St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal

Home , Bodmin, St Kew

Endorsed June 2008

Contents

1 Introduction 1

The purpose of a Conservation Area Appraisal 1

Scope and structure 1

General identity and character 1

Date of designation 1

The Conservation Area within the wider setting 1

2 Planning Context 2

National 2

Regional 2

Local 2

3 Location and setting 3

4 Designations 4

5 Historic and topographic development 5

Medieval 5

Sixteenth and Seventeenth century 5

Eighteenth century 6

Early Nineteenth century 6

Later Nineteenth century 7

Early Twentieth century 8

Later Twentieth century 8

6 Archaeological potential 9

7 Present settlement character 10

Topography and settlement form 10

Standing historic fabric 10

Key Buildings 11

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Local details 14

Local and traditional building materials 15

Activity and use 17

Spatial analysis 17

Streetscape and views 18

Public realm 22

Greenery and green space 25

Loss, intrusion and damage 27

General condition 27

8 Problems and pressures 28

Historic Buildings 28

Public Realm 28

New Building 29

Designation 29

9 Recommendations 30

Historic Buildings 30

Public Realm 30

New Building 30

Designation 30

10 Opportunities 31

1 Sources 32

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 1 Introduction

house serviced the immediate surrounding The purpose of a Conservation agricultural community. The development Area Appraisal of nearby St Kew Highway on the main A39 road and railway route ensured that, even The purpose of this conservation area in the nineteenth century when so many appraisal is to clearly define the special Cornish villages underwent periods of interest, character and appearance of the expansion, St Kew remained in a somewhat conservation area. The appraisal should fossilised state. However this lack of then inform development control decisions development has resulted in a uniquely and policies and act as a foundation for charming rural settlement which, although further work on design guidance and only home to a small number of people, enhancement schemes. has its numbers boosted daily by pupils attending the school and by patrons of the Scope and structure popular St Kew Inn and on Sunday’s by those attending the church. This appraisal describes and analyses the character of the St Kew conservation area Date of designation and the immediately surrounding historic environment. The appraisal will look at the During the preparation of the North historic and topographical development of Cornwall Local Plan the centre of the village the settlement and analyse its present was identified as a potential conservation character in order to identify problems and area. It was designated as a Conservation pressures and make recommendations for Area by North Cornwall District Council on its future management. More detailed 3 February 1997. advice on the management of the conservation area can be found in the St The Conservation Area within the Kew Conservation Area Management Plan wider setting which is designed to stand alongside this appraisal. The present conservation area boundary has been drawn to encompass the historic General identity and character core of the village around the church and inn, the small terraced cottages to the south St Kew was an important early settlement of the river crossing and the valley sides that continued to prosper during the which form the immediate setting of the medieval period - its surrounding rich village. agricultural land attracting important outlying farms and manors. However as its importance as a religious centre began to wane there were no further factors – such as supplies of minerals or good communication routes to encourage further growth. As a result the settlement remained a small centre whose church, school, the preschool and toddler group and public

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 2 Planning Context

Local National The adopted North Cornwall District Local In 1967 the concept of protecting areas of Plan (1999) contains detailed polices special merit, rather than individual relating to listed buildings and conservation buildings was first brought under legislative areas. For this reason, anyone considering control with the passing of the Civil making an application for consent for Amenities Act. Whilst listed buildings are development or demolition within a assessed nationally with lists drawn up by conservation area or which would affect a the government on advice from English listed building should consult the Local Heritage conservation areas are designated Plan. The document is available for by local authorities. The current Act inspection at the Council’s offices and governing the designation of ‘areas of online at www.ncdc.gov.uk . Pre-application special architectural or historic interest, the advice can also be sought from the character or appearance of which it is Council’s Conservation and Development desirable to preserve or enhance’ is the Control Officers. Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Under this The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act local planning authorities are required Act 2004 introduced changes to the to designate conservation areas, to keep planning system that will result in the North them under review and if appropriate to Cornwall District Local Plan replacement designate further areas. Designation by a Local Development Framework. A remains the principal means by which local portfolio of Development Plan Documents authorities can apply conservation policies will set out the spatial planning strategy for to a particular area. North Cornwall and provided detailed development control policies including Regional locally distinct polices relating to listed buildings and conservation areas. All Broad polices relating to the protection and documents prepared as part of the North enhancement of the natural and built Cornwall Local Development Framework, environment is currently contained in the including the Local Development Scheme Cornwall Structure Plan (2004). The policy which sets the timescale for Development emphasis is that development should Plan Document preparation and adoption respect and consolidate local character. In can be viewed at www.ncdc.gov.uk . 2008 the Structure Plan will be replaced as part of the statutory Development Plan by The saved polices of the North Cornwall the South West Regional Spatial Strategy. District Local Plan will remain part of the The contained policy approach in respect statutory development plan until replaced of the built and natural environment will be by adopted Development Plan Documents. maintained in accordance with national guidance.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 3 Location and setting

St Kew lies approximately 6 km (3 ½ miles) north-east of Wadebridge. It is approximately 3 km (1 ½ miles) from the main A39 road(?). The village gives the parish its name, and is within the area of North Cornwall District Council.

The village lies in an area of deeply undulating rich agricultural land. To the west of the village is an area of curving woodland that follows the path of the river.

The village itself lies in the valley of the River Amble. The river curves through the village surrounded by trees. To the north of the river the land rises sharply behind the church and the St Kew Inn. The road at the summit of this hill effectively provides the village boundary and it is on this high site that the school is located. To the south of the river the land rises again but less sharply. The majority of the village is built on the lower slopes of the river valley, which gives sense of shelter.

Under the historic landscape characterisation survey carried out by Cornwall County Council Historic Environment Service the land around the village was identified as medieval farmland and the river valley to the west an area of rough ground.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 4 Designations

Scheduled Monuments

There are two scheduled monuments – two medieval wheelheaded crosses in the churchyard which are also listed grade II.

Historic Buildings

There are 14 listed buildings and structures in St Kew including the grade I church. In addition there 31 listed headstones, tombchests and crosses in the churchyard.

There is no local list

Historic Area Designations

The majority of the settlement lies within a conservation area

Other Designations

(All policy numbers refer to North Cornwall Local Plan adopted April 1999)

Almost all the settlement lies within an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) – (ENV1)

The settlement is not designated for any further development.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 5 Historic and topographic development

