Colmworth Neighbourhood Plan

Colmworth Character Assessment

2016 Contents 1. Introduction ...... 2 2. Methodology ...... 3 3. Overview of the neighbourhood area ...... 6 4. Historic development of Colmworth ...... 8 5. Character areas overview ...... 10 Introduction ...... 10 I. Channel’s End ...... 10 II. Wilden Road (Rootham’s Green) ...... 12 III. Chapel End ...... 14 IV. Queen’s Road ...... 16 V. Road ...... 18 VI. City Lane ...... 20 VII. Rd ...... 21 VIII. Church End ...... 22 Appendix 1 - References ...... 25 Appendix 2 – Maps. These are contained in a separate booklet.

1 1. Introduction

1.1 Poor design often stems from a lack of understanding or disregard for those key features and characteristics which create the local distinctiveness and unique identity of an area. Conversely, good design that is visually attractive and makes a positive contribution to its surroundings stems from having an understanding of a development’s setting and the character of the local area. This understanding can help to ensure that proposals are of an appropriate design which respects and compliments the existing local character and avoid development that could be found anywhere.

1.2 Government planning policy set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) attaches great importance to the design of the built environment and to the achievement of high quality and inclusive design. It indicates that local and neighbourhood plans should develop robust and comprehensive policies that set out the quality of development sought in the area and are based on stated objectives for the future of the area and an understanding and evaluation of its defining characteristics.

1.3 The NPPF further indicates that planning policies and decisions should aim to ensure that developments:  add to the overall quality of the area;  establish a strong sense of place, using streetscapes and buildings to create attractive and comfortable places;  optimise the potential of the site to accommodate development, create and sustain an appropriate mix of uses (including incorporation of green and other public space as part of developments);  respond to local character and history, and reflect the identity of local surroundings and materials, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation;  create safe and accessible environments where crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine quality of life or community cohesion; and  are visually attractive as a result of good architecture and appropriate landscaping.

1.4 However, whilst policies should promote or reinforce local distinctiveness, the NPPF indicates that they must:  avoid unnecessary prescription or detail and should concentrate on guiding the overall scale, density, massing, height, landscape, layout, materials and access of new development in relation to neighbouring buildings and the local area more generally; and  not attempt to impose architectural styles or particular tastes and they should not stifle innovation, originality or initiative through unsubstantiated requirements to conform to certain development forms or styles.  Furthermore, although visual appearance and the architecture of individual buildings are very important factors, securing high quality and inclusive design goes beyond aesthetic considerations. Therefore, planning policies and decisions should address the connections between people and places and the integration of new development into the natural, built and historic environment.

2 1.5 The purpose of this character assessment is to describe the key features and characteristics that combine to give Colmworth its local distinctiveness and unique identity. It can be used as a basis from which to produce Neighbourhood Plan policies and can be used by developers and their architects wishing to understand the local character of Colmworth and progress sensitively designed proposals which add to the overall quality of the settlement.

2. Methodology

2.1 The assessment is based on guidance produced by Planning Aid1 (part of the Royal Town Planning Institute) specifically to assist communities wishing to undertake a character assessment of their local area to help develop policies on design for inclusion in a neighbourhood plan. Following circulation of the Planning Aid documents, several members of the Colmworth Neighbourhood Planning Committee met with a planning consultant to discuss the criteria to be used in the assessment (see below) and to determine the areas to be assessed. Subsequently, the group visited each area to record its distinct SURVEYING THE AREA character through the use of photographs and written notes using the following headings:

1. Topography: This relates to the slope and the landscape setting of an area. An elevated location, for example, may provide key views of the surrounding countryside that contribute to the area’s character.

2. Land use: This can directly influence the types of buildings that occupy the area and how they are used. For example, areas which are predominantly residential in nature are very different in character from areas dominated by employment uses.

3. The layout of an area: This plays a critical part in shaping character. An area of terraced housing with front doors that open directly onto the street, for example, will appear and feel very different from an area where the houses are detached and set in spacious gardens.

4. Roads, streets and routes. These influence the manner in which people move within a settlement, and their layout, scale and appearance can heavily influence the character of

1 How to prepare a character assessment to support design policy within a neighbourhood plan - www.ourneighbourhoodplanning.org.uk/storage/resources/documents/How_to_prepare_a_character_assessment.pdf

3 an area. For example, there is an obvious difference between the character of a winding, country lane and a dual carriageway.

5. Spaces. This includes areas of openness, which are largely clear of buildings, trees and other structures. Examples include playing fields, children’s play grounds, public parks and gaps between buildings, which allow for glimpses through to other areas within the settlement.

6. Buildings: These are a key component of any settlement’s character. When documenting the appearance of local buildings and their influence on local character, it is important to pay attention to factors including building form, and scale; the relationship to neighbouring buildings (terraced, detached, semi-detached); predominant materials, roof type, distinct features and details; and architectural style.

