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 ...... 5

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...... 7 4.1 Historic Morphology ...... 8 4.2 Archaeology...... 8

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

6. Architecture ...... 13 6.1 Architectural Style...... 13 6.2 Listed Buildings and Important Unlisted Buildings ...... 15 6.3 Facades...... 18 6.4 Roofs ...... 18 6.5 Windows ...... 18

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...... 24 8.3 Buildings at Risk ...... 24 8.4 Threats and Pressures ...... 24

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

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

List of Figures

Fig.1. Village Hall – a valuable community asset. Fig.2. View west from the rear of the village hall. Fig.3. View from Court east towards the pond. Fig.4. Gate lodge and gates to Bathealton Court looking west. Fig.5. Bathealton Court, south front. Fig.6. Court Cottage, formerly a service building to Bathealton Court. Fig. 7. Church of Saint Bartholomew Fig.8. The School House. Fig.9. The former parochial school, now the village hall. Fig.10.The former smithy, now a domestic garage. Fig.11.Avis Cottages, terrace of three local authority built houses. Fig.12.Pooles and Burgess, viewed from the south. Fig.13.Graymanes Cottage (left) and Pond Cottage (right). Fig.14.Dairy House Farm, from the south. Fig.15.Stone walls at village road junction. Fig.16.Railings, Bathealton Court. Fig.17.Churchyard yew. Fig.18.Church and pylon, viewed from Bathealton Court. Fig.19.Village amenities. Fig. 20.‘Strap’ pointing - unattractive and potentially damaging to stonework.

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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 environment.

Bathealton was designated a Conservation Area by Taunton Deane Borough Council in 1993. This document represents the first full Appraisal carried out.

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. Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 (PPG15) Planning and the Historic Environment (1994), highlights the need for local planning authorities 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 Area Planning 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 September 2009, and revised following consultation in December 2009. It was adopted by Taunton Deane Borough Council on 11 February 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 Parish Newsletter and map showing the proposed boundary changes placed on the Parish noticeboard. A copy of the draft appraisal with a comments sheet was also made available in the church. A public meeting/drop-in session was carried out on the 10 December 2009 and following this some minor amendments made to the Appraisal document.

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2. Summary of Special Interest

2.1 Special Historic Interest Bathealton is an ancient settlement, with its recorded origins stretching back at least to the 11th-century. Despite this, the continuity of settlement is difficult to trace on the ground and there is little visible evidence that the village existed earlier than the mid-18th-century. The early development of the settlement remains hidden and elusive but the key may well lie with Bathealton Court. While the present building dates to the 18th and 19th-centuries, a previous building of equal status, on this site or nearby, almost certainly existed. It is the interrelationship between Bathealton Court and the village, and the effect each had on the others development through to the present day, which is of prime historic interest.

2.2 Special Architectural Interest The impressive architectural presence of Bathealton Court, does not impose itself on the village, nor does it appear that it was designed to. The village is situated out of sight and at a respectful distance to the south. The influence of the ‘big house’ on the architecture of the village is subtle and Bathealton shows few signs of ever being an ‘estate village’. The village contains few individual buildings of architectural interest. Their cumulative effect, however, aided by the continuity provided by the exposed stone boundary walls, a lack of jarring new development and the rolling countryside beyond, is to give the impression of a pleasant and attractive long-established settlement.

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3. Site and Situation

3.1 Location and Setting Bathealton is located 5.5km south of and 9km north-west of Wellington. It is small village set amongst attractive gently rolling countryside to the east of the Tone valley, at a height of around 90m above sea level. Bathealton Court is to the north of the village on gently rising ground.

The current Conservation Area boundary is defined largely by the extensive formal grounds of Bathealton Court. These are bounded on the east side by a narrow stream in a small but steep valley, and on the west the Wiveliscombe Road, along which the main village is sited. The north boundary is marked by the end of the formal grounds to the main house. To the south, the Conservation Area extends outside of the grounds to encompass the church and The Rectory beyond.

3.2 Economic and Social Profile The village has always been small and its amenities limited; in the late-19th-century it had a church, school, Post Office and smithy and a parish population of around 135. In some respects the physical impact of the 20th-century has been relatively slight and while the smithy and Post Office are no more, the school is still in community use as the village hall and the church remains a place of worship. The economy of the village has changed however. This was formerly based on agriculture and while the area remains rural, the majority of the population (currently around 170) are not engaged in farming or related trades and are retired or travel to work elsewhere by car.

Fig.1. Village Hall – a valuable community asset.

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4. Historic Morphology and Archaeology

4.1 Historic Morphology

Medieval Development Bathealton is first recorded in the Domesday Book, as Badeheltone, the placename being a conflation of an Old English personal name and tun, meaning farmstead. Post-conquest, Bathealton was one of the 55 manors belonging to Sir William de Mohun. While the family retained ownership, they resided at Dunster Castle and the manor was held by part of their retinue. The surname de Badialton appears in the late 12th-century suggesting that the manorial holders were living at Bathealton from at least this time.

Ostensibly, the current settlement pattern suggests that the classic English Medieval relationship of manor house, church and village existed here. On current evidence, however, this does not necessarily stand-up to closer inspection. No traces of the Medieval manor house are recorded and its precise whereabouts is a matter for supposition. The site now occupied by Bathealton Court is a possibility, although no evidence has so far come to light to support this. Similarly, there is no physical evidence of the Church earlier than the 16th-century although records prove its existence, almost certainly on this site, at least as far back as the 14th- century.

Post Medieval Development The earliest extant dwelling recorded is the 17th-century farmhouse known as Pooles and Burgess, although the early-18th-century Bathealton Court is believed to have earlier origins. What is certain is that the growth of the village was dictated, and in all likelihood restricted, by the presence of Bathealton Court. All development took place outside of its grounds, mainly to the south. The village as it exists today is a product of the 19th-century, with most of the historic buildings, including the present Church, dating to this period.

Modern Development In terms of numbers, the modern dwellings represent a high proportion of the total buildings in the village. With the exception of Clamar, recent development has taken place along the main north-south road through the village and respects the historic settlement pattern, with some of the dwellings occupying pre-existing property plots.

4.2 Archaeology There are no archaeological finds or sites recorded within the Conservation Area, although just outside, in the field to the south-east of the Rectory, a number of worked flint and chert implements have been recovered, indicating prehistoric activity in the vicinity. Despite the lack of discoveries so far, the southern end of the Conservation Area, encompassing the village, is designated by Heritage Service as an Area of High Archaeological Potential (AHAP). This

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represents the most likely location to recover the evidence for the earlier phases of the village, although outside of the AHAP, Bathealton Court and its grounds could yet yield evidence of the Medieval manorial residence.

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5. Spatial Analysis and Built Form

5.1 Urban Structure The structure of the settlement is defined by the grounds of Bathealton Court. The road from Wiveliscombe enters the village from the north, with Bathealton Court to the east and the bulk of the village dwellings located on the west side. At the church, the road junction gives the option of travelling out of the village south to and , or east towards Wellington. This is the end of the main village, but a footpath running along the east side of the grounds to Bathealton Court leads from Pooles and Bugess to Dairy House Farm.

5.2 Open Space The Conservation Area is unusual in being almost entirely formed by one large open space - the private grounds of Bathealton Court. Development within the village has respected this space and been restricted to the fringes on the opposite side of the road, with only the church, Clamar and School House sharing a property boundary. The limited development on the east side of Bathealton Court has been outside the formal grounds.

Bathealton is surrounded by open countryside, which contributes greatly to its character. Although outside of the Conservation Area, the land between Pond Cottage and Graymanes Cottage, and Dairy House Farm, which is crossed by a public footpath, is of particular value.

5.3 Views Key views are depicted on Map 2 (Appendix E) and include:

 West across rolling open countryside north of the Lodge and from private rear gardens in the village (Fig.2).

Fig.2. View west from the rear of the village hall.

 The church tower, entering the village from the north.

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 The elevated churchyard, across surrounding buildings to the countryside beyond and north across the grounds of Bathealton Court.

 Short views across the rising countryside, south of Dairy House Farm.

The grounds of Bathealton Court offer internal views and vistas in all directions. Longer external views include:

 South to the church tower.

 South-west towards the Wellington Monument.

Fig.3. View from Bathealton Court, east towards the pond.

5.4 Plan-Form, Height and Massing With the exception of Bathealton Court and The Old Rectory, the houses are of a modest size, with no one building or type dominating. There is no standard plan- form, but all the village dwellings are two-storey in height. The mid-20th-century Avis Cottages (Fig.11) are the only terraced houses in the village and other recent dwellings have been larger detached residences set back from the road within their own gardens.

5.5 Building Density The presence of Bathealton Court has, historically, constricted development opportunities. The houses are therefore most densely concentrated along the south-west edge of the grounds, on the west side of the road from Wiveliscombe. On the east side of the road, School House appears to have been built on land belonging to Bathealton Court. South and east of Bathelaton Court, the recent Clamar, built on Church land, and the two farms and cottages along the valley are well separated.

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5.6 Edges and Enclosure Bathealton gives the impression of being enclosed by hedges and tree cover, and this represents the predominant boundary treatment along the roadside and dividing the land holdings outside of the settlement envelope. At Bathealton Court, iron railings internally divide the grounds, while stone walls surround the gardens and service buildings to the north. The south and west sides of the house have a ha-ha. The property boundary is defined by thick vegetation covering less traditional post-and- rail and wire fencing.

West of Dairy House Farm there is a section of post-and-panel fencing; a boundary treatment also found at Graymanes and Pond Cottage and in the village: fortunately this does not appear to have replaced any sections of historic wall. Within the village, stone walls dominate, with particularly good sections in the historic core from the Rectory and church round to the village hall (Fig.15).

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6. Architecture

6.1 Architectural Style Unlike some country estates, the owners of Bathealton Court did not attempt to adorn the village with buildings of a uniform architectural style, although where their hand is evident a restrained gothic style is adopted. Even the gate lodge, where architectural fantasies are often expressed, is a restrained gothic style red sandstone building dating to the mid/late-19th-century (with later a extension), which rather than proclaiming its presence, gives the impression of crouching down below the roadside opposite the main entrance (Fig.4).

Fig.4. Gate lodge and gates to Bathealton Court looking west.

In contrast, Bathealton Court has a rendered classical façade, representing a mid- 19th-century remodelling by Henry Gorges Moysey of a house of the early-18th- century (Fig.5).

Fig.5. Bathealton Court, south front.

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To the north (rear) of the main house is a good collection of stone and slate roofed service buildings, some of which are now in domestic use, that date to the mid- 19th-century.

Fig.6. Court Cottage, formerly a service building to Bathealton Court.

Henry Gorges Moysey was also responsible for the present Church (Fig.7). It was built in 1854, and with the exception of the Elizabethan lintel, now in the bell ringing chamber, it does not appear to have incorporated any of the fabric of its predecessors. The Church is a pleasant and restrained exercise in the ‘early Middle Pointed’ decorated gothic style, popular in this period, with a low square crenellated tower and stair turret.

Fig. 7. Church of Saint Bartholomew.

North-west of the church is another of HG Moysey’s buildings: The School House (Fig.8). The building has a plaque on the south gable wall containing his initials and the date 1884. The rendered slate-roofed house is also notable for its ornate barge boards and large external chimney stack at the south-east end.

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Fig.8. The School House.

The accompanying parochial school, built 38 years earlier in red sandstone, with a later brick extension in the same gothic style, also survives (Fig.9). While no longer a school, it has escaped a potentially damaging conversion to a dwelling and has found a beneficial and sympathetic reuse as the village hall.

Fig.9. The former parochial school, now the village hall.

The Rectory is a substantial, painted stone dwelling, with gabled slate roofs. Despite its size and proximity to the road on two sides, it is largely hidden behind tall stone walls. The round-headed window on the north gable end, presumably a stair-light, would date this part of the building to the late-18th/early-19th-century.

Externally, none of the other buildings in the main village are particularly noteworthy. Walnut Cottage appears, from the 2½-inch second edition Ordnance Survey map of c.1900, to have been two cottages, one of which was the Post Office. The present building is painted stone with Roman tiled roof but is much modernised with PVCu windows and the chimneys removed. The irregular

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fenestration on the east (road) side is unusual and the building may have originally been orientated to face west, away from the road.

Bicknells is part rendered with the roadside elevation (again with irregular fenestration), left as exposed stone. This unrendered part would appear to be the original building, which retains its end stacks, with the rendered part, with an asymmetrical roof, a later addition. The single-storey rendered building to the north appears to have once housed the village smithy (Fig.10), but is now a garage serving the much later dwelling known as The Smithy.

Of the more recent buildings

Fig.10. Former smithy, now a domestