Contents Page
Introduction 2
Location and Context 2
Designations 3
History of Area 4 Saxons Origins 4 Medieval Market Town 4 Post Medieval Stagnation 6 Southend and Urban Growth 6
Architecture of Area 7
Archaeological Interest 8
Townscape 8
Street by Street Design 9
Summary of Special Interest 19 Prittlewell’s Historic Interest 19 Prittlewell’s Architectural Interest 19
Proposals 19 Boundary Amendments 19 Additional Controls 19 Need for future Enforcement 20
Appendix 1 - Listed Building Descriptions 20
Bibliography 21
Boundary Map (Plan 1) 3 OS Extract 1870 (Plan 2) 4 Prittlewell Conservation Area (Plan 3) 10
Introduction
Conservation Areas are ‘areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ (Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act, 1990.
Policies and guidance for Conservation Areas are given by the Government in Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 (Planning & the Historic Environment) 1994, by English Heritage, notably in Conservation Area Practice, 1995 and by Southend on Sea Borough Council in the Essex & Southend on Sea Replacement Structure Plan, 2001, the East Street looking west c.1900 Southend on Sea Borough Local Plan, 1994, and the Conservation Guide, 2001. A Replacement towards the top of the south slope of a shallow valley Borough Local Plan with revised policies is in formed by Prittle Brook. On the north slope (outside preparation. the conservation area) is Prittlewell Priory, a former Cluniac Priory and now in use as a public park. Councils are advised to review their Conservation Until the second half of the 19th century, the village Areas from time to time and to ensure that they of Prittlewell had been the principle settlement and have up to date character appraisals which set parish in the area now covered by the Borough of out their special interest and provide the basis for Southend-on-Sea. Towards the end of that century, development control and enhancement proposals. the small town of Southend one mile to the south along the shore of the Thames Estuary began to All the Borough’s thirteen Conservation Areas, expand rapidly as a seaside resort and residential including Prittlewell, are being reviewed in order centre. North Street (Victoria Avenue) was extended to produce up to date character appraisals. Other southwards to connect with Southend’s new High areas which might be suitable for designation are Street and by the early 20th century the expanding also being assessed. In each case the character town had absorbed the former village. appraisal will: Victoria Avenue now forms one of the main routes into Southend’s town centre and seafront. Road identify the area’s special interest widening over the years and associated demolitions review existing conservation area and other works have eroded the former village’s boundaries character. But it still retains aspects of its past assess the need for enhancement proposals architecture and having been the principal settlement review the need for Article 4 Direction in the area it has considerable historic interest. controls assist preparation of the Replacement The area now comprises a mix small scale Borough Local Plan uses reflecting its village origins – residential, provide a basis for implementing policies commercial, retail and industrial - none of which and making informed development are predominant. They help consolidate the area’s control decisions character as a large village with a traditional mixture guide any future highway proposals in the of uses. Some of the premises have poor access area or backland situations and there is a relatively high level of vacancy and associated disrepair. Location and Context
The former village of Prittlewell is centred on the The Prittlewell Conservation Area was designated parish church of St. Mary and the medieval road in 1995 and subsequently extended to cover the alignments of East Street / West Street and North surviving buildings from the former village which Street to the north (now part of Victoria Avenue). It is front the historic street pattern. It includes buildings 2 Crown Copyright. all rights reserved Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 100019680,2010
Plan 1 - Conservation Area Boundary and Designations which illustrate the village’s development history Designations through to the early 20th century when it became part of a larger urban area. It does not include Buildings in the appraisal area included in the Prittlewell Priory because later development with no statutory list of buildings of special architectural or special interest now separates it from the surviving historic interest are shown on Plan 1. They are: area of the village. 30 East Street (Grade II) The Appraisal area relates to the existing conservation 60 East Street (Grade II) area and to areas immediately adjacent within the Church of St. Mary, Victoria Avenue (Grade I) vicinity of the former village (parts of East Street 255 Victoria Avenue (Grade II) and Station Approach, the north part of North 269-275 Victoria Avenue (Grade II) Road, Roots Hall Avenue and Wallis Avenue). The conservation area boundary and appraisal area are Their list descriptions are in Appendix 1. shown on Plan 1. An extract from the 1897 OS map of Prittlewell showing the approximate extent of the Other buildings of local architectural or historic former village is in Plan 2. interest are included in the Council’s Local List and are shown on Plan 1. Those in the Appraisal Area are:
The Blue Boar, Victoria Avenue 37-41 (odd) West Street The Golden Lion PH, Victoria Avenue The Spread Eagle PH, Victoria Avenue
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market activities, although the buildings themselves are now demolished. Opposite the Church, 255 Victoria Avenue, the surviving wing of a mid-15th century hall house faced onto the centre of the market place and shows evidence of originally being a ground floor shop and a high status hall on its first floor which may have connections with the market. Evidence of a medieval shop also exists at 269 Victoria Avenue.
