2.0 The Distinctive Character of the Parish 2.1 Landscape and Natural Environment 2.1.1 Landscape Character

Kingswood Parish

Terrain Map of Kingswood Parish and surrounding area

Kingswood Village occupies the foreground of the expansive views from the Cotswold AONB and stretches of the Cotswold Way national walking trail, looking west towards the River Severn. The high quality views from the AONB contribute to the character of Kingswood.

Outside the main settlement of Kingswood Village, this is a rural, agricultural, landscape of scattered farmsteads and occasional old mill buildings with their associated water courses, ponds etc. Sporadic mature standard trees create distinct features in the landscape and within the settlement. Due to the village’s position on the north east boundary of the Parish, it is necessary to consider the Cotswold escarpment edge and slopes (Wotton-under-Edge Parish) which are important aspects of Kingswood’s setting in the landscape.

The backdrop of the Cotswold escarpment and its unique character at this point provides the most important, visually striking aspect of the landscape. The views of the escarpment from the Parish, which include The Tyndale Monument at North Nibley, Jubilee Clump on Wotton Hill and far reaching views towards Tor Hill, are very recognisable and significant and provide local residents with a unique sense of place and an enviable connection with the landscape in which they live.

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Tyndale Monument at North Nibley, Westridge Wood and Jubilee Clump on Wotton Hill from Village Hall

The unique landscape of Kingswood Parish is acknowledged in two previous assessments (Stroud Landscape Assessment, Landscape Character Types, Supplementary Planning Guidance – November 2000) as showing the Landscape Character Type ‘Unwooded Vale’ and ‘Kingswood Vale’ and of being part of the Landscape Character Area ‘Kingswood and Wick Vale’.

Characteristics of this landscape character area and these landscape character types include:

 An irregular, sometimes broadly undulating landscape that becomes more gentle in places, appearing almost flat  Transitional landscape from Cotswold Escarpment foothills to Severn Vale lowlands  Mixed pasture and arable use with regular and irregular enclosure pattern  Visually semi-enclosed to open with more open outward views to the south  Surrounding escarpment and outliers form a backdrop to many views across the Vale  Relatively sparsely settled agrarian landscape with rural villages and scattered farms and dwellings  Streams locally incised

29 Kingswood

Wickwar Road Hillesley Road

Map of central area of Kingswood Parish showing the distinctive Patchwork quality of the Landscape

2.1.2 Biodiversity Kingswood supports an assemblage of wildlife typical of its rural nature and geographical position including species that are legally protected or recognised as being of conservation importance and habitats that support these species or are significant in their own right.

Of particular importance are the habitats associated with the brooks and streams that traverse the Parish with an established Water Vole population (Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, 2014), however high value wildlife habitats within the parish are more generally limited and declining.

The natural environment of the Parish is important to people who appreciate its value as a recreational resource, a beautiful landscape and home to our precious native wildlife. One area which has particular importance historically, as a recreational resource in addition to being a Key Wildlife Site and a Priority Habitat is the stretch of Ozleworth brook along which the Ash Path runs.

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Ozleworth Brook – an example of an important and valued Natural Area

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Bats – European Protected Species

Water Vole – Part of the Berkeley Vale Water Vole Recovery Project

Otter – All but absent from Gloucestershire in 1996

Green Woodpecker – An Amber List Bird Species

Red Kite - a recent re-introduction

Bluebell – protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act

House Sparrow – Hedgehog – A Priority Smooth Newt – recorded in Slow Worm – recorded in a A Red List Bird Species Species a recent village initiative recent village initiative

Map Showing Locations of Rare and Protected Species recordings. Species on this map have been included for the reasons stated against each with the arrow indicating the location of a recorded sighting. In each case the species is rare or protected. Further details are available in Appendix 1.

32 2.2 Historical Development See the Conservation Area Statement for full details. The following is a brief summary of the history. The recorded history of Kingswood as a place of settlement dates back to the foundation of the Abbey by the Cistercian Order of monks around the middle of the twelfth century. There is historical evidence that from this time, until 1845, Kingswood belonged to Wiltshire, in effect forming a detached island surrounded by Gloucestershire, and that it was seen as a place of safety. Wool formed a hugely important part of the abbey economy and the monks established numerous monastic farms (granges) and mills in the surrounding area.