See also the surviving historic components Bodmin, on a reduced plan. It was probably map. rebuilt at the same time, (in 1472) as in the account of the rebuilding of Bodmin Church Medieval is the following entry “It. y recevyd for a window of Saint Kewa 26s 7d”’. St Kew in common with a number of other settlements in the area developed in the Other known early development in the area fifth century following the arrival of Celtic included a property known as Skisdon. missionaries. It is believed that St Docco Remnants of the early building still survive and his sister St Kew came to Cornwall incorporated into the later structure. The from Gwent in South Wales and founded name Skisdon is derived from the Celtic a monastery on the site of the present day meaning 'shelter by the ford' - a reference church of St James. The monastery was to the building's proximity to the river. eventually dedicated to St Docco, and it is Skisdon later became a hunting lodge and believed an adjoining chapel was dedicated was known as Skisdon Lodge until 1860. to his sister. This chapel was referred to by Skisdon land formed part of the Manor of Sir John Maclean in his Parochial and Tregoide, which was first recorded in 1350, Family History of the Deanery of Trigg and included a tenement known as Minor Cornwall in 1876. He wrote ‘there Reskeden. Further early buildings may was anciently a chapel in the cemetery, or have included a house built to churchyard …it is mentioned in the accommodate the church builders in the Inquisition taken in 1391….it is probable fifteenth century, including a brewhouse. It that when the church was rebuilt, and is possible that, after the departure of the doubtless enlarged, this chapel was builders, it was converted into an inn and absorbed into the edifice’. In 974 the some early fabric could be incorporated in monastery and manor (which was known the structure of the present day St Kew Inn. as Lanow) were given by King Edgar to By 1438 to the south east of the village Plympton Priory. This arrangement there was a house known as Tretawne. continued until c1130 when Henry I seized the revenues and handed them to The first recorded reference to the Warwelast the Bishop of Exeter. The settlement was in the Domesday Survey of monastery church of St Docco was later 1087 where it was referred to as Lanquit – surrendered to Henry VIII shortly before the meaning the church in a wood. In 1294 it Dissolution in 1538 and the manor passed appeared in the Inquisition of the Bishops into private hands. Nothing remains of the of Lincoln and Winchester as Lan-owe. By original monastery but a stone with ogham Wolsey’s Inquisition of 1501 however the script, possibly used as an early grave settlement was referred to as St Kuet and marker, was found in a nearby stream. The by 1696 as St Kew. present church building dates from the fifteenth century and includes an east Sixteenth and Seventeenth century window in the south aisle whose glass is reputed to come from Bodmin Church. John During this period there are no records of Wallis records in The Cornwall Register of further construction within the village itself 1847 ‘The church is very like that of but a number of large houses were built in

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT the surrounding area. By the sixteenth stables and two hog sties -all presumably century in addition to Tretawne there were located on the site to the north east of the two further sizeable houses near the village church. - Pengenna, where part of the Tudor construction still exists and Bokelly to the By the end of eighteenth century there were east of village. This house was mentioned a group of buildings to the south of the in William Carnsew’s diary for 1576-77, and church one of which could be Willow Mill was formerly owned by the Bokelly family, and a further group of buildings to the east so probably had earlier origins. Further of the church which were no longer extant building took place in the seventeenth when the 1840 tithe map was drawn. century. Trewane an early seventeenth century manor house was built to the north Early Nineteenth century east and during the same period Pengenna was extended with a new house built At the beginning of this period in 1801 the against the existing Tudor structure. population of the parish stood at 1,095 Tretawne was rebuilt at this time with an persons living in 206 houses. Although unusually high construction similar to the Hitchins’ reference to the parish of St Kew new work at Pengenna suggesting the in his History of Cornwall of 1824 states same builder was used. ‘Though large, it is but thinly peopled’, further significant development did take It seems likely that at this time the village place at this time within the village itself. itself was a small hamlet. Following the Indeed during this period the settlement Dissolution the settlement would have lost developed into what is now basically its some of its kudos as an ecclesiastical modern form. In 1775 Revd Joseph centre, but the parish church of St James Pomeroy became vicar of St Kew. As would have ensured it continued to play an Joseph Bennet continued to live at Skisdon important local role in the area’s religious a vicarage was built to the east of the life. church on the other side of the river. Pomeroy was succeded by the incumbent Eighteenth century John-Samuel Scobell, who was the village priest between 1837-49. In addition to its During this period significant development resident priest the village by 1834 also had took place within the settlement itself. its own schoolmaster living in a house During the early eighteenth century a row adjacent to the new schoolroom to the west of cottages, Barton Row, was built on the of the churchyard (now the Parish Hall). south western side of the village and Barton Farmhouse (known as The Barton) was In 1820 Skisdon was described by C S built to the west of the church. Skisdon was Gilbert in his Historic Survey of Cornwall extended whilst incorporating some of the as ‘situated in a verdant paddock and earlier structure, and became the home of surrounded with fine shrubberies, walks the Rev. Joseph Bennet, the rector of Great and gardens'. In the mid nineteenth century Wigborough in Essex. There was no rectory Skisdon was home to the popular novelist in St Kew at this time - Skisdon was the Mary Elizabeth Braddon. family home of Bennet's wife. A document from 1791 refers to the inn at St Kew along with a malt and brewhouse, barn, two

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT The 1840 tithe map shows a new detached 1883 – the nature of the work suggesting house to the west of Skisdon, three small it might have been carried out by James structures opposite the St Kew Inn, two Piers St Aubyn. small cottages on a site to the north of the church now occupied by Hill House, a Maclean described in 1873 ‘There is a granary to the west of The Barton. The National School adjoining the churchyard Grange to the south west of The Barton, a gate on the west of the church, which will footbridge at the ford and Willow Mill (which accommodate eighty children.’ By 1885 the could be an eighteenth century structure). school had been extended to include By the mid nineteenth century there were separate classrooms for boys and girls. The a row of pig houses opposite Barton Row. 1880 Ordnance Survey map shows the eighteenth century cottage to the north of By 1841 the population had grown to 1,429 the graveyard converted into a post office. persons living in 281 houses. The majority of the population would have been involved in agriculture but the 1851 census reveals seventeen men in the parish were miners.

Later Nineteenth century

Maclean recorded in his Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor in the County of Cornwall in 1873, ‘A few years ago a mine was worked on the north side of the parish, but it is now abandoned. At present no other industry is exercised than the cultivation of the soil’. Picture 5.1 During the late nineteenth century Hill Although agriculture was the only industry House was the village post office. it was a successful one with several different types of grain grown in the In 1895 the local agricultural industry surrounding area. In his Lake’s Parochial received a boost when a new station History of the County of Cornwall of 1867 complete with sidings and loading stacks Jospeh Polsue states ‘There are not many was built at St Kew Highway to the east of better parishes in the county for both the village providing the farmers with a grazing and corn-growing; but there is a wider market for their produce. St Kew scarcity of trees’. As there was no new Highway was originally known as Highway, industry to attract workers the population the St Kew was added with the arrival of of the parish fell to 1,178 in 1871 but the the railway to indicate both the settlements prosperity from agricultural ensured the it served. existing settlement remained in good heart. Polsue describes ‘Skisdon Lodge, which During this period Nonconformity was may now be considered one of the chief flourishing throughout Cornwall, particularly residences in the parish’. Furthermore in settlements where there were a high funds were raised to restore the church in number of industrial workers. St Kew did

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT not have a chapel of its own but there were Later Twentieth century nine Nonconformist chapels in the surrounding area. The railway at St Kew Highway closed following the Beaching cuts in 1964 and Early Twentieth century apart from two short-lived attempts to reopen the quarry in the 1960s and 1970s A major influence on the nature of the the village returned to its earlier agrarian community was Tregildrens Quarry which economy. Unlike many other villages in was opened in the early part of the century Cornwall there has been little modern to provide blue elvan stone. By 1929 the development. The vicarage is now a private quarry employed sixty-five men and had its house, but the church, school and public own siding on the North Cornwall Raliway house continue in operation. The parish Line. Stone from the quarry was used for hall is used for a variety of purposes a number of major projects in Wiltshire, including a pre-school and toddler group. London, Dorset and Cornwall including the Port Isaac breakwaters, and before it closed in 1956 the quarry provided employment for local men. A new village school was built in 1926 on the western side of the village. The stone for the school came from the St Kew quarry and was brought to the site by horse and cart. Another public institution the Every Institute (plans for which were approved in 1907 and named after the Vicar who provided the site) was built from Tregildrens stone. The Every Institute began life as a club for the young men of the village, and was later used by the Home Guard in World War II. It was eventually sold by Truro Diocese in 1962. The old school by the churchyard became the parish hall.

