveyard was provided on the corner Street and Street. of Main Church The village shows little physical evidence of its many entirely agricultural before the 1850s. There are two main farms independentthat we can still see today, farms, although it was although neither is in farming use - Hall Farm and The Old Stableyard. However, the village was farmed by a number of Gresley’s freeholders. estates In 1624 alone. there were The freeholders 26 electoral freeholders owning listed register land on for or community. Hall Farm have to never appears been owned by the Gresley family, the despite 1853 property shows in that the name, village, there but The a were Old Stableyard, large 18 on Church number developed Street, in association with was the for Old Hall, part and it was still of the in the same the ownership until the complex size of 1980s. buildings of The evidence for the farms suggests that they were quite small, mainly andWhere with associated the medievaltofts”. they wereof “crofts layout enlarged, located on narrow sites, they were developed piecemeal and opportunistically when the land became sale. No. available 21 Church Street, slotted for between the Old Hall and the later hall, was one of the small farms (Church Farm); a long, thin “croft” can still be seen although by familyandplot secure1880 the Gresley to this incorporatehad managed it into on the 1829 estate map, the grounds of the Hall. Hall dictated Farm by the confines also of the narrow follows croft and as the a result much patternof this site is of not visible the public.to long, thin development, St. Peter’s C. of E. Primary School was circa built 1875. established There National School. Just was beyond its northern already a boundary established by the well- Gresley lies family in 1869. would seem It that the small churchyard, the which lies to the immediate south of the church, had graveyard run out of room and that they did not wish to lose any of their Rather garden for ironically, this happened graveyard and purpose. the church now takes this in a has large part of the southern section of the subsequently still still bears witness to the long history of Netherseal’s manorial descent. It was sold out the of Manners family upon the death of Mrs. Usher (formerly Mrs. Manners) in 1980, but the owns propertystill Manners some Trust all inhouse, the village today.that the Gresleys’ Of survives is planting in the grounds impressive tall brick of the church. west boundary wall and some boundary and garden walls, including the The “advowson” (the right to nominate a clergyman to serve the church profits and of receive the church the lands) originally belonged with the Old Hall estate, but was acquired by the Gresleys in the 17 position position to augment their own fortunes. Thomas Gresley (1734-85) lived was also at Rector, the and the Hall same was but true of his son William (d1829) and grandson William Nigel (d1847). A new rectory, separate Church Street for the Rev. Nigel from Gresley in 1863; the date June 29 the Hall, was built on the south side of demolished demolished it. Fittingly, therefore, despite the rise and eventual supremacy of the Gresley estate in the 16 Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement Approaches Approaches lack of investment in the fabric of the smallest cottages during the 20 the during cottages smallest the of fabric the in the investment of and lack flooding) to due 1947 in closed colliery (the mining coal of loss the of result a As a built foundedlater in chapel, to1907. their schoolsmall adjacent Methodists Wesleyan The non-conformism. of enclave small a form to 1890, circa Chapel, Methodist Wesleyan the built was (1840) Road Clifton on Chapel Baptist the to Close 1906). Cottages (Central Street Main 40-44 at found be also can workers, house colliery to built probably row, terraced short A examples. good are Street Main 56-58 and h ln o a tem n ws sgiiat at f h hsoi stlmn, lhuh much although settlement, historic the of part significant a was and stream a tracks of Street line Main the Street. Main via north the from approached is area conservation The 19 the of end the at village the of expansion rapid The Netherseal Hall. to theformer gardens n h nrhr hl o te ilg svrl ml gop o trae hue wr built, were houses terraced 19 the of of decades last groups the during small found are several that embellishments terracotta village the incorporating the of half northern the In environment. extension theworking of comfortable a and community of sense a the provided sermon, the around was in worship of focus Chapels, the seen where classes. be working new also the canof interests the 1855 represented in which chapels, Colliery of growth Netherseal the of sinking the following village the of expansion The community. residential immediate own its just than area wider much the late 1970s, as were the thatched post office and the large 17 large the and office post thatched in the were as demolished 1970s, late the was memorial war the behind stood which cottages timber-framed of row o rpae b Sae os. n h nrhr hl o te ilg tee a been has there village the of half northern the In House. housing,local character.with for infill some littleundertaken regard considerable Seale by replaced now has been subjected to a large amount of demolition. Many of the original thatched and and thatched original the of Many demolition. 20 theduring demolished of were cottages timber-framed amount large a to subjected been has In 1895 700 people were employed at Netherseal Colliery. The number of shops and and shops 19 of late number the The in village Colliery. the Netherseal in listed at businesses employed were people 700 1895 In northern the of sawhowever, littledisruption. thechurch, character the in change around village marked the of half southern The housing. infill considerable and village, a the of section to led 1855, in Colliery Netherseal th century in nearby settlements, such as Swadlincote. 7-13 Clifton Road Villas of 1896 of Villas Road Clifton 7-13 Swadlincote. as such settlements, nearby in century Approach intoApproach villagethe from Chilcote 7 th etr idctd ht t a spotn a supporting was it that indicated century lee i te 20 the in altered and south-west follow the gentle gentle the follow south-west south-east and the from approaches The House Newlands h t of i w tobackdrop views. a forming grounds s d the r a w h t in the u trees and gardens o mature the of street, s sides both street lining s e development u The n i t Road. n o c Clifton village of historic north the to The Inn Seal The with starts north. proper the to village, the of outskirts the on housing usata aon o 20 of amount substantial th century. For example, a complete a example, For century. th etr, ih h snig of sinking the with century, th century house alongside, alongside, house century th th etr. hr i a is There century. century, Netherseal century, th century Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement south south side of the river and from the corner where Church Street turns into Main Street. There is an impressive view of tower the from the south church side of the mill leat at Mill Farm. Views are restricted generally channelled dense by tree cover and and thetall boundary walls. There are a few views within the key 8 8 View from the mill leat at river level showing the undulating land & the & landthe the undulating showing level river leat at mill from the View distance the in church tower The conservation area falls between the River Mease and the watercourse that runs to the north of the settlement, tracking the edge of gentlyChurchundulating the River inclinedaway gently to the north to andStreet. falling of the large historic gardens. The ground is The churchyard of St. Peter’s Church and the grounds of Newlands House to its west are elevated above the road and provide occasional some glimpses of commanding the views valley of to Church handful the Street,of south landmarks; the with between church is the the main buildings. landmark, There but this are is most only striking from a the

