Lydeard St Lawrence

Conservation Area Appraisal Document

Adopted Document August 2010

Contents

List of Figures...... 3

1. Introduction ...... 4 1.1 Background ...... 4 1.2 Planning Policy Framework ...... 4 1.3 Development within a Conservation Area...... 4 1.4 Preparation and Survey Limitations ...... 4 1.5 Community Involvement ...... 4

2. Summary of Special Interest ...... 6 2.1 Special Historic Interest ...... 6 2.2 Special Architectural Interest ...... 6

3. Site and Situation ...... 7 3.1 Location and Setting ...... 7 3.2 Economic and Social Profile ...... 7

4. Historic Morphology and Archaeology...... 8 4.1 Historic Morphology ...... 8 4.2 Archaeology...... 9

5. Spatial Analysis and Built Form...... 10 5.1 Urban Structure ...... 10 5.2 Open Space...... 10 5.3 Views ...... 11 5.4 Plan-Form, Height and Massing ...... 12 5.5 Building Density...... 12 5.6 Edges and Enclosure...... 12

6. Architecture ...... 13 6.1 Architectural Style...... 13 6.2 Listed Buildings and Important Unlisted Buildings ...... 16 6.3 Facades...... 16 6.4 Roofs ...... 17 6.5 Windows ...... 18 6.6 Other Features of Interest...... 19

7. Street Scene ...... 20 7.1 Walls, Railings and Gates...... 20 7.2 Trees, Hedges and Green Space ...... 21 7.3 Public Realm...... 21

8. Damage & Deterioration...... 23 8.1 Principal Negative Features...... 23 8.2 General Condition...... 23 8.3 Heritage at Risk ...... 23

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8.4 Threats and Pressures ...... 23

9. Recommendations ...... 25 9.1 Boundary Changes ...... 25 9.2 Management & Enhancement ...... 25

Appendices Appendix A – Bibliography,Further Information and Advice...... 26 Appendix B – Conservation Areas: General Guidance...... 27 Appendix C – Listed Buildings ...... 29 Appendix D – Important Unlisted Buildings...... 29 Appendix E - Maps...... 30

List of Figures

Fig.1: Village Hall – valuable village amenity. Fig.2: Church of St Lawrence, from south-east. Fig.3: 14th-century cross shaft in churchyard. Fig.4: Cottages separated by a path to the back plot. Fig.5: Pond, south of Knights Farm. Fig.6: View south from Knights Farm. Fig.7: Reeds Court Farmhouse. Fig.8: Middle Thatch. Fig.9: Village school. Fig.10: Outbuildings at Redland Cottage. Fig.11: Chapel Cottage, former non-conformist chapel – now much altered. Fig.12: Farm buildings still in agricultural use at Knights Farm. Fig.13: Victoria Terrace, various treatments of facades. Fig.14: Paynes Farm. Fig.15: A varied roofscape, looking north from Court Farm. Fig.16: Barn south of Reeds Court. Fig.17: Forge House owes much of its character to its traditional windows. Fig.18: Two 17th-century chest tombs, with 19th-century Hancock tomb (background). Fig.19: Boundary wall to St Bees. Fig.20: Memorial iron gate from the early 1970s. Fig.21: Evergreen oak at Manor House. Fig.22: Early-20th-century AA road sign. Fig.23: The Causeway along Victoria Terrace. Fig.24: Entrance to village hall. Fig.25: Poor repointing work with cement render that has led to stone damage.

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1. Introduction

1.1 Background was designated a Conservation Area by Taunton Deane Borough Council in 1993. 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. This document represents the first full Appraisal of the Conservation Area.

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 This Conservation Area Appraisal was researched and written during November 2009, and revised following consultation in March 2010.

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

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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, which was made available on the Lydeard St Lawrence and Tolland Parish website. 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 17 March 2010 and following this some minor amendments made to the Appraisal document. The Appraisal was adopted by Taunton Deane Borough Council on 26 August 2010.

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2. Summary of Special Interest

2.1 Special Historic Interest Lydeard St Lawrence is a long established settlement, mentioned in the Domesday Book, and of significant historic interest. Its linear form probably dates from the Medieval period but little is recorded about its early history and development. Ostensibly it appears, like many other villages, to have quietly served its locality without ever being the centre of prominent events or gaining notoriety. It was, however, a central place, at least for the neighbouring hamlets that make up the parish and had an annual fair. The parish church, is not associated with any one great house or powerful family, but is of a size and quality that suggests a thriving and relatively prosperous community. It is very likely that future research will unlock more of the potential archaeological and historic interest of the village.