At some point the graveyard was extended to the north to include the steep slopes below Hill House.

Up until First World War a fair was held in the car park of St Kew Inn where cattle and sheep were sold. This same venue was also used for wrestling matches up until the 1950s.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 6 Archaeological potential

There are two nationally recognised archaeological sites of importance in St Kew, the medieval wheelheaded crosses in the churchyard. However the long and many layered evolution of the settlement gives the whole area developed up to the early twentieth century potential for standing or buried archaeological features. The earliest centre of development around the church is of particular archaeological interest and sensitivity. Here the deposits are likely to provide valuable information on the settlement’s early form and development. The urban archaeological remains are likely to be more complex in these areas.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 7 Present settlement character

Consequently the village is of far greater Topography and settlement form architectural interest than its size would suggest. The nature of the surrounding landscape has been a determining factor in the development of St Kew. The majority of the village lies on the lower slopes of the river valley - the steepness of the valley sides allowed for development close to the water source but high enough to avoid the threat of flooding, whilst also presenting a sheltered environment. Only subsequently when more durable building construction techniques were available were houses built on the more exposed land above the valley. The flat area of land now used as the St Kew Inn car park has never been Picture 7.1 The sizeable former mill – now a built on (probably because it could be at domestic building. risk of flooding), but has traditionally provided an important open space for public There are a number of unconverted working events and fairs. The steepness of the buildings such as the collection of stone upper slopes of the valley has discouraged rubble outbuildings to the north of development leading to two large wedges Trescobel which includes a stable block of open green space either side of the with large carriage doors still in situ, and graveyard and to the south west of the granary. The outbuildings opposite the Trescobel. The wooded nature of the river St Kew Inn are still used as stores, the valley to the east has discouraged granary to the west of The Barton remains development in this direction. unconverted and the piggeries opposite Barton Row are used as stores. Standing historic fabric

For a small settlement St Kew has a surprisingly wide spread of building types. In addition to the local vernacular structures such as Barton Row, St Kew Inn and a number of other cottages and agricultural buildings, there are two large polite houses - Skisdon and Trescobel, two public buildings in the Gothic style – the parish hall and the primary school, a farmhouse – The Barton, an industrial building – the former mill, and the sizeable church. Picture 7.2 Carriage doors on the stable block at Trescobel.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT tall with north and south aisles off five bays - and for the survival of its fifteenth century stained glass windows. The recently restored window depicting the Ordinalia is of national importance. The three stage tower has a rectangular stair turret that rises above the battlements and forms an important part of many of the views in the village. At the west end of the south aisle are a re-sired lantern cross and the Ogham stone. Picture 7.3 The stone stores opposite St Kew Inn.

Picture 7.5 The grade I listed church of St James. Picture 7.4 The piggeries opposite Barton Row still retain their plank doors and rag slate roof.

A number of other former working buildings have been converted to domestic use but still retain much of their former character. The Grange was formerly two separate agricultural buildings, which have now joined, but the original openings have been preserved. Willow Mill is now a sizeable house, but retains its first floor doors and outside stone staircase, and a former ancillary building to the west of the mill is also now a domestic building. Picture 7.6 The three stage church tower with clasping buttresses. Key Buildings St Kew Inn– grade II. Although its Church of St James– grade I. This structure suggests a predominantly fifteenth century granite church is early nineteenth century building the notable both for its size - the nave is archaic plan of St Kew Inn hints at its

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT earlier origins. Vernacular in style with stone rubble walls, granite quoins and brick window arches its two projecting end bays and central court yard make a significant contribution to the streetscape.

Picture 7.8 Part of the slate hung rear elevation of Trescobel.

Skisdon – grade II. This building too is fairly hidden from the village but rather than stone walls it lies behind hedges and banks of trees. From its southern Picture 7.7 St Kew Inn is one of the village’s key entranceway the triple gabled roof with buildings. bellcote can be seen and the rendered façade. The main body of the house Trescobel– grade II. Described by is also visible from the higher reaches Pevsner as ‘a tall, uncommonly large of the road leading north from St Kew Georgian vicarage’, and now named Inn. Trescobel possibly after the Revd. Samuel Scobell. Surrounded by high stone garden walls the house is only glimpsed from the road where its stone rubble service wing can be seen from the northern gateway and its polite rendered symmetrical façade with central Doric porch from the south-eastern entrance. From the higher ground above the church it is possible to see the complex north western garden façade which is partially slate hung. Picture 7.9 The roofs of Skisdon glimpsed from the upper churchyard

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Other unlisted but historic buildings :-

Hill House– this cottage has an eighteenth century core. The early twentieth century southern wing of St Kew County Primary School.

Picture 7.10 View of Skisdon

Other listed buildings in the village :-

18th Century – The Barton, pair of cottages at northern end of Barton Row, gate piers to south of Skisdon, gate piers to north west of Skisdon. 19th Century – Granary to the west of The Barton footbridge to the south of Picture 7.12 The historic southern range of St Kew The Barton pig houses opposite Barton Primary School Row, granary to the north east of The nineteenth century former school Trescobel, gate piers to the south east - now the parish hall. of Trescobel. The Grange – a series of nineteenth century former agricultural buildings.

Picture 7.11 Nineteenth century pig houses opposite Barton Row.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Local details

The village has an interesting variety of roof types hipped with mitred edges– St Kew Inn, Trescobel, the Primary School and gable end – Barton Row being the most common. There are also however a number of half hipped roofs to be found on the former working buildings – The Grange, the granary to The Barton and Willow Mill. The outshut to the rear of Hill House has a catslide roof and the granary at Trescobel Picture 7.13 The Grange is composed from a series has a pyramid roof. One of the houses on of barns. Barton Row has gabled half dormer windows. Willow Mill – which incorporates eighteenth century parts.

The southern end of Barton Row – these cottages date from the later nineteenth century.

The outbuildings to the south of St Kew Inn, the row of cottages to the east of St Kew Inn and the stables and outbuildings in the grounds of Trescobel – all of which date from the nineteenth century. Picture 7.15 Gabled half dormer windows on Barton Row.

There is a good survival of historic windows including early nineteenth century sixteen pane sash windows at St Kew Inn, mid nineteenth century sash windows on the façade of Barton Farmhouse, tall hornless sash windows some of which incorporate crown glass at Trescobel and nineteenth century sash windows at Skisdon. Some of the smaller cottages such as Barton Row have nineteenth century casement windows. Two tiny brick hexagonal Picture 7.14 One of the outbuildings to the south of openings can be found on the eastern and St Kew Inn. western gable ends of the parish hall. The detached nineteenth century house to the west of Skisdon.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT There are also a few examples of historic doors – the nineteenth century six panel front door to St Kew Inn and the part glazed entrance doors and chinoiserie glazed inner doors at Trescobel.