7. Landmarks. These can be defined as iconic and distinctive features within a settlement, which contribute significantly to an area’s unique character. They are often meeting places or points of reference within a settlement and have a distinct appearance making them instantly recognisable to all. Examples might include distinct or prominent buildings, structures (such as a bridge), monuments (such as a war memorial) or natural features (such as a pond or ancient tree).

8. Green and natural features. These often help to soften the impact of development, providing a welcome contrast to areas of hard landscaping, buildings and other structures. Examples include trees and woodland, hedgerows and water features.

9. Streetscape. This refers to those smaller scale features found within settlements which, by way of their distinct appearance, add to the character of an area’s streets and public spaces. Examples include lamp posts, boundary treatments (walls, railings, fencing, etc), street surfacing materials (cobbles, granite, etc), public planting and street signage.

10. Views. This relates to key views either within a settlement, out of a settlement towards the surrounding landscape, or into a settlement from the surrounding area. Key views are those which you might expect to see on a postcard of the local area and typically include views of local landmark buildings or particularly picturesque views of the surrounding landscape. Views identified within the character assessment should be from a publically accessible location and should be valued by the majority of the local community.

2.2 It was decided that the focus of the character assessment should be the main areas of built development along the principal road through Colmworth (Little Staughton Rd/Church Road/Wilden Rd) and further to the east at Channel’s End. The area of built development was initially divided into the following broad geographic areas highlighted on the map on page 5:  North Colmworth consisting of Church Road, Little Staughton Road and adjoining roads;  South west Colmworth (Wilden Road); and  South-east Colmworth (Channels End Road).

4

MAP OF COLMWORTH PARISH INDICATING THE KEY AREAS OF BUILT DEVELOPMENT

5 2.3 Colmworth North contains the greatest concentration of development. The area to the south of Colmworth Brook, referred to as ‘Chapel’s End,’ is essentially linear in form whilst the more northerly area is clustered around a crossroads at the junction of Church Road/Little Staughton Road, Honeydon Road and Queen’s Road. Each of these roads and City Lane (located to the east of Little Staughton Road) exhibit different characteristics to a greater or lesser extent and, for the purposes of the character assessment, North Colmworth was subsequently divided into the following 6 smaller areas: City Lane; Little Staughton Road; Queens Road; Honeydon Road; Church Road (north) and Church Lane – referred to in this report as ‘Church End’; and Church Road (south) and Chapel Lane – referred to in this report as ‘Chapel End’.

2.4 Information gathered during the visual assessment has been supplemented by other sources listed in Appendix 1 relating to listed buildings, the scheduled monument at Manor Farm, tree preservation orders, public footpaths, landscape character and the history of Colmworth.

2.5 The final stage of the process has involved the preparation of this report, prepared by a planning consultant in consultation with the Neighbourhood Planning Committee. The report brings all of the gathered information together into a description of each character area.

3. Overview of the neighbourhood area

3.1 Colmworth is a small parish of 868ha in the north-east of . It is located approximately 8 miles north-east of and 6 miles west of Saint Neots. The Neighbourhood Area, which incorporates the whole of the Parish of Colmworth, had a population of 393 residents and 177 dwellings at the time of the 2011 Census. The boundary of the Parish is shown on the map on page 5.

3.2 The Parish forms part of the Clay Farmland landscape character area2. It is an open and largely level area founded on Oxford Clay overlain by Boulder Clay with subtle variations in topography as a result of minor water courses. The higher ground tends to be located to the west of the principal road with the lowest ground being in the south-east of the Parish around Dean A REMNANT TREE MARKS A LOST HEDGEROW - Farm on Road. LAND SOUTH OF COLMWORTH COUNTRY PARK

2 Bedford Borough Landscape Character Assessment 2014 - http://www.forms.bedford.gov.uk/planning/BBCLCAFinal2014-11-28.pdf

6 3.3 The area is dominated by arable farmland with large, irregular fields and smaller fields clustered around settlements with some shelter belts of poplar or, occasionally, conifers. Hedgerows are in mixed condition with some being gappy or lost leaving areas of open, arable land with long views. Hedgerow trees are prominent in the level landscape, including remnant trees marking lost hedgerows, and the church of St Denys forms an important visual landmark.

3.4 Relatively quiet rural lanes, footpaths and bridleways cross the Parish and form an SHELTER BELT - LAND SOUTH OF CHAPEL FARM, important recreational resource whilst the flat CHURCH ROAD landscape and general absence of street lights help to produce instances of starry skies and spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Arable field margins, hedgerows, streams, ponds, ditches and improved grassland are generally of value for their biodiversity.

