LYVEDEN COTTAGE

CHANGE OF USE, EV CHARGER AND INTERNAL ALTERATIONS

DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT INCLUDING HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT

APRIL 2021

Written by Chris Lambart BA(Hons) BPl MRTPI FRGS image © National Trust Images /Mike Selby

1. Introduction GPA 3 reiterates the definition of settings as the surroundings within This statement accompanies an application for planning permission which a heritage asset is experienced. It advises that the importance and listed building consent at Lyveden Cottage. It fulfils the of setting lies in what it contributes to the significance of the heritage requirements of a Design and Access Statement and a Heritage asset or allows significance to be appreciated. It sets out a five step Impact Assessment. approach to considering effects on setting: Step 1: identify which heritage assets and their settings are The proposals seek to turn the cottage back to a house, which will be affected; operated as a National Trust holiday cottage. Internal alterations, Step 2: assess the degree to which these settings and views together with the installation of an electric vehicle charging point, are make a contribution to the significance of the heritage asset(s) or proposed in support of this. allow significance to be appreciated Step 3: assess the effects of the proposed development, whether beneficial or harmful, on the significance or on the ability to 2. Historic guidance appreciate it; The Trust has had regard to general Historic England guidance, such Step 4: explore the way to maximise enhancement and avoid or as its Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance (2008), minimise harm; Historic Environment Advice Note 2 Making Changes to Heritage Step 5: make and document the decision and monitor outcomes. Assets (2016), Good Practice Advice in Planning 2 – Managing Significance in Decision-Taking in the Historic Environment (2015) and Good Practice Advice in Planning 3 – The Setting of Heritage Assets (2017).

GPA 2 suggests a six-step approach: 1. Understand the significance of the affected assets; 2. Understand the impact of the proposal on that significance; 3. Avoid, minimise and mitigate impact in a way that meets the objectives of the NPPF; 4. Look for opportunities to better reveal or enhance significance; 5. Justify any harmful impacts in terms of the sustainable development objective of conserving significance and the need for change; 6. Offset negative impacts on aspects of significance by enhancing others through recording, disseminating and archiving archaeological and historical interest of the important elements of the heritage assets affected. Lyveden Cottage as a tea room ©National Trust Images/Mike Selby 1 3. History of the cottage in the drawing is also shown closer to the garden mound, although it Sources consulted: could simply be the artist moving the mound to improve the composition. • National Trust archives

• Lyveden New Bield Conservation Management Plan, Dr A 1791 engraving (figure 2) shows a Cottage very like the one that Andrew Eburn & Dr Kate Felus, 2010 now exists. The existing two-storey element matches the engraving, • Lyveden Conservation Management Plan, Hilary Taylor as does the form of the lean-to on the north side. The engraving Landscape Associates, 2014 possibly shows a single-storey element at the west end of the house, • The Ruins of Liveden; Thomas Bell, 1847 although this is not clear. The 2010 and 2014 Conservation • National Heritage List entries for: Management Plans for Lyveden report that the cottage was originally o Lyveden Cottage (1040348) called Verderer’s Cottage and suggest it was built to be occupied by o Lyveden New Bield Historic Park and Garden gamekeepers, associated with the sporting use of Fermyn (or (1001037) Farming) Woods. o Lyveden New Bield Listed Building (1371907) o Lyveden New Bield and Garden Scheduled Monument 19th century (1003640) In 1847, Thomas Bell recorded, “A neat cottage, the only dwelling for Lyveden Manor or Old Bield (1040347). o some distance, stands near the ruins…, and where the visitor can be • 1885-6 1st edition OS 25-inch plan assured of finding decent temporary accommodation, and every

attention and civility; and where the key of the building can be Overview (figures are in Appendix A) obtained, on application, without any difficulty.” The cottage is situated between the New Bield and the moats and mounds of the formal garden. Its main elevation, with the front door The building outline shown on the 1885-6 1st edition OS 25-inch plan and most of the windows, faces south-south-west between the (figure 3) is consistent with the building now seen other than minor mounds and the New Bield. This arrangement suggests that the differences on the north west corner. This is seen in more detail in a cottage was intended to overlook the ruins and moat, both of which later survey drawing of the ground floor (figure 4), which shows the pre-date it, possibly for practical rather than aesthetic reasons. lean-to along the north side of the cottage as a fuel store with an outside toilet (earth closet) joined to its western end. The single In 1987 it was listed grade II, with the list entry summarising it as a storey element at the west end of the building was shown as a wash th th mid-18 century cottage altered in the 19 century. house.