2.2 Special Architectural Interest The village owes its special architectural interest to the total collection of its historic buildings, rather than the quality of one or two exceptional examples. The listed buildings tend to be the larger farms, at least three of which, Paynes Farm, Reeds Court, and Middle Thatch, along with the former rectory now known as St Bees, can lay claim to Medieval origins. These are spaced throughout the Conservation Area. The remaining historic building stock includes 17th and 18th-century housing of middling status, good examples of 19th-century rural workers’ housing, as well as farm buildings retaining their original use. Many of these buildings appear to have undergone significant alterations over the years, some of which has eroded their character. Despite often inappropriate alterations and ‘improvements’, as a group it remains essentially intact and retains much architectural interest.

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3. Site and Situation

3.1 Location and Setting Lydeard St Lawrence is located on the eastern edge of the Brendon Hills, 14km north-west of Taunton and 8km north-east of . The parish encompasses a number of discrete hamlets comprising farms and cottages. The Conservation Area is centred on the main village, situated in a shallow valley to the north of the Church of St Lawrence.

From the high point of the Church, at 120m above sea level, the road runs north downhill to a small stream that flows east-west and is piped under the road. The central part of the village is sited on this gently rising ground just north of the stream. From this point the road rises again to the western spur road to the hamlet of Weststowe, before dropping slightly to Forge House then climbing again past Reed Court and Knights Farm. The historic village is sited on both sides of this north-south road, with small fields and garden enclosures to the rear of the dwellings and more open rolling countryside beyond.

3.2 Economic and Social Profile The economy of the village would, until comparatively recently, have been based on agriculture. Farming continues in the village but it importance has declined greatly since the early-20th-century. With this have disappeared the shops and rural trades which would have operated out of the cottages. The Post Office and shop was the most recent casualty, but the School survives, the Parish Church is still a place of worship, and the Village Hall (Fig.1) provides a venue for administrative and social functions. The village, however, now looks to settlements further afield for other amenities and employment and according to the Lydeard St Lawrence and Tolland Parish Plan (2005) it is necessary to make nearly all journeys are made by car.

Fig.1: Village Hall – a valuable village amenity.

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4. Historic Morphology and Archaeology

4.1 Historic Morphology

Medieval Development The derivation of the placename Lydeard St Lawrence is not entirely clear. The second element refers to the dedication of the church but the name Lydeard, first recorded as Lidegeard in 854, may come from the Celtic lẹd meaning grey and garth meaning ridge. An alternative is a conflation of a Saxon personal name Lyd and ard meaning homestead or dwelling. The settlement was certainly in existence by the time of Domesday, when it formed part of the manor of Taunton, belonging to the Bishop of Winchester. By the early-12th-century, Lydeard St Lawrence was in the possession of Taunton Priory. In the 15th-century, the manor was held by Fraunces family of and post-reformation it was owned by Edward Seymour, the Duke of . It would appear that the holders of the manor never resided here, so it is possible that there was not a manor house in the village, although it has been suggested that the house now known as St Bees, which was once the Rectory, was of manorial status.

Fig.2: Church of St Lawrence, from south-east.

The earliest extant building is the church (Fig.2), which dates to the mid-14th- century, but its dedication to St Lawrence - often indicative of an early foundation - and the earlier history of the parish suggests there may have been a Saxon church here. Four dwellings, Paynes Farm Cottages, formerly one house, and Reed’s Court, Middle Thatch and St Bees can lay claim to Medieval origins. The layout of the Medieval settlement is likely to have been dictated by the topography and in all probability the current linear shape, on both sides of a shallow valley, was established by the end of the period. There is some evidence in the field boundaries to the east of the road, between Court Farm and the Manor House, of regular rectangular fields, which might be remnants of a Medieval open strip field system.

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Post Medieval Development The Post-Medieval settlement pattern conforms to this linear template, but appears substantially unplanned and formed from discrete farmhouses and farmworkers’ cottages, seemingly randomly spaced on both sides of the road. Collinson (1791) records eight farms and 12 cottages ‘about the church’. The spaces between these dwellings were largely filled-in by the 19th-century, when the settlement pattern and density of housing was substantially the same as today.