After the dissolution of the Abbey by King Henry VIII, Kingswood became something of a backwater. Building materials and ornaments from the Abbey were incorporated into other buildings in the village at the time. The Abbey’s Lady Chapel was retained for use as the parish church for almost two hundred years before being replaced, in 1723, by St. Mary’s Church, which was built on the abbey graveyard and incorporates some artefacts taken from the Lady Chapel. Previously, in 1662, the Rector of Kingswood was one of the two thousand clergy who left the established church in protest at the legislation compelling obedience to the Church of England: a meeting house for religious dissenters was established in 1668, leading eventually, in 1821, to the building of the present chapel as an Independent Church.

Until turnpike roads were laid through the village in about 1827, the roads in the district were generally appalling and most journeys could only be undertaken on foot or horseback. Wotton Road was laid to give a more direct route from Wotton-under-Edge to Kingswood, replacing a route along Vineyard Lane and Nind Lane and was continued through Kingswood to Wickwar, superseding the ancient green road, “The Trench” which meandered to Chase Lane at the parish boundary. “Back Lane”, a footpath between the rectory (now Boundary House) and Walnut Villa (the former rectory) was widened and became “Rectory Road” (now Old Rectory Road, since the rectory was moved to the High Street in 1961). Further turnpike roads were laid shortly after, one to Hillesley to provide a route to the Bath Road (now the A46), and another connecting with the old Charfield to Wotton Road near New Mills. This latter created the village crossroads, which remains to the present day.

A public water supply was laid on in 1876 and streetlights using oil were erected in about 1881 and later changed to gas then electricity. Mains electricity came to the village in 1932/3 although some houses had already benefited from electricity supplied from privately-obtained accumulators. Probably reflecting one of the reasons for siting the Abbey in Kingswood, many properties had a good supply of water from wells and there was a public water stand outside the Abbey Gatehouse.

For centuries work available locally focused on mills and farming though it was not unusual in days before motorised transport for villagers to walk and later cycle, many miles to work in surrounding towns such as Dursley or at the docks in Sharpness. Within living memory the village retained many shops and services and although these have largely disappeared from the High Street for example, there is still significant employment in the industrial and technological centres within the parish, notably based on the old mill locations.

At the end of the 19th century there were still remarkably few buildings in the village, mainly comprising large, individual houses or terraces of cottages for farm labourers and home-weavers. Many of the former are listed as of Special Architectural or Historical Interest, while many of the

33 terraced cottages form part of the designated Conservation Area. In the 20th century the village accommodated several new developments. Council houses were built in Wickwar Road (1927), Walk Mill Lane (1933) and Vineyard Lane (1939) to address the housing shortage after the First World War. Further house building was undertaken by the Council on Chestnut Park over the period 1948- 1954.

With increased prosperity and the availability of private cars, many people prefer to live in the country and drive to work in nearby cities, or in the steadily growing number of industrial and technological sites in the surrounding area. This has led to the rapid expansion of the village through private housing developments since the late 1960s, particularly once ready access to the motorway system was afforded by the opening of the nearby Junction 14 on the M5. The multiple housing developments have occurred largely on land that was previously occupied by orchards, allotments or large gardens, although the largest development, Somerset Close, was carried out on the former site of a haulage business.

Alongside these multiple housing developments, a significant number of individual houses have been built as infill between existing properties, often using brownfield sites. 2.3 Movement Routes

The B4058 is an important route for traffic movements in the parish connecting the market town of Wotton-under-Edge and the South Gloucestershire village of Charfield. This road runs through the northern end of the Parish, just under a mile distant from the centre of the village. This is between the settlement of New Mills and the Monkham Thorns, Charfield border settlements. This route provides the access for all 1100 employees of Renishaw who work at the company’s New Mills and Charfield sites.

34 The B4058 also provides the link to the M5 motorway for the market town of Wotton-under-Edge and all the associated trade and heavy goods vehicles. There is a significant traffic impact on the settlements at Monkham Thorns and New Mills that lie within Kingswood Parish. See Highways section.

The main through-road in the village itself is the B4060 (Old Rectory Road) linking Kingswood to Wotton-under-Edge via its junction with the B4058 to the north-east. KLBS senior school is located along this and links the village to Wickwar, and beyond that Chipping Sodbury and Yate, to the south-west. This gives access to Junction 18 on the M4, while the Charfield Road (B4062) provides a route to Junction 14 on the M5 and with the A38 at Falfield.

