List of Figures...... 3
1. Introduction ...... 4 1.1 Background ...... 4 1.2 Planning Policy Framework ...... 5 1.3 Development within a Conservation Area...... 5 1.4 Preparation and Survey Limitations ...... 5 1.5 Community Involvement ...... 6
2. Summary of Special Interest ...... 6 2.1 Special Historic Interest ...... 6 2.2 Special Architectural Interest ...... 6
3. Site, Situation and Zoning ...... 7 3.1 Location and Setting ...... 7 3.2 Economic and Social Profile ...... 7 3.3 Study Zones...... 7
4. Historic Morphology and Archaeology...... 9 4.1 Historic Morphology ...... 9 4.2 Archaeology...... 10
5. Spatial Analysis and Built Form...... 10 5.1 Urban Structure ...... 12 5.2 Open Space...... 12 5.3 Views ...... 13 5.4 Plan-Form, Height and Massing ...... 14 5.5 Building Density...... 15 5.6 Edges and Enclosure...... 16
6. Architecture ...... 17 6.1 Architectural Style...... 17 6.2 Listed Buildings and Important Unlisted Buildings ...... 24 6.3 Facades...... 24 6.4 Roofs ...... 25 6.5 Windows ...... 26 6.6 Other Features of Interest...... 26
7. Street Scene ...... 27 7.1 Walls, Railings and Gates...... 28 7.2 Trees, Hedges and Green Space ...... 28 7.3 Public Realm...... 29
8. Damage & Deterioration...... 31 8.1 Principal Negative Features...... 31 8.2 General Condition...... 31 8.3 Heritage at Risk ...... 31
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8.4 Threats and Pressures ...... 32
9. Recommendations ...... 33 9.1 Boundary Changes ...... 33 9.2 Management & Enhancement ...... 33
Appendices ...... 34 Appendix A – Bibliography, Further Information and Advice...... 34 Appendix B – Conservation Areas: General Guidance...... 35 Appendix C – Listed Buildings ...... 37 Appendix D – Important Unlisted Buildings...... 38 Appendix E – Maps ………………………………………………………………………………..……...39
List of Figures
Front Cover: Open countryside looking east towards the Quantocks Fig.1 Village Hall – an important community amenity Fig.2 13th-century effigies in the church to Sir John de Merriete and wives Fig.3 Former lime kiln now partially protected by tractor shed Fig.4 Communal gardens Fig.5 Lane running parallel to the former millstream Fig.6 Lane leading south out of village Fig.7 Looking west along valley bottom east of Meadow Wood Fig.8 Stream south of The Farmers Arms Fig.9 Small terrace of houses at Meadowside – in scale with their surroundings Fig.10 Old Forge (right) and converted farm buildings – now isolated by A358 Fig.11 The Old Smithy Fig.12 Field barn – important unlisted building Fig.13 The Gatehouse Fig.14 Combe Florey House - obscured from public view Fig.15 Church of St Peter and St Paul Fig.16 Inmans Fig.17 The Loft – converted farm building Fig.18 North View Fig.19 Gwynne Cottage Fig.20 Former school – in residential use since the 1960s Fig.21 Shutterne Cottage with Shutterne House (background) Fig.22 Farmers Arms with Sunnyside Cottages (right) Fig.23 Brookside – a prominent building from Zone 1 Fig.24 Random red sandstone rubble, typical wall construction Fig.25 Cob construction – Farmers Arms Fig.26 Mixture of roofing materials in Zone 1 Fig.27 Windows at The Old Smithy and Shutterne Cottage Fig.28 Well head Fig.29 Cobbled path leading from church Fig.30 Wrought iron lantern at church gate Fig.31 Stone bridge opposite Sunnyside Cottages Fig.32 Poor repointing of sandstone wall
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1. Introduction
1.1 Background A Conservation Area is an area designated by a local authority as one of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. The object of designation is not to prohibit change but to manage it in ways that maintain or strengthen the area’s special qualities. Once designated, local authorities are encouraged to undertake periodic appraisals to evaluate and record the special interest of the area and provide a framework for development control and the creation of initiatives to improve the area.
Combe Florey was designated a Conservation Area by Taunton Deane Borough Council in 1977. It was reviewed and the boundary extended in 1993. This Appraisal updates and incorporates elements of the review carried out 2001, which was not adopted.
1.2 Planning Policy Framework Conservation Areas are designated by local authorities in fulfilment of Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Local planning authorities also have a statutory duty to define and record the special interest, character and appearance of all Conservation Areas in their districts. A clear definition of those elements which contribute to the special architectural or historic interest of a place will also inform the local policy framework (see Taunton Deane Local Development Framework), which in accordance with The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, planning applications must be considered against. Further guidance regarding the legal implications of designation is given in Appendix B.
1.3 Development within a Conservation Area Conservation Areas give broader protection than listing individual buildings and all the elements within the Area are recognised as contributing in some way to its character. Anyone considering undertaking works to a property, or developing land that lies within a Conservation Area, is advised to contact a Conservation Officer and the responsible Development Management Officer, at Taunton Deane Borough Council for assistance.
This Appraisal will assist in the formulation of appropriate design strategies for new development, which should be fully articulated within a Design and Access Statement accompanying any planning application. CABE has produced useful guidance (see Appendix A). It is an offence to carry out unauthorised works.