20th/21st-Century Development The village saw very little new development in the early part of the 20th-century. Later larger scale development took place outside of the Conservation Area, to the south east along Nethercott Lane, and west along Weststowe Hill. Within the Conservation Area, late 20th-century development has tended towards single, detached, dwellings set back slightly from the road between existing dwellings. This ‘infill process’ has been augmented by a limited number of former agricultural buildings, shops and the Congregational Chapel undergoing a change of use, giving a more domestic character to the village than before.

4.2 Archaeology There are no archaeological finds or sites recorded within the Conservation Area, although the southern end is designated as an Area of High Archaeological Potential (AHAP). This represents the most likely location to recover evidence for the earlier phases of the village. The churchyard contains the remains of an octagonal cross shaft which is likely to date to the 14th-century (Fig.3).

Fig.3: 14th-century cross shaft in churchyard.

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5. Spatial Analysis and Built Form

5.1 Urban Structure The urban structure of the settlement has largely respected its historic form in being sited on both sides of the north-south road. At Glebe Cottage a further road heads east towards Weststowe, one of the neighbouring historic hamlets. This road is bounded on the north side by local authority dwellings and is outside of the Conservation Area.

Fig.4: Cottages, east side of road set gable end-on, separated by a path to the back plot.

Dwellings along the main north-south road typically occur within single-depth plots either fronting the road, or in many cases, set gable-end on, south facing and fronting paths and tracks which appear long established and lead from the main road to the fields beyond (Fig.4). The practice of building dwellings behind those fronting the road appears contrary to the historic settlement pattern on the eastern side of the road.

5.2 Open Space There is no public amenity space within the Conservation Area and much of the open space is provided by private gardens. Important spaces include:

• the large open area north of Pond House to the west side of the road, part of the garden of Allens. • land between Victoria Terrace and Springfield, was formerly occupied by a terrace of cottages set gable-end on to the road in the manner of Allensmore to the south and is now fronted by an unattractive post and rail fence. • Field west of Green Garden Barn. • pond south of Knight’s Farm (Fig.5).

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Fig.5: Pond, south of Knights Farm.

A further open space is the car park to the village hall, which appears to have originally been a yard.

5.3 Views Although set within attractive countryside, the topography means that long views are quite limited, although glimpses of the Quantock Hills can be seen to the north and east. There are principally two key views within the public realm: south towards the church tower from areas north of the stream; and north and south of the group of farm buildings each side of the road at Reeds Court and Knights Farm (Front cover & Fig.6). This latter view is particularly important in defining the rural character of the Conservation Area and the winding lane and juxtaposition of historic farm buildings represents an attractive sight when leaving or entering the village at this point. Key viewpoints are depicted on Map 2 (Appendix E).

Fig.6: View south from Knights Farm.

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5.4 Plan-Form, Height and Massing Within the Conservation Area there are no standardised plan-forms and the houses have tended to be built to differing designs and over many periods. There are a high proportion of small two-storey two-bay terraced cottages. Some cottages, such as at Paynes Farm, have been subdivided from single dwellings, or, such as at Lilacs, have been amalgamated to form one larger dwelling. Most of these cottages have had later additions, in some cases obscuring their original plan-form. Higher up the social scale, the historic farmhouses are larger, 3-bays or more, and detached but retain similar proportions. Recent development has tended towards large individual single detached houses and bungalows.

5.5 Building Density The village is quite densely settled, with historic dwellings clustered in pockets with small spaces in between, giving the impression of unbroken settlement. There is a noticeable concentration of cottages around Victoria Terrace and former Post Office on both sides of the road – and this can be regarded as the centre of the village. To the south, dwellings are more concentrated to the east of the road. Those sharing the west side with the church, are widely spaced and, with the exception of St Bees, modern. The modern dwellings throughout the village tend to stand within their own plots, which are larger than their historic forerunners.

5.6 Edges and Enclosure Many of the dwellings in the Conservation Area front the north-south road. The lower status houses tend to be built on east-west alignments and set gable end-on and right up to the roadside. The higher status farms and the Rectory (St Bees) are front-on and set back slightly, usually behind stone walls backed by planting and separated from the road by narrow grass verges, although Knights Farm and Reeds Court are two exceptions. There is one short section of raised pavement, known as ‘The Causeway’, from Victoria Crescent to Weststowe Hill (Fig.23).