Hillesley Road (an unclassified road) is narrow and winding and gives key access to the main road network as it links with the A46 through the South Gloucestershire village of Hawkesbury Upton.

This shapes the layout of Kingswood, and must be considered in terms of traffic impact wherever any new development may take place.

Finger Post showing the road network at The War memorial in the Centre of the village.

An intricate network of roads is found in the centre of the village, reflecting its development before the car, notably High Street, Abbey Street and Golden Lane. This part of the designated Conservation Area is founded on narrow, single-carriageway roads, and traffic access to the through-road system.

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High Street

All the major developments of private housing have taken place on no through roads or have been established in the form of cul-de-sacs. Significant traffic flows occur from a combination of Walk Mill Lane, Orchard Walk, Bramley Close, Laxton Drive and Russet Close with all traffic coming through the junction of Walk Mill Lane with Hillesley Road. Similarly traffic flow in relation to Somerset Close is all through its junction with Wickwar Road and the flow in relation to Tyndale View is through its junction with Charfield Road.

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Hillesley Road Nind Lane

Wotton Road Charfield Road with Junction of Wotton Road

A main railway line runs through the parish, taken over the B4060 Wickwar Road by a stone-built bridge. The stone built railway bridge is an obstruction for high sided vehicles so limits the use of this road by certain types of vehicle.

The nearest railway stations on that line, however, are Yate to the south and Cam and Dursley to the north. The nearest for direct access to express inter-city trains is much further - Bristol Parkway to the south and Cheltenham to the north and Chippenham to the East. Inter-city trains on the London-Cheltenham Mainline routinely stop at Stonehouse, Stroud and Kemble to the north.

37 Footpaths

Sign indicating one of the 19 miles of footpath The Ash Path

There is an extensive network of footpaths within the parish, providing relatively direct walking routes to Wotton-under-Edge, Charfield and the New Mills area. See a full list of footpaths in the Supplementary report. Footpaths provide recreational walking for village residents and visitors, notably the Ash Path which runs alongside the Ozleworth Brook, connecting the village from the bottom of Walk Mill Lane to the Nind Nature Reserve. 52% of residents responded in the 2010 Parish Plan that the view from the Ash Path was their favourite view. This forms part of a circular walking route on footpaths between Kingswood and Wotton-under-Edge that is well-used by residents of both communities, being particularly popular with dog-walkers. This circular route has recently achieved formal recognition as a diversionary route off the Cotswold Way National Trail, which is accessed in Wotton from the relevant footpaths out of Kingswood. Furthermore the footpath network in the village forms an important pedestrian access route enabling people to access facilities without recourse to the main highway routes through the village. There are no cycle paths anywhere in the parish,

although Chase Lane is part of the Avon Cycleway. There are also issues with stiles and gates being a barrier to the elderly and disabled from enjoying the network of footpaths.

3.0 Settlements in the parish

3.1 Settlements in the landscape The parish of Kingswood is essentially rural. The view on entering the parish on the B4058 from the west is stunning and provides a panorama of rolling hills and green fields. These views are afforded at numerous locations throughout the parish. The countryside, the views and the feel of Kingswood is that of a traditional village and hamlets set in beautiful English countryside. The importance of the views on coming into and out of the parish was consistently pointed out in every consultation - see audit trail. Kingswood is valued as such a special place to live, because of the views and the surrounding countryside.

38 The Top 3 Views in Kingswood

View %

Ash Path and Stream 52

Views to Nibley Monument 49

Abbey Gatehouse 44

Table 11: Source 2010 Kingswood Parish Plan

The Ash Path

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View to Tyndale Monument North Nibley

The Abbey Gateway

40 3.2 Settlement Patterns The main settlement is the village of Kingswood which includes the designated Conservation Area. There are also four smaller settlements with their own identity within the Parish.

