PPRROOPPOOSSEEDD DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTT AATT BBOOSSCCOOBBEELL
LATHOM, west Lancashire
HERITAGE ASSESSMENT
GGARRY MMILLER Historic Building Consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 2
PROPOSED DEVELOIPMENT AT boscobel
AUGHTON, west Lancashire
Heritage assessment
AUGUST 2017
GARRY MILLER Historic Building Consultancy
Crosby House, 412 Prescot Road, Eccleston Hill, St Helens, Lancashire WA10 3BT Telephone: 01744 739675 [email protected] © Garry Miller 2017
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 3
Contents
1: Executive Summary 4
2: The Site 5
3: The Proposal/Scope of this Report 7
4: Historical Summary 9
5: Boscobel 13
6: Lathom Park Conservation Area 20
7: Assessment of Significance 22
8: Policy Context 24
9: Impact of the Proposal 26
Appendix: Garry Miller Historic Building Consultancy 21
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 4
1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report supports proposed development at Boscobel, Lathom, West Lancashire. A late 19th century estate cottage, Boscobel is an undesignated heritage asset within the Lathom Park Conservation Area. Proposals are being submitted to West Lancashire Borough Council for alterations and extensions at Boscobel, along with a new detached garage. The heritage issue arising is their impact upon the significance (i.e. heritage interest and value) of the conservation area. The scope and purpose of this report is to identify this significance and to examine how this will be affected by the proposal.
Boscobel lies within the parkland of Lathom House, historically the seat of the medieval de Lathom family and their successors the Stanleys, Earls of Derby. Their fortified house, besieged and partly dismantled during the Civil War, was in 1725-1740 replaced by a monumental Palladian mansion by Giacomo Leoni. This was largely demolished in 1925 following the bankruptcy of the 3rd Earl of Lathom, with the exception of its West Wing, a stable block converted to apartments in 2000. Boscobel is a much later arrival to its estate, built in 1896 as the gardener’s cottage, adjoining a huge 18th century walled kitchen garden. The original portion is a gabled, mullioned-windowed, modestly- Jacobean structure, to which was added a two-storey west extension in the 1920s, its ground floor now a garage, along with a later rear extension. In a walled rear yard is a small brick outbuilding with pyramid roof, along with a later brick store. Adjacent are a modern wooden shed along with a large wooden outbuilding that may survive from a former World War I remount depot (for training military horses) based at Lathom House.
The conservation area is principally centred upon the historic park of Lathom House but also incorporates several important buildings nearby. Its significance derives from its character and appearance as the remnants of the mansion and its estate, along with the village that stood at its gates. Boscobel is one of a number of unlisted buildings that make a positive contribution. Its significance derives from its local architectural and historic interest as the estate gardener’s cottage, and is enhanced by its group value and setting relative to the walled garden, West Wing and parkland. This significance lies primarily in the original 1896 building and the pyramid-roof outbuilding, while the large wooden outbuilding is of historical interest as a possible fragment of the remount depot.
The main elements of the proposal are:
• Alteration of the west extension to match the appearance of the original building, in connection with conversion of the garage to domestic use • Demolition of the existing rear extension and brick store to provide a new single-storey extension separated from the original building by a glazed link • Addition of a garage and workshop to the east of Boscobel
The proposed works are considered to be respectful of the building and its setting and will enhance its significance and contribution to the conservation area. The proposal thus complies within the requirements of both national planning guidance and the local development plan, and it is therefore considered the application should receive approval.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 5
2: THE SITE
Boscobel stands within the extensive rural civil parish of Lathom, part of the borough of West Lancashire. It is located on a track around 500 metres east of the village centre on Hall Lane, and around 200 metres northeast of the site of Lathom House, the Palladian mansion of 1725-40 designed by Giacomo Leoni for Sir Thomas Bootle. This stood within extensive landscaped parkland until its demolition in 1925, and today only the West Wing, originally stables but converted to apartments in 2000, now stands. Boscobel lies within the former parkland and was built in 1896 as the house of the estate gardener, adjoining an extensive 18th century walled kitchen garden. It is now a private dwelling. In an enclosed yard to the rear are two brick outbuildings, with further outbuildings adjacent to the west. Boscobel’s location is a relatively secluded one, but from the north the property is visible at some distance across the open, flat landscape that characterises the locality.