1.4 Preparation and Survey Limitations The Combe Florey Conservation Area Appraisal was researched and written during June 2009, and revised following consultation in April 2010.
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When reading or using an Appraisal, it is important to note that the document can never be fully comprehensive. For instance, some aspects of the survey information are limited to those areas which can be reasonably recorded from the highway and other publicly accessible land. Failure to mention any particular building, feature or space, should not be taken to imply that it is of no interest and irrelevant in the consideration of a planning application.
1.5 Community Involvement Consultation was carried out in liaison with the Parish Council, who received a copy of the draft Appraisal. A notice was placed in the Church Magazine and map showing the proposed boundary changes placed on the Parish noticeboard. A public meeting/drop-in session was carried out on the 23 March 2010 and following this some minor amendments made to the Appraisal document. The Appraisal was formally adopted by Taunton Deane Borough Council on 26 August 2010.
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2. Summary of Special Interest
2.1 Special Historic Interest Combe Florey is a small village situated in two secluded wooded valleys just west of the A358. The close proximity of water, with streams flowing west to east through both valleys, connecting with the larger watercourse running parallel to A358, led to its development and remains crucial to its character and appearance. The origins of the village go back at least as far as the 12th-century. The subsequent pace of development has been slow and the pattern of settlement appears essentially unchanged from the Medieval period. The village is also notable for two former literary residents: The Reverend Sidney Smith in the 19th- century, and Evelyn Waugh in the 20th-century.
2.2 Special Architectural Interest The buildings of special architectural interest are small in number but represent a high proportion of the total dwellings in the village. The most notable are the Tudor gatehouse and Combe Florey House, which are amongst the most important buildings of their respective type in the Borough. The archetypical buildings that make up an English village are present, although not always retaining their original use. These include examples of: a Medieval church; 19th-century school; farmhouses; a public house; village hall; and thatched cottages. Recent change has been relatively benign and although the modern dwellings, residential conversions and some of the alterations to historic buildings, do not contribute to the special architectural interest, neither do they significantly detract from it.
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3. Site, Situation and Zoning
3.1 Location and Setting Combe Florey is located immediately west of the A358 Taunton to Minehead road and West Somerset Railway, 3km north of Bishops Lydeard. It forms part of the ‘High Vale’, recognised in the Local Development Framework as an area of special landscape value,
The village is situated in the wide, roughly north-south, valley through which the A358, railway and stream run, and in two narrower wooded valleys which radiate off and rise gently to the west. In contrast with the enclosed, almost secretive, character of the Conservation Area, the surrounding fields are more open and in places offer views to the Quantock Hills to the north- east.
3.2 Economic and Social Profile There is little through traffic or obvious activity in Combe Florey, which is generally quiet and peaceful. Formerly a village with an agriculturally based economy, it has now become a dormitory settlement with a parish population of around 250. The present residents are mainly either retired or travel to work in larger employment centres, such as Taunton. Apart from the church, public house, village hall (Fig.1) and one farm building, all the properties are in residential use. It is a ‘tidy’ village but not overly ‘prettied-up’ and the air of comfortable affluence that is not overwhelming.
Fig.1 Village Hall – an important community amenity (Zone 1)
3.3 Study Zones While the Conservation Area is united by a closely connected developmental history, for ease of analysis and clarity, for the purpose of this Appraisal, it will be split between character ‘zones’. These are shown on Map 2 (Appendix E) and comprise:
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Zone 1 This low lying zone comprises the eastern end of the settlement, from the Village Hall eastwards across the junction with the A358 to encompass The Old Forge on the opposite side of the road. It includes a number of notable historic buildings and two 20th-century dwellings.
Zone 2 The western core, includes the main part of the settlement on rising ground west of The Gatehouse, following the road heading south out of the village past the Old Rectory. It includes the most significant historic buildings in the Conservation Area and some large detached 20th-century dwellings.
Zone 3 This Zone is bounded by the A358, the railway line and streams. It comprises a small group of buildings forming a discrete hamlet, with its own separate vehicular access from the A358. It appears to have grown up around the village public house, the Farmers Arms, situated in the fork of two intersecting streams and now surrounded by mainly 20th-century dwellings.
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4. Historic Morphology and Archaeology
4.1 Historic Morphology
Medieval Development The origins of Combe Florey date back at least as far as the Norman period, with the first documentary reference being in 1110, when the manor passed from the Bishop of Winchester to Baldwin de Cume. The name “Combe” relates to the small valley setting and “Florey” is derived from the family de Fleuri who succeeded Baldwin as owners of the manor. It is not known whether the manorial lords lived at Combe Florey at this time, although the three effigies in the church (Fig.2), believed to be Sir John de Merriete and his two wives, would indicate that there was a manorial residence at Combe Florey by the 13th-century. There are no physical traces of the Medieval manor house, but it is likely to have been on the level ground to the north of the present early 16th-century gatehouse.
Surviving buildings with late-Medieval origins (The Old Forge, Farmers Arms, Old Manor House and possibly the Old Smithy, Shutterne Cottage and Orchard Cottage), give an indication that the earliest pattern of settlement may have been close to what it is today. There also remains the possibility that the long vanished housing of the majority of the population, occupying the lower levels of society, was sited elsewhere, as a reference in the Somerset Historic Environment Record suggests that the village contracted in this period.