Picture 7.16 Early nineteenth century sixteen pane sash windows on the façade of St Kew Inn.

Picture 7.19 The part glazed entrance doors at Trescobel.

Local and traditional building materials

Most of the walls in the village are rubblestone, but the church tower and south eastern gateway walls to Trescobel Picture 7.17 Mid nineteenth century sash windows are granite ashlar. Some of the smaller on the façade of The Barton. buildings have walls of rendered and painted cob and stone – Barton Row. Unusually for this area the granary at Trescobel, is timber framed and slate hung. Some of the rubblestone walls are left untreated others are rendered or painted such as Hill House, the house to the east of St Kew Inn, the southern cottages along Barton Row, and parts of Trescobel and Skisdon.

Picture 7.18 Hexagonal brick openings on the parish hall.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT The majority of buildings in the village have slate roofs most of which are rag and others scantle. Slatehanging can be found on the Trescobel granary as mentioned above and on parts of the rear façade of Trescobel house.

There are a few granite lintels in the village, the Grange, and timber lintels on the outbuildings to St Kew Inn but the majority of windows have brick arches - St Kew Inn, The Barton and the parish hall. Brick is also commonly used for chimney stacks – The Picture 7.20 Like many of the buildings in the village St Kew Inn has rubblestone walls. Barton, Trescobel, St Kew Inn, Skisdon, but there are a few example of early stone stacks – Hill House and the parish hall.

Picture 7.22 Cream brick window arches on the parish hall.

Picture 7.21 The house to the east of St Kew Inn has been partly rendered and partly painted. The earlier northern range was originally the gardener's cottage for Skisdon. Picture 7.23 Tall brick chimney stacks with decorative caps on The Barton.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Other granite features in the village include Spatial analysis the quoins on St Kew Inn, the staddle stones on Trescobel granary, the flight of The buildings in the village are fairly stone steps to the first floor of Willow Mill, scattered but a sense of enclosure is the War Memorial and the gateposts at appreciable in some areas due to the tall Trescobel and Skisdon. hedges and boundary walls. In particular the high stone boundary walls to Trescobel A few of the cottages have slate canopies give the road leading into the village from supported by iron brackets above the front the south a great sense of enclosure. The door or porches with slate roofs. grain of the village is rather open around the parking area below the church but tightens again outside the St Kew Inn where there are buildings either side of the road.

Picture 7.24 This cottage on Barton Row has a slate roofed porch and slate door canopy.

Activity and use

The village today is in the main very quiet, Picture 7.25 Trescobel’s high stone garden walls give a sense of enclosure. as most of the buildings are now residential, but there are still a few hubs of activity. During the week the pub has a steady stream of visitors (which increases at weekend and over the Summer), the pre-school and toddler group run daily sessions from the parish hall and the Primary School caters for the village children and those from the surrounding area. The church due to its architectural importance has a number of visitors and has services on a Sunday. Skisdon is now a complex of holiday apartments and this swells the numbers of the village Picture 7.26 There is a sense of enclosure outside particularly in the holiday season. St Kew Inn with buildings and high banks either side of the road.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Although the area to the west of the church Most of the other road boundaries in the is the most highly developed it has a sense villages are formed from hedges but the of spaciousness as the buildings are set road leading from the St Kew Inn on its back from the road and surrounded by land. eastern side as it bends around the corner Whilst the row of cottages at Barton Row is enclosed by stone blocks. and the piggeries opposite form a small area of enclosure at the southern end of the village.

Streetscape and views

As mentioned above St Kew’s lanes are bordered by a combination of walls and tall hedges, some of which are Cornish hedges. Walls form an important element in the overall character of the village. The rear wall of one of the Trescobel outbuildings forms part of a high rubblestone boundary wall the rest of which Picture 7.28 Stone block wall at the north eastern has slate copings. There is a higher end of the village section, which might once have been the rear wall of a glasshouse. The upper In addition to the walls there are a number extension of the graveyard is bordered by of magnificent gateways which greatly add rubblestone walls, and they form a retaining to the streetscape of the village. The wall to the lower part of the churchyard. southern gateway to Skisdon, listed grade II, consists of curved flanking Elvan walls with terminal piers surmounted by ball finials and granite monolith gate piers.

Picture 7.27 The taller section of garden wall at Trescobel might once have formed the rear of another structure –possibly a glasshouse. Picture 7.29 Curved slatestone walls with granite copings at Skisdon

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT To the south-east lies the main entrance of ashlar walls with granite coping terminating in square piers with granite pyramidal caps.

Picture 7.32 The formal southern entrance to Trescobel.

Behind the left hand wall is a stone rubble holy well with a brick basket arch rebuilt by the Revd N T Every in the 1890s. The Picture 7.30 Ball finials surmount the gate piers at graveyard on its northern boundary is Skisdon. entered though a wooden gate flanked by At Trescobel the informal northern entrance granite walls whilst the western gateway to has granite gate piers with wooden five bar the churchyard has Victorian granite block gates. gate piers and iron gates.

Picture 7.31 A wooden five bar gate supported by Picture 7.33 The granite block and granite post granite piers forms the northern entrance to gateway to the upper part of the churchyard. Trescobel.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Picture 7.34 The western entrance into the Picture 7.36 Cobbles at the northern entrance to churchyard. Trescobel.

The roads throughout the village are tarmac and the only area of pavement is adjacent to the road bridge. This pavement is also formed from black top.

Picture 7.37 Cobbles in front of St Kew Inn.

Due to the steep valley sides there are some significant vistas from the northern and southern ends of the village. There are Picture 7.35 The road through the village is surfaced far reaching views over the river valley to in tarmac. the north from the road which leads northwards from the pub and views east There are a few areas of traditional paving across the wooded valley to Skisdon. From – a large area of cobbles at Trescobel the road above the graveyard there are which form the stableyard and entrance to panoramic views looking south over the the road on the northern side and an area valley below to the rolling fields beyond and of cobbles in front of the St Kew Inn. north over fields to even higher land on the horizon.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Picture 7.38 Wide ranging views looking south from the churchyard

Picture 7.39 Looking north to higher ground beyond the upper churchyard.

From the lane outside the Primary School looking south-east the view is dominated by the church tower. Whilst from the flat road which runs parallel to the valley above Trescobel there are views over the village Picture 7.40 St Kew church tower features in many to the church with its steeply sloping of the views throughout the village. graveyard behind. The walls and hedges surrounding Trescobel and Skisdon which separate them from an immediate relationship with the rest of the village do not prevent them from forming part of a number of significant vistas.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT At the base of the river valley there are a number of more intimate views. Standing on both bridges there are charming views of the tree-lined river as it curves through the village. From the upper slopes of the St Kew Inn car park there are views over the river to the walls of Trescobel and the north-western house façade beyond.

Picture 7.42 Looking east from the footbridge.

Public realm

In addition to the buildings there are a number of smaller surviving historic features which greatly enhance the character of the village.

Picture 7.41 The river curving around the garden wall of Trescobel gives the impression of a moat.