From the mid 15th to the mid 16th centuries, documentary evidence shows substantial building work in the village and a period of growth and increasing prosperity, in line with national trends. St Mary’s Church - Grade I Listed Major additions and rebuilding of the Church to the Normans and his family continued in included a new tower completed in about 1470, possession of the Manor. The Manor was split in the which for many years acted as a seamark for early 12th century when Robert Fitzsweyne, Lord of shipping in the Thames estuary. New timber-framed the Manor, granted the Church and its lands to the buildings were erected including some which were French Cluniac priory at Lewis. The grant may have substantial and of relatively high status, such as been made to demonstrate Fitzsweyne’s continuing Reynolds, Roots Hall and the Guild House (all now loyalty to the Norman regime. A new priory was demolished). established on the north side of Prittle Brook and became the largest Priory in Essex and the only one A Jesus Guild established in the 15th century also within about 30 miles. suggests surplus wealth in this period to finance charitable works until both it and the Priory were At the same time, St. Mary’s Church was altered suppressed in the mid 16th century. Such guilds and expanded, possibly by Fitzsweyne to provide comprised local people who carried out or funded the monks with a more worthy building. The Priory charitable works – welfare of the poor and ill, burial remained responsible for the Church until the of the dead, education and maintenance of roads dissolution, and it became and remains the central and bridges. Formation of the Guild at Prittlewell focal point for Prittlewell. The Priory and Church was relatively late in the guild movement and might became part of Priors Manor which appears to have suggest a decline in the ability or desire of the Priory been to the east of the former North Street and north itself to carry out such work in Prittlewell. of East Street. The Jesus Guild also expresses the transition during The remaining parts of Prittlewell became the Manor this period from manorial to parish control of of Earls Fee and Polsted-wic (Earls Hall) which by the Prittlewell’s economic and social life. A chapel and 13th century was held by the Earls of Oxford and later passed to the Earls of Arundel and then the Dukes of Norfolk. Prittlewell village was consequently split between the two manors, although Pollitt suggests Earls Hall became the principal manor for the village and it became known in time as the Manor of Prittlewell.
The Earl of Oxford was granted a weekly market at Prittlewell, probably in the second quarter of the 13th century, which continued until the late 16th century when it is may have been transferred to Rochford, three miles to the north. Building encroachments onto the churchyard and highway are evident from historic maps and may have resulted from Saxon Arch inside St Marys Church 5 255 Victoria Avenue after restoration - Grade II Listed North Street (now Victoria Avenue) in early 20th Century, looking northwards from East Street/West Street junction. monuments in the Church commemorate the Jesus Southend & Urban Growth Guild. Rapid expansion of Southend towards the end of the 19th century and associated railway development, Prittlewell was described in this period as “a which included a station on the edge of the populous town having in it 300 people” (presumably village, absorbed Prittlewell in a larger urban area. adults) and played an important role for the local Urbanisation resulted in much redevelopment and rural community. Only two buildings remain from new buildings in and around the village, mostly this period, 255 and 269-275 Victoria Avenue, but in the form of small terraced housing, shops and there is likely to be archaeological evidence below commercial uses. Clay and sand pits were excavated ground of other medieval structures. Medieval on the fringes of the village to provide building property boundaries have also been largely materials for this urban growth and include the obliterated by later subdivision and development area now occupied by Southend United’s football and are not reflected in present-day Prittlewell other stadium, adjacent to the conservation area to the than in maintaining the historic road alignments. north.