Post Medieval Development
Fig.2 13th-century effigies in the church to Sir John de Merriete and wives (Zone 2)
Post Medieval Development By the 16th-century, the manor was in the hands of the Fraunceis family. John Fraunces (Fraunceis) refurbished the gatehouse in 1591 and it appears likely that a surviving Medieval manor house and associated ranges would have been demolished at this time with a new house constructed on the site of the present Combe Florey House, which has 16th-century origins. From the surviving buildings it would appear that Combe Florey was an established settlement by the time of these works and grew slowly during the 17th-century, when a number of small
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dwellings were built. Further expansion occurred during the 18th-century, when local landowners built, or remodelled, prestigious new houses, at the Old Rectory and Combe Florey House.
The 19th-century, which saw the arrival of the Taunton to Minehead Railway, had relatively little impact on the settlement pattern, although earlier buildings, such as the Church, The Gatehouse and The Old Rectory were altered. The period does not appear to have been one of significant growth and the small size of the school - the one notable new building from the late-19th-century - is indicative of a relatively low population.
20th / 21st - Century Development The wider social, economic and technological changes to the countryside, which accelerated from 1918 onwards, resulted in comparatively little new build, although the nature of the village undoubtedly changed. The pair of semi-detached workers’ cottages at North View, built in 1907, represent some of the last housing erected for villagers connected with the land and agriculture. In 1959 the school closed and by the end of the century the new housing comprised large detached dwellings set in their own grounds, attracting older affluent incomers who had made their money elsewhere. Other development, again symptomatic of the changes in agricultural practice, has seen the former farm buildings at Combe Down House converted to dwellings.
4.2 Archaeology The central part of Zone 2 is designated by Somerset County Council as an Area of High Archaeological Potential (AHAP). Of particular interest is the site of the Medieval courtyard manor house, immediately to the north of the present Gatehouse.
Fig.3 Former lime kiln (Zone 3) now partially roofed and used as a tractor shed Outside the AHAP, the mound opposite The Gatehouse, known as the ‘Monk’s Garden’, which was recorded by Collinson (1791) as containing an old building used as a summerhouse, and the fishponds below, which might have Medieval origins, are also of interest.
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The semi-derelict limekiln (Fig.3), north-west of Meadow Wood (Zone 3), is likely to date to the early-19th-century and is a surviving remnant of a formerly important activity. The Conservation Area boundary is altered to include this.
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5. Spatial Analysis and Built Form
5.1 Urban Structure The urban structure is very much dictated by the topography. Combe Florey is located in two narrow wooded valleys orientated east-west, which connect to a wider north-south valley containing the A358 and West Somerset Railway line, which define the eastern boundary of the Conservation Area. The buildings are mostly dispersed in a linear pattern along these valleys routes, with The Old Forge on the east side of the A358 now isolated and hemmed in between the main road and the railway line.
Opposite The Old Forge, the main entrance to the village leads west, along the valley but gently rising. At the former school the road splits with the historic settlement continuing on the south road.
To the north there is a further settlement area, which in effect is a discrete hamlet (Zone 3). This is accessed by vehicle off another junction with the A358, and on foot, from the main part of the settlement, by the straight lane running alongside the former mill stream which leads to a ford.
The village layout is further influenced by the land holdings around the principal buildings which comprise: Combe Florey House; St Peter and St Paul’s Church; and the Old Rectory. Outside of this, there is little evidence of formal planning, either now or in the past, aside from almost all the lower status historic dwellings fronting roads and later 20th-century build being set further back.
5.2 Open Space The small communal gardens to the south of the former school, provide an area of formal public open space within the village (Fig.4). This was formerly an orchard and contains some recently planted fruit trees. It is included in the revised Conservation Area.
Fig.4 Communal gardens (Zone 2)
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There are also several private open spaces of note, principally the meadow, with the stream running through it, parallel to the A358 on the east side of the village (Zone 1) and the land opposite The Gatehouse (Zone 2). The churchyard and green to the south are also of interest, as is the small 20th-century cemetery further east and on the opposite side of the road (Zone 2).
5.3 Views The narrow lanes with high walls and mature trees lend themselves to restricted views along the valley bottom. From higher ground of the valley sides, there are also longer views looking across more open countryside to the north and east with the Quantock Hills forming a backdrop. Key views are depicted on Map 3 (Appendix E) and include:
Zone 1 Along the lane running parallel to the former millstream (Fig.5) Across the meadow west of the A358 towards Brookside. West towards the village along the road leading off the A358.
Fig.5 Lane running parallel to the former millstream (Zone 1)
Fig.6 Lane leading south out of village (Zone 2)
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Zone 2 Towards open countryside and the Quantock hills to the north and east from the track running between the cemetery and village hall (front cover). Both directions along the lane leading south out of the village (Fig.6) East across the village from the former school.
Zone 3 Looking west along valley bottom east of Meadow Wood (Fig.7). Along the tree lined streams south of The Farmers Arms (Fig.8).
Fig.7 Looking west along valley bottom east of Meadow Wood (Zone 3)
Fig.8 Stream south of The Farmers Arms (Zone 3)
5.4 Plan-Form, Height and Massing There is no standardised plan-form and the houses have tended to be built at different times, with no large developments taking place in any one period. Some of the earliest extant dwellings dating to the late-Medieval period, originated as open hall houses, later becoming one-and-a-half-storey cottages. 18th-century and later cottages are typically small and two-storey in height and attached in pairs. Houses higher up the social scale are also of modest dimensions, with the notable exceptions of The Old Rectory, and Combe Florey House.