1. Location of Boscobel (red line) in relation to the village centre and the West Wing of Lathom House (starred)
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 6
1. Boscobel, looking northeast
2. The building’s setting amid the low-lying fields of Lathom
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 7
3: THE PROPOSAL/SCOPE OF THIS REPORT
3.1 The proposal
Proposals are being submitted to West Lancashire Borough Council for alterations and extensions at Boscobel, including a new detached garage.
3.2 Designation
The application building is itself undesignated but stands within the Lathom Park Conservation Area.
3.3 Heritage impact
The heritage issue arising from the proposals are their impact upon the significance (i.e. heritage interest and value) of the conservation area.
3.4 Scope and purpose of this report
Paragraph 128 of the National Planning Policy Framework states local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of the heritage assets affected, including the contribution made by their setting. The scope and purpose of this report is therefore to identify the significance of the conservation area along with the contribution made by the application building, and to assess the proposal’s impact upon it. In accordance with paragraph 128, it is considered the level of detail presented is proportionate to the significance of the heritage asset. This report is to be read in conjunction with other documentation submitted in support of the proposal.
3.5 Report structure
This is as follows:
1. A brief account of the historical background relating to Boscobel and its wider site (Section 4)
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 8
2. A description of Boscobel (Section 5) and of the Lathom Park Conservation Area (Section 6)
3. A summary of the significance of these heritage assets (Section 6)
4. A review of the national and local heritage policies against which the application will be assessed (Section 7)
5. Analysis within this policy context of the proposal’s impact upon the significance of the conservation area (Section 8)
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 9
4: historical summary
4.1 Setting context
Boscobel lies within the parkland of Lathom House, historically the seat of the medieval de Lathom family and their successors the Stanleys, Earls of Derby. The original fortified Lathom House was besieged during the Civil War in 1644-1645 and partly dismantled afterwards. From 1725 to 1740 it was replaced by a monumental Palladian mansion designed by Giacomo Leoni for new owner Sir Thomas Bootle, which ultimately became one of the great houses of northern England. The surrounding parkland was laid out around the same time, with further work undertaken by Humphrey Repton in 1792. Following World War I the 3rd Earl of Lathom, Edward William Bootle Wilbraham (1895-1933) chose instead to live at nearby Blythe Hall and the mansion fell into disuse. The earl’s eventual bankruptcy led to the demolition of Lathom House in 1925, with the exception of its West Wing.
4.2 Date and development of Boscobel
Boscobel takes its name from the Shropshire house of the sixth Earl of Derby, James Stanley, which was used as a refuge for the future King Charles II after his defeat at the battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651. The building is dated 1896 and functioned as the cottage of the gardener at Lathom House: adjoining to the south is the walled kitchen garden, with remains of buildings within, that is probably 18th century. The site of Boscobel was vacant until the present house was built, as the mapping of 1845-1846 and 1894 demonstrates (Maps 2 and 3). The original house was smaller than now, and probably in the 1920s received a two-storey wing at the west end, replacing an earlier small outrigger (Maps 4 and 5).
