Autumn 2003 Newsletter

Wetherby Civic Society Autumn Newsletter October 2003

VICE-CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - James Lodge

Civic Society received a very extended to Chris and Janet and sad blow when our Chairman, Mike was an active member of their respective families. Mike Welby, was suddenly the Society’s planning sub- struck with a very severe illness, committee and ultimately its I hope many of you took which resulted in his recent Chairman. He was much advantage of the Heritage Open death. Mike had stepped in at concerned that new Days weekend in September. short notice and was good hard developments in the town should This is when many places not working chairman who we had respect the historic core and not normally open to the public can hoped would have been with us overwhelm the modest limestone be seen free. Sadly for years to come. buildings, which make up most does not possess buildings or of the town centre. churches of real interest. We In particular he fully realised had hoped to take people to see that we were part of Leeds City He was saddened to see litter the Georgian Bathhouse at and should take advantage of despoiling the town and pressed Wharfedale Lawn which is now any Leeds projects which might hard for the authorities to take leased to the Town Council. help us. He saw the advantages action in its eradication. He Unfortunately, neither the of becoming an active member was keen to make the Society bathhouse nor the grounds were of Leeds Voice - the relevant to the life of the town up to the standard we expect in organisation which co-ordinates and to seek contacts with other Wetherby. Something to look and represents the work of all organisations with similar forward to next year. kinds of voluntary community aspirations. groups. He was the Wetherby During the Open Days weekend representative and also served on Mike’s illness and death was a we repeated our guided walks its managing committee. double blow to the Society. round the town centre. The weekend is not just about Annual General Meeting Through Leeds Voice Mike th historical buildings - one of the hoped to influence the 7.30pm Monday 17 November 2003 most popular venues within Wetherby Community Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Wetherby Leeds is the preserved open Involvement Team but sadly Followed by an illustrated talk cast walking dragline! his illness prevented him Barracks and Hussars from enjoying the success A part of Wetherby History Information about all the Leeds which seemed within his By Clifford Johnson events is available at our grasp. library and the Civic Trust Shortly after our 2002 AGM, maintains a web site with details It may be that some of the ideas, Charles Martin died. Although of every venue and event which Leeds Voice supports, are Charles had retired from the throughout and Wales. not appropriate for Wetherby but Committee he was still a Next year we hope to advise you Mike had the insight to see that valuable source of advice and in good time of places open by joining and taking an active information. In his time near at hand and not just within part we could achieve things for Charles had been responsible for the Leeds City area. the benefit of Leeds and the planting and care of over 300 Wetherby. Mike supported the trees and shrubs throughout I thoroughly enjoyed our Society becoming an affiliated Wetherby. Society’s recent excursion to member of Leeds Civic Trust Broughton Hall, near Skipton. and I believe this will be of Mike and Charles are sadly This is a beautiful house which considerable benefit in the missed and the Society’s has been in the Tempest family future. sympathy and condolences are ownership for over 500 years.

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is the Dalesman publishing booked group tours only - or for The family has had to withstand company. that matter any other place the post-Reformation penal laws which may be of interest - please and death duties and inheritance Our guide was excellent- full of let us know. tax. However, the building is pride in the house and the family now on a secure financial and the survival of Roman I hope to see you at our Annual supported by the rents from the Catholic worship in this corner General Meeting. I am looking conversion of outbuildings and of . Broughton Hall forward to the topical and stable blocks to a business park - is not open to the general public interesting talk which our perhaps their best known tenant and if you know of any other member Cliff Johnson will be similar places which takes giving.

PLANNING - Elizabeth Johnson

Since our Spring Newsletter the And we have just heard that the After what seems a long wait, Society has made Leeds City decision has been there is now much building representations on three appealed to the Secretary of activity at Micklethwaite Farm. applications. State. All that remains of the old farm is the Grade 2 listed stable block One of these was the second One of the other applications which dates from the late 18 th proposal to replace Bridge was to build a detached house century. For a brief spell we House, this time with 13 flats in within the curtilage of one of the were able to see it standing alone a part three storey, part four- three houses which now make on that high bank as it did when storey apartment block. up the former Drovers’ Inn. The described in 1793. Society expressed concern about This block would dominate the the threat this posed to an Conversations with the builders river scene overlooking as it existing copse of mature beech and the would the bandstand and trees on the site. The Archaeological Service have which has application has now been highlighted the attention which Ancient Monument status. It withdrawn. is being directed to this would be in close proximity to interesting building and its the listed building which was The third application was the conversion to two three bed- once the Drovers’ Inn on Boston proposed development at Linton roomed dwellings. Road and also the listed stable Springs Hotel. If this is to go block on the Micklethwaite ahead it will inevitably lead to There have been some Farm site. an increase in traffic on a narrow modifications to the original country road which in some plans at Micklethwaite. Leeds City refused permission places is only single track. So Although we had no complaints for this application to go ahead. far we do not what is the about them, these modifications Having taken up the opportunity outcome of this application. do raise major problems when to obtain details of the reasons we study planning applications. for the refusal we were made The formal documentation of the New features are described but aware of the planning authority’s first review of the Leeds Unitary without having the original desire to take notice of the size, Development Plan has been application to hand it is design and scale of the proposed published. This more or less impossible to make comparisons development in relation to its confirms the information with the plans which were prominent position. released earlier. The Society has granted planning permission. again made representations on We very much doubt that this the plans announced for the The same points apply at the will be the end of the story since, site and also new building on the old as is so often the case nowadays, opposed most strongly the Rendezvous site near the bus the development value of sites development of edge of town station where adjustments have on which large older houses retail uses at Micklethwaite been made to the final scheme. stand is often very much greater Farm. than that of the building itself. The style here is certainly quite different from any other building in the town and it will take time life back to a lack-lustre Market purpose and compensate for the to adjust to it. If it brings some Place it may have served its 2 Autumn 2003 Newsletter loss of green space and views from and into the town.