3.5 Colmworth has a dispersed settlement pattern including scattered farmsteads and a number of ‘ends’ normally made up of a few farms and a small number of dwellings. Areas of settlement are frequently set amongst mature trees and shelter belts SUNSET OVER COLMWORTH associated with farmsteads. The majority of housing is located either along, or in close proximity to, the principal road (Little Staughton Rd/Church Road/Wilden Rd) which cuts through the Parish from north-east to south-west. Along Channels End Rd, located at the southern end of the Parish and further to the east than Wilden Road, there is another small cluster of housing. In the case of both the principal road and Channel’s End the settlement rises up the contours along roads that cross a watercourse.

POND AND DITCHES ARE GENERALLY OF VALUE FOR THEIR BIODIVERSITY. POND AT JUNCTION OF CHANNEL’S END AND COLESDEN ROAD (LEFT). DITCH ON WILDEN ROAD (RIGHT)

7 3.6 Two of the scattered farmsteads (Tythe Farm, School Lane and Dacca Farm, Grovelands Farm and Bryer Farm off Colesden Road) are now the location of small industrial estates from which a range of businesses operate.

3.6 Residential buildings within Colmworth are frequently constructed of brick or rendered with tile or slate roofs. The oldest buildings often have timber frames and occasionally have thatched roofs. Whilst Colmworth does not have a Conservation Area there are a number of listed buildings (22 in TYTHE FARM INDUSTRIAL ESTATE total) and a scheduled monument focused on the moated site of the former Manor House (see paragraph 4.4)

4. Historic development of Colmworth

4.1 The earliest recorded archaeological find in Colmworth is of an axe dating from the Neolithic period (~ 4,000 – 2,350 BC). Whilst no finds from the Bronze Age (~2,350 – 700 BC) have been discovered, a number of Iron Age features dating from the period between ~700 BC and the Roman invasion of 43 AD, have been identified. Evidence of villas, pottery and coins indicates that parts of the Parish were populated during the Roman occupation (43 AD to 410 AD).

4.2 At the time that the Domesday Book was compiled (1086), Colmworth was owned by Hugh de Beauchamp and tenanted by Wimund. The holding included 12 villagers, 13 smallholders and a slave. Taking into account the dependents of these men, it is likely that the total population would have been in the order of one hundred people. The Domesday Book also identified two other holdings, including one at ‘Chainhalle’. Whilst it has been suggested that this may refer to the Channels End area of Colmworth, there is considerable uncertainty that this is the case.

4.3 Colmworth was had a wide variety of different spellings in the last thousand years including ‘Colmeworde’ in 1086, ‘Colmworth’ in 1287 and ‘Coulemorth’ in c1600. The name may mean ‘Culma's Enclosure’ - Culma being an Anglo-Saxon personal name. An alternative explanation is that it means ‘The Enclosure of the Culham People’.

8 4.4 The Manor Farmhouse in Church Road stands on a raised platform, with traces of a surrounding moat. This platform was the site of the former Manor House. The peak period during which moated sites were built was between 1250 and 1350 and the majority were the location of prestigious residences with the moat intended as a status symbol rather than a military defence. The site in Colmworth, together with associated fishponds, earthworks connected with waterfowling activities and a nesting island along the Colmworth Brook, is now a scheduled monument. The THE CHURCH OF ST DENYS present Church of St Denys was erected between 1426 and 1429 in the early Perpendicular style with wooden bosses and figures which may be from an earlier church.

4.5 Colmworth's ‘ends’ are first mentioned in the 13th century including Sutende (South End), Penyshende (Pennys End) and Mylle Ende (Mill End). The parish had a hamlet called Langnoe in the Middle Ages which has since been lost. Over End was first recorded in 1588, later becoming known as Chapel End, whilst Channel’s End is mentioned in 1614 and Church End in 1668. Many of the listed buildings in Colmworth date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

4.6 By 1801 the population had reached 347 and growth continued until it reached a peak of about 575 in 1841. A village school was built in about 1840 and there were shops and public houses in Colmworth. However, the number of jobs in agriculture began to decrease as a result of mechanisation and people gradually moved away to find work in towns. By 1921 the population had declined to 250.

4.7 Improvements in connectivity during the 20th and 21st centuries have subsequently enabled many people to live in rural areas whilst THE 18TH CENTURY THREE HORSESHOES PUBLIC HOUSE WHICH either commuting to work or CLOSED IN 1920 AND IS NOW A HOUSE working from home. As a consequence, the population of Colmworth had risen to 393 by 2011. Whilst the shops, the public houses, the primary school and the post office have all gone, new facilities have opened including the village hall, the nursery school, a restaurant, a country park and a golf club.

9 5. Character areas overview

Introduction

5.1 For the purposes of this assessment, and as noted in paragraphs 2.2 – 2.3, a total of 8 geographic areas have been assessed. This section of the report brings together the information that has been gathered into a description of the character of each area. A map of each area is contained in a separate booklet which forms Appendix 2 of this report.