Picture 7.43 Brick and slate drain to the north of The Barton.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Leading up to the churchyard on its eastern side is a solid double flight of steps formed from stone with slate treads and a simple iron handrail. There is a mounting block outside the churchyard, known as the Epping Stocks. Granite steps lead to the garden to the south of Barton Row.

Picture 7.46 The Epping stocks is constructed from slatestone with slate treads.

The development of the village necessitated the crossing of the river in two places.

Picture 7.44 The double flight of stone steps leading into the churchyard on its eastern side

Picture 7.47 The low stone parapets of the road bridge.

The road bridge below the church is the more modern structure with low rubblestone Picture 7.45 Close-up of the churchyard steps showing the slate treads. parapets capped by long granite blocks. The mid nineteenth century, grade II footbridge standing adjacent to the ford has stone rubble abutments and a central pier with cut water on its eastern side.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT A medieval mortarless stone bridge is situated along he drive to Skisdon

In addition to the stone features there is some fine cast iron work in the village. Two cast iron signposts stand on the road junction between Skisdon and Trescobel, and a cast iron road sign is attached to Skisdon wall.

Picture 7.48 The mid nineteenth century footbridge

Picture 7.49 The granite lintels of the footbridge with iron clamps.

The whole is spanned by granite lintels and looks similar to a clapper bridge.

Picture 7.51 Cast iron signposts at the eastern end of the village.

Picture 7.50 The ford with stone bed adjacent to the footbridge.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Picture 7.52 Cast iron road signs on Skisdon wall.

There are iron railings, now very overgrown, bordering the river south-west of Skisdon and Victorian style iron bracket lampstands at the western end of the old schoolroom and in the Churchyard

Picture 7.54 The telephone box to the south east of the churchyard.

Greenery and green space

Due to their steep gradients several fields within the village have remained undeveloped and this has helped to maintain a connection between the historic fabric and the surrounding countryside, whilst at the same time giving the village Picture 7.53 Very overgrown iron railings border the an intensely pastoral feel. river below Trescobel.

Just to the south of the churchyard is a listed K6 telephone box.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT Picture 7.55 Undeveloped fields within the heart of Picture 7.57 Area of grass between the church and the village lend a pastoral quality. the St Kew Inn grounds.

This is an important intrinsic element in the The churchyard with its mature trees and village’s character – it feels more like the areas of wild flowers is a very attractive countryside with a scattering of buildings green space in the heart of the village. In rather than a village with green spaces. the gardens of Skisdon there are two Many of the buildings have associated notable London plane tress. areas of green space such as the graveyard, the area of grass to the west of the St Kew Inn car park and the grass to the south of The Barton. The majority of houses are set within their own gardens and the cottages along Barton Row all have front gardens behind low front walls.

Picture 7.56 The area of grass adjacent to the St Kew Inn car park enhances the setting of the church. Picture 7.58 Wild flowers in the churchyard

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT There are a wonderful collection of mature The cottages at the southern end of Barton trees within the village which greatly adds Row have been altered over the years to its character. including the addition of porches, gabled dormers and the replacement of the original slate roofs with modern tiles.

The St Kew Inn car park forms a very raw expanse of tarmac amidst its attractive setting of mellow old buildings and lush riverbank vegetation. It would benefit from some thoughtful landscaping and less aggressive surfacing.

General condition

The buildings in St Kew are generally well maintained and in good condition. The only building at risk is the agricultural building to the south of the footbridge.

Picture 7.59 Beautiful mature trees can be found throughout the village.

Loss, intrusion and damage Picture 7.60 This abandoned barn is potentially at risk. The majority of historic buildings have survived in St Kew apart from a group of farm buildings in the field to the south-east of the Primary School. These appeared on the 1840 tithe map, were reduced to one building on the 1880 Ordnance Survey map and had disappeared altogether by the 1907 edition. The village has lost the Every Institute as a public building following its sale by the Diocese of Truro in 1962.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 8 Problems and pressures

Historic Buildings

For the size of the village there is a large number of listed and historic buildings which in the main are well maintained and in good condition. Over the years however there has been a certain amount of adaptation and alteration. If this were to continue unchecked it could impact on the character of the settlement and comprise the village’s historic integrity.

Replacement windows and doors –a few historic buildings have windows and doors in non-traditional materials or of inappropriate design and finish. These features not only diminish the historic integrity and aesthetic value of the building involved, but also have a detrimental impact on the historic character of the village as a whole. Dormers and roof lights –the majority Picture 8.1 The design of the streetlights could be improved to suit their sensitive historic location. of historic buildings in the village still have original scantle and rag slate Overhead cables – there are areas in roofs. The importance of these roofs the village where the prevalence of as a characteristic of the village should overhead cables has a detrimental be recognised any moves to insert effect on the historic character. dormers should be resisted. Roof lights should only be considered on rear elevations.

Public Realm

Lighting – the street lights in the village are a present in the form of brackets attached to existing poles. This is an excellent idea as it reduces the visual impact of a plethora of poles. However, the design of the lights is very utilitarian of a type more suited to a town bypass than a historic village. Picture 8.2 In areas of the village the overhead cables have a detrimental effect on the historic character.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT New Building

In recent years a number of buildings have been converted into domestic use. These conversions in general have been sensitively executed and the original character of the buildings preserved. There are still a number of unconverted outbuildings and barns in the village which contribute greatly to the agricultural character of St Kew. This character would be compromised however if they were all modified for domestic use. At present there has been very little new development within the village helping to preserve its historic character.

Designation

The conservation area boundary at present excludes the early twentieth century Primary School.

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 9 Recommendations

Historic Buildings Cornwall District Council Design Guide. Windows and doors in the historic core St Kew is currently not designated for should be of traditional materials and any further development and this design. Historic windows should be should continue to be the case. repaired where possible or replaced Designation to match originals. St Kew has an admirable survival of Consideration should be given to original slate roofs which contribute extending the conservation area greatly to the village’s character. In boundary to include the primary order to preserve this asset the school. insertion of dormer windows and the replacement of natural slate coverings should be discouraged. However on unobtrusive rear elevations good quality small scale rooflights could be considered. Public Realm

Lighting – the practice of using existing poles to carry the street lighting should continue. However, the lights themselves should be of a design and materials more suitable to their sensitive surroundings. Overhead cables – consideration should be given to the feasibility of under-grounding cables. Otherwise they should be appropriately sited in order to impact less on the surrounding historic and natural environment. New Building

The further conversion of buildings within the village should be discouraged. If conversion takes place, however, it should conform to the principles outlined in English Heritage’s Conversion of Traditional Farm Buildings – A guide to good practice parts 1 and 2 and the North

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 10 Opportunities

In order to further promote St Kew as an historic settlement further information on its development and architecture could be provided by interpretation boards or by an exhibition in the village hall. A village trail could be produced not just for St Kew itself, but linking it with surrounding historic settlements. This could present St Kew’s heritage to a wider audience and help attract new visitors. The St Kew Inn car park is not conspicuous from the road, but viewed from within is seen as a large expanse of tarmac. There is scope for improvement here should resurfacing be contemplated and the area could be broken up visually with planting.