contours contours of the river valley and slowly rise as they enter the conservation area. road Both from the Chilcote and the road from Acresford offer surprising views as they conservation enter area the at bends in the road, from where the road gently rises up church. towards The road the from Chilcote follows a series of tight bends, starting at the bridge over the River Mease, and there is an important boundary layered walls view to of demolished the Netherseal cottages, Hall “green”, and brick parklandApproaching trees above from on the Acresford skyline. Road character. The the road descends conservation to a little area bridge stream. with From has here, brick there parapets, is a a which sharp straddles bend predominantly and the the canopy and of rural horse mature chestnut) parkland crowdstrees (lime over the road and softens the verges, wide anvillage.the verdant of grass the provides immediate sense of character views and, together with the Views Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement Some of the road junctions within the conservation conservation the within junctions road the of Some street. walls, stone and the overlooking brick presence church’s the increasing thus by retained is which of part largeaplatform, raised a uponbuilt is churchyard The the by and right). church (pictured formed green the Memorial War of the are and front Almshouses, in spaces green the public churchyard, formal The Rectory.theOld at thegardens and Farm Mill surrounding space the Hall, Old the to gardens the House, Newlands at as spaces, informal important create gardens hidden spaces. largely private, enclosed The narrower grass and with pavements generous alternating and road verges, wide the by created Street, Church and Street Main along running spaces informal of series a of up made largely is area conservation The Spaces • but domain public the in some privategrounds:within many surprise, of element an offering most area, conservation • • • • • h ve creig hrh tet Te hrh s the is church The Street. Church cornering view the distance towards looking leat mill the from view private the ChurchStreet theoffrom view Hall Oldtheglimpsed through themeadowand beyond Hall that footpath public the along views of exchange the f boundaries the where thetrees and relationshipsunusual contrastand thebuildings between Street Church along views the of grounds thespace sideof thenorth House lining Newlands the to walls brick the and street the of side south the lining buildings by defined is space The foil. a forming foreground the in lawn green of expanse the with the private views to and from the Old Hall looking a toHall views and theOld from theprivate Importantpublic views and alongspaces Church Street 9 cross its gardens Mill Farm and the church in the in church the and Farm Mill

runs alongside Netherseal Old Netherseal alongside runs an adak n backdrop and landmark main o i ad u, creating out, and in low Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement The bedrock of Bromgrove Sandstone Sandstone Bromgrove of The bedrock feature prominent a is nearchurch the

th 10 10 century buildings at the dovecote and the Almshouses. the dovecote andcentury at the Almshouses. buildings th century or it is possible that th centuries, when transportation of heavy goods radically improved, th and 19 th century west tower of the church is built from the same sandstone as the Old th century. The 15

imported stone was reserved for dressings for windows and doors. reserved forStone can copings be at found the Old Hall as well as Rectory the stone and window the dressings at Village both School. The Its use, appear otherwise brick 17 in however, is very limited. Small panels of stone no-one no-one bothered to work the quarries anymore, as a result of improved transport. there Within was this a strong area tradition of brick timber-frame building. Examples of and rubblestone used in the construction of boundary walls can be the seen entrance near to Newlands House and in 23-27 front Church of Street. Use of village rubblestone in may the displaced have by once the been fashion for more brick extensive, in the 18 Hall, characteristically consistent in a soft pink hue. Coursed sandstone, like that employed at the Old Hall, was also used as a plinth in the construction of the original barn within the Old Hall farmstead (now Nos. 40-42 Church Street), status. indicating a farm building of some In the 18 Stone Stone The rich alluvial soils of the river valley would not ordinarily generate Netherseal is much built on an building outcrop Sandstone, of Bromsgrove a pale stone pinkish brown colour outcrops. but where This it is sandstone classified and a major as aquifer i.e. an underground highly layer of permeable, permeable water-bearing rock, from which water can be obtained by wells or are springs. small pockets There and outcrops of this stone in the immediate area and a established to few the north-west small of the quarries village. are They the were likely source for local stone, although use the of stone was very commodity. Much of the local limited, stone may have been it being a worked out by scarce the 19 Building Materialsand Details Local geology and availability appearance of Netherseal. The range of materials and of the way in which they were used in building materials local building details directly is intricately linked influenced with local identity. the The and appendix lists typical the form special traditional building and details encountered the local of by supplemented photographs,vernacular givedetails. to snapshot a within the conservation area, and is area are spacious & have the character of village greens. Their broad grass verges enhance the semi-rural and characterleafy of village,the particularly junction the of Main Street with the villageChurch school. front of Street in Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement Flared(blue)brick headers (aboveleft)and tallbrick walls(above areright) very dominant in many of the buildings from thebuildings of the17 many in effect decorative great to used been has it and village the in material dominant the is Brick Brickwork rcwr ws sd n h 18 the in used was Brickwork within Flemish bond brickwork, first used in towards the end of the 16 the of end the towards England in used first brickwork, bond Flemish the within from arising bricks, adopted “header” were These effect. decorative contrasting their blue for used and process firing incorporated uneven buildings brick early the of Several theAlmshouses).of ae n eprr cap in. h eris sriig rcs n h vlae ae rm the from date village the been in 17 the of half second bricks have surviving would earliest bricks The some kilns. where is clamp record, temporary there in documentary and made the making in brick pits of brick tradition local local of a evidence was there valley Trent the Within pattern. “sawtooth” a produce to diagonally laid are bricks header the cases of number decorativea In a effect. create to projects brick header alternate each where brickwork, “dentilled” or other the aboveone projecting brick severalcourses of with plain someeaves, corbelled 19 theof end the at bricksdecorative mouldedand for fashionnationally a was there Although Road. Clifton off Chapel TheBaptist and Church 21 Street e.g. – colour subtle buff a out in picked was effects, were headers decorative brick the instances, few create a in 1840s, to the In age. brick Victorian the in again of popular colours multiple of use the or “Polychromy”, back Hall,harking wall toolder theVillage age. to an theboundary of use does as brickwork, Bond English incorporate School Peter’s St. and Rectory 1863 The continued date. the and Netherseal within todifficult them makes thebuildings of manyin headers burnt with brickwork bond Flemish commonplace the is when brickwork bond effect Flemish decorative for deliberately selected been have Almshousesbuilt. were to appear headers eetd n te ltr ulig, uh s h sal ae 17 late was small 1686 the of as dovecote such the buildings, in later use other Its in Hall. Old repeated the to walls boundary the as well as Hall Old the to farmyard former the surrounding walls the on appears brickwork of type This th century, the19 century, th veryNetherseal within centuryisbrickwork generally plain. th century (i.e. the dovecote and outbuildings to the Old Hall and parts and Hall Old the to outbuildings and dovecote the (i.e. century th n ery 19 early and th century onwards. century 11 th etr fr tutrl eal sc as such details structural for century th etr gre acv. Blue alcove. garden century th century. Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement

th century th and early 19 century stone th century copings th th t t examples of moulded stone he village on buildings such as the century, fewbut have of them been th century moulded stone was often deeply th 12 12 The main exception is the late 19 Iron estate railings (pictured left), but are more common appear hidden within the parkland occasionally and gardens of alongside the Old Hall and the combined Newlands House. with Occasionally road cast-iron posts, five-bar simple horizontal iron railings posts at with regular boundary treatment in 19 the intervals were a common historic maintained arebecomingrareand sight. athey On the perimeter of the conservation area, of trees formplantations field boundaries. hedgerows & small or simple iron estate railings. century on the smaller domestic buildings. This was the simplest construct and as easiest lintel the to taper was accommodated wholly need cut the brick.to in the mortar joints, without the the chamfered and moulded stone lintels. The earlies chamfered to reflect Gothic styles of architecture, as in the windows surrounds at The Rectory and St. Peter’s School. lintels lintels can be seen at the Old derived Hall from classical architecture. In the where 19 they were part of a complete architrave, the the segmental brick arch. This is found throughout t Almshouses, Almshouses, Mill Farm and the cornmill. It is generally found in the 18 onwards. Many of the old brick walls have a moulded stone coping and stone cappings to brick gatepiers, certainly those examples of moulded red brick copings in the walls boundary Newlandssurrounding House serving the grander and half-round properties, red brick copings to the but garden walls at the there Old Hall. 19 are other • are generally moulded – triangular, some with roll mouldings forming a ridge, in red or blue brick. Gateposts are infrequent but tend to be quite stone and distinctive, brick such gateposts at as the Old the Rectory or octagonal the ornate banded carved stone cappings brick to gateposts the at the Old Hall. Unusual carved timber gateposts can be seen at entrances the churchyardto the Village and Hall. the two retaining wall to the churchyard. This incorporates rock-facedretaining the churchyard. to sandstone. wall incorporates This Brick boundary walls may have been introduced into the village from the 17 On the uppermost floor there was often no need brickwork was for supplemented by a a simple brick timber lintel, lintel providing and the support occasionally required, or the the brickwork was carried directly on the window frame. There are several examples of Lintels and cills cills Lintels and common types most The of lintel are: • Boundaries Boundaries The majority of traditional boundaries within the conservation area are formed from brick walls Another decorative brick detail is the use of a raised brick band on the gable end of brick houses. This follows the verge, to provide a drip moulding (e.g. No. 6 Church Street), and can occasionallyis be as found at stepped, Street.21 Church Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement the church being the pivotal centre point. Wide grassy verges form a soft foreground and foreground soft a form verges grassy Wide point. centre pivotal the being church the with buildings historic of group unspoilt an contains area conservation The Street. Main on the within Hall lies Village the of north being area part populated densely more conservation the village, the of half The southern mixed. very is village Netherseal of character The Description Area Conservation a degrees, 45 of 17 of number pitched steeply a pitch the are where There examples typical materials. 35 these of more minimum of a requirement a between vary tiles and clay and degrees thatch with associated pitches roof The Photographic survive. examples tiled. no although straw”, “long or in roofs, thatched of thatched examples shows evidence either been have would Netherseal in roofs earliest The Roofs segmental brick with conjunction in used 19 late casements, a timber two-paned the are These arches. were survive to windows common most The historic of variety patternssurvive large Hall. attheOldwindow aalthough thevillage, within traditionaljoinery of formsof limited anownumber are There window stone with conjunction in used were cills surrounds. Stone brickwork. the onto directly placed was joinery window the and brickwork, the of properties weathering simple the on relying used, normally not were cills stone arches, brick segmental the with combination In and MilltheAlmshouses). (e.g. Farm thesepractices

end (Almshouses and the Old Stableyard). The 19 The Stableyard). Old gable- the and (Almshouses each end at added was parapet a where gables”, “coped uig h 17 the During of the19 of quarter second the in appeared and Netherseal, in used occasionally only was slate Welsh lead rolls.cloakedin are hips the Hall Old the at whilst Street, Church 23-27 and were Farm Mill at hips the tiles cloak to used Bonnet tiled. are which of all roofs, hipped its for distinctive also is Netherseal Hall Old the at ChurchStreet. on Stableyard Old and roofs of number a on occurs This coping. straight a to alternative an gable, the of apex the more at parapet A type. a form to brickwork stepped of use roof the is type roof unusual this incorporates also school village al 2t cnuis wr ue o te etr ad St. and Rectory the on the20 and School, Peter’s used were and centuries, 19th 20th late the early in popular tiles, clay red Machine-made the of them. hand-made red claytiles thatcovered original remain examples few a only although survive, roofs preservedhave and been restored. Farm and Mill at casementssurvived timber Small-paned Street. Church 21-27 and Farm Hall Almshouses, the at found be can th century (e.g. Street). century Church 21 th n 18 and th centuries pitched roofs often had had often roofs pitched centuries th century Village Hall. Village Hall. century th 13 n 18 and th th century century th century window pattern that pattern window century Smithy atSmithythe OldStableyard Stepped brickStepped parapet to roof at Grade at listedII former Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement

th century terraced th 14 14 The character of Church with Street wide grassy is verges, mainly spacious on the side north of the street, and principally lining generous the pavements, south side of the This street. sense of buildings set spaciousness back at the junction of the streets is enhanced on by splayed frontages angles and by addressing generous many of the private ruralThe houses. character front both gardens to street of the village is further increased by the century engraving. A tall Cedar planted in now the churchyard. century, the 19th dominates of Lebanon, which photographic evidence shows was Graveyard space must have been separate graveyard the roadoverbetween the village in grounds1869, andsqueezed school at a premium as a group of the cottages to the north. Gresley The entrance to the graveyard family is framed by a pair developed of tall the amount amount of tree cover, sometimes planted hedges dominating running at the back of walls and occasional views views out across the river valley and crowding over ruralinto the south to Leicestershire. the road, and At the core of the conservation area is the green space or “green” created where the old churchyard meets the substantial brick wall opposite the Almshouses. The gentle curve of the tall 3-metre high red brick walls leads the eye around Street. from The Main open Street space into Church created here has a distinct strong andcontrasts - memorable enclosed by character, high, a striking, red place brick walls of and containing a largely grassy, plain, mown bank with organic, flat expanses of away to create a smooth appearance. Large outcrops of bedrock sandstone undulate beneath the wall bedrock, worked and worn in places, with unusual trough-shaped wear marks. On the far side of the road junction, continuation of a Main Street, a grassy bank falls away in a southerly direction. A building at the junction, Ivy House, straddles Church Street and Main Street the eyeand downhillleads towards the River. To the east, the churchyard breaks forward into the road, a raised embanked platform of grass retained by substantial walls of part brick having and expanded and encroached onto the part street. The ground may sandstone; have been made up and it has the feeling of heightened for practical reasons, to accommodatesquared rock-faced graves sandstone interrupts on the regular top rhythm of of red brick being the the boundary principal stone walls, boundary bedrock. wall in the village. There The are no longer any gravestones in the churchyard to the south of the church, although a number are visible in an 18 rows of cottages adjacent to the grounds to rows adjacent of House. of cottages Newlands AREA 1 This includes Church Street and the buildings on the north and settingthe Hall the street, Old garden of aswell the as south sides of mature trees provide a conservation area is lush comprised of landscaped green gardens. Beyond the backdrop conservation area, the historic to village continued many originally along views. Main Street, (Dog with Lane being some one) Awith off-shoots groups of to cottages, public large houses the and typical west ancillary buildings part huddled along of the west side of the the road. A few cottages, a blacksmith’s were shop scattered alongand the eastern stabling edge of the road, supplemented by 19 Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement along the back of the pavement in a long row comprising the original 17 original the comprising row long a in pavement the of back running the street, along the of side south the line Almshouses close The settlements. a many is with as church one, the and almshouses the between relationship spiritual and physical The road. theopposite thesideof on buildings theof life the into wereintegrated Street Church of south the to buildings The theWar. II Civil which during in Charles hid oak, Boscobel theoriginal of was which granddaughter a oak, large is a beyond and yews, clipped next to the church, served as a schoolroom.served asa nextto thechurch, 50 contained that Street, Church 21 at buildings School ancillary the and that locally said also is it although 1846, National in pupils original harmonious the been have a may 6), (No. form Schoolhouse Old the together of west which the cottages, The as To known street, the onto gable-end sits which cottage, central The group. picturesque brick-built pavement. several wide generous, are a almshouses behind sit They roof. pitched and gables steep coped tall with block brick two-storey large a – buildings farm with associated n a lgty oe 18 lower slightly a and and privet hedges flow along the northern edge of the road. Low brick walls line the back the line walls brick Low road. the of edge northern the along flow hedges privet and yew thegroundsclipped bordering undulating Hall, theOldof thevillage, of theeast At end rare rotates(knownascentralpost. potence),which a its a around accessladder contains still It brickwork. sawtooth of bands decorative by separated level every (R (initials 1686 in built dovecote The gatepiers werebuilt 1868. in current there the when entrance Hall Old the from here relocated perhaps were and entrance yard a for “R. initialled and more 1678 dated Gatepiers houses. once of pair a into converted been was has barn the and in buildings filled has been east its agricultural to barn old individual the and dovecote the octagonal the between of gap the but identity pronounced The Hall. Old the with associated farm working the of part was Hall Old Netherseal oppositeYard Stable Old The stand pine Scots mature rectory the theformer gardens,punctuating within views. of groups landmark Further church. the to counterpoint a form original grounds, Rectory its Old the within Scots pine, tall of group a Street Church of section the central to Along street. the entrances from views in two point focal a the doorcase, arched its frame characteristics and drive, sweeping which distinctive gatepiers, more octagonal Its unusual enclosure. the tight include a forms opposite, walls churchyard I.I .” stand at the entrance to the Old Stableyard, but they seem too grand too seem they but Stableyard, Old the to entrance the at stand .” th etr rne Tee otgs olw fr mr usually more form a follow cottages These range. century .I.I 15 ) still contains its brick-built nesting boxes, at at boxes, nesting brick-built its contains still ) adoe n tpcl f h md 19 mid the of typical and is Rectory handsome Old The was 1863. in built this was but Rectory Old church, presentthe when displaced the roughly opposite road the of side south the standing on barn Tithe a once was There red brick boundary wall which, with the with which, wall boundary brick red tall a behind sits It grandiose. and very large is it the although Gresley, Nigel perhaps Rev. reflects occupant, itsfirst of gravity and restraint character Its unadorned. and plain rather if century, th century building century th

Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement century corn th century farmhouse and its 18 16 16 th mill, still stand. The corn mill sits to the north River of Mease, the isolated on the flood plain. The leat now has been partially filled in served by and the the stream that building runs through is the site. Old now An Hall alder standing on its shallow own in the depression, field and outside a boundary, of the formerthe alignment marks canal. the conservation area The setting of the mill and the mill farm is open with a shelter belt of woodland trees running along bank the of around the the river perimeter of the fields. and The The land at the south-eastern end of the conservation area falls mainly within the garden of early 18 Mill Farm. The The The old part of the house, which is set back deep within the site and has been greatly extended in mill itself, recent are built from soft, mellow orange brickwork. These years, and the contrast attractively with crisp modern extension. stonework Small ranges of ancillary included buildings, situated in the near the road and running along the give back of some the pavement, privacy and character. allude to its former semi-industrial its Old The and Hall gardens First impressions of the Old Hall are of a romantic, eclectic building has that evolved over a long period, an intricate mixture of soft sandstone and mellow red brick, softened by trees and creepers. The most dramatic and picturesque view Street, framed of by a the pair of imposing Old gatepiers, although Hall the main is aspect of fromthe Old Hall Church is towards its private garden to the east, overlooking the large of the site. south rectangular pond, in the far of owners, A succession aware of their inplace longthe evolution of the site, theirstamped identity on the character of the Old Hall and its outbuildings and have left their mark in the form of initials and datestones. A long “leat” or “lade”, i.e. an artificial channel to confluence convey of water to the a River mill, Mease started and at the Hooborough Brook, head of water east for the mill wheel. Just west of mill,the the artificial rejoinschannel the River of the village, to provide a Mease. The east and north sides of the house and its garden are and the garden lies within a bowl hidden forming a natural enclosure which is from part of its charm and the public domain special character. The eastern elevation immediately overlooks a flat terrace, divided into of of steep-sided verges, with intermittent short buttresses providing relief. Similar walls with providing side of the street grass verges continuity. the south line Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement hog te ie Byn te tem the stream, 20 replanted it of the much woodland, semi-natural Beyond site. predominantly to changes garden the of character the through water of flow the control to used of is gates pair sluice A site. the stone-lined through a meandering in channel continues and tip northern its a is at site the stream enters stream The plantation. managed the beyond and proper garden of the perimeter the defines stream the of line The etr patto, n mc o ti fls within area. theconservation falls this of much and plantation, century as s te rgn o tee od i a i o a ytr. lhuh ihod were fishponds Although mystery. a of bit be may the19 ornamental,developed in purely these a onwards, period is Norman the from ponds sites secular these with associated commonly of origins the so maps, few a only has where vista long isthehouse. a towards there which from meadow, pond, of area the small a as to beyond far and willows, as weeping and plants east marginal the to continues space this of character oe f hm per n ihr h 18 o 1829 or 1785 the either on appear them of none but fishponds medieval as origins had gardens have to said the are through channelled are that ponds The th century. 17 th

Red Oak. The parkland parkland The Oak. a and north Red Lebanon of Cedar the a - to trees key few a by interrupted late out lawns the open The in period. Victorian lawns as tennis developed probably were which grass, of expanses flat, level two to down leads bank of series mown steep a terraces; lawned a to way gives it as vista open an from terrace the separates ditch and wall brick low a this by Below paths. gravel edged and separated lawns and rectangular plain, two Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement century brick garden alcove stands th 18 18 Brick boundary wall & 18th century alcove - the Old Old the - alcove century & 18th wall Brick boundary Hall garden within the wall, most prominent when viewed from the public footpath at the back of the site. The wall was built barrier in to views from the multiple footpath, where the views are phases dominated by the roofscape, and with has been tall heightened, chimneys and stepped forming and stone-coped gables punctuating a the skyline. The strong wall on the east side of the walled garden is lower and stepped, enabling glimpses over to beyond. aforms It abackdrop to the wideherbaceous border. east-facing garden Beyond the walled garden lies a mysterious wooded area, trained path arch andoverto tunnel. form the a planted with yew trees, some The garden is separated from Church Street by a continuous red brick and a wall line of pollarded limes and other mature deciduous trees. sections of The the garden have upper yew trees trained and clipped to flow in cloud-like mounds above walls, the forming a brick soft capping. yews also boundary form Clipped features on the terrace. A long length of the red brick boundary wall incorporates blue “header” bricks, burnt in the firing process and used for their decorative effect. brickwork This appears type also of on surrounding the the farmyard opposite and walls other ancillary buildings. The land between the old grounds of Netherseal Hall (demolished) and the hay meadow Old through which runs a Hall public footpath that is once led directly to a the church, but was diverted to run alongside the Old Hall. The hay meadow has been maintained as such forcentury was Yard”.known18th as long and inas the “Hop as wethe late know At the edge of the hay privatethe boundary the meadow, grounds largeof of each property is marked by a deep ditch, that to the Old Hall being also used historically as a channel to flood and fill the ponds in the garden and to top up their levels. To meadow the runs north of the the stream, hay which defines a large section of the northern boundary of the On On the north side of the house is garden, a courtyard triangular a separated from roughly the hay meadow to space, the north- west and from the dark woodland garden to the north-east by a tall metre 3- high forcing red wall. brick This faces almost due and was south-east clearly used for training fruit along length. Some fruit trees its still survive. A small late 17 Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement 19 late typical a of Hall that is school the of character The School. Primary E. of Netherseal C. Peter’s St. sits of area conservation the of part this overlooking and grounds Street Church of end western far the At original the were which (demolished). House Newlands wellaswest, groundsas its the to of and includes buildings This the Street, Main 2 AREA the within way its winds then stream The Hall. Hall.theOldof gardens Netherseal of grounds private old the of perimeter the and meadow hay the of edge the along meanders This area. conservation pc o gen oiae b te a Mmra, n h fr o a rs cre from carved cross a of form the in 20 Memorial, distinct a has area open War this Although granite. secondary the a by is dominated Street, Main green within or just space area, conservation the of end west the At transomed and buttressesmullioned windows.set stone between Newlands House and the former Netherseal Hall theformer House and Newlands croft. themedieval ofset thesize by parameters the follow to seems This Street. Main of off-shoot an lane, narrow a of end far the at settlement the of rest the from detached seems group, farm brick-built a Farm, Hall rather space, surroundingthespace. thebuildings than the of centre the at Memorial War the now is point focal the that so years, 100 last the over dramatically changed has space this of emphasis the and leaf in when birch silver of row a by hidden largely is House Seale Farm. Hall towards lane the alongside ran urudn Nwad Hue r mil mtr gres a itr o tes ih an with trees of mixture a gardens, mature the19 planted shrubberies,ofduring predominantly understorey mainly are House Newlands surrounding immediately grounds The areas. distinct into separated are Hall former the of grounds The the of character the affect may this gardens. future the the in of and broken layout been has the management and affected yet planting of continuity not the of some but area, conservation have the within woodland and gardens ownership in Hignett’s Changes Michael and Settlement. church Children’s the Cheshire, Leonard ownerships: several within fall now and years the over up split been have Hall Netherseal former the of grounds original The ae en oe iety ikd ih h gen n rn o te hrh Te ie f Seale of site The church. the of front in 17 dominated a by Houseformerly was green the with linked directly more may beenand larger have much once probably was It space. open ancient an is and cross village the a large horse chestnut. There is also a good example of a Cedar of Lebanon within the within Lebanon of Cedar a of example good a also is There chestnut. horse large a originally including trees, other by crowded now were garden, the of corner south-west far the in these of These character. statuesque one is There lawn. its a within effect individual for just or for spacing wide with groups as planted planted Lebanon, of garden, Cedar the of as phases open, such more earlier, from be may that trees other some are There less are textures and colours different the that so trimmed design. the envisaged in have been would than original noticeable been not have and years a the over forming matured have yews The leaves yew. and and holly by formed evergreen mainly trees, pine) tallest of the to skirt understorey (Scots lush conifers a with tall clumps the in planted are trees character of groups this to contribution their for out stand th etr Gti Rvvl ulig bt a a eti qaiy f ealn wt stone with detailing of quality certain a has but building, Revival Gothic century th a housecentury rowthatched and cottagesofthat 19 th century character, it was originally the site of site the originally was it character, century