I. Channel’s End

5.2 Channel’s End is a small cluster of linear development at the southern end of Channel’s End Road in the south-east of the Parish. The single carriageway road descends ~15m between the junctions with Mill Road to the north and Colesden Road to the south. Along Colesden Road (south) and adjacent to the Parish boundary is the small industrial estate of Dacca Farm, Grovelands Farm and Bryer Farm. This assessment focuses on the section of Channel’s End Road between ‘Colgro Farm House’ and the junction with Colesden Road.

5.3 Approaching from Mill Road the highway is straight and gradually descends to ‘Colgro Farm House’. Beyond this point the gradient fluctuates as the road meanders down to Colesden Road. Overall, the height of the road falls approximately 8 metres between a point just south of ‘Colgro Farm House’ and the Colesden Road junction. The rural character of the road at Channel’s End is emphasised not only by the winding carriageway but also the quiet nature of the road, the grass verges, the absence of a pavement or street lighting, the low density of development and the extensive hedging along much of its length. There are three public footpaths at Channel’s End (FPA6, FPA7 and FP113) providing links to Wilden Road to the west and Colesden Road to the east.

5.4 Either side of Channel’s End Road the land is largely in agricultural use and, with the exception of Finsbury and ‘The Cottage’, the buildings are located to the west of the road. ‘Finsbury’ is positioned well back from the highway; it is accessed via a private track and is well screened from the road.

5.5 Development along the west side of the road includes a mix of dwellings and farm houses with associated buildings. In some instances the curtilages are separated by agricultural land which abuts the road. The surrounding fields are noticeably smaller than those in the wider countryside.

5.6 The hedges along the boundaries of the small fields and adjacent to the road restrict views out from the settlement to the west and screen development when viewed from the countryside. However, to the east side of Channel’s End Road there are gaps in the hedge which provide long views into the wider, open countryside beyond. Entering Channel’s End from the north, the development at ‘Colgro Farm’ is screened by a shelter belt of trees.

3 The footpath number as displayed on the public rights of way on-line map maintained by Bedford Borough Council – see Appendix 1 for hyperlink

10 HOUSING AT CHANNEL'S END - ILLUSTRATING THE CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE IN CHARACTER

5.7 Development at Channel’s End is of a low density with detached dwellings of individual character set in large, irregular shaped plots. The verdant character of the area is enhanced by the open space and trees around the buildings. The dwellings vary in height from 1 to 2.5 storeys and whilst some buildings are positioned close to the road others are set back deeper into the site.

5.8 There are 4, grade II listed buildings at Channel’s End – ‘Finsbury’, ‘Channel’s End Farmhouse’ and ‘Channel’s End Farm’ date from the 17th century and are constructed of colour washed rough cast over a timber frame. ‘Channel’s End Farm’ and ‘Finsbury’ include thatched roofs whilst ‘Channel’s End Farmhouse’ has a clay tile roof. The other listed building is the 18th century ‘Colgro Farm Granary’ which is timber framed with red brick infill and a corrugated iron roof.

CHANNEL'S END FARM 5.9 Other dwellings in Channel’s End have brick or rendered exteriors whilst roofing materials include slate and tiles. The boundary between the highway and dwelling curtilage is, in some instances, open or is marked by either fencing or, in one instance, a brick wall. Farm buildings and outbuildings include brick and exterior wooden cladding finishes and, at ‘Hill View Farm’, utilitarian buildings of steel construction.

OUTBUILDING WITH WOODEN CLADDING ON BRICK PLINTH

11 II. Wilden Road (Rootham’s Green)

5.10 Wilden Road is located in the south-west of Colmworth and stretches from the junction with Mill Road to the Parish boundary further to the south. The road is gently winding in nature and descends approximately 11m from its northern junctions with Mill Road and New Road to the drain at ‘Low Farm’. From this point the road climbs approximately 7m through a shallow cutting to the southern boundary of the Parish.

5.10 The rural character of the road is emphasised by its quiet nature, the low density of development, the grass verges, the absence of a pavement or street lighting and the extensive hedging along much of its length. There are two public footpaths (FPA6 and FP11) which provide eastward links towards the settlement at Channel’s End; one is located opposite Low Farm and the other is accessed to the south- WILDEN ROAD east of ‘Wheatsheaf Farm’.

5.11 The land along Wilden Road is predominantly in agricultural use with a number of fields to the west used for keeping horses. As at Channel’s End, the fields in close proximity to the buildings along the west side of the road tend to be relatively small in size whilst the hedges along the boundaries of these small fields and those adjacent to the road restrict views out from the settlement to the west and screen development from the wider countryside. Along the east side of the road there are gaps in the hedge and some low WILDEN ROAD – NOTE THE FLAT TERRAIN AND LINEAR hedges which provide long views into DEVELOPMENT the wider, open countryside which gently falls to the east.

5.12 Development along Wilden Road is linear in form and buildings are either in residential or agricultural use with the exception of the restaurant (‘Cornfields’) at the junction with New Road. The buildings are grouped in small clusters separated by agricultural land. However, there is also a single, isolated dwelling (‘Yew Tree’) between ‘Low Farm’ and the Parish boundary. With the exception of the clusters at the junction with Mill Road (‘The Gables’) and ‘Top Farm’, the buildings are located to the west of the road.