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Recent development within the Conservation Area has seen small groupings of cottage-size two-storey housing (Fig.9) and, generally less in-keeping, larger single detached houses and bungalows. A further class present is the 20th-century farm building conversion, which while losing their earlier plan-form have mostly retained their original height and massing.
Fig.9 Small terrace of houses at Meadowside (Zone 3) – in scale with their surroundings
5.5 Building Density
Zone 1 With the exception of the converted buildings situated around The Old Forge and the open fronted field barn opposite The Old Smithy, the buildings are all on the south side of the lane connecting with the A358. The main concentration is the small group between The Old Manor House and Lilliput, which fronts the road, with the later Village Hall standing apart to the west and two recent bungalows to the east.
Zone 2 The core of this zone is centred on the road junction at the former school. With the modern housing on the spur road heading west (outside of the Conservation Area), this is now the most densely settled part of the village. Despite this, with the exception of the farm buildings converted to residential use, the houses are well spaced, and within reasonable sized plots.
Zone 3 The main concentration of dwellings is east and south of the Farmers Arms, where there is a row of four mid-20th-century ex-local authority houses, with a further pair of houses opposite. To the south-west, there are two dwellings, spaced apart, one of which is the listed Brookside.
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5.6 Edges and Enclosure Stone walls are present throughout the Conservation Area but are particularly prominent in Zone 2, where they mark the boundary for the higher status properties along much of the lane running through the village and out to the south (Fig.6). The lower status cottages tend to be built up to the road line and lack front gardens. Hedges are also prevalent, sometimes backing stone walls. Front property boundaries are also marked by picket fencing, while larger areas are occasionally divided by post and rail fences, both of which are non-traditional.
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6. Architecture
6.1 Architectural Style
Zone 1 This zone contains some of the earliest surviving buildings in the village. The origins of The Old Forge are as a late 15th-century open hall house with alterations and extensions in the late-16th/early-17th-century. It is built of stone rubble and cob, incorporates four pairs of jointed crucks and was formerly thatched. To the north of the house, the complex of red sandstone farm buildings with clay pantile roofs have been converted to residential use, and modern windows and prominent Velux rooflights inserted (Fig.10).
Fig.10 Old Forge (right) and converted farm buildings – now isolated by A358 (Zone 1)
The Old Manor House is set back from the road behind a low stone wall and hedge and is now divided into two separate properties. Its varied appearance, with a number of additions, shows its evolution over four centuries. Dating originally from the 16th-century, it is constructed from red sandstone random rubble with a roughcast façade, and is L-shaped in plan with one projecting 17th-century wing to the east side. This is also two storeys high, with two cruciform mullioned casement windows to the first floor. Of particular note is the central, two-storey entrance porch, with a large, leaded light window containing some stained glass to the first floor, supported by timber Tuscan columns.
Directly in front of the western section of the Old Manor House is a row of 19th- century stone cottages on the edge of the road. These are two storeys high, with clay pantile roofs with a row of distinctive chimneys on the ridge. PVCu casements set below exposed concrete lintels have been inserted in the original window openings.
The Old Smithy contains jointed crucks and is likely to originate from c.1500. In its current guise it is a one-and-a-half-storey thatched cottage (Fig.11). The cottage has large, over-scaled timber casement windows, and a grand timber six-panelled
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door with a carved mask above set within an arched reveal. The lower smithy section to the east is single storey with a double Roman tile roof dominated by a four narrow windows of 19th-century date, similar to an example at Shutterne Cottage (Fig.27). Attached to the cottage but set back is the two-storey painted stone house known as Lilliput, which has PVCu replacment windows.
Fig.11 The Old Smithy (Zone1)
Directly opposite, inside the field, is an open fronted stone barn (Fig.12) with an enclosed walled yard. This is a valuable reminder of the former agricultural nature of the village.
Fig.12 Field barn – important unlisted building (Zone 1)
The remaining buildings in Zone 1 include the Village Hall and the two modern bungalows that appear to be built on part of The Old Manor House garden. These pay no regard to the local vernacular buildings and are not of architectural interest.
Zone 2 This Zone contains the most architecturally and historically important buildings in Combe Florey. Chief amongst these is early-16th-century Gatehouse (Fig.13). This is likely to be the remnant of a much larger courtyard manor house complex that
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stretched out to the rear. The Gatehouse was itself reduced by two storeys in 1840 but still represents an imposing entrance to the present Combe Florey House.
Fig.13 The Gatehouse (Zone 2)
Combe Florey House (Fig.14) is the principal house in the village and was the home, from 1956-1966, of the novelist Evelyn Waugh. Despite occupying a lofty site overlooking the church, the house is surrounded by mature trees and largely hidden from public view. The building is believed to originate in the 16th-century but externally it is of the early-18th-century, with red and yellow sandstone walls arranged in a Classical style, two storeys high and five windows wide with a central entrance. The slate roof is shallow and hipped. A double flight of stone steps with stone balusters leads to the principal entrance door, with a pedimented doorcase and stone surround detailed in the Gibbs manner.