In addition to East Street / West Street and North A new connecting road to the south (Victoria Avenue) Street, which originated in Saxon times, the was opened in 1889 and resulted demolition and alignment of North Road is believed to have existed rebuilding, which included a new Blue Boar on from at least the 14th century, and connected the road junction. This north-south route through Prittlewell to the Manor of Milton. Prittlewell became the main road into Southend and is now a dominant element in its visual character. Post-Medieval Stagnation 20th century road widening resulted in further When the Priory was suppressed in 1536, its lands and properties passing to Thomas Audley, the Lord Chancellor’s brother, and about ten years later to Lord Rich (Earl of Warwick). Lord Rich later purchased Earls Hall Manor and from that time on both of Prittlewell’s manors were held in the same ownership. Little outward expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries, the absence of Church building and maintenance, and the loss of its market, suggest stagnation or decline. The Manor’s succession of owners of lesser eminence from the late 17th century supports this contention. During this period Prittlewell appears to have reverted to a large rural village. Five houses survive from this period, 30 and 60 East Street and 39-43 West Street. Buildings in East Street enclosing the churchyard. Only one of these now remain 6 gabled wing of a 15th century timber framed hall house with evidence of an original shop. It has been altered and is in need of restoration. Its prominent corner location gives it townscape importance. 269-275 Victoria Avenue – a timber framed jettied hall house, rendered with a roof mainly of peg tiles. It has been altered and is in need of restoration.
These three buildings are close to one another and have the potential to complement each other’s setting and form a small medieval group.
267 - 275 Victoria Avenue, Grade II listed. 30 East Street – an 18th century former house demolition, notably of medieval buildings, and with a symmetrical frontage, little rebuilding. altered, in red brick with blue headers,sliding sash windows, original door, and dormers in Documentary evidence suggests that a school the tiled roof with diagonally weatherboarded continued in Prittlewell from the time of the Jesus cheeks. Internally there is evidence of an earlier Guild. The 18th century school was on the east side timber framed building. Alterations and of North Street close to Prittle Brook. It moved to the an unsympathetic 20th century building to the site of the former vicarage in East Street next to the rear affect its character Church, a new vicarage having been built in West 60 East Street – an 18th century timber Street. The new school was built in 1868 with later framed and weatherboraded cottage, extensions and demolition of adjacent buildings typical of local vernacular buildings, in two fronting East Street for the expanding population. ranges with a tiled roof to the front The school buildings still survive although no longer and slate roof to the rear. in use as a school. 39-43 West Street – probably late 18th century timber framed and rendered cottages with curved bays to the front Architecture of Area ground floor, slate roofs and sliding sash windows – some altered. Buildings display a wide variety of designs and 61 West Street – late 19th century single materials and give no dominant architectural storey cottages in red brick with tiled roof. character to the conservation area. Nevertheless, 84-106 East Street (unlisted) – late 19th the variety illustrates the evolution of the village century terraced houses of typical Victorian from medieval times until the late 19th century materials and design. urbanisation and shows a sequence of typical local materials and designs for the period. The transition in materials and designs towards the end of the 19th century and early 20th centu ry is also important (for example from yellow stock to red brick, from slate to tiles, from sliding sash windows to casements) as it coincides with the village’s urbanisation. Buildings contributing to this architectural sequence include:
St. Mary’s Church – the present structure is 12th century onwards but including Saxon brickwork with facings of Kentish ragstone, knapped flint and dressed stone. It dominates Prittlewell’s townscape. 255 Victoria Avenue – one surviving jettied 30 East Street, Grade II listed 7 a programme of archaeological work for the area, it is essential that opportunities for archaeological work associated with development are taken as they arise.