th century. Thespecies that Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement century. The th century. th century photographs show that this was th 20 20 century, such as inns or public houses, shops, chapels, th original entrance to Netherseal Hall was closed up and moved slightly further north along Main Street and any formal character it had is now lost with a wide splayed no gatepiers. entrance The limes to andthe west of Newlands House are all that remain of another area of shrubbery, by now adominated car park. To the north of the garden is a distinct separate area of woodland, which is separated from the garden by a wrought-iron estate fence. This is now in separate ownership (the Michael Hignett’s Children’s Settlement) but was once part of the demolished Netherseal Hall site. The woodland was historically managed as native woodland, possibly for game cover, has not but been actively managed for many years. At the northern extremity running close to the stream is a thicket of holly. Within this woodland there are reputedly the remains of now longeris veryno an this and but ice-house, identifiable. overgrown To the east of Newlands House is a section of the woodland garden that is more evidently formally planted with an understorey of rhododendron and it contains some large oaks and other impressive trees. The former kitchen garden to Netherseal Hall survives in part north of and Newlands now House contains the Leonard Cheshire Archive Centre building. The brick walls stand at around 2 metres high on the north and west sides, but have been sides. removed on The the gardeners’ other potting sheds survive on the north side pressed of into the service as wall, stables and now serving have a been horse paddock. There is no evidence former orchard of trees that the the paddock has replaced. On the north side of the paddock lies afishpond. large,oval-shaped long, A narrow block of woodland defines the northern extremity of the conservation area. Its relationship to the rest of the Gresley estate is not known and it is currently except across private land. inaccessible Tall limes can also be found within the garden, planted in groups or lines. Considering their girth, they were probably also planted during the second half of the 19 immature planted19 the of inand second half the therefore and blacksmith’s shop. and shop. blacksmith’s The character of Main considered Street, to although be of different sufficient from historic and the architectural rest interest in of its the own right, boundary village,be extended to to include Main Street, as be far is as the junction with Clifton Road, and still a of Clifton small section Road. The greater part of Main Street was historically an important part currently of lies outside the the settlement, conservation but area. It was clearly developed by the late medieval period. Main Street provided the majority of and services facilities for the rest of the village, particularly evident during the 19 ProposedExtension to the Conservation Area churchyard, in front of the tower, but late 19 justifiably included within the conservation area. It is proposed, therefore, that the Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement junction with Clifton Road, and a number ofjunction buildingsRoad,the and Clifton number onRoad.with a Clifton different in appearance today from the early 20 early the from today appearance in different of grounds the qualities. materials picturesqueof to adds itsthemixture informal within trees parkland mature andline building irregular lack The views. the softening and to contributing all House, Newlands gardens, within with trees Street Main gardens, to character front leafy and green generally a is There gardens. well front have tended alike properties modern the and from houses Old back gardens. set private within buildings frontage, detached road with interspersed of are groups street as spaciousness, the street, of fronting sense the buildings a of is sides there and both built-up, line particularly buildings not is as it linear, although mainly is Street Main its of character to The pub Bush Holly The from Street, Main of stretch the includes This 3 AREA DESCRIPTION OF 5 an tet a te onr ih lfo Ra, r a ubr f 19 of number a are Road, Clifton with corner the at Street, Main 35 none of individual interest. There are several older cottages and a number of 20 of number a and cottages older several are There interest. individual of none frontages, garden private own their within pavement the from back slightly set each houses, rhtcue pntaig h sre. hs were These street. the punctuating architecture, street of pieces as built both School, off-spring, Wesleyan the its and Chapel Methodist Wesleyan the of frontages gable brick red paired the by dominated smaller is Road Clifton of side north The Villas. Road Clifton its pair, this opposite cottages of terrace the and and right) (pictured School Wesleyan Chapel the building, “daughter” Methodist The particular Wesleyan in interest, historic & architectural individual of buildings of number a has Road Clifton lintels. wedge decorative and railings iron cast ornamental with street, the of part this on house grandest the far by is It handsomeright). (pictured Street Main 35 a No. house, Georgian late with associated Clifton are into buildings eye These the Road. leading corner the around sweep and pavement, the of back the line buildings brick storey single- of group a Road Clifton into turns Street Main As to built Street.historic development Main themain of follow pattern along rendered, and brick form, storey two of infill comprising which houses, detached 21 th century. Between The Holly Bush and No. No. and Bush Holly The Between century. ane wie fr ay er i had and it years very not is it so brickwork, whitewashed many rendered for white, been to painted has entrance brickwork the original the Although towards House. Newlands eye the its leads alignment south, building skewed looking slightly Road Clifton from views In Lane. Dog with corner the at road the edging Street, Main of side west a is the on located Street Main on point focal left) a (pictured and building, landmark local prominent Bush Holly The th n 20 and th th century century Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement century origin, th century building, a semi- th 22 22 century origins and it may have once been a small farmhouse th part brick with dentilled brick eaves, part raised rendered, by of a two half-storey, and and a its half massing storeys, suggests warehouse function, perhaps or a it may simply have been building converted into residential use originally from a barn with a utilitarian or with associated the farmhouseits to rear a is It tall52). (No. building on backthe located of the pavement and a prominent focal point in the street. Set south, back from is the street, a to its small brick building utilitarian function that is once revealed by served its as metal a windows, Main with smithy Street blue (pictured brick (pictured below details. below Nos. left). 56-58 right) Its is a handsome early 20

detached pair designed to look like (frieze, cornice, capitals and one trefoil ridge tiles) and moulded brickwork, and it still retains its house incorporating terracotta embellishments original windows. sash serving one of the many independent farms. No. 50 Main Street was described in 1785 as the Butchers Shop. It certainly has an unusual form for a dwelling, of 18 built built in a Gothic Revival style of architecture, using using stone English for bond the brickwork, decorated the windows former and trefoil lancet windows made with moulded bricks. panels There is a series of engraved and foundation stones the latter using simplified in the front gable. In views from the west, these groups of red brick buildings and the terrace opposite today frame the entrance to the village and conservation area. mark the start of the proposed extension to the The remainder of Clifton Road is residential in character but demolition there has of been the widespread older cottages that fronted enclosure. In most cases the modern replacement dwellings have been the built without a front street and formed a strong boundary wall, e.g. sense Nos. 2-8 of Clifton Road and 17-21 Clifton Road, and it is proposed be not includedshould conservation these area. within the extended that On the east side of Main contribute to Street the character of there the street and are are of individual interest. a No. 52 is number set back of from interesting the buildings road. that Although each it is general rendered form and suggest 18 has modern windows, its proportions and Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement extension. area conservation theproposed within properties several and House School Old The Street, Church 21 as such streets, main the but areas, conservation Derbyshire South evident someon in and places roofare joinery coverings to external unsympatheticchanges some in as widespread as not is detail of Loss of Loss ArchitecturalDetailing 17 historic the the replaced which to Street, Main well on House related Seale rendered not current the has and development modern where Street Church 32 at bungalow the as such area, conservation instancesthe of character predominant few a are There Newdevelopment general In posts. regular slim, with distorted.poor arein and condition, maintained and not being corroded these are bars horizontal five a by fence; defined often estate-type are gardens wrought-iron and estates large the of areas outlying and periphery The Neglectof boundaries or walls boundary of loss widespread been has there enclosure. informal particular, in 21 to Road, frontage Clifton the On as such treatment, unified a street. the of character the on effect detrimental a has enclosure ofof lossthe Street, Church part was boundary a architectural Where of loss detail. the with altered or adapted been have boundaries instances few a In of Loss boundarywalls/hedges/fences same the avoid to and alterations damaging the mistakes thefuture. in of some reverse to authority the and planning designers householders, help will these identifying that hoped is It character. this diluted have cumulatively or individually either that losses or alterations suffered has village the where instances identify also can we area conservation the of character the defining In Damage and Loss SealeHouse. century 23 th t. igh Netherseal Conservation Area opyr wn c Des ignated : 13th July 1978 !ce Cro !ce y O oner tati s S 0019461.2006 LA 10 uncil. t Co OAD e Distric hir ller of Her Majesty' tro CLIFTON R 3 bys outh Der . S ings e Surveyn behalf of the Con o 2

Newlands House ial with the permission of Ordnanc

ter ceed or civil pro prosecution lead to and may ight ET pyr co

own The e Survey ma N STRE N Old ges Cr dnanc MAI Hall from Or from oduced CHURCH STREET 1 s map is repr duction infrin Unauthorised repro Thi Old Rectory Conservation Area boundary

Sub-area (numbered) Proposed extended boundary

Open spaces Mill Principal views Architectural landmarks & focal points Listed buildings Buildings which contribute positively to the special architectural or historic character RIVER MEASE Scheduled Monuments Areas of high archaeological potential Appendix

Distinctive Architectural Details

NETHERSEAL

Checklist of details

The details in this appendix illustrate those building elements that help to define Netherseal’s particular character. These may be common everyday vernacular details found repeatedly throughout the conservation area or may be more exceptional, consciously designed features.

This appendix may prove useful in providing inspiration for new development, whether traditional or contemporary, if used with care. Paradoxically, the outstanding architectural details of a conservation area may not be the ones that are most typical of the area. They often belong to the important key buildings of a village and may look out of place on smaller buildings in subordinate locations. The majority of buildings in the conservation areas of South Derbyshire are plainly and simply detailed.

Boundary treatments • Estate-type wrought iron railings • Tall 2-3 metre high boundary walls in red brick with stone or moulded red brick copings • Distinctive, ornate timber and stone gateposts and gatepiers • Low brick walls with triangular blue clay copings • Red brick walls with blue header bricks

Roof types and details • Red clay tiled roofs and Staffordshire blue clay tiled roofs • Pitched roofs with raised gables & brick or stone copings • Pitched roofs with plain bargeboards • Stepped and raised red brick parapet gables • Pitched roofs with corbelled verges • Hipped plain tiled roofs with bonnet tiles or lead flashings

Chimney stacks and pots • Red brick chimneys with oversailing courses of red bricks & blue clay mouldings • Brick chimneys with engaged flues

Walls • Flemish bond red brickwork with flared (burnt) blue headers or contrasting buff headers • Red brickwork with moulded stone dressings – door & window surrounds, copings & quoins • Sawtooth and dentilled brick eaves • Plain and sawtooth raised brick bands • Datestones and personal initials

Windows • Two and three-paned casement windows • Multi-paned timber casements • Rectangular leaded-light windows and diamond lattice cast-iron casements • “Two-over-two” vertically sliding sash windows with horns

Lintels and cills • Segmental brick arched windows • Brickwork without cills or with moulded brick cills

Doors, doorcases and porches • Vertically boarded doors with strap hinges and applied mouldings • Timber open trellis porches • Panelled doors with simple “bead” mouldings BOUNDARY TREATMENTS Walls, gates and railings

Above - The old wall on the corner of Church Street and Main Street was built on top of the bedrock. The wall at the entrance to Newlands House (right) was part built in rubble sandstone. In both cases moulded red brick copings were used. They were ideally suited to following the undulating wall head (detail below).