Fig.14 Combe Florey House - obscured from public view
The Church of St Peter and St Paul (Fig.15) is located to the north-west of The Gatehouse, on an elevated bank above the main road through the village. Built from local red sandstone rubble, it incorporates some 13th-century fabric but mainly dates to the 15th-century with a chancel rebuilt in the 19th-century. The square,
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three-stage tower, forms an important focal point for this part of the village, but is not visible from further afield.
Fig.15 Church of St Peter and St Paul
The last of the higher status buildings, The Old Rectory, is some way from the church at the south end of the village. The tall red sandstone listed boundary wall, and the mature trees in the gardens behind, are a notable presence here and almost totally obscure the house from public view. The house has a datestone of 1742, although this possibly represents the date of the rebuilding of an earlier dwelling. The elevations are rendered, with a slate roof and three gabled dormers. The house was occupied by the noted Reverend Sidney Smith, vicar at Combe Florey between 1829 and 1845.
Fig.16 Inmans (Zone 2)
Of the other buildings in Zone 2, Inmans (Fig.16) and Combe Down House are both long, low, pink coloured rendered houses, located behind low stone walls. Inmans dates from the late-18th-century, with contemporary double-hung timber sashes and hipped slate roof. Combe Down House was formerly a farmhouse and the associated sandstone agricultural buildings to the west have now been converted to dwellings (Fig.17).
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Fig.17 The Loft – converted farm building (Zone 2)
On the opposite side of the road, North View (Fig.18) is a pair of semi-detached workers’ cottages with carved date stone depicting what appears to be a phoenix with the letters ‘W.P.C.L 1907’ below. These two-storey buildings are constructed, in the local vernacular style, from random rubble sandstone, with ashlar surrounds to the timber casement windows.
Fig.18 North View – early 20th-century workers’ housing (Zone 2)
Orchard Cottage and Gwynne Cottage (Fig.19) are both rendered cob buildings, with Roman tiled roofs, and directly front the road. Orchard Cottage possibly dates from the early 16th-century, while Gwynne Cottage is probably 100 years later and is notable for its large external front chimney stack – a feature more common in Devon.
On a raised bank at the fork in the road, the former schoolhouse, now known as Honiball, is a small single-storey red sandstone building dating to the 19th-century (Fig.20). Like many buildings of this type, it has a projecting gabled schoolroom with Gothic mullioned windows. Despite being converted to a dwelling in 1961 it retains much of its character.
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Above the former school, to the east, is Glebe Cottage, which appears to have originated as two 19th-century red sandstone cottages.
Fig.19 Gwynne Cottage (Zone 2)
Fig.20 Former school – in residential use since the 1960s (Zone 2)
The southern boundary of the Conservation Area is marked by Shutterne House and Shutterne Cottage (Fig.21). Shutterne House is an attractive late-19th-century painted stone house with simple casement windows and a pantiled roof. Shutterne Cottage may have late-Medieval origins and has rendered cob elevations and a thatched roof.
The late-20th-century dwellings within Zone 2 are set back from the road. Their style and the materials used in their construction pays no heed to the vernacular buildings in the village. They have no architectural interest and at best make a neutral contribution to the Conservation Area.
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Fig.21 Shutterne Cottage with Shutterne House (background) (Zone 2)
Zone 3 This group of buildings forms what is in effect a separate hamlet, centred on the village public house, the Farmers Arms. This is the most interesting surviving building of the group (Fig.22) and was built as a house in the 15th-century and later enlarged. It is rendered over a core of cob and sandstone rubble, with a thatched roof. One-and-a-half storeys high, it has been somewhat altered by the insertion of modern dormer windows, but inside the open hall has been reinstated and it retains the remains of a timber cruck frame.
Fig.22 Farmers Arms with Sunnyside Cottages (right) (Zone 3)
To the south, Brookside is located at the point where the lane leading to this northern section forks, with the western arm heading to Meadow Wood and the limekiln on the opposite side of the brook. Brookside (Fig.23) dates from the 18th- century and is a two storey pink colourwashed cottage, with timber casement windows and Roman tile roof. Due to its prominent position, it makes an important focal point for the views along the valley from Zone 1.
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The bulk of the remaining buildings is made up of mid-20th-century housing, although Yardwood Cottage is earlier. The ex-local authority housing is clustered close to the railway and A358. While not of vernacular materials, this housing is of a design and scale in-keeping with earlier cottages and does not detract from the Conservation Area.
Fig.23 Brookside – a prominent building viewed from Zone 1 (Zone 3)
6.2 Listed Buildings and Important Unlisted Buildings Schedules of listed buildings and important unlisted buildings are set out in Appendices C and D and identified on Map 3 (Appendix E).
6.3 Facades Buildings of red sandstone random rubble laid in courses, with dressed stone for the quoins, window and door surrounds are found throughout the village. The stone was sourced from the old quarries shown on the 1889 Ordnance Survey map in woodlands to the north and south of Combe Florey House. Stone extracted here, and probably at other locations in the environs, was used for houses of all periods up until the 20th-century. Imported stones do occur occasionally, as at Combe Florey House where yellow sandstone has been used for the dressings.
Fig.24 Random red sandstone rubble, typical wall construction
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In many cases, the sandstone is left exposed but several stone buildings are rendered. These are usually coloured white although there is a tendency for some to be painted pale pink.