18th century 20th century A dwelling on this site is shown in a 1721drawing of the New Bield by In 1922, the cottage was acquired by the National Trust as part of its Tillemans (figure 1). However, the house in that drawing is acquisition of Lyveden New Bield. Acquisition of the New Bield by substantially different from the Cottage now in existence – having the Trust had been discussed for several years and a preservation dormer windows, no parapets and a single chimney mounted half- committee established in 1913. Archives of the Lyveden New Bield way along the ridge rather than a chimney at each end. The house 2 Preservation Committee 1913-19611 show that following acquisition OS 1:2500 includes the lobby. A date in the late 1960s is consistent by the National Trust, the cottage was let to tenants with a with the style of work, documentary evidence and condition photos requirement to look after the New Bield and open it to visitors. from 1980. Lettings were initially directly by the National Trust but from 1947 were through an arrangement with the owner of Lyveden Manor. Figures 5 and 6 show the layout in 1985. At some point between 1985 and 2013, the kitchen was remodelled with the larder partition The cottage was broken into in early 1949, when vacant, and removed. suffered a chimney fire that Autumn, which caused considerable damage to the sitting room. A sequence of short tenancies in the 21st century 1950s was followed by improvements to the building in 1954 In 2013, the Cottage was converted to a mixed use comprising a including a new oven and boiler and roof repairs. However, the tearoom, office and staff flat. The ground floor bathroom was sub- cottage was left empty when Lyveden Manor changed hands in July divided to create two visitor toilets. A shower room and kitchen were 1957. In 1958 the cottage was reported as being in a deplorable created upstairs by sub-dividing one of the bedrooms. A partition state. The National Trust decided to “put the cottage in order.” This and fire door were installed on the landing and the middle bedroom was done by October 1961, when a tenant again took possession. opened out onto the landing. The resulting layout is shown in the application drawings as the existing layout. Figure 4 had previously been dated to 1969. However, a drainage plan in the National Trust archives (figure 5) suggests that by 1964 a bathroom had been introduced in the area which figure 4 shows as a larder. A bathroom and easily accessible water closet were increasingly seen as a requirement of decent housing through the mid-20th century. Although their lack did not automatically make a The doorway across the landing, house “unfit” in the 1950s and 1960s they were factors to be taken added in 2013, is to be removed into account under the 1957 Housing Act and targeted as and re-used in replacing the 2 improvements through government grants . opening into the middle bedroom by a conventional The outside toilet was subsequently brought into the house by doorway extending the lean-to roof, creating a lobby that also gave a new access to the former wash house. The wash house became the kitchen, with a partition at the far end to create a larder. The former fuel store became a room, with an outside door and window created at the east end as well as a way through to the lobby. An exact date for this work is not known but the outline of the cottage on the 1971

1 Reported in Appendix 7.2 of the 2010 CMP, written by Geoffrey Fairhurst 2 Information from the English Housing Survey, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, 1967 3 4. Heritage designations 5. Heritage significance Lyveden Cottage was listed grade II in 1987 (list entry 1040348). The primary significance of the cottage is as part of a group with the The listing states: early 17th century New Bield garden lodge and the remains of the 16th century formal garden. Although of a later date, it has co- House. Mid C18, altered mid C19. Squared coursed limestone existed with the New Bield and garden for at least 300 years and with Collyweston slate roof. Originally 2-unit plan. 2 storeys. 3- been associated with their upkeep and enjoyment for at least the last window range of C19 two- and 3-light stone mullion windows. century. The exterior largely maintains the character of an 18th Central part-glazed door has moulded stone surround with century stone cottage. Internally, the picture is keyblock. Ashlar gable parapets and ashlar stacks at end. more mixed as a result of alterations associated with changing C19 lean-to and a casement window with wood lintel to rear. standards of habitation and more recent changes in the use of the Interior has open fireplace with bressumer. Included for group building. value.

The Cottage and its grounds are within the grade I registered historic park and garden of Lyveden New Bield (list entry 1001037). The primary significance of the garden is the earthworks and moat of a formal garden begun by Thomas Tresham in 1590 together with the New Bield garden lodge, left unfinished as a result of the family’s involvement in the gunpowder plot. The register entry notes, “North- west of the New Bield is a stone cottage (listed grade II) already present in 1721, and in the later C20 occupied by the site's custodian.”

Lyveden New Bield is a grade I listed building (list entry 1371907) dating from 1604-5. Lyveden New Bield and garden are also a scheduled monument (list entry 1003640). The scheduled area does not include the cottage or its grounds.

Lyveden Manor or Old Bield is about 500m to the north and also grade I listed (list entry 1040347). It is a late 16th century manor house built for Tresham family, and the house for which the formal gardens and New Bield were created. The tea-room kitchen is to be turned back to a domestic kitchen

4 6. Proposed alterations retain the upstairs shower-room installed in 2013. Here we would No physical alterations are proposed to the exterior of the Cottage. replace the shower with a bath.