Kingswood Village The main village focuses around the road pattern, derived from earlier communication routes. It can be divided into two: (a) designated Conservation Area; and (b) the remainder of the village. The Conservation Area is built up around the Abbey Gateway and St. Mary’s Church on High Street. It forms a roughly triangular shape effectively delineated by Abbey Street, High Street and Old Rectory Road. It then extends beyond these roads to take in historically and archaeologically important residential and industrial buildings in Charfield Road, Wotton Road, Dye House Yard, Vineyard Lane, Golden Lane, The Walk, Bruton Lane, Hillesley Road, Walk Mill Lane and Crow Meadow. Please see the Conservation Area Statement for details of the area of the village within this area.

The remainder of the village is built off the main access roads of Wickwar Road, Charfield Road, Wotton Road and Hillesley Road along which there has been considerable linear development.

The developments of Tyndale View, Chestnut Park, Somerset Close, Bramley Close, Laxton Drive, Russett Court, Orchard Walk and Weavers Close are located off these roads. The above developments are cul-de-sacs and have a style and distinctiveness which relates to the individual development and does not reflect the character and history of the rest of the village. The building materials used and the designs reflect the designs of that period rather than the essential characteristics of the village.

The essential styles and designs in the older part of the village are either detached or terraced properties. The taller 3 story properties tend to be terraced mill cottages. This trend has not been followed in the newer developments with the 3 story properties being tall town houses with dormer windows.

The Outlying Settlements

Nind This is a small hamlet built on the side of Ozleworth Brook, a tributary of the Little Avon. Traffic access to and from the hamlet is by the narrow route of Nind Lane. This links Nind to the main routes of Hillesley Road into Kingswood. This is approximately one mile distant from the centre of the village and does not have a footway. In the other direction Nind Lane leads on to Wortley Road which is a main access route into Wotton-under-Edge.

There are many footpaths which lead in to Kingswood. Most important of which is the Ash Path which is an important link with the main village. This footpath also heads to The Nind Nature Reserve and onward to Hillesley

Monkham Thorns, Charfield Borders, New Mills This small settlement is on the county border with South Gloucestershire to the west. It has one industrial site owned by Renishaw and Charfield Barns business park which has several businesses located at this site. Wotton Animal Rescue is located here adjacent to the B4058 and is a rescue centre run by volunteers. The settlement and the businesses are alongside the road.

41 New Mills is also off the B4058 which has quite severe bends at this location. The New Mills Building d ominates the area and is the Renishaw head office. There are a number of houses adjacent to the B4 058 nearby. The B4060 Charfield Road forms a junction with the B4058 roundabout known locally

as the RenishawRroundabout. This roundabout has 3 access roads, the B4060 to Kingswood, the continuation of the B4058 to Wotton-under-Edge and North Nibley and the access route to the main Renish aw staff car park. There is a further Renishaw visitor and site entrance located just after the ro undabout.

Both of the above settlements have outstanding views to the Cotswold Escarpment, Wotton Hill and Tyndale Monument.

Chase Lane This is on the southern county border with South Gloucestershire. It is located nearer to the village of Wickwar than the village of Kingswood. The properties are linear, along Chase Lane. The settlement is predominantly agricultural. Many of the buildings are listed farm buildings. There are extensive views across to Wales and the Forest of Dean and views of the Cotswold Escarpment at Hillesley and Hawkesbury. The view towards Wickwar includes the historic church.

3.3 Buildings and Spaces St Mary’s Church: see Conservation Area Statement

Kingswood Congregational Chapel: see Conservation Area Statement

Tubbs Turf

Tubbs Turf is set below a boundary ragstone wall and is bordered directly on one side by the rear gardens of the terraced weavers cottages of Charfield Road on one side and the houses located on both Wotton and Charfield Roads.

Many of the surrounding buildings are listed and within the conservation area.

42 Kingswood Playing field and Village hall

The Playing field is bordered on three sides by agricultural fields and on one side by the rear gardens of the houses at Wickwar Road. The boundary is in the form of a high hedge and trees. The remaining three sides are open fields and are bordered by native low hedges and drainage ditches. The ground here is clay and drains very poorly. There are extensive views to the Cotswold Escarpment and Wotton Hill.

Kingswood Finger Post

This is an important feature within the village and acts as both a signpost and a memorial.

The Community raised money for this to be installed at the centre of the village to commemorate the loss of 3 young people of the parish who lost their lives in a tragic car accident in December 2005.

The Finger post is cast iron and is bedded in welsh slate which forms a small flower bed around the base of the post.