Other rendered buildings conceal cob rather than stone walls and among these number some of the earlier buildings in the village. Cob was undoubtedly cheaper and more readily available, but less durable, than stone. The surviving cob houses are of a middling status, and it is interesting that for some reason sandstone was either not readily obtainable or deliberately not used in the late-Medieval/early- Modern period.
Fig.25 Rendered cob with thatched roof – Farmers Arms (Zone 3)
Brick appears not to have been utilised as a mass walling material for the historic buildings within the Conservation Area. Although the railway runs close to Combe Florey, the village lacked a station and this may account for the comparative rarity of brick even when it was being produced on an industrial scale fairly close-by in the 19th-century.
6.4 Roofs Up until the 19th-century, for all but the highest status buildings, thatch would have been the primary roofing material. Several thatched buildings remain and the steeply pitched roofs on other historic buildings betray its former presence. Clay double Roman tiles would appear to have replaced thatch in some cases, as well as being used on new build.
Slate, which would have appeared mainly from the late-18th/early19th-century onwards, is also a commonly found roofing material. Other replacement materials, such as concrete tiles, are less welcome.
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Fig.26 Mixture of roofing materials in Zone 1
6.5 Windows Combe Florey retains a good number of traditional timber windows, which are mainly casement design, although sash windows are also present, usually on the higher status houses. Although there is no universal style of window used throughout the village, there are examples of an attractive early-19th-century window design on two different cottages (Fig.27)
Fig.27 Windows at The Old Smithy (Zone 1) (left), and Shutterne Cottage (Zone 2) (right)
PVCu replacement windows have thankfully had a relatively limited impact, although they are certainly present and detract from a number of unlisted historic buildings.
6.6 Other Features of Interest The churchyard contains a restored red sandstone cross dating to the 15th-century and an 18th-century chest tomb; both of which are listed buildings (Appendix C).
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Fig.28 Well-head (Zone 2)
Opposite the church is a well-head (Fig.28). This was probably a public water supply for the village before the provision of mains water. The structure is set into the wall and has a Tudor-style arch but is most likely of late-18th-century date.
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7. Street Scene
7.1 Walls, Railings and Gates Exposed red sandstone rubble walls are an important feature of Combe Florey and provide boundaries throughout the Conservation Area. Notable stretches form the roadside boundaries of Combe Florey House and The Old Rectory. Iron gates and railings are not common in the Conservation Area. There are 20th-century iron gates to the cemetery, which is enclosed by railings. The iron gates, along with the boundary wall, to The Old Rectory are listed.
7.2 Trees, Hedges and Green Space Mature trees and other planting play an important part in the village and its setting, with sizable woods and tree groups situated within the Conservation Area boundary. These contribute positively to the rural character of the village.
Zone 1 This is more open in character than Zones 2 and 3, due to the large meadow to the north, which is an important green space. There is also open level ground to the south-east towards The Old Mill. Private gardens here are small, with the former space north-east of The Old Manor House, now occupied by two dwellings.
Zone 2 This Zone has the feeling of being enclosed by trees. Opposite The Gatehouse is a large mound known as ‘The Mount’ or ‘Monks’ Garden’, which is accessed through a small iron gate and a steep set of stone steps. The steps were completely overgrown and inaccessible at the date of inspection. When visited for the 2001 appraisal, the mound was described as ‘having the character of a secret garden, being enclosed by a stone retaining wall with the stream forming its northern boundary and retaining a sense of artifice with tulip, acacia and laurels covering the area below the canopy of mature native trees’.
Just east of ‘The Mount’, and enclosed by woodland, there is a small cemetery dating to the 20th-century, presumably as an overflow to the churchyard. While on the opposite side of the road are the large gardens to Combe Florey House. The private grounds to The Old Rectory are also extensive and contain a number of specimen trees. Just outside of these grounds, the lane leading south out of the Conservation Area is bounded on the west side by a line of superb oak trees.
Zone 3 This Zone has a watery character. From the south, the large open meadow parallel to the A358 encompassing the stream and bounded by woods to the west, gives way to the enclosed wooded area where further streams join from the east and the west. The path here forms a short but attractive waterside walk before emerging south of the Farmers Arms.
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7.3 Public Realm
Groundscape Combe Florey is notable for its cobbled paths running along the sides of the road leading through the main part of the village (Zone 2), with a particularly fine long stretch leading west of the church (Fig.29). In the private realm, but visible from the public highway, there is a good cobbled surface surviving to the service building yard to The Old Rectory and a brick paved area to the entrance of The Gatehouse.
Fig.29 Cobbled path leading from church (Zone 2)
Lighting There is no public street lighting present in the village. There is, however, an elegant wrought iron lantern to the church gate, which appears to date to the late- 18th/early-19th-century (Fig.30). Further lighting in the village is provided by the more prosaic ‘bollard’ lights which illuminate the zigzag path to the village hall.
Fig.30 Wrought iron lantern at church gate (Zone 2)
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Street Furniture There is a listed K6 telephone kiosk and a post box opposite the Old Smithy (Zone 1), both of which make a positive contribution to the street scene (Fig.11). The guidepost which was opposite the Old Forge has recently been repainted but the milestone further north on the Combe Florey side of the A358 appears to be no longer present.