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 10
3. Datestone of 1896 at Boscobel, with the Lathom crest
Map 2. The future site of Boscobel, relative to Lathom House and its walled garden, as depicted by the six-inch OS mapping of 1845-1846
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 11
Map 3. The site remained vacant in 1894, as the 25-inch edition of that year records
Map 4. The 1908 edition shows that the house incorporated an outrigger at the west end (indicated) and had two small outbuildings in the rear yard
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 12
Map 5. By 1928, the present western bay had been built, one of the small outbuildings had been removed and the present larger outbuilding erected
Map 6. The 1969 1:2500 edition shows little change
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 13
5: BOSCOBEL
5.1 Description
As originally built, Boscobel was a medium-sized, mullioned-windowed, red brick and tile-roofed cottage designed in a modest Jacobean style and featuring some raised brick lozenge decoration. However the building underwent a substantial enlargement, probably in the 1920s, with the two-storey extension built at the west end. This was built in an entirely plain, functional manner in contrast to the original building and now comprises a double-garage with accommodation above. At the rear of the house is a more recent single storey extension within an enclosed yard with two outbuildings. One is the survivor of the two original outbuildings shown in 1908 (Map 3) and is a small structure (possibly originally a dog kennel) with a pyramid red tile roof and finial. The other is larger, with single-pitch roof, and is of no particular interest. This was built, on map evidence, between 1980 and 1928.
4. The original cottage, built 1896
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 14
5. The extension at the west end, probably 1920s
6. Looking northwest showing the yard at the rear of the building
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 15
7. The survivor of the two original outbuildings
8. The later outbuilding, added 1908-1928
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 16
9. Modern extension at the rear
5.2 Setting
Boscobel is located east of the village centre, around 150 metres north of the West Wing, the surviving remnant of Lathom House. Immediately to the south stands the mansion’s walled kitchen garden, while to the west are two dilapidated wooden outbuildings. The smaller is a probably mid-late 20th century shed of no interest. The other however is a large hut which may have originated as one of the temporary military buildings from a remount depot – a base where horses were trained for service abroad and at the front – established at Lathom House during World War I. These structures were used as barracks and stables, while officers were lodged in the mansion itself. When hostilities ceased in 1918, the temporary buildings were dismantled. Similar reused structures can still be found at the nearby Lathom Scout headquarters on Hall Lane, which was originally the Lathom Club founded by the 3rd Earl of Lathom as a village meeting hall and theatre. A modern brick outbuilding of no interest now adjoins the hut at Boscobel.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 17
Map 7. The buildings of the site
10. Boscobel, viewed from inside the walled garden
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 18
11. Looking southwest through the walled garden towards the West Wing of Lathom House
12. Large wooden outbuilding possibly salvaged from the World War I remount depot
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 19
13. The wooden outbuilding, looking west, with brick outbuilding adjoining
14. Smaller shed is of no interest
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 20
6: LATHOM PARK CONSERVATION AREA
6.1 Designation and boundaries
Lathom Park Conservation Area was designated by West Lancashire Borough Council in October 1985 and extended in September 2001. It is principally centred upon the historic park of Lathom House but also incorporates several important buildings nearby and along Hall Lane.
Map 4. Section of Lathom Park Conservation Area map, showing Boscobel (indicated) and the walled garden (in green), both identified as buildings that make a positive contribution. Listed strictures shown in red
6.2 Character of the conservation area
The character of the conservation area is identified by the Lathom Park Conservation Area Appraisal adopted by West Lancashire Borough Council in 2001, and which is a material consideration in managing development within its boundaries and setting. The appraisal concludes (Section 11.2) that the area’s character derives from:
• The historical significance of Lathom House itself, which originated as the medieval moated seat of the de Lathom and Stanley families and which was besieged during the Civil War
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 21
• Lathom Park, as an example of an early 18th century parkland associated with the mansion built by Giacomo Leoni in 1725-1740
• The architectural importance of the West Wing (the only surviving element of Lathom House, built as stables but converted to residential use circa 2000) as a rare example of a building by Leoni
• The architectural and historical importance of several other buildings within the conservation area, notably Lathom Park Chapel and the Almshouses
• The historical importance of Lathom Park as a World War One remount depot
• The historical importance of the 3rd Earl of Lathom and his theatrical connections
6.3 Contribution of Boscobel
Boscobel, along with the adjacent walled garden, are described in the appraisal as buildings which make a positive contribution to the character of the conservation area. Boscobel’s contribution essentially derives from its local architectural and historic interest as the late 19th century former gardener’s cottage, built in a modest Jacobean style, and is enhanced by its setting and group value in relation to the remaining buildings and parkland of the Lathom estate. The large wooden shed is also of historical interest as a possible remnant of the Lathom remount depot.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 22
7: assessment of significance
7.1 Rationale
Paragraph 129 of the National Planning Policy Framework states local planning authorities should identify and assess the particular significance of a heritage asset, including its setting, and take this into account when considering the impact of a proposal in order to avoid or minimize conflict between the asset’s conservation and any aspect of the proposal. Significance is defined in the NPPF Glossary as:
‘The value of a heritage asset to this and future generations because of its heritage interest. That interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. Significance derives not only from a heritage asset's physical presence, but also from its setting.’