43 The Chipping This is a major area at the heart of the community as detailed in the community section and depicted below. It is within the conservation area. This area can become very congested with parked cars making pedestrian access difficult.

3.4 Listed Buildings

Most of these are in the Conservation area. See separate Conservation Area Statement The details below relate to the listed buildings in the outlying area and the text has been sourced from British Listed Buildings. We do not currently have photographs of these properties and would like to appeal to the owners of the properties if they could supply photographs for inclusion in this report.

Those listed below are in the outlying settlements.

3.4.1 Chasehouse Farmhouse

Late C18th. Rendered on plinth, slate roof, brick end stacks with stone offset and moulded cap. Single range and rear wing, 2 storeys and cheese-drying attic louvres on gable ends. 3 windows, 16- pane sashes. Two on ground floor with central door case with flat wooden hood on scrolled brackets and 6-panel door, 2 glazed, 2 fielded and 2 flush.

3.4.2 New Mills

ST 79 SW KINGSWOOD B 4058(off north side) 7/259 Former Mill Building at New Mills, west of Bushford Bridge (formerly 23.6.52 listed as New Mills)

Former mill building, at time of survey (January 1985) under conversion to industrial premises for Renishaw Engineering. Early C19th. Brick with freestone quoins and decorative brick panels, with

44 hipped slate roof. Very large single range, 4 storeys with basement and attic. 17 bays, with nearly- square mostly fixed lights under segmental brick arches, 16-pane to ground and first floors, 12-pane to second and third, fourteen 8-pane dormers with segmental roofline. Round tie bar ends with star motif between each bay and each floor. Nearly central projecting bay in different brick and possibly a later C19th addition, also 4 storeys and with similar windows, with clock face on large stone-coped ogee gable to east and with decorative side eaves frieze of diagonally set bricks. Remains of weathervane at top of gable. Directly behind this bay on rear wall is very large brick industrial chimney, rectangular with slightly sloping sides and over sailing brick courses. 2 door openings on ground floor on left hand side of projecting bay. Under extensive restoration and interior not accessible at time of survey.

3.4.3 Langford Mill

Former mill. 1822, dated iron plaque on south east facade. Coursed rubblestone, dressed on south- west end with quoins, Cotswold stone slate roof, segmental brick arches, brick end stack to north. Long range with 3 main storeys, attic and lower ground floor. 8 windows, mostly replaced multi- pane casements. South- west end has 5 hauling bays with plain wooden doors. End bay to left has plain board door up flight of brick steps. On lower ground floor, large brick arch in centre with carved stone panel inset in wall above, and 2 more similar arches at right hand end also with carvings inset above. Carvings apparently medieval and may have come from ruins of Kingswood Abbey. Cast iron column structure internally.

3.4.5 Lower Barnes Farmhouse II

Farmhouse. Early C18th, extended later C18th or early C19th. Coursed rubblestone, Cotswold stone slate roof, brick end stack to right, small coursed stone and brick extension to left. Single long range, 2 storeys with gable end attic on later wing to right. 4 windows, two 2-light casements in each part, set at slightly higher level on right hand wing beyond break in roof line marking join of 2 wings, all under timber lintels. Ground floor has 2 similar to left of central tongue and groove front door with gabled and boarded hood, and one 4-pane sash to extreme right.

3.4.6 Grange Farmhouse 30.6.61I

Farmhouse. Probably mid C17th, extended in early C18th. Random coursed rubblestone, partially strap-pointed, double Roman tile roof, rendered end stacks with 2 diagonally set brick flues on west range and decorative stone caps only from removed flues on east range stack. Double pile, 2 storey and attic. West front has 4 windows, 4-pane C19th sashes. Ground floor has central C20th door and twin 4-pane sash to left under cambered arch, and multi-pane C20th window to right. Main entrance on north end of rear range with large flat wooden hood on scrolled brackets and 4-panel door, top 2 glazed, lower 2 recessed. Small 2-light wood mullion attic window on left hand return of west range.

45 Interior has wood newel stair up to attic in south west corner with very large newel post, and several moulded chamfered beams with 2 stops on ground and first floors.