The existing gravel parking area is to be retained to serve as parking We want to remove the partition on the landing created in 2013 and for the house. An electric vehicle charging point will be installed on reinstall the wall and doorway between the landing and middle an oak post by the parking area. This will be concealed by an bedroom. The door wouldn’t be in the original position but we would existing bush. be giving a more traditional layout to this area. The wall would be studwork plastered to match the existing wall. The door and The garden, used since 2013 as a tea garden, is to be a private surround would be the ones currently on the landing that originally garden area for the house. No physical alterations are proposed. came from this bedroom.

Alterations are proposed within the house. The cottage will be re-decorated throughout.

Downstairs, we propose to convert the tea-room toilets to a shower room. This would entail removing a partition and door and boarding over a doorway, all installed in 2013, as well as changing the plumbing and fittings installed at that time. This area was a bathroom from the 1960s to 2013 and would be reverting to this layout and use.

Within the downstairs kitchen, we propose to replace the commercial kitchen flooring with a quarry tile floor to match the existing floor in the lobby and to replace the commercial kitchen units and equipment with ones suited to domestic use. We also wish to overboard the existing ceiling. Neither the floor nor the ceiling are historic.

We want to install a doorway and door between the rear lobby and the main room of the lean-to extension to create a store for Trust use, e.g. for cleaning equipment and supplies and linen for changeovers. The doorway would be installed in an opening created in the 1960s. The door and door surround would match existing joinery in the cottage.

Upstairs, we want to remove the kitchen installed in 2013 for the staff Upstairs kitchen is to be turned back into a bedroom flat and make good. This room would again become a bedroom, although it would not regain its previous dimensions as we want to

5 7. Heritage impact The proposed alterations are considered to cause no harm to the significance of the Cottage or the ability to appreciate that significance. No historic fabric would be removed or obscured.

Returning the building to its original use would be more sympathetic to its historic character and should be regarded as an enhancement.

The removal of the landing partition and reinstatement of a wall and doorway between the landing and middle bedroom would give a more traditional layout. So would the conversion of the downstairs toilets to a shower room.

The proposed quarry tile floor would be more in keeping with the character of the cottage than the current flooring.

The doorway between the lobby and lean-to store would be in a 20th century opening associated with a 20th century addition to the building. The joinery would be in character with the building.

The two visitor toilets are to be turned back into a bathroom Externally, the existing spaces will be retained. There would be no change except for the introduction of the EV charging point. It is considered that this would cause no harm to the significance of the historic park and garden, the setting of the Cottage, the setting of the New Bield as a listed building or the setting of the New Bield and earthworks as a scheduled monument.

The office is to become a bedroom again 6 8. Planning policy 9. Access and Rights of Way Lyveden Cottage is in Aldwincle parish. The development plan for Public bridleway MC14/NN7 runs along the track from Harley Way to the area comprises the Joint Core Strategy and past Lyveden Cottage. This will not be affected by the 2011-2031 supported by saved policies in the Rural North, Oundle proposals. and Plan 2011. The Cottage has a level threshold through the front door. The The following policies are likely to be relevant to the determination of downstairs shower room will also be accessible. this planning application.

North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (NNJCS) 2011-2031 • Policy 1 Presumption in favour of sustainable development • Policy 2 Historic Environment • Policy 11 The Network of Urban and Rural Areas • Policy 25 Rural Economic Development and Diversification

Rural North, Oundle and Thrapston Plan 2011 (RNOTP) • Policy 6 Residential parking standards • Policy 10 Protection of Local Sites of Conservation Interest and Designation of Local Nature Reserves (shown on the proposals map) • Policy 23 Rural Buildings – General Approach

The proposals are for the sympathetic conversion of the cottage back to its original use. No harm would be caused to the cottage or the other heritage assets at Lyveden and it would comply with NNJCS policy 2. Similarly, no harm would be cause to the local site of nature conservation interest, and the proposals comply with RNOTP policy 10. The amount of parking proposed (2 spaces) complies with RNOTP policy 6.

NNJCS policy 25 and RNOTP policy 23 both support the re-use of Image from Northants County Council online rights of way map rural buildings for tourist accommodation, with support being gained from NNJCS policy 11 as a result.

7 Appendix A - figures

Figure 1: Peter Tilleman’s drawing of the New Bield 1721 (figure 14 of the 2010 Conservation Management Plan), showing a different dwelling on or near the site of Lyveden Cottage

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Figure 2, View of Lodge, by Lowry after Hunt, published in Bridges, 1791, (2010 CMP figure 15)

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Figure 3: extract from 1st edition OS 25 inch plan, 1885-6, from NT GIS (a join between map sheets across the middle of this image means they do not align exactly)

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Figure 4: Ground floor survey plan, showing layout prior to introduction of foul drainage, previously dated to 1969 but now considered to show an earlier layout, National Trust archives

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Figure 5: Drainage plan dated November 1964, National Trust archives

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Figure 6: Ground floor drawing from 1985, National Trust archives

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Figure 7: First floor drawing from 1985, National Trust archives

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