BUILDINGS & ENVIRONMENT Derek Gulland

Although the landscaping something of an obstacle course diminishing returns must apply groundwork at Wharfedale with indiscriminate parking by when the numbers reach the Lawn has been completed we motorcars, vans and lorries levels they are at now in some of are still waiting for the opening where once there were double our town centre shopping areas. up of the bathhouse grounds to yellow lines. the public. The Society Something quite new to understands that much of the However, there has been one announce in one of our delay is due to outstanding consequential benefit of the Newsletters is the that in the repairs to one of the site’s bridge work. The mini- short list for this year’s People’s boundary walls. Once this is roundabout at Bridgefoot is to Award for excellence in completed then we hope that the become permanent although this architecture sponsored by Leeds Town Council will proceed as will mean some alterations to City Council and the Leeds quickly as possible to adding footways and road signage in the Society of Architects are three this site to Wetherby’s public area. Maybe not directly buildings in our area. attractions. following on, motor vehicle access to the east, north and Two are in Wetherby- one is the Still no news of the promised south of the Town Hall on building on the Rendezvous traffic plan for Wetherby even Thursday Market days will be Café site referred to above and though the repair work on the prohibited. the other is an extension to a first bypass bridge has been house in Westgate best seen completed and the temporary Litter in the town centre remains from the Ings. The third traffic diversions and restrictions a perennial problem. Perhaps candidate is the new chapel at have been long removed. Was it’s time again for another push Martin House in . I the only one who thought to try and reduce this. And is traffic congestion in the town there anything we can do to The results will be announced increased markedly after their reduce the plethora of A- boards some time after December 1 st . removal? Certainly bicycling which are now cluttering up our on North Street became pavements? Surely the law of

TREES Peter Maun

Summer is a time about thinking Of course the Society will not be We shall be continuing our for the future and the Society is able to fund such a development current planting programme on pleased to report that we have on its own. It is our intention to the riverbank at the Ings this reached agreement with launch an appeal for funds from winter. With Janet Martin’s Wetherby Town Council that a businesses, other organisations agreement one of the trees lime tree avenue may be created and individuals. planted will be dedicated by the following the line of the footpath Society to the memory of which crosses Millennium Field. Planting a tree is such a Charles Martin who was such an worthwhile activity that we inspiring convenor of our tree The footpath provides a useful expect that many people in the working party in the Society’s link between the Spofforth Hill town will want to contribute early days. area and the Barleyfields area. particularly if they wish to Our preliminary investigations commemorate an individual Unfortunately the dry summer suggest that such an avenue person or an event. has taken its toll on a couple of would cost in the region of recent plantings on the Ings. £7,000. We hope to have more details These will be replaced during and information at the AGM on the coming planting season. November 17 th .

EVENTS - Derek Gulland

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Once again our March lecture supper of Yorkshire fish and beautiful furniture and proved a successful start to our chips. household goods in Leeds City’s annual programme of events. late nineteenth and early A more unusual venue was the twentieth century collections. A packed and expectant room June visit to the Herriot Museum was treated to a witty but at the in Thirsk. Those of us who are We also learned something same time thoughtful talk by Sir old enough will recall with about the history of the family Thomas Ingliby on the joys and pleasure the TV series based on who once owned the property woes of running a stately family James Herriot’s books. and their generosity in gifting it home in the early 21 st century. However, to see something at and much of its furniture to the first hand of the conditions City. With the lighter summer under which vets worked in the evenings a guided tour of recent past was an education in James Lodge has described his Minster attracted a good turn out itself. great pleasure in visiting of members many of whom Broughton Hall which rounded repaired to the York branch of July found us at Lotherton Hall off our summer programme in the for a late where we enjoyed some of the September.

Patron: Canon W W Powell Corporate member: Collingham Catering Sales

WETHERBY CIVIC SOCIETY Registered Charity Number: 1039127 A Member of the Civic Trust

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