3.4.7 Mounteneys Farmhouse 30.6.61 II

Farmhouse. Mid C17th, altered and extended in C19th. Roughcast faced, double Roman tile roof, rendered end stacks with offset and moulded dentil cornices to front range, brick stacks elsewhere. Double pile plan with through passage, and additional wing to north west. 2 storeys with attic in gable ends. 3 windows, 3/2/3-light C19th multi-pane casements. Ground floor has two C20th metal windows, flanking central doorcase with early C19th wooden trellis-work porch and half-glazed door with margin glazing. Interior has very fine C17th wide dog-leg staircase in rear range with twisted balusters with acanthus-carved bases.

3.4.8 Watsome Farmhouse

Farmhouse early/mid C17th core, extended late C17th or early C18th. Rubblestone, mostly strap- pointed, roof partly in tile (core), rouble Roman and concrete tiles, 2 rendered stacks. Core and first extension form L-plan with additional rear extension. Single storey and attic to core, front wing 2 storeys and attic, rear 2 storeys. Main front has 2 small gables each with 2-light wood casement under timber lintel, 2 similar on ground floor and doorway to left with moulded wood frame in recess under timber lintel and with 6 vertical glazed panels. Forward projecting wing to left has 2, 3 or 4-light wood mullion windows, some ovolo moulded on inside on ground floor, under timber lintels and with flush splayed stone sills. Blocked doorway in angle. Room on ground floor in this wing has chamfered beam with 2 stops. Some beams remain in core also.

3.5 Building Materials There is a mixture of building materials used throughout the parish. The main ones being the local ragstone, render and some red brick reflecting the mill buildings. See table below for over view

Development Type Building materials Windows Chimneys

Charfield Road Terraces 3 storey mill Render and red brick Yes cottages Detached Chestnut Park Local Authority red brick Red brick render Georgian Yes Cornish Cob Newer Detached Mix of stone render and brick Bramley Close Link Detached Red brick Dark hard wood surround Yes Crow Meadow Bungalows Red brick and render Original widows Yes Detached Terraced cottages Hillesley Road Terraced Red brick render Mixture of traditional and Yes Detached newer type of windows Semi’s Laxton Drive Detached and semis Red brick Dark hard wood surround Yes Orchard Walk Semi detached Yellow brick Rectory Road Local authority Render, red brick Russet Court Red Brick Dark hard wood surround Yes

46 Somerset Close Detached Varying shades of brick Georgian small paned First houses only The Chipping Terraced Render red brick Detached Tyndale View Terrace, Render stone and brick Detached Walk Mill Lane Semis Render, brick, tiles White and mixture of yes Terraced aluminium and traditional Bungalow wood Weavers Close Semis Red brick White and large Yes Wickwar Road Bungalows Detached Semis Wotton Road Terraced Stone and render Georgian small pane Yes Table 12: List of Building Materials 3.6 Distinctive Features

The picture above shows the rural character of the central village and how the village relates to the open countryside. This picture needs to be viewed with the parish context in section 1 to get the overall view of the parish including the outlying settlements. Please note: this picture is pre the new Chestnut Park development.

47 Development Distinctive Features

Charfield Road Open Countryside Variety of housing styles Chestnut Park Distinctive Red Brick housing associated with local authority housing Cornish Style Housing Open green space with tress , flower borders and spring planting New housing estate of 27 houses being built to rear of the current development Bramley Close Distinctive design of the houses in Bramley Close, Russet Court and Laxton Drive Crow meadow Gentle transition between village and countryside Parking on road Golden Lane Church Congregational Chapel Churchyard with listed tombs Rendered cottages 2 storey 1990’s redbrick flats Mature Tree High Street The Parish Church and churchyard with listed tombs The Abbey Gateway The cottages alongside the Abbey Gateway The grassed area in front of the Abbey Gateway The historic and varied rendered houses and cottages built over many centuries, many of which are formally listed as being of historical and architectural interest A very large, mature copper-beech tree A private graveyard Pedestrian paths Hillesley Road 2 & 3 storey terraced cottages of Hillesley Road Former Workhouse and Master’s Lodge Red brick and rendered cottages of Weavers Close Gentle transition between village and countryside Parking on road Laxton Drive Distinctive design of the houses in Bramley Close, Russet Court and Laxton Drive Orchard Walk Yellowish brick 70’s design Rectory Road Public Lavatories Main Route through the Village Chestnut Park Council Estate The ‘Old Rectory’ – Boundary House Rear vehicular access and access to the gardens of 2 of the largest properties in the Village (Tyndale House and 10 High Street)