The Glossary defines setting as:
The surroundings in which a heritage asset is experienced. Its extent is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. Elements of a setting may make a positive or negative contribution to the significance of an asset, may affect the ability to appreciate that significance or may be neutral.
7.2 The conservation area
The significance of Lathom Park Conservation Area is borough-wide and derives from its character and appearance as the remnants of Lathom House, one of the great mansions of northern England, along with its extensive parkland and the village that stood at its gates. This significance is embodied in the West Wing, as the only surviving element of the Leoni mansion of 1724-1740, along with its diverse ancillary buildings and structures, such as the walled garden and entrance lodges, along with several farms and cottages that lie within the village. The West Wing along with the most important of these buildings are listed and therefore of national importance, while in addition there are a number of unlisted buildings that both collectively and individually make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.
7.3 Significance of the application building
Boscobel is one of the unlisted positive buildings of the conservation area. Its significance derives from its architectural and historic interest in the local context as the
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 23
former gardener’s cottage at Lathom House, along with its group value and setting in relation to the walled garden, West Wing and parkland. This significance resides however in the original 1896 building , while the 1920s addition is of no interest. Of the ancillary buildings, the small brick pyramid-roof outbuilding is also a positive feature, while the later brick outbuilding is of no interest. The large wooden hut is of historic interest as a possible survivor of the remount depot, but its deteriorating condition compromises this interest. The small wooden shed is of no value, as is the modern brick outbuilding adjoining to the hut .
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 24
8: policy context
8.1 Statutory duty
Section 72 (1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires local planning authorities to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character of a conservation area.
8.2 Relevant polices
Section 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework (Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment, March 2012) provides the guidance on how this statutory duty is put into practice. Paragraph 131 states that in determining applications, local planning authorities should take account of:
• The desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets, and putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation • The positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality, and • The desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness
Paragraph 132 states that ‘great weight’ should be given to the conservation of a designated heritage asset, and the more important the asset, the greater that weight should be; that significance can be lost through development within its setting; and that as heritage assets are irreplaceable, any harm or loss should require clear and convincing justification. Substantial harm to, or loss of, a Grade II listed building should be exceptional; substantial harm to or loss of designated heritage assets of the highest significance, including Grade II* buildings, wholly exceptional. Paragraph 133 states that where a proposal will lead to substantial harm to, or total loss of, the significance of a designated heritage asset, consent should be refused unless it can be demonstrated that the substantial harm is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh that harm or loss, or all of the following apply:
• The nature of the heritage asset prevents all reasonable uses of the site; and • No viable use of the heritage asset itself can be found in the medium term through appropriate marketing that will enable its conservation; and • Conservation by grant-funding or some form of charitable or public ownership is demonstrably not possible; and • The harm or loss is outweighed by the benefits of bringing the site back into use.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 25
Paragraph 134 states that where a development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, this harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal, including securing its optimum viable use.