12 HOUSING ON WILDEN ROAD

5.13 The dwellings are of individual character; they are generally detached and set in irregular shaped plots with some buildings positioned close, or even adjacent to, the road whilst others are set back deeper into the site. Development is of a low density and open land permeates the development. The verdant character is further enhanced by trees and hedgerows which in some instances screen the buildings from the road.

TOP FARM COTTAGE - A TALL HEDGE SCREENS THE HOUSE FROM THE ROAD

5.14 There are 4 listed buildings along Wilden Road – ‘Cornfields Restaurant’, ‘Top Farm Cottage’, ‘Thatched Cottage’ and ‘Low Farm’. Parts of the buildings date from either the 17th or 18th century (although ‘Low Farm’ may be earlier) and the buildings are listed grade II or, in CORNFIELDS – A LISTED BUILDING AND THE the case of ‘Low Farm’, II*. They all have a FORMER ‘WHEATSHEAF’ PUBLIC HOUSE timber frame with either a colour washed

13 rough cast exterior or, in the case of ‘Cornfields’, a brick exterior. ‘Thatched Cottage’ has a thatched roof whilst the roofs of the other listed buildings are of clay tiles.

5.15 Other dwellings in Wilden Road have brick or rendered exteriors whilst roofing materials include slate and tiles. A range of materials have also been used in the construction of farm buildings and outbuildings which include brick, render, wooden cladding and corrugated iron.

FARM BUILDINGS ON WILDEN ROAD

III. Chapel End

5.16 Chapel End, located along Church Road to the south of Colmworth Brook, is centred on the 3 former farmsteads of ‘School Farm’ (now ‘Tideswell Cottage’), ‘Chapel Farm’ and ‘Colley Farm’. The road is a single carriageway with grass verges; it curves to the north-east on entering Chapel End from the south before descending towards the Brook. There is a pavement on both sides of the road and street lighting by the village hall and nursery school. Elsewhere there are no street lights and the pavement is confined to one side of the road.

5.17 Chapel Lane, located along the west side of Church Road, is an unmade byway (BOAT25) which provides access to a chapel and 4 dwellings. Together with a public footpath (FP17) on School Lane CHAPEL LANE - THE CHAPEL AND ADJOINING CHAPEL (further to the north) it provides COTTAGE access to the countryside to the west. There are no public footpaths along the east side of Church Road at Chapel End.

14 5.18 Whilst there is a pronounced fall in the gradient of Church Road and adjoining land towards Colmworth Brook, there are more subtle changes in the terrain which gently rises to the west and slopes to the east.

THE VILLAGE HALL AND PLAY AREA

5.19 The village hall and the nursery school are located on Church Road and there is a small chapel in Chapel Lane. To the rear of the nursery there is a children’s play area whilst directly to the north of the nursery is School Lane which leads to the outlying Tythe Farm where there are a number of small industrial units visible from Church Rd. However, the land at Chapel End is primarily in agricultural and residential use.

5.20 The open land between Chapel End and the more northerly Church End not only separates the two areas of development but also provides views towards the Church and along the valley of the Colmworth Brook.

VIEWS ACROSS THE COLMWORTH BROOK TOWARDS THE CHURCH SPIRE FROM SCHOOL LANE AND CHURCH ROAD

5.21 The development at Chapel End is essentially linear in form with the road frontage frequently marked by hedges and the dwellings set back from the highway. Whilst the buildings are often irregularly positioned on plots of varying size, there are instances where buildings are more regularly spaced and at a similar distance to each other from the road. Occasionally, wedges of undeveloped land adjoin the highway. Overall, development at Chapel End is well screened from the surrounding countryside; there are significant shelter belts on the northern boundary of ‘School Farm’ and along the boundary of ‘Church Farm’ at the southern gateway.

15 5.22 There is a mixture of detached, semi-detached and terraced housing. Dwellings are one to two storeys in height and with either a rendered or brick exterior; most have pitched roofs with gable ends and brick chimney stacks. Roofs are mainly tiled although there are examples of slate roofs and a thatched roof. Whilst the front of the dwelling usually faces towards the road there are instances where the buildings are gable end on to the road. The houses at Colley Close are accessed off a small cul-de-sac which runs parallel to Church Road.