Bridges Water courses are a particular feature of the Conservation Area but as these are narrow and easily crossed, the bridges are mostly relatively recent responses to modern traffic demands. The principal bridge is a simple 20th-century steel beam construction where the main street enters the village from the A358. This replaced a former ford and footbridge. Further west opposite The Old Smithy, a slight rise in the road and a stone parapet indicates the position of the low bridge over the old mill stream that formerly served The Old Mill, which lies to the south-east (outside the Conservation Area). The stone bridges in Zone 3, are an attractive feature that contributes greatly to the character of this part of the Conservation Area (Fig.31).
Fig.31 Stone bridge opposite Sunnyside Cottages (Zone 3)
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8. Damage & Deterioration
8.1 Principal Negative Features There has been relatively little modern development within the Conservation Area, and while the recent buildings have not added to its character, their cumulative effect has, overall, not been too damaging. One exception is the sewage treatment plant (Zone 1), which despite being carefully landscaped and planted to be unobtrusive, incorporates a large expanse of tarmac that is an unwelcome recent addition to the Conservation Area.
Aside from development, it is the alteration and poorly executed repair to historic buildings that have had the main negative impact. The principal negative features within the Conservation Area which detract from its character and appearance include:
sewerage treatment works (Zone 1); large tarmac driveways in front of modern dwellings (Zone 2); poor detailing of residential conversions of former farm buildings (Zone 2). poor quality repointing of stone work (Fig.32); PVCu replacement windows in traditional buildings; prominently sited television satellite dishes; transmission poles and overhead wires.
Fig.32 Poor repointing of sandstone wall – where cement render is used long term damage to the stone can occur.
8.2 General Condition Buildings and boundary walls within the Conservation Area are generally well maintained and in a good state of repair.
8.3 Heritage at Risk None of the buildings within the Conservation Area were identified as being ‘at risk’. The overgrown state of the ‘Monks Garden’, which was not accessed, is of
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some concern however. The disused limekiln (Fig.3) is a semi-ruin but appears stable and is protected by the corrugated iron sheet which forms an improvised tractor shed.
8.4 Threats and Pressures Combe Florey is a small, intimate village, especially sensitive to additional development where even well designed and sensitively sited single dwellings are likely to erode the rural character of the Conservation Area.
The greatest immediate threat however, is the incremental erosion of the character of the Conservation Area by relatively minor alterations and poorly executed repairs on unlisted buildings, which do not require planning permission. These include: over-restoration; large extensions to cottages; bad detailing such as poor repointing of walls (Fig.32), often using damaging cement mortar; and the replacement of historic windows with inappropriate double glazed PVCu units.
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9. Recommendations
9.1 Boundary Changes The opportunity has been taken to make a number of minor amendments to the Conservation Area boundary. These are mainly as a result of redrawing the boundary to better match current property boundaries.
Consideration was given to omitting The Old Forge and associated buildings east of the A358, which are squeezed between the railway and the busy road. On balance, it is considered that these buildings would have historically been part of Combe Florey and continue to make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area. The garden area to the north is removed.
Amendments to the boundary are depicted on Map 1 (Appendix E). The principal changes are:
Inclusion Part of garden rear of The Old Manor House (Zone 1) Communal gardens to the south of the former school (Zone 2) Historic lime kiln north-west of Meadow Wood (Zone 3)
Exclusion Garden area north of the The Old Forge (Zone 1) Certain areas on the periphery of the boundary (see Map 1)
9.2 Management & Enhancement Through positive proactive management and focused and appropriate enhancement works, the character and appearance of the Conservation Area may be both preserved and enhanced for the future. Analysis contained within this Appraisal should assist in both the formulation and evaluation of development proposals thus helping to ensure that objectives are partially achieved through everyday planning.
More broadly the following potentials may be identified and suggestions made. Implementation will depend entirely upon opportunity, priorities, funding and local support, and may involve or be achieved by either the public or private sectors.
The ‘undergrounding’ of overhead wires Encouragement of good practice for repointing stone walls. Guidance is available from the Local Authority. Article 4 Direction (see Appendix B) to prevent the introduction of further PVCu windows.
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Appendix A – Further Information and Advice
Sources Consulted Collinson, J. 1791: History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset , 3 vols. Department of the Environment (1984): List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (36th list). The Quantocks Online. Pevsner, N. 1958: The Buildings of England: South and West Somerset. Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset Vernacular Architecture Group (unpublished reports for: The Old Forge; Farmer’s Arms; The Old Smithy; The Old Manor House, The Manor Gatehouse; Shutterns and Orchard Cottage).
Legislation, Guidance and Policy The Town and Country Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act (1990). The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order (2008). Taunton Deane Borough Council Local Plan (2004). DETR Circular 01/2001. (2001). Guidance on the Management of Conservation Areas. English Heritage (2005). Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals. English Heritage (2005). Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development. ODPM (2005) Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing. DCLG (2006). Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment. DCLG (2010). Design and Access Statements: How to write, read and use them. CABE (2006). By Design. Urban Design in the Planning System. Towards Better Practice. CABE/DETR (2000).
Further Enquires Enquiries regarding this Appraisal and for advice should be addressed to: Nigel Pratt Planning Officer (Conservation) Taunton Deane Borough Council The Deane House Belvedere Road Taunton Tel: 01823 356354
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Appendix B – Conservation Areas: General Guidance
What is a Conservation Area? A Conservation Area is defined by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as: 'an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance'. Taunton Deane has 41 Conservation Areas designated to cover the most historically and architecturally important and interesting parts of the Borough's towns and villages.