Picture 10.1 The large expanse of tarmac in the St Kew Inn car park

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT 1 Sources

Ordnance Survey 1st edn 1:2500 (c 1880) Published sources Ordnance Survey 2nd edn 1:2500 (1907) Bird, S, 1988, The Book of Cornish Villages Websites Felgett, M and Godden, J, 1997, The Parish of St Kew North Cornwall Volume One www.genuki.org.uk

Godden, J, 2000, The Parish of St Kew www.stkew.parish.org.uk North Cornwall Volume Two www.stkew.co.uk Goldsworthy, S, 1991, The Cornish Village Book Cornwall County Council Historic Environment Record Hitchins, F, 1824, The History of Cornwall, Volume II Sites, Monuments and Buildings Record

Maclean, J, 1873, The Parochial and 1994 Historic Landscape Characterisation Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor in the County of Cornwall, Volume 1

North Cornwall District Council, 1997, St Kew Conservation Area Character Statement

Pevsner, N, 1996, The Buildings of England Cornwall

Polsue, J, 1868, Lake’s Parochial History of the County of Cornwall, Volume II

Rowe, D, 1978, Cornish Villages

Wallis, J, 1847, Cornwall Register

Strategic, policy and programme documents

North Cornwall District Local Plan 1999

Historic maps

Ordnance Survey Surveyor’s Drawing c1809

Tithe Map (1843)

St Kew Conservation Area Appraisal - DRAFT

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan

Endorsed June 2008

Contents

1 Introduction 4

2 General guidance 6

3 Roofs 7

4 Walls 10

5 Joinery 12

6 Enclosure and space 14

7 Townscape features 16

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 1 Introduction

This Conservation Area Management Plan (CAMP) is intended to stand alongside the Character Appraisal. Firstly there is general guidance on the conservation and enhancement of the key elements that contribute to the quality of the townscape. At the end of key sections is a list of best practice bullet points to aid retention of historic character and architectural quality.

It is hoped that the document will act as a reference for all who make decisions which may impact on the special character of St Kew– property owners, planners, developers, designers, local authorities and statutory undertakers. To this end it will be available via the internet and in print form through the library, Parish Council etc.

The policy context is set by the Planning Acts – especially the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 and the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. National policy is supplemented by the Cornwall County Structure Plan and the North Cornwall District Council Local Plan. Some of the ideas in this CAMP may influence the future policy development for the village.

Special character is derived from the overall effect of many components and is dependent for its survival on a great number of individuals making informed choices about the management of their own piece of the jigsaw. Some control may be applied by the Local Planning Authority through Article 4(2) directions – these bring certain types of permitted development, such as replacement of windows or roofs, under Council jurisdiction.

It is of fundamental importance that owners and contractors recognise that their actions can and do have a significant impact on the quality of St Kew. Good decisions and sympathetic works take more thought and often cost more; but the rewards are great and will be appreciated in decades to come by future generations.

Article 4(2) directions

Under Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order 1995, a local authority may bring certain permitted development rights under their control. There are two routes to serving such notice – the more usual relates specifically to conservation areas and is covered by Article 4(2).

There are a range of works that may need to be the subject of an application as an Article 4(2) direction – the most usual are alterations to windows, doors, roofs, chimneys and the like. Controlling the removal of enclosure that may otherwise be vulnerable to alteration, or the painting of certain buildings, are other examples which may be relevant in St Kew.

If an LPA is minded to serve such notice they must specify the buildings that have frontages facing an identified location. That application needs to have been assessed and reasons for the Article 4 direction identified. The document and the Appraisal go some way to

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT identifying issues and locations where Article 4(2) could be usefully employed to protect the special character of St Kew. It is, however, beyond the scope of this document to actually specify exact buildings and areas that need to be covered.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 2 General guidance

This guidance must be considered in conjunction with the NCDC Design Guide, which may be viewed at Council offices.

Archaeology

The history and nature of St Kew means that there is archaeological potential virtually everywhere. Consequently any works that involve excavation may reveal interesting finds. Where work is subject to the planning process it will be considered within the context of the PPG 16 and may be subject to relevant conditions.

If work is being carried out by private owners they should be alert to pieces of artefacts, wall footings and changes in the colour of the earth. If such finds are made they should contact the Council for advice. Significant finds ought to be recorded to add to our understanding of historic St Kew.

Statutory undertakers carrying out trench work ought to seek advice before starting and agree a watching brief where appropriate – for example if cable undergrounding is carried out.

Where there are conditions attached to any planning, listed building or conservation area approval or any other relevant approval requiring archaeological investigation and recording then this work shall be funded by the applicant as it is not supplied by the local planning authority or County Council. Similarly outside the planning system any investigation will require funding.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 3 Roofs

Roofs are an important part of the character of St Kew as the use of local slate lends great homogenity to the village. The attractive roofscape is based on the quality and patina of the materials and the variety of form. There are both hipped, gabled, half-hipped, cat slide and pyramidal roofs of varying pitch and orientation. Some are rag slate and others scantle.

Chimneys punctuate the roofscape and other quality details, in the form of rainwater goods etc, add richness on closer inspection.

Slate

Slate is the prevailing roofing material and a good deal of locally sourced historic roofing slate is in evidence.

Today there are a much wider variety of products available. Artificial slates should always be avoided as they inevitably cause serious harm to the quality of the roofscape. With natural slate being imported from Spain, South America and China, great care is needed when specifying real slate. Some of these are suitable replacements on non-prominent buildings or new-build, but they are never a satisfactory replacement for historic slate roofing. New slate ought to be fixed using nails – clips are usually specified to compensate for poor slate that splits when holed as using a correct lap will prevent windlift.

Owners of buildings with rag slate must be aware that the slate will actually have a lot of life left in it but may be suffering from nail rot. Opportunistic contractors will often offer such owners an amazingly cheap price to re-roof in artificial or imported slate, knowing that the rag or random slate they reclaim can be sold on or re-used on much more lucrative work elsewhere.

Chimneys

Loss of chimneys is nearly always detrimental to the character of the roofscape. It is seldom necessary and ought to be resisted. Repair or reconstruction must be the first aim unless there are extenuating circumstances such as serious structural concerns.

Alterations can rob chimneys of their distinctive character by the application of smooth, crisp render that hides stonework or flattens a pleasingly uneven substrate. Removal of drip slates and historic pots also detracts from the area.

Rainwater goods

Most of the historic rainwater goods in the village are cast iron. Traditional gutter profiles – mostly half round or ogee add to the appearance of individual buildings and collectively enrich whole streetscenes. With proper maintenance these items can offer good service for well over a hundred years. When replacement is needed there are plenty of suppliers of historic profiles - many are available factory finished and some in cast aluminium. Plastic is an inferior product which will not last as well or look as good – especially if it has a

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT modern box profile. It doesn’t take paint well but unpainted it soon develops a coating of algae. Like other plastic building products, when it is replaced it has to go to landfill where it will not break down for centuries, so the environmental costs deserve consideration.

Ridges, hips, eaves and verges

Traditional ways of edging roofs are easily lost when roofing work is undertaken. Clay ridge tiles may be replaced by concrete, mitred slate or mortar fillet hips covered by tiles, box soffits replace open eaves or moulded fascias and slated or mortared verges can be lost to boards. All of these apparently slight changes have a far greater cumulative impact.