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6. Architecture

6.1 Architectural Style The traditional buildings of Lydeard St Lawrence are of simple vernacular design devoid of architectural pretension. The dates of the buildings range from the 16th- to the 19th-century and their sizes and status varies from small cottages to large farmhouses. Externally they all use the same palate of vernacular materials and follow similar architectural forms, which are not immediately locally distinctive and are repeated in other villages in the surrounding area.

Fig.7: Reeds Court Farmhouse.

From an external inspection, most of the historic buildings in the village appear late-18th/early-19th-century in date. Survey work by Somerset Vernacular Architecture Group and the listing survey, has, however, demonstrated that some have much earlier origins. Paynes Farmhouse (Fig.14) is the earliest recorded, and was built c.1500 as an open hall house with a roof supported on a jointed cruck frame. Reeds Court (Fig.7) also has jointed crucks but represents the next phase of house development, being built as a full two storey house, later in the 16th- century. The former Rectory known as St Bees (Fig.19), appears externally to be late-18th/early-19th-century but may also date to this period and its exceptional length suggests it was of high status.

Slightly lower down the social scale is Middle Thatch (Fig.8), which also has significant later alterations, and is typical of houses occupied by yeoman farmers around this time. Also of middling status, Forge House (Fig.17) represents a transitional house form, with the late-16th/early-17th-century three-bay cross passage plan adapted in the mid-17th-century to a more contemporary style with the former hall/cross passage divided to form an inner room and entrance lobby. Woodford, which is now a terrace of three cottages, set gable end-on to the road, also originated as a single house in the 17th-century,

Court Farm dates to the late-18th/early-19th century and does not appear to have had an historic precursor. Externally, Knights Farm looks broadly contemporary

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and is dated 1836. It occupies a prominent and key position in the Conservation Area and for this reason, as well as the excellent collection of stone farm buildings set below the farmhouse, it is included within the revised Conservation Area.

Fig.8: Middle Thatch.

The remaining traditional buildings are predominantly 19th-century cottages and while none is architecturally distinguished, they all make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area. The only building professing an architectural ‘style’, is the Village School, dating to the mid/late-19th-century gothic revival (Fig.9). It is a good example of its type but there have been a number of later alterations and additions and it is not a Listed Building. The historic core of the School, to the north, within the Conservation Area is included in the Conservation Area.

Fig.9: Village school.

The Church, opposite the School, is also in gothic style but separated in time by at least 500 years (Fig.2). The building was the subject of a Victorian restoration but this had a relatively light touch and externally the Church retains much of its Medieval appearance. The Church, listed at Grade I, is of exceptional importance both architecturally and as a landmark building.

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Nearly all the historic buildings were, or are, connected in some way with farming and many retain their associated agricultural buildings or other outbuildings. The outbuildings at Redland Cottage (Fig.10) are unusual in having their roofs reduced in height, presumably to provide light and visibility to the west front of the dwelling.

Fig.10: Outbuildings at Redland Cottage.

Despite the high number of agricultural buildings within the village, few have been converted to dwellings and this trend, which has been more pronounced in other villages in the Borough, has therefore had little effect, so far, on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

At least one non-agricultural building has been adapted for new uses. The blocked pointed-arch window at Chapel Cottage is the only visual clue as to the dwelling’s former use as a non-conformist chapel (Fig.11). Also of interest is 1 Victoria Terrace, which has what appears to be a bricked-up former shopfront.

Of the recent buildings, these are good examples of modern dwellings constructed in a rural context but none is of particular architectural interest. The scale and volume of new build means that it has had a neutral impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Fig.11: Chapel Cottage, former non-conformist chapel – now much altered.

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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 2 (Appendix E). Particularly important are the unlisted farm buildings at Knights Farm, which contribute greatly to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and form a group with the curtilage Listed farm buildings at Reeds Court opposite.

Fig.12: Farm buildings in agricultural use at Knights Farm.

6.3 Facades Lydeard St Lawrence is a village of stone. Much of the red sandstone used throughout the village must have been sourced from the, now disused, quarries to the north of the village. The stone was traditionally left exposed, or limewashed, but most of the buildings have now been rendered and/or painted. In the case of Victoria Terrace, this has led to a lack of uniformity.

Fig.13: Victoria Terrace, various treatments of facades.

With good local supplies of building stone, on the evidence of the surviving buildings, the use of cob appears limited. Of the historic houses, only the 16th- century Paynes Farmhouse appears to be part constructed of this material, which

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might indicate that the source of stone was for some reason restricted in this period.