NOS 7-10 CHURCH ROAD - A TERRACE OF 4 COTTAGES (LEFT). COLLEY CLOSE - MODERN SEMI-DETACHED HOUSES (RIGHT)

5.23 There are two grade II listed buildings along this section of Church Road; ‘Spinney Cottage’ was built in the 18th century whilst ‘Tideswell Cottage’ dates from the 17th century. ‘Spinney Cottage’ is constructed of colour washed rough cast over a timber frame with a pantiled roof whilst ‘Tideswell Cottage’ is constructed of pebbledash over a timber frame and has a thatched roof. Both buildings are single storey in height with attics and dormer windows. SPINNEY COTTAGE

IV. Queen’s Road

5.24 Queen’s Road, located to the north-west of the Church Road/Little Staughton Road junction, once acted as the main route to Little Staughton. Today it is a quiet road with a relatively narrow, curving carriageway with grass verges; pavements and street lighting are absent. Overall, it has the feel of a country lane which is further enhanced by trees and hedgerows and by the large housing plots

QUEENS ROAD 16 located furthest away from the Church Road/Little Staughton Road junction. At the end of the road a bridleway (BW3 – Shelford Lane) and a public footpath (FP1) provide public access into the countryside to the west.

5.25 Queen’s Road consists entirely of residential development and includes a mix of 1-2 storey detached buildings.

5.26 There are three grade II listed buildings along Queen’s Road, all of which date from the 18th century. Home Close and Rose Cottage are timber framed and rendered with a thatched roof whilst ROSE COTTAGE Horseshoe Cottage, a former public house which closed in 1920, is timber-framed with red brick on the ground floor and north gable end and render on the first floor. The house has a clay tile roof and its gable-end, which incorporates a red brick chimney stack, faces directly onto Queen’s Road.

5.27 On entering Queen’s Road there is a group of 20th century bungalows along the south-west side of the road. These are relatively closely spaced and BUNGALOWS ON SOUTH WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD set out in a row with front gardens and direct vehicular access onto the road. On the opposite side of the road there is a small group of modern houses built in a ‘Mock Tudor’ style. Four of the dwellings are accessed off a shared, paved driveway (The Tudors) with street lighting. A fifth dwelling with a small front garden has direct frontage and vehicular access onto Queen’s Road. Immediately to the west of this development is Three Horseshoe Farmhouse set in a spacious plot. Planning permission has been THE TUDORS granted for the redevelopment of the site for three dwellings served from a new access in the centre of the frontage.

5.28 Further to the north-west the housing plots have a more irregular pattern and dwellings are of individual character set in spacious gardens. As a consequence this part of the road is more verdant and rural in character than the area to the south- east.

HOME AT THE NORTH-WEST END OF THE ROAD SET IN SPACIOUS GARDEN

17 V. Little Staughton Road

5.29 The section of Little Staughton Road included within the character assessment is from its junction with Queen’s Road/Honeydon Road to the property at the northern end of the settlement (Tenacres). The highway consists of a straight section of single carriageway with grass verges on both sides and a pavement along the eastern side as far north as the junction with City Lane; there are no street lights. The road has a slight gradient with the higher ground being at the northern end. However, the overall impression is of an area of flat land both to the west and east of the road.

5.30 There are two public footpaths giving access to the wider countryside; FPA8, located along City Lane and directly south of ‘Meadowview’, provides a west-east route whilst FP4, accessed directly south of West View, extends in an easterly direction.

YEW TREE ON LITTLE STAUGHTON ROAD

VIEW OF CHURCH SPIRE FROM LITTLE 5.31 On approaching Colmworth from the STAUGHTON ROAD north the church spire is visible. Whilst there is a strong tree screen along the northern boundary of ‘Tenacres’ the land on the east side is more open in character and several dwellings along City Lane are, in part, visible from the road.

5.32 With the exception of the telephone exchange adjacent to no 11 (the former post office), the buildings along Little Staughton Road are in residential use. The dwellings are set-back from the road with front gardens and trees whilst hedges frequently mark the highway boundary. There are no listed buildings on Little Staughton Road.

5.33 During the course of the 20th century, infill development has gradually extended along the eastern side of the road and now forms a continuous line of linear development between City Lane and Honeydon Road.

5.34 The housing on this side of the road is relatively closely spaced and includes a mix of 1 to 2 storey detached and semi-detached properties and small blocks of terraced housing. The exterior of the buildings are either rendered or have a brick exterior and roofs are normally tiled whilst chimney stacks are of red brick. The roofs are gabled or hipped and, occasionally, buildings have a gable front. The dwellings have front gardens and normally

18 have off-street parking which, in the case of the terraced blocks, takes the form of a shared vehicular access which leads to a parking area to the rear of numbers 14 and 15.

HOUSING ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD 5.35 To the west of Little Staughton Road the extent of infill development is less pronounced and agricultural land adjoins the road. The absence of a hedge opposite City Lane provides a pleasant view across the land to the hedges beyond. Further to the south there is a tall hedge which screens the open land to the west.

5.36 Along the west side of the road directly north of the rear boundary of properties accessed off Queen’s Road (The Tudors) there are 6 dwellings - two pairs of semi-detached bungalows and two houses built in the 20th century with a brick exterior and roof tiles. They form a closely spaced row of dwellings with front gardens and, with the exception of no 23, all have off road parking.