Lead details such as hips ought to be retained and where lead flashings have never existed they should only be added if that can be executed with subtlety. All new leadwork must be treated with patination oil to prevent oxidisation and leaching.

Dormers and rooflights

There is no tradition of dormers in St Kew and they should be avoided.

Rooflights can allow the use of valuable roofspace and there are good modern interpretations of low profile metal units available. Where they can be inserted with little impact to townscape views, especially on screened or rear roofslopes, this is acceptable. The smallest unit needed should be used and it ought to be a quality metal unit with a slender frame. In groups or terraces neighbours should try to use rooflights that are complementary in their size, type and location.

Solar Panels

Whilst the District Council clearly would wish to promote sound, sustainable energy systems, the choice of such systems can seriously erode the historic integrity of listed and unlisted buildings in conservation areas. Therefore careful consideration should be given to their positioning to avoid compromising the character of the historic environment. Very often there are alternative locations away from the historic building where solar panels can be fitted. This may indeed result in such equipment being fixed to less sensitive buildings which are part of the curtilage. Alternatively there are less obtrusive solutions available such as ground source heat pumps. Although solar panels can be reversible they can be most damaging to historic roofscapes.

Roofing: A summary

Note and record detailing before starting works to enable reinstatement. If traditional details are missing look to similar buildings for inspiration. Repair local historic rag and random slate roofs or re-use in situ. Maintain or recreate authentic details to ridges, hips, eaves and verges. Repair chimneys and retain historic pot or cowl details. Repair or reinstate metal rainwater goods in traditional profiles.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT Avoid dormers. Only use rooflights and solar panels sensitively and consider impact on views.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 4 Walls

The majority of historic building walls throughout the village are constructed from granite and rubblestone with granite detailing such as quoins and lintels. The church and gateway to Trescobel are ashlar and some of the smaller buildings are a mix of cob and stone. On most of the houses the stone walls are untreated, but a few are stucco, rendered or painted.

Great care and understanding is needed in the repair of all traditional materials in order to prolong their useful life and protect them from decay. Careful appraisal of prevalent materials in a particular locality ought to inform and inspire the designers of new buildings so that contemporary additions enrich the area.

Choice of colour is a matter of taste, but it is worth remembering that plain limewash was almost ubiquitous in the past and only natural pigments were available. Bolder colours like blues and greens were beyond the reach of all but the most wealthy; consequently these colours often seem unsuitable on humbler dwellings.

Stonework

Although most of the stone used in St Kew is durable, these walls are still vulnerable to damage if poorly treated. All stonework must be pointed using lime mortar that flexes with the walls and allows them to breathe. Pointing should also be flush or slightly recessed, especially on wider joints, and should never project in front of the faces. A well-graded sand free of ‘soft’ (or fine clayey) particles is best for most work.

Render

Render covers rubble stone on a variety of buildings as noted above. Traditionally this render was always lime based and that remains the only sensible choice as cement based renders are incompatible with these building types.

Generally speaking the finish of render is a reflection of the status of the building and/or its function. So functional buildings, humble cottages and the rear elevations of some higher status dwellings have roughcast or float finished render that follows the unevenness of the wall beneath. These renders were hand-thrown to achieve a better key and texture is derived from the coarse aggregate; modern ‘tyrolean’ type finishes take their texture from cementitious droplets and have a fundamentally different character. Grander and more aspirational buildings have smooth render, sometimes fine stucco; these renders may be lined in imitation of ashlar stonework below. Considerable skill is needed to achieve this type of finish.

The coating of lime renders with modern masonry paint will trap moisture over time and can cause failure of the render. This is often interpreted as the failure of an inferior old fashioned product, but it is in fact the result of conflicting technologies. Where possible historic renders ought to be repaired and retained, with masonry paint removed using specialist stripping products. Limewash remains by far the best and most effective surface coating on old buildings, but it is pointless applying it over paint.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT Slate hanging

Slate hanging occurs in the village on exposed elevations where penetrating damp has been a problem and on elevated side elevations of attached buildings where access is difficult and a durable, low maintenance solution was essential.

However it is not a dominant historic feature in the village and its application as a decorative feature or as part of the design of new build should be discouraged.

Brickwork

Such was the plentiful local supply of granite and slatestone that the historic use of brick in St Kew is confined to chimneys and window and door surrounds. The use of lime mortars for repair is equally important for brickwork.

Walls: A summary

Surviving uncoated granite and slatestone walls should be retained and appropriately maintained Traditional finishes should be repaired whenever possible, not replaced. Compatible materials and finishes are essential on historic walls. Authentic finishes should not be removed or covered. Where traditional finishes have been lost, sympathetic reinstatement is desirable. Limewash allows old walls to breathe; masonry paint traps moisture.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 5 Joinery

Authentic joinery adds to the historic character and visual quality of any Conservation Area. The extent of survival is often indicative of the percentage of listed buildings; but also of the value local people place on the historic fabric of their town. Like many other places St Kew has a mix of original joinery and replacements, some sensitive but some that is poorly detailed.

At present the replacement of windows and doors is not controlled on unlisted buildings. The Local Planning Authority (LPA) will consider Article 4(2)* directions to prevent harmful alterations in the future. It is always preferable, however, for owners to recognise that sensitive maintenance adds value to their own property and contributes to the sense of place.

Historic joinery ought to be seen as antique furniture that changes hands as part of a larger deal and can easily be overlooked. It only takes one inconsiderate owner to destroy the historic appearance of a building by ill-considered renovation; with property changing hands as frequently as it does today there is a steady stream of buildings whose luck has run out. There are few people who would throw a 200 year old chair or table in a skip – their potential value is usually appreciated – yet it happens to windows and doors regularly. These artefacts are a finite resource that embodies the craftsmanship of earlier generations and records the materials and techniques they used.

Unless badly neglected over a long period of time, traditional joinery is rarely beyond repair. In many cases the timber used was so well sourced and seasoned that it is far more durable than any modern alternative. Detail may have been lost by years of painting but great care needs to be taken when stripping paint though as historic paints contained lead. If repair is not possible, replica replacement is the next best thing; though replacement requires the use of primary resources and energy that makes it a less sustainable option. The use of imported hardwood from unsustainable sources ought to be avoided and PVCu has significant ecological issues in production and disposal.

There is no product that is maintenance free. Timber needs painting every few years, but each time the result looks fresh and new. After a hundred years or more sash cords or hinges may need renewal; this is quite easily done and gives the unit a new lease of life. When modern opening mechanisms or double glazed units breakdown the answer is replacement of the whole unit – hence the piles of PVCu windows accumulating at recycling centres in the absence of satisfactory means of disposal.

Windows

The size, type and design of the windows in an historic building reveal much about its age or development, its use and the status of its occupants in the past. Humbler buildings often have casement windows that vary in design according to age, use and local custom. Sash windows also vary in size and detail according to age and use. The enduring popularity of sash windows reflects their versatility in providing controlled ventilation.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT The intrinsic value of the view through an historic window is appreciated by many sympathetic owners. They enjoy the elegance of the glazing bars and enthuse about the distortion and play of light in imperfect historic glass. With care, old glass can be salvaged and re-used; where it has been lost, modern equivalents can be sourced from specialist suppliers.