Fig.14: Paynes Farm – part constructed of cob.

From the mid-19th-century, the use of red brick for mass walling increases. The principal brick building is the Village School and given the similarity of the colour of the brick with the local stone, its presence does not jar. Both 1 Victoria Terrace and Allens have brick facades to stone cottages, which either represents a re-fronting of an earlier cottage, or more likely the incorporation of a prestigious and obtainable material at the time of building. It is not until the late-19th-century that brick takes over from the local red sandstone as the primary building material.

6.4 Roofs Gabled slate covered roofs are the most common type found on dwellings within the Conservation Area. Hipped and half-hipped roofs are also present and Court Farm and the row of three cottages to the south have long ‘cat slide’ roofs covering outshots on their north elevations.

Fig.15: A varied roofscape, looking north from Court Farm.

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Pantiles and Roman and Double Roman clay tiles occur on some dwellings and commonly on farm buildings. The barn south of Reeds Court has a vast expanse of corrugated iron sheeting covering what is probably the longest roof in the village, but this has weathered to give a pleasant patina (Fig.16).

Fig.16: Barn south of Reeds Court.

Up until the mid-19th-century, all but the highest status buildings would have had thatched roofs. Most of these buildings have been re-roofed in other materials but two thatched roofs remain, at Middle Thatch (Fig.8) and Manor Cottage/Little Thatch.

6.5 Windows The introduction of PVCu replacement windows to unlisted historic buildings has been widespread. Side-hung, multiple-light, traditional painted timber casement windows do survive within the Conservation Area. These are mainly on Listed Buildings but some unlisted buildings, notably Forge House (Fig.17), which has a good set of traditional windows, also retain these. Sash windows do not appear to have been widely used and no traditional examples were identified during the Appraisal.

Fig.17: Forge House owes much of its character to its traditional windows.

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6.6 Other Features of Interest Lydeard St Lawrence has a notable collection of five chest tombs dating from the 17th to early-19th-centuries. These are Listed at Grade II and are in comparatively good condition, although one of the 17th-century examples would benefit from ivy removal (Fig.18).

Fig.18: Two 17th-century chest tombs, with 19th-century Hancock tomb (background).

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7. Street Scene

7.1 Walls, Railings and Gates Red sandstone rubble walls are a very important feature of the village and mark boundaries throughout the Conservation Area. Notable sections include, south of Knights Farm and the high wall screening St Bees from the road (Fig.19).

Fig.19: Boundary wall to St Bees.

Railings are not a particular feature of the Conservation Area but are present on top of the wall to Redlands House and along the front boundary wall to the School. There are also some partially complete railings on the roadside below the churchyard entrance.

Fig.20: Memorial iron gates from the early 1970s.

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Gates of note include: the stone gate piers to the main Church entrance, dated 1897, with more recent timber gates; and in the north-east corner of the churchyard, the ornate iron gates (Fig.20) in memory of Lance Corporal Alan Kennington, who was killed on active service in Northern Ireland in 1973. There are also some large modern iron gates to St Bees.

7.2 Trees, Hedges and Green Space Mature trees and other planting contribute greatly to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and its setting as well as the setting of individual buildings (Fig.21). The largest trees in the village are the sweet chestnut, sycamore and cypress along the east side of the churchyard; a space that is otherwise open in character and largely devoid of planting.

Fig.21: Evergreen oak at Manor House.

Important green spaces are depicted on Map 2 (Appendix E) and comprise:

• the garden of Allens, along the stream north of Pond House; • the land between Victoria Terrace and Springfield; • the churchyard; • field west of Green Garden Barn; • pond with willow tree south of Knight’s Farm (Fig.5).

7.3 Public Realm

Street Furniture There is a good enamelled AA village road sign (Fig.22) attached to the walls of the building east of the Village Hall. The sign, from the early years of motoring, is likely to be around ninety years old and a rare survival that should be preserved in situ. At the junction with Weststowe Hill there is an example of the more common

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Somerset County Council guidepost, the southern arm (to /Taunton) is a later replacement.

Fig.22: Early-20th-century AA road sign.

A further feature, not connected with road transport, is the ‘lion’s head’ water spout in the wall north of Pond House which commemorates the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.