Round the Town Pedestrian only 50/50 period and modern property ‘Cut through’ between Old Rectory Road and the High Street Russet Court Church Congregational Chapel Churchyard with listed tombs Rendered cottages 2 storey 1990’s redbrick flats Mature Tree Somerset Close Safe environment, given that the estate is a cul-de-sac. Brick-built houses Georgian style windows mostly white some dark wood. Open plan front gardens Lawns and mature shrubs Some spectacular views out to countryside

The Chipping Pub Post Office and Village Store Community Gym and Coffee Shop Village Green Memorial Finger Post sign Rendered cottages and Townhouse Brick Cottages Old Church of England school (now the Gym) – 19th Century

Tyndale View Open Countryside Variety of housing styles

Walk Mill Lane Mill Cottages at top of Walk Mill Lane

48 Mill Cottages at bottom of Walk Mill Lane bordering the stream The two industrial sites Open Countryside Weavers Close Red brick h ouses of Weavers Close Haulage yard and mechanic’s work shop at Weavers Close

Wickwar Road Open Views Wotton Road The Old Rectory Georgian Town Houses An important medieval house Tubbs Turf Important and attractive views on entering the village Cohesion of building period, style and materials. A key gateway to the village

Table 13: Source Consultation details

4.0 Key Design Characteristics - Areas of the Parish and Outlying Settlements

The developments have been clustered by geography. The main village of Kingswood plus the outlying settlements have been identified in this section. The conservation Area has been considered in a separate Conservation Area Statement.

4.1 Walk Mill Lane, Bramley Close, Laxton Drive and Russet Court and Orchard Walk

49 I. Related to the very local landscape: Walkmill Lane leads off Hillesley Road. The row of terraced cottages at the top is within the conservation area. Please see Conservation Area Statement. At the far end it opens out to the weir by DCL and the terraced cottages by Ozleworth Brook. All of the other roads listed are cul-de-sacs which lead off Walkmill lane.

II. Pattern and shape: Walkmill Lane is a linear road leading to the other roads listed above. It is a no through road and finishes with an industrial site which is currently home to a printing works. It is the only access road for Laxton Drive, Bramley Close, Russet Court and Orchard Walk. The road surface is in a bad state of repair and is often very wet due to surface water. There is a pavement on both sides of the road. At the end is access to The Ash Path which is a streamside footpath along the Ozleworth Brook - CKD 16. Bramley Close, Russet Court and Laxton Drive form a cul-de-sac. The angles and designs of the houses make the roads very distinctive and different from all other roads in the village. The houses are very distinctive in design and built from red brick. Some have front gardens others have courtyards. The houses are a mixture of link detached, semi detached, detached houses and two bungalows. The some of the gardens at Laxton Drive back on to Golden Lane. The Flats at Russet Court open on to the Churchyard and the Conservation area. See Conservation Area statement.

Russet Court opening out on to Golden Lane and the Conservation Area

The streets in this development are named after apples. This reflects that the development stands on what was once an orchard. It is significant however that there are no trees or green space within this development.

Bramley Close leads to Laxton Drive and Russet Court. The road is wide and has pavements on both sides. Laxton Drive in particularly is a wide open road. The end of the road joins the footpath behind DCL and leads to the 'duck bridge' over Ozleworth Brook and into Vineyard Lane. Russett Court Flats border on to the Conservation area at Golden Lane and the Churchyard. The flats are set back amongst trees and settle into the landscape well and although modern in design they relate well to the churchyard.

Orchard Walk is a cul-de-sac with a footpath linking it to the High Street - see Conservation Area Statement. The houses are post war semi-detached and detached and are built from brick. The post war houses are similar to the houses Walkmill Lane. There is a pavement throughout this development. All of the houses have front gardens and some of the front gardens are used for parking. Vehicles also park on the pavement. There are some high hedges and some of these encroach on the pavement. There is a cramped feeling to the cul- de-sac because of the number of vehicles parking on the road and pavement.

50 III.  Nature of Buildings :  The houses are a mixture of styles. Semi-detached which have off street parking and front gardens.

 The Red brick distinctive style from the Bramley Close Development which also have driveways and gardens  Terraced mill cottages opening on to the road  Terraced mill cottages with long front garden facing the Ozleworth Brook  3 detached properties accessed via a private drive

 Private drive with 4 houses adjacent to Walkmill Lane and the field boundary. Mixture of detached, terraced and semi- detached houses  Block of flats

IV. Building Materials:

 Brick for semi detached houses  Mixture of different shades of brick for the houses  Local stone for the mill cottages.  Dark Red Brick  Dark roof tiles

 Brick blockwork for drives and court yards  Timber  Solid wooden front doors  Glass porches

V. Distinctive features:

 DCL printing works  Soils Agricultural supplies  Ash Path - CKD 6  Terraced mill cottages  Footpath behind DCL printing works  Ozleworth Brook with hedge on one side and bank on the other  Poor Road Surface with many trenches  Roof Lines

 Solid Wooden doors  Glass porches  Court yard type front gardens  Views to Wotton and Tyndale Monument  Glass porches

51 Parking on Walk Mill Lane is problematic especially at the junction of Hillesley Road and Crow Meadow.

4.2 Hillesley Road, Weavers Close and Crow Meadow

I. Relates to the very local landscape: The first part of Hillesley Road is in the Conservation Area. Please see the Conservation Area Statement. Hillesley Road is an unclassified road and leads to the village of Hillesley. Kingswood Cemetery is located along this road. There are views into the centre of the village and the Chipping. See Conservation Area Statement and view to open countryside and farm land - C19th properties are dotted along the length of Hillesley Road indicating the pattern of original settlement. The land in between these older properties has been in-filled with newer homes and small developments. The former C19th parish Workhouse and Workhouse Master’s Lodge are located on Hillesley Road.

Hillesley Road leads out into open countryside and is the road to Hillesley, Hawkesbury Upton and beyond. Kingswood Cemetery is located out of the village further along Hillesley Road. There is no footpath to the cemetery.

Residential properties at the village boundary end of Hillesley Road are positioned in a way that gives a gentle transition between the village and the open countryside.

There is a parking area located on Hillesley Road named Squaws (formerly Squalls) Lake.

Squaws Lake is a footpath which links Hillesley Road and Wickwar Road. Frequently used by villagers to access the Village Hall located on the opposite side of Wickwar Road.

II. Settlement pattern and shape: The settlement on Hillesley Road is built upon the length of the unclassified road. The pavement is not consistent along the length of the settlement but one has been provided outside the more recent properties. It is lined with settlements on both sides. Crow Meadow runs adjacent to Hillesley Road and has a footpath linking it to

52 Weavers Close which is accessed from Hillesley Road. There is vehicular access to Crow Meadow which is a no through road from the top of Walk mill Lane. This is directly next to the T junction with Hillesley Road. It ends in a footpath and a detached property with a field on the border of Weavers Close.

III. Nature of Buildings Hillesley Road is a mixture of old and newer residential properties with the density of dwellings reducing further out from the village centre to properties adjoining open countryside.

Historic stone-fronted, rendered and red brick C18th & C19th properties in-filled with newer as with the Abbey Mews redbrick development.

Hillesley Road has 2 and 3 storey detached, semi-detached and terraced properties on both sides. Hillesley Road has 2 short sections of pavement in front of newer properties.

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Entering the village boundary. Hillesley Road cottages (L) and new build (R)C19th Cottage (L) and former Workhouse properties

Weavers Close is a development of residential semi-detached houses with driveways and garages. The houses have front gardens.

Crow Meadow has a mixture of C18th/C19th properties sitting either side mixed with newer properties. Given its containment between Weavers Close and main access road off Walk Mill Lane it has a feeling of being in a built-up area. However, the large front gardens in front of the period cottages on the eastern side give a pleasant, open perspective.

54 Just beyond the main settlement on Hillesley Road is Kingswood Cemetery. There is no pavement linking the village to the cemetery and parking in the gateway is for 2 cars only

Cemetery - Hillesley Road

IV. Building Materials

 Mixture of colours brick  Render

V. Distinctive Features  Old Work house and Masters Lodge  Abbey Mews complex  Open views to countryside  Kingswood Cemetery  Haulage Company (Weavers Close)  Vehicle maintenance workshop  Footpath  Crow Meadow is a quiet rural no through road - safe for children to play  Large front cottage gardens to period cottages

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