5.37 At the north-west end of the road there are 3 large, detached dwellings of individual character, each with a wide HOUSING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD frontage and set back parallel to the road. ‘Tenacres’ and ‘Felmingham’ are bungalows whilst ‘Meadowview’ is a two-storey house of a contemporary design with a rendered finish on the ground floor, timber cladding at first floor level and a flat roof. Development along this part of the road is of a lower density than the rest of Little Staughton Road and is characterised by the more spacious and verdant nature of the housing plots.

MEADOWVIEW

19 VI. City Lane

5.38 City Lane is located on the east side of Little Staughton Road, approximately 340m to the north of the Queen’s Road/Honeydon Road crossroads. It is a quiet, narrow country lane which bends around ‘Rookery Cottage’ before the carriageway narrows still further. The lane serves 10 dwellings and a working farm and terminates upon reaching an electricity sub-station. City Lane has grass verges but is without either a pavement or street lighting. The land either side of the lane is flat with little undulation in the terrain. Beyond the substation there are several public footpaths (FP4, FP13, and FP21) VIEW OF CITY LANE FROM LITTLE STAUGHTON ROAD which provide access into the countryside and views towards the church.

5.39 Along the north side of the lane from its junction with Little Staughton Road there is a hedge with a field beyond. To the east of this field is ‘City Farmhouse’, associated utilitarian farm buildings and a more recent dwelling (‘King’s Cottage’) to the rear of the farmhouse. City Farmhouse is a 17th century grade II listed building with a timber frame, a pebble dashed exterior and a 20th century tile roof; it is single storey in height with attics. ‘Kings Cottage’ is neither visible from the lane nor from Little Staughton Road. CITY FARMHOUSE 5.40 A long the south side of the lane the dwellings are detached, of individual character and they each have a frontage onto the road. Upon entering the lane from Little Staughton Road there are 3 houses on the south side which have brick exteriors and slate roofs. They are relatively closely spaced and are gable fronted. Whilst the dwellings are set back from the road the land to the front of the first two houses is used as hardstanding for vehicles. The third dwelling is a former barn (‘The Old Barn’) which is positioned behind a low brick wall and has a large rear garden.

5.41 Next to the ‘Old Barn’, and in a prominent location facing towards Little Staughton Road, is ‘Rookery Cottage’ - a 17th century grade II listed building with a timber frame and colour washed ROOKERY COTTAGE

20 roughcast exterior under a pantiled roof and brick chimney; the building is single storey in height with attics.

5.42 Beyond ‘Rookery Cottage’ there are 4 detached properties of 20th and 21st century construction which vary in height from 1 to 2 storeys and which have brick exteriors and tiled roofs. Timber cladding has been incorporated into the front elevation of one of the dwellings and into the garages on two of the plots. The dwellings are set back from the lane on plots of varying size, width and depth and the boundary with the lane is marked by different materials which include brick and fencing.

HOUSING AT EAST END OF CITY LANE

VII. Honeydon Rd

5.43 Honeydon Road is located on the east side of the Queen’s Road/Little Staughton Road/Church Road junction. It is a quiet, country road defined by grass verges, trees and hedgerows; by the absence of both pavement and street lighting; and by the winding nature of the road. There are several public footpaths either side of Honeydon Road (FP4, FP21 and FP10) which provide access into the countryside beyond.

5.44 There are 8 dwellings along the road within Colmworth Parish; ‘Glebe Cottage’ and ‘Kennels Farm’ are close to the Parish boundary whilst the remainder of the housing is located towards the west end of the road in relatively close proximity to the village crossroads.

5.45 The housing at the west end of Honeydon Road is positioned along the north side of the road and includes a mix of 1 to 2 storey detached dwellings of individual character on different sized plots. With the exception of ‘Kitium

HONEYDON ROAD LOOKING EAST TOWARDS House’, which is set back to the rear of ‘ HOLLAND HOUSE AND BEYOND

21 Holland House’ and accessed by a private driveway, the dwellings have a frontage onto the road with front gardens of varying depth. The south side of the road closest to the crossroads is marked by a hedge with agricultural land beyond. From the road there are glimpsed views to the church and the countryside.

5.46 Exterior finishes include render and brick with tiled roofs and red brick chimney stacks. The ‘White Cottage’, a grade II listed building built

THE WHITE COTTAGE about 1700, has a timber frame and is single storey with attics above. However, the tiled roof dates from the 20th century.

5.47 Directly To the East and rear of the ‘White Cottage’ there are buildings and land last used by an agricultural contractor. The hedging along the north side of the road to the east of the Little Staughton Road/Church Road junction ends at the point of vehicular access into the LAND FORMERLY USED IN CONNECTION WITH AN site, leaving the land immediately to the AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTOR BUSINESS east of the access open to the road.

VIII. Church End

5.48 Church End, for the purposes of this section of the character assessment, relates to Church Lane and the buildings and the land either side of Church Road between the Queens Road/ Honeydon Road junction and the Colmworth Brook. With the exception of the church, the buildings are in residential use.