Locally, development affecting the historic environment in West Lancashire is governed by Policy EN4 (Preserving and Enhancing West Lancashire’s Cultural and Heritage Assets) of the West Lancashire Local Plan 2012-2027, which was adopted on October 16, 2013 as the development plan for the borough. The portion relevant to the proposal states:
The historic environment has an aesthetic value and promotes local distinctiveness and helps define our sense of place. In order to protect and enhance historic assets, and their settings, whilst facilitating economic development through regeneration, leisure and tourism, the following principles will be applied:
a. There will be a presumption in favour of the conservation of designated heritage assets. Regard should be had for the following criteria: i. Development will not be permitted that will adversely affect a listed building, a scheduled monument, a conservation area, historic park or garden, or important archaeological remains;
ii. Development affecting the historic environment should seek to preserve or enhance the heritage asset and any features of specific historic, archaeological, architectural or artistic interest;
iii. In all cases there will be an expectation that any new development will enhance the historic environment in the first instance, unless there are no identifiable opportunities available.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 26
9: IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL
9.1 Summary of the works
The proposal seeks the following:
• Alterations to the west extension to convert the present garage to domestic use. This involves replacement of the existing garage doors and installation of new front elevation windows of three-light mullioned form on both floors, matching the appearance of the original items, along with lozenge brickwork decoration. The appearance of the extension will therefore confirm with that of the original structure. • Demolition of the existing rear single-storey extension along with the larger brick outbuilding, and replacement by a new single-storey extension. The latter will be of contemporary appearance, physically separate from the original building and attached to it by a narrow glazed link. While this is a notable addition to the site, its location at the rear, along with its physical separation from the original building, means the latter will continue to be read as the predominant structure. • Provision of a new garage and workshop to the east of Boscobel. This will be of traditional appearance with brick walling and slate roof, and subservient in scale to the house. Consent under permitted development rights (2015/1032/LDP; not implemented) has already been granted for a larger double garage close to the proposed location. • Demolition of the wooden shed along with the brick outbuilding attached to the larger wooden outbuilding. These structures are modern and of negligible significance, therefore their loss will not harm the character or appearance of the conservation area. • Retention and refurbishment of the existing larger wooden outbuilding. This will enhance the appearance of the building and preserve its historical significance as a possible surviving remnant of the former World War I remount depot.
9.2 Conclusion
In total, the proposed works are considered to be respectful of the building and its setting within the conservation area and will enhance its significance and contribution to the latter. Where elements are to be lost, these are of low importance and therefore no harm will result. The proposal thus complies within the requirements of policy EN4a of the Local Plan along with national guidance contained in paragraph 132 of the NPPF. It is considered the application should therefore receive approval.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy Proposed development at Boscobel, lathom: heritage assessment Page 2 7
Appendix 1: principal sources
OS six-inch mapping surveyed 1845-1846 25-inch OS mapping, 1894, 1908, 1928 1:2500 mapping 1969 Richard Pollard and Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West, 2006
APPENDIX 2: Garry Miller HISTORIC BUILDING CONSULTANCY
Garry Miller is an architectural historian who has spent more than 35 years studying buildings of town and countryside, in particular those of North West England. His career as a consultant began in the mid-1980s with the Preston-based Nigel Morgan Historic Building Consultancy, of which he became a partner in 1992 upon its rebranding as Datestone. In 1997 he was commissioned by the Heritage Trust for the North West, a buildings preservation trust based at Barrowford, Lancashire, to produce an in-depth regional study of vernacular houses in southwest Lancashire: the result, Historic Houses in Lancashire: The Douglas Valley, 1300-1770 was published in 2002. The book was described as ‘scholarship as its best’ by Country Life (June 2003), and ‘well analysed and presented’ in Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society (Vol 48, 2004); and was widely cited in the 2006 Buildings of England volume on Liverpool and Southwest Lancashire. Extensive research on the houses of Georgian and Regency Liverpool has also been undertaken, with a view to future publication. Following the success of his Douglas Valley book, Garry Miller established his own consultancy, producing analytical and interpretive reports on historic buildings. His specialism are the heritage assessments required to support planning applications affecting the historic environment, and his area of operation encompasses the North West, Midlands and North Wales and parts of Cumbria and North and West Yorkshire. Projects range from the £40m Wolstenholme Square development in central Liverpool to the Grade I Barkisland Hall, Ripponden, West Yorkshire, and cottage extensions and barn conversions. Several local authorities have cited his assessments as examples of best practice, and on average reports on more than 100 buildings or sites are produced annually.
GARRY MILLER historic building consultancy