Various factors contribute to the special character of a Conservation Area. These include: the quality of buildings, the historic layout of roads, paths and boundaries, boundary treatments and patterns of enclosure, characteristic building and paving materials, uses and associations, the quality of the public realm and contribution made by trees and green spaces. A strong 'sense of place' is often associated with Conservation Areas. It is the function of Conservation Area Appraisals to assess and evaluate 'character' as a means of assisting the planning process.
Owning and Developing Land and Property within a Conservation Area In order to assist in the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas various additional planning controls exist within them.
The substantial demolition of unlisted buildings and structures requires Conservation Area Consent. Proposals will not normally be looked upon favourably where affected buildings or structures are deemed to make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the area. An approved scheme for redevelopment will normally be required before consent to demolish will be granted. Exceptions to the rule include:
Small buildings of less than 115 cubic metres. Walls, fences and railings less than one metre high abutting to highway (including footpaths and bridleways) or less than two metres elsewhere. Agricultural and forestry buildings erected since 1914. Certain buildings used for industry.
Where demolition is being considered early consultation with local Planning and Conservation Officers should be sought. It is a criminal offence to carry out unauthorised works.
Within a Conservation Area permitted development rights are subject to some restriction. Planning Permission will be required for:
Insertion of a dormer window or other alteration to the roof. A satellite dish or antennae in certain positions. Application of stone, artificial stone, plastic or timber cladding. The installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe, on certain elevations. Certain development on land between a wall forming a side elevation of the
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dwellinghouse and the boundary of its curtilage. Rear extensions of more than one storey and side extensions.
Further restrictions may be applied by the Local Authority or Secretary of State through use of ‘Article 4’ designations where a good case can be made (e.g. covering aspects such as change of windows).
High standards of design are expected for new development within Conservation Areas. Sensitive proposals which pay special regard to prevailing patterns of height, massing, articulation, use of materials and enclosure will be encouraged and have been given renewed emphasis in new statutory guidance notes PPS1 and PPS3. Early consultation with local Development Control and Conservation Officers is recommended.
Various types of advertisement, including those illuminated, will require Advertisement Consent. Advertisements must be sympathetic to the character and appearance of the area.
All trees and shrubs with trunks 75mm or more in diameter at 1.2 metres above ground level are protected from felling, lopping and pruning. Six weeks' written notice must be provided to the Borough Council's Tree Officer in each instance during which time a Tree Preservation Order may be served.
Implications for the Local Authority The 1990 Act makes it a duty for Local Authorities to:
In exercising their planning powers, pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area. Formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of the Conservation Area. Review designations from time to time.
The Government’s Best Value initiative (Indicators BV219b) also requires the production of Appraisals and Management Strategies, and places an onus upon Local Authorities to consult the public during their production.
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Appendix C – Listed Buildings
Below is a table of the Listed Buildings within the Conservation Area. For further information on these buildings see the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, the TDBC website, or Somerset Historic Environment Record.
Please note: The table does not include ancillary structures or those within the curtilage of named buildings. These are also covered by the listing. Names of properties given below are those recorded at the time of listing under which they are officially listed. It is possible that some names may have changed. This does not affect the listing itself.
Somerset HER Address Grade Date listed Reference No. Boundary Wall and Gates South East II 04/05/84 40345 of the Old Rectory Brookside II 04/05/84 40346 Chest Tomb 2m SE of Porch, Church II 04/05/84 40184 of St Peter & St Paul Church of St Peter And St Paul I 25/02/55 40342 Combe Florey House, Flanking Steps II* 25/02/55 40190 & Balustrade Cross 3m Se of Porch, Church of St II* 04/05/84 40343 Peter & St Paul Gatehouse At Combe Florey House II* 25/02/55 40341 Gweynne Cottage II 04/05/84 40188 Inmans II 25/02/55 40186 K6 Telephone Kiosk, NW of The Old II 30/10/89 17464 Manor House Orchard Cottage II 04/05/84 40185 Shutterne Cottage II 04/05/84 40191 The Farmers Arms II 04/03/83 40347 The Old Forge II 04/05/84 40187 The Old Manor House II* 25/02/55 40348 The Old Rectory, Combe Florey II 25/02/55 40189 The Old Smithy II 04/05/84 40181 Well Head, 5m S of Gatehouse, II 04/05/84 40183 Combe Florey House
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Appendix D – Important Unlisted Buildings
Below is a table of notable unlisted buildings within the Conservation Area (it does not include all those which may be considered to make a ‘positive’ contribution to character and appearance). These are buildings or structures which, whilst perhaps not of special interest in the national context, are nevertheless of local interest by nature of their date, design, materials, historical association, etc. This is not a statutory designation and confers no additional protection, but does highlight the importance of a building for general planning purposes. It is quite possible that some of these buildings may be of listable quality though they have previously been overlooked.
Address Notes Combe Down House 19th-century or earlier farmhouse Shuttern House 19th-century house Honiball Former 19th-century school occupying prominent position. North View Good pair of early-20th-century workers’ cottages Barn opposite Old Smithy 19th-century field barn.
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Appendix E – Maps
List of Maps included
Map 1 – Conservation Area Boundary Map 2 – Character Zones Map 3a – Zone 1 Character Appraisal Map 3b – Zone 2 Character Appraisal Map 3c – Zone 3 Character Appraisal
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