5.49 Church Road is a single carriageway aligned in a south-west to north-east direction. There is a grass verge along both sides of the road and a pavement on the west side. There are CHURCH ROAD – THE BEND AT THE JUNCTION WITH no street lights along the road. Whilst CHURCH LANE .

22 the road is straight over most of its length, there is a bend at the junction with Church Lane. A public footpath (FP10) providing access to Colmworth Country Park and the countryside east of Church End can be reached from Honeydon Road or via a permissive footpath through the church grounds whilst a footpath along the Colmworth Brook (FP15) provides a route into the countryside to the west.

5.50 The height of Church Road is approximately 1.5m lower at its junction with Queen’s Road than at Church Lane and the land either side of the road appears flat with little undulation in the terrain. However, between Church Lane and Colmworth Brook to the south-west, there is a fall of over 9m in the carriageway level and this is reflected in the gradient of the land either side.

5.51 Along the west side of Church Road the land is entirely in agricultural use with the exception of 2 detached houses (‘Manor Farm Cottages’) of red brick under a tiled roof with brick chimney stacks. Along the boundary between the highway and the agricultural land north of ‘Manor Farm Cottages’ much of the hedgerow has been removed, although there remains a prominent shelter belt of poplar trees adjacent to the bend opposite Church Lane. South of Manor Farm Cottages the hedgerow is gappy. The absence or poor condition of the LOOKING SOUTH ACROSS OPEN LAND TOWARDS POPLAR hedge along the roadside provides views TREES AND MANOR FARM COTTAGES across the open land to the west.

MANOR FARMHOUSE AND THE OLD RECTORY 5.52 The area to the east of the road forms the historic centre of Colmworth – it is the location of the 15th century church of St Denys and the ‘Manor Farmhouse’ which stands on the site of the former Manor House. There are several listed buildings in this area - the church; the 17th century farmhouses at ‘Manor Farm’ and ‘Church Farm’; the dwellings converted from the former 17th and 18th century farm buildings at Manor Farm; and ‘The Old Rectory’ dating from the 19th century. With the exception of the grade 1 listed church, the buildings are grade II listed.

5.53 Whilst all of the properties at Church End are detached, they vary from 1 to 2 storeys in height and are largely individual in character; many sit in substantial grounds. ‘Church

23 Farmhouse’ has a clay tile roof and a colour washed roughcast timber frame and whilst ‘Manor Farmhouse’ is constructed of similar materials, it also incorporates colour washed brickwork. The ‘Old Rectory’ is built of yellow gault brick with a hipped, slate roof. Within the Church End area as a whole, dwellings normally have a brick or rendered exterior whilst wooden cladding has, in part, been used on the former farm buildings at Manor Farm. Slate and tiles of different designs have been used as roofing materials. Roofs are usually gabled or hipped, although the former farm buildings directly south of the junction with CHURCH LANE - THE FORMER MANOR FARM Honeydon Road have a barrel vaulted BUILDINGS AND THE CHURCH roof. Chimney stacks are normally of brick, although Church Farmhouse includes a substantial external chimney breast which is rendered.

5.54 Dwellings normally have a frontage onto the road, although there are exceptions – the converted farm buildings at Manor Farm face inwards towards the former farm yard whilst the more recent development at Burnix Court consists of a small development with two houses to the rear of dwellings which back onto Church Road.

5.55 Located at the junction of Church Road and Church Lane is a small triangular area of land dominated by a conifer tree and used as a public garden. At the end of the Lane is the church of St Denys which is a major landmark in near and distant views. There are also several Tree Preservation Orders in Church End including those covering the area between Burnix Court and Church Lane, the trees along the Colmworth Brook and surrounding fields, and trees along the west side of Church Road to the south of Manor Farm Cottages.

CHURCH ROAD – HOUSES ARE DETACHED AND THE PUBLIC GARDEN AREA FREQUENTLY SET IN SPACIOUS GROUNDS

24 Appendix 1 - References

History of Colmworth: Bedford Borough Council Community Archives Online: http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchiv es/CommunityArchivesPages.aspx Colmworth and Neighbours History Society website: http://www.colmworthhistory.org.uk/# GENUKI website and associated links: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BDF/Colmworth

Landscape Character: Bedford Borough Council Landscape Character Assessment 2014: http://www.bedford.gov.uk/environment_and_planning/planning_town_and_country/planning_pol icy__its_purpose/technical_reports.aspx

Listed Buildings:

Heritage National Heritage List for England: http://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/

Rights of Way: Bedford Borough Council Rights of Way Online Mapping: http://www.bedford.gov.uk/environment_and_planning/countryside/public_rights_of_way.aspx

Tree Preservation Orders:

Bedford Borough Council Tree Preservation Order Register: http://www.bedford.gov.uk/environment_and_planning/planning_town_and_country/historic_envi ronment/protected_trees.aspx

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