Above right - patterned Flemish bond brickwork is predominant surrounding The Old Hall. The headers were burnt at a higher temperature, which gives them a distinct blue colour

Left - formal red brick boundary wall to The Old Hall with decorative, moulded stone copings, incorporating a roll moulding Right - tall red brick walls with double course of triangular moulded copings (The Old Hall)

Below right - detail of chamfered, moulded stone coping at The Old Stableyard

Below - moulded triangular blue brick copings finished with a roll-moulding

There are only a handful of stone walls within the village. Below right - C19 coursed, rock-faced sandstone walls to the raised churchyard. Below left - fragment of random rubble sandstone boundary wall at 23-27 Church St. Gatepiers - ornate stone & brick gatepier at The Old Rectory (above left). Carved stone cappings to brick gateposts at The Old Stableyard and The Old Hall (above right). The original datestone of 1678 has been copied with one of 1868, asserting the ownership of the Hewett family

Carved gothic timber gateposts - to the churchyard (right) and Village Hall (below) and churchyard (right). Above - estate railings of wrought iron with round bar top rail and flat bar lower rails (Church St). This type of five-bar estate railing is found in a number of places, but mainly between the private grounds & fields around the former Netherseal Hall

Right - detail of railings and post with sprigs

Left - early C20 wrought iron railings fixed to brick wall at the Village Hall, Main Street

Left - timber gates with chamfered mouldings and spiked wrought iron rails to the new churchyard on Main Street DOORS, DOORCASES AND PORCHES

Above - boarded door with wrought iron strap hinges at the Almshouses. This simple pattern, is found on the passage doorway.

The ornate, classical, stone doorcase at The Old Rectory (above) incorporates part-reeded pilasters, a cornice, dropped keystone and elaborate moulded door surround. The simple, sober, boarded and battened door is also probably original. The amount of attention paid to this doorcase reflects the important status of the house within the village, when it was first built.

Left - simple boarded shutter and taking-in door to the outbuilding behind The Old Hall. At The Old Hall (above left and right), many of the doors were restored in the 19th century. The styles reflect the high status of the house. They were old, simple styles of boarded door but embellished with ornate ironwork, studded with nails and decorative, flamboyant strap hinges.

Below left and right - 23-27 Church Street; simple panelled doors and a timber trellis porch were adopted for these workers cottages of c1890. Door of four flush panels with bead mouldings. The former Wesleyan Chapel on Clifton Road was built c1890. It has boarded doors, laid diagonally to the frame, and ornate strap hinges. The heavily modelled, “decorated” stone surround is typical of the Gothic Revival style of this late Victorian architecture.

Along Main Street, during the 19th century, most of the new detached & terraced houses were built with panelled doors. Those at 9 and 11 Clifton Road (left) have four panels with heavily modelled, applied, bolection mouldings, and a plain fanlight. ROOF TYPES AND DETAILS

Above - steep pitched roof with timber bargeboards at The Old Rectory (1863).

Left - hipped roof in plain clay tiles at Mill Farm, with hips of bonnet tiles.

Bottom left & right - hipped tiled roofs at Netherseal Old Hall and The Stable Yard. These hips have rolled lead flashings. Above and below - steep pitched roofs with raised, moulded, stone-coped gables (The Old Hall and the Village School).

Left and bottom left - stepped and raised brick parapet gables (The Old Hall and The Old Stableyard). Left - a complex roof detail combining a corbelled and dentilled verge with a raised gable with stone coped parapet (The Old Stableyard).

Above left - stepped corbelled verge (21 Church Street). Above right - plain corbelled verge (6 Old School House).

Below - a rebuilt C19 chimney of multiple engaged flues, broad oversailing cornice and moulded blue brick weatherings (The Old Hall). WALLS - Brickwork details

Decorative Flemish bond brickwork - blue brick lozenge pattern at The Old Hall (above) and detail of blue headers in the garden wall (top right). Buff headers were adopted during the mid C19 for a number of buildings (21 Church St - above right).

Right - Flemish bond brickwork with flared blue headers and moulded brickwork at the old dovecote.

Eaves details - sawtooth and dentilled corbelled brickwork at the eaves are common details. Left - sawtooth brickwork (The Old Hall). Left above - dentilled brickwork at The Old Stableyard. Decorative horizontal bands - sawtooth and corbelled brick band at the old Dovecote (above), raised brick band (top right) at Hall Farm and carved stone band with inscription of 1853 at The Old Hall (right).

WALLS - Stone details

Many of the brick buildings have stone details, such as the moulded stone window surrounds at The Old Rectory (below) and the village school (bottom right). WALLS - datestones and carvings

The village has many datestones with the initials of those who wanted to be remembered for their acts of generosity or patronage, or simply their time in this place. WINDOWS

The Old Hall exhibits the widest range of window patterns, reflecting its long history. Above right - reproduction timber mullioned and transomed window with rectangular leaded-lights (an early C18 pattern). Below right - rectangular leaded-lights within original late C17 stone mullions & transom. Above and below left - diamond lattice and plain cast iron Victorian casements. Casement windows are prevalent within the village. There are a few patterns evident. The most common is the simple two or three-light casement found at the Almshouses (top right & right) and Nos. 23-27 Church Street (bottom right).

The multi-paned casement window found at 21 Church Street (above left) is now a relatively rare survival of an old pattern.

Below left - small-paned casement window at Mill Farm, formerly a leaded-light window with 12 panes in each of the three sections. The central opening light is made from iron and is original, with one of its original saddle bars surviving across the centre. The outer frame of the window is also original, but timber glazing bars have been inserted. As the village developed along Main Street in the 19th century, many of the new houses incorporated sash windows and mass produced clay ware building materials from the Swadlincote area.

Right - 56 Main Street. The Victorian house has a bay window with vertical sliding sashes and moulded red terracotta details forming the acanthus-leaved capitals, moulded terracotta lintels and cornice.

Left - 11 Clifton Road. The moulded details in the stone lintel are replicated in the terracotta window jambs.

The vertically-sliding sash windows incorporate timber “horns”. These were added to increase the rigidity of the sash frame. This only became necessary as panes of glass grew larger, during the second half of the 19th century.

The sash windows have been removed at 35 Main Street (below), but the stone moulded wedge lintels survive, now painted white. LINTELS AND CILLS

In association with casement windows, the most common pattern of lintel is the segmental brick arch. This was often used for economy. The example at The Almshouses (left) incorporates header and stretcher bricks, many of the headers have been fired at a higher temperature and so appear almost blue. The brick infill between the arch and the window, set back, is a typical early detail.

In many instances there is neither a lintel nor a cill, as in the outbuilding at the Old Hall (left). Instead the brickwork above the window is supported on the window frame. The cill has been simply protected here, at a later date, with a lead flashing.

The lintels and cills of the larger buildings are treated as part of a complete window or door surround and are usually stone, carved and moulded, as in the example at the Old Hall (below).