Groundscape A notable feature in the village is the raised pavement known as ‘The Causeway’. While the upper surface is tarmac, it is built up above the level of the road by 3-4 courses of local stone. It presumably dates to the construction of Victoria Terrace in the 19th-century.

Fig.23: The Causeway along Victoria Terrace.

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8. Damage & Deterioration

8.1 Principal Negative Features Aspects which have a negative impact upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area include:

• poor repointing of stone work (Figs 24 &.25); • PVCu windows and doors; • prominently sited satellite dishes; • overhead wires and transmission poles.

Fig.24: Entrance to village hall.

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 historic buildings within the Conservation Area are ‘at risk’ or in a condition that is cause for serious immediate concern, although some of the farm buildings are approaching poor condition.

8.4 Threats and Pressures Lydeard St Lawrence retains a relatively large number of agricultural buildings in their original, or other low impact, uses. Particularly sensitive are the farm buildings at Reeds Court and Knights Farm, which are crucial to maintaining the essentially rural character of this Conservation Area.

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New development has been restricted to individual dwellings, with higher density development mainly taking place outside of the Conservation Area. Within the Conservation Area, there is very little scope for additional development along the main road and proposals to build behind the existing properties, particularly on the eastern side of the main road, would run against the grain of the historic settlement pattern.

The greatest immediate threat is the incremental erosion of the character of the Conservation Area, by relatively minor alterations and poorly executed repairs on unlisted historic buildings, which do not require planning permission. These include: over-restoration; large extensions to cottages; bad detailing such as poor repointing of walls, often using damaging cement mortar; and the replacement of traditional windows with double glazed PVCu units.

Fig.25: Poor repointing work with cement mortar that has led to stone damage.

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9. Recommendations

9.1 Boundary Changes Boundary revisions to the 1993 adopted Conservation Area are shown on Map 1 (Appendix E). The principal changes are:

the inclusion of:

• historic elements of the County Primary School; • curtilage of the converted Court Farm Barn; • the group of historic farm buildings east of Middle Thatch including Green Garden Barn; • historic buildings at Knights Farm, which occupy a key position in the Conservation Area; • curtilage of Springfield. • Land north of Reeds Court.

the removal of land:

• occupied by Crossways House.

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 and funding, 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; • removal of ivy growth from churchyard memorials; • improvements to signage at entrance of village hall (Fig.24).

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Appendix A – Bibliography, Further Information and Advice

Sources Consulted • Collinson, J (1791): History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset. Vol 3. • Department of the Environment (1984): List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (36th list). • Lydeard St Lawrence and Tolland Parish Plan (2005). • Mills, A D (2003): A Dictionary of British Place-Names. Oxford. • Thorn, C & F (eds) (1980): Domesday Book: Somerset. Phillimore. • Somerset Historic Environment Record. • Somerset Vernacular Architecture Group (unpublished reports: Reeds Court Farm, Woodford, St Bees, Middle Thatch, Paynes Farm, Court Farm, Forge House).

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) () 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 contact the: Conservation Officer Taunton Deane Borough Council Deane House Belvedere Road Taunton Tel: 01823 356356

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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; • 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. Church of St Lawrence I 25/02/55 40409 John North Tomb, Church of St Lawrence II 04/05/84 40411 Robert Hancock Tomb, Church of St Lawrence II 04/05/84 40412 Unidentified Chest Tomb, Church of St Lawrence II 04/05/84 40413 Pair of Chest Tombs, Church of St Lawrence II 04/05/84 40414 Remains of Cross, Church of St Lawrence II 04/05/84 40410 The Manor House and Hews II 04/05/84 40415 Middle Thatch II 04/05/84 40416 1-3 Paynes Farm Cottages II 03/04/91 17475 Reed’s Court Farmhouse II 04/05/84 40417

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 possible that some of these buildings may be of listable quality though they have previously been overlooked.

Address Notes Village School Good, but altered, example of a late-C19 gothic revival style school. Manor Cottage (Little Thatch) Prominent thatched dwelling, externally appears early-C19. Court Farm Late C18/early C19 farmhouse and outbuildings. St Bees Former C19 Rectory with Medieval origins. Knights Farm Good, possibly mid-C19, farmhouse with fine collection of farm buildings. Forge House C17 house, at one time split into 3 cottages. Farm buildings east of Middle Good group of farm buildings, probably C19 arranged around yard. Thatch Woodford Row of 3 houses possibly originating in the C17.

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Appendix E – Maps

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