When new windows are needed there are a number of issues to consider:-

Proportion and subdivision – The glazing pattern of the original windows ought to be retained, (or restored if lost), as that is a critical part of the whole building. It indicates the size of glass available or affordable at the time of construction. Mode of opening – The introduction of top hung or tilt-and-turn opening lights is always visually jarring and harmful to historic character. Overlapping ‘storm-seal’ type details are an entirely modern introduction and are unnecessary if flush units are properly made. Spring loaded sashes are an inferior replacement mechanism compared with properly weighted double-hung sashes. Glazing – Traditional glazing bar profiles, properly jointed and glazed with putty, (or glazing compound), rather than beading, will give a genuine appearance. Thermal insulation – Double glazing cannot be achieved within traditional multiple pane designs without bars being either much too thick or fake. Beading is nearly always added which further detracts from the appearance. Attempting to introduce double glazing into a traditional design usually means a small air gap that hugely reduces the insulation properties anyway. The use of shutters and/or insulated curtains can greatly reduce heat loss without the need for window replacement. Draught-proofing – The most significant heat loss through old windows is due to poor fitting and lack of draught-stripping. There are proprietary systems that retro-fit draught excluders and greatly reduce the amount of air changes and so heat loss. Sills – Traditional sills should be retained unless beyond repair.

Doors

Doors are just as vulnerable to insensitive replacement as windows. The conservation principles summarized above can be applied equally to doors. Most traditional door types allow for individual expression by painting and attractive ironmongery etc. Unfortunately many owners choose to express their individuality by replacing a serviceable vintage door with an off-the-peg unit in stained hardwood or PVCu.

Joinery : A summary

Historic joinery items add character and quality to the village and ought to be retained and repaired if at all possible. When replacement is necessary, this ought to be in exact replica. Where joinery has been lost in the past and reinstatement is desirable, look at similar properties in the vicinity for inspiration. Design, mode of opening and colour of finish are the most important considerations on unlisted buildings.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 6 Enclosure and space

In the past enclosure was about demarcation and also keeping out passing animals. The spaces generated by enclosure can be of considerable historic interest in their own right, especially where they have a strong association with a particular use such as alotment gardens behind cottages or the landscaped gardens of larger houses. Although the planning system rightly encourages the use of brownfield land and infill sites there are gaps and spaces which deserve protection from development. Sometimes this may be due to specific historical associations such as with religious groups in other cases it may simply be the contribution a green space or garden makes to the streetscene and the setting of significant buildings. The potential significance of any space must be fully considered if development proposals are made. The desirability of preserving or enhancing the conservation area is the fundamental judgement that must be applied; in many cases this will mean that a space is integral to the special character of the place and there should be a strong presumption in favour of protection.

Historic enclosure is threatened with change by the desire for greater privacy – leading to the addition of timber fence panels for example. Alternatively it may be removed to provide parking. Walls or other means of enclosure more than 1m high fronting a highway (and 2m elsewhere) cannot be demolished without Conservation Area Consent. New walls of those dimensions cannot be erected without Planning Permission.

The tendency towards close-boarded fencing is one that is having a very tangible visual impact. Apart from being a characteristically modern approach, these fences are quite expensive, require regular maintenance over the years and make it difficult to establish planting due to overshadowing and wind damage. Timber fences also tend to be stained in eye-catching colours that are often unsympathetic to an historic setting.

Garden structures can also be jarring elements if poorly located, badly designed or brightly coloured.

Walls

Rubblestone walls are the most common means of enclosure in the village. Appearance varies with age and function but the consistency of material gives a unity to the townscape that can be easily taken for granted. Dry stone banks with slate laid in vertical patterns also features. Mortared rubble stone walls are more commonplace and usually have a simple coping often formed from granite slabs or slate.

For new enclosure in much of the village rubblestone walling is likely to be the most suitable option, provided the height and style relates to any established local trend.

There are no historic brick walls and brick should not be used on new work.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT Hedges

In the more rural parts of the village and where property adjoins farmland, hedges are characteristic. A mixed deciduous planting of hawthorn, field maple, hazel, holly, beech and other indigenous species is most traditional. Within a few years such a hedge can be laid to form a dense and effective boundary that is a wildlife resource that can draw insects, birds and small mammals into gardens.

Single species plantings of beech, yew, laurel or box may be appropriate in some circumstances but are not a practical solution for most places and they demand more maintenance than a rustic mixed hedge.

Modern coniferous hedges support little wildlife and can often be unattractive and not very neighbourly.

Hurdles

The traditional approach to fencing is making something of a comeback in recent years. Hazel hurdles would have been a familiar sight in the past and can now be purchased in ready-made panels for quick and effective enclosure. Hazel and willow can also be bought bundled for the more enthusiastic person to weave their own fence.

As well as being made of more sustainable materials without chemical treatment and keeping an old craft alive, these fences are more permeable to wind making them less likely to blow over and allowing plants to establish more readily.

Garden structures

The siting of sheds, summerhouses, decking, gazebos or other structures should be sensitively located. If visible locations are unavoidable, good design and naturally painted materials should be used to make the structures less jarring.

Garden structures nearly always need planing permission within the curtilage of a listed building. There are also size restrictions for permitted development within the conservation area so it is wise to consult the LPA when considering such works.

Enclosure : A summary

Spaces, gardens and yards add to the special character of St Kew and ought to be retained if development would mean the loss of an historic and/or attractive element of the townscape. Retain historic enclosure wherever possible. If enclosure has been lost, consider the locality and use an appropriate replacement.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT 7 Townscape features

In addition to the buildings and walls that give St Kew its special character there are other items that make a significant contribution to the overall appearance. There are attractive items that need to be cherished and retained and in some cases repaired or enhanced.

Floorscape

In keeping with its rural ambience there is very little paving in St Kew. There are however a few areas of traditional paving, cobblestones and granite gullies. Where these survive they should be left uncovered and well maintained.

Carriageways are blacktop and it is better to use this honest and established surfacing rather than introduce manufactured paviours or other surface treatments.

Seating

There are some thoughtfully located seats throughout the village where the pedestrian can stop a while and enjoy the place. The benches should continue to be maintained.

Signage

Signage is generally low key in St Kew and of good quality. Every effort should be made to retain the cast iron signs and fingerposts as they make a positive contribution to the character of the village.

Lighting

The practice of using existing poles to carry the street lighting should continue. However, the lights themselves should be of a design and materials more suitable to their sensitive surroundings.

Overhead Cables

Consideration should be given to the feasibility of under-grounding cables. Otherwise they should be appropriately sited in order to impact less on the surrounding historic and natural environment.

Planting

Trees and hedges are an important element of many significant views and their retention is often of considerable importance. Work to trees in conservation areas is controlled and owners or contractors must contact the LPA for advice before embarking on felling, topping or lopping works.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT Decorative planting has its place in the public realm, but needs to be well planned and maintained to be a positive feature. On private land owners can enhance their little bit of the village with suitable planting – it can often be the finishing touch that makes a location really special.

Street ephemera

The informal elements of the townscape such as the troughs, gateposts, gates, steps, telephone box and railings whilst small features in themselves greatly enhance the character of the village. Any attempts at their removal or replacement should be strenuously opposed.

St Kew Conservation Area Management Plan - DRAFT