Townscape
The present townscape is dominated by the Victoria Avenue highway and its junction with East Street / West Street which fragment the area and reduce its townscape value. The townscape is also harmed by gaps in the street frontage created by demolition and unsuitable forecourt treatment, unsuitable alterations to some elevations, especially 39 - 43 West Street, Locally Listed cottages to shopfronts and fascias, and poor designs for some 20th century buildings. Nevertheless The Blue Boar – late 19th century with aspects remain of the historic townscape, and a typical Arts & Crafts design applied together with modern landscaping, they contribute to a commercial building – red brick, tiled to the area’s special interest. These include: roof and corner turret. Recently renovated, its corner position makes it an important townscape Buildings in the pre-urbanised 19th village feature. demonstrated varied designs typical of their 3-23 West Street – c1905, a terrace of period. Most abutted or were close to the edge purpose built shops and with flats of the highway had compact street frontages over, stock brick and gabled frontages. with little space between buildings. This produced a visually lively and enclosed frontage to Prittlewell’s three streets. 20th century Archaeological Interest demolition and redevelopment have eroded this frontage character but sufficient buildings Although Pollitt has summarised the history of remain, particularly along the west side of the Prittlewell as known in the mid C20, there has former North Street to provide the pattern for been no concerted archaeological work to explore future development and close the gaps and Prittlwell’s history, despite its obvious historic revive this frontage character. importance. Focal points are provided by St. Mary’s Church and the Blue Boar. St Mary’s tower is also The Sites & Monuments Record includes a small prominent from outside the conservation area, number of records in the vicinity of the conservation notably from the slope to the north of Prittle area. These relate mainly to prehistoric finds at Roots Brook. A slight bend in the alignments of Victoria Hall Stadium during early C20 earth extraction, and Avenue and East Street / West Street at their to St. Mary’s Church including a Saxon loom weight junctions, increases the prominance in the street found in the vicinity of the church. scene of the west side of Victoria Avenue and in particular the Blue Boar and potentially 255 Unreported research of the history of 255 Victoria Victoria Avenue once it has been renovated. Avenue has found manorial records for Earls Hall Trees and landscaping within the area also back to the late 16th century which may provide the contribute to its character and the setting of basis for further research. important buildings. Road widening to the south of East Street / West Street included substantial All sites in the conservation area unaffected by landscaping. Together with Churchill Gardens deep building foundations or other excavation (outside the conservation area), the planted have archaeological potential. In the absence of churchyard of St Mary’s Church, street trees in Victoria Avenue and trees at the rear of the Blue Boar, this provides an attractive setting for the Church and the central part of Prittlewell. They 8 also provide an important public amenity. The conservation area’s position in the wider townscape helps to reinforce its village character and its visual separation from surrounding development. The topography of the area to the north with a slope down to Prittle Brook give views out of the area across the valley towards the green landscape of Priory Park. Many of the buildings adjacent to and outside the conservation area are set back from the highways. They either have landscaping fronting the road or offer the potential to consolidate tree planting and help give a green edge to the area. This is an aspect which of the townscape which needs to be protected and reinforced. St Mary’s Church School - Old building
Street By Street Description positive - it contributes to the area’s character positive * – it is potentially positive but needs Descriptions of streets and buildings relate to the significant improvement or restoration situation at the time of survey. They are intended to neutral - it neither harms nor contributes to the guide decisions on conservation area boundaries, area on future development control, and on the need for negative - it harms the area’s character. enhancement. They relate to buildings and other structures adjacent or close to the named streets. They are not necessarily comprehensive and other features not mentioned may nevertheless have value for the character of the area.
Where specified, fuller descriptions of listed buildings are given in the statutory List of Building Of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. A map of the properties appraised in this section is shown in Plan 3.
Properties are assessed according to their value to the area’s character. Values are:
Spread Eagle Public House - A locally listed building.
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C17 and C19. Rendered and whitewashed timber frame; plain tile roofs.
Plan: service end consists of two rooms with an additional shop at front (east), with arcaded extended passage abutting to south, with a first floor chamber.
Exterior: two storey east front; two window range. Ground floor of north gabled range rebuilt late C17, and fitted with two C19 canted bay windows separated by a doorway. Two boarded 2/2 sash windows to first floor, that to left inserted between the service gable and the main gable. Gabled Victoria Avenue / West Street junction main roof, hipped to west. C18 stack on north roof slope, and similar stack on north roof slope to meet a specific threat to four houses. A wider of passage range. North return with exposed studs Article 4 Direction is needed to prevent unsuitable and inserted C20 blockwork at east end, and permitted development elsewhere and to enable the weather boarded remainder. South elevation of restoration of traditional features. passage without openings. Main block projects to west: single storey outshut to east, weather boarded Need for Future Enhancement Proposals ground floor with doorway, and two boarded first The need for substantial enhancement was recognised floor windows. West elevation with single storey at the time the Conservation Area was designated. outshut and one boarded first floor window. The Appraisal has indicated the desirability of achieving enhancements through the restoration of Interior: north service range divided into three features of altered buildings, through improvements rooms, but partitions removed. Principal studs with to forecourts, gardens and street boundaries, and jowled tops and formerly with arched braces in through appropriate planting in strategic locations three directions; secondary studs of heavy scantling. in the townscape, both inside and outside the Inserted C19 brick stack with bread oven at west conservation area. Significant enhancements are end. also needed to enable regeneration and these should include improvements to the standard of Passage with arched braces to south wall defining street furniture, the sympathetic development of two formerly open arcade bays. One four centred frontage gaps, and the improvement of access to doorway with hollow mouldings leads into main properties to the rear of 255-299 Victoria Avenue. range. C18 four panelled door with HL hinges adjacent. Inserted staircase. South west outshut The area shown in Plan 3 indicates the proposed with C18 fireplace. First floor of main range with reduction to the conservation area boundaty. It three bay crown post roof, the two freestanding posts retains the area having special architectural and of rebated cruciform section with arched braces in historic interest but excludes areas where the interest four directions. Cambered tie beams with hollow has been substantially eroded by alterations and chamfers and arched braces to chamfered principal redevelopment. studs. Secondary rafters. Four centred doorway on south side with hollow mouldings now blocked by inserted stack. Roof of passageway chamber of Appendix 1 - Listed Building C17 tie beams, principals and collars. Late C17 Descriptions with inserted C20 timber posts.
255 Victoria Avenue 269-275(odd) Victoria Avenue Grade II Grade II Shop with accommodation above. Built as service A C16 timber framed and plastered house built end and passage to a mid C15 hall house, altered on a half H-shaped plan, with cross wings at the north and south ends. Two storeys. The windows 20 are partly double hung sashes with glazing bars and Bibliography partly casements. The ground storey has C20 shop fronts to the cross wings and a six panel door to the William Pollitt: A History of Prittlewell, 1968 centre block. A tall cart entrance passes through the north end of the centre block. Roof tiled.
Church of St Mary forms a group with no 255 and nos 269 to 275 (odd).
St Mary’s Church, Victoria Avenue Grade I A large church built mainly of Kentish ragstone. The church goes back to Saxon times and it is mentioned in Doomsday Book. In the north wall of the chancel there is the remains of a C7 Saxon arch with Roman brick voussoirs. The north wall of the nave and chancel is of the early C12. The fine west tower was built circa 1470 and has diagonal buttresses with three offsets, flint and stone chequered battlements and has diagonal buttresses with three offsets, flint and stone chequered battlements and corner turrets with crocketted spirelets. The south aisle and chapel were added at the end of the C15, after the tower was built. the nave and aisle have chequered flint and stone battlements. A C15 two storey porch projects on the south side with an inside Tudor carved door. There is a C16 octagonal font with concave sides ornamented with roses and crossed spears.
Church of St Mary forms a group with no 255 and nos 269 to 275 (odd).
30 East Street Grade II A C18 red and blue brick house. Two storeys and attics. Five window range, double hung sashes with glazing bars, in flush cased frames. A raised brick band runs between the storeys. A central six panel door has a Doric doorcase with fluted pilasters, triglyph frieze and a dentilled pediment. Roof tiled with stop end gables and a modillion eaves cornice on the front. A later addition of lower storey height extends at the west end and there are modern additions at the rear.
60 East Street Grade II A C18 timber-framed and weather boarded cottage. Two storeys. Three window range, double-hung sashes with glazing bars. Central doorway. Floor tiled, double pitched (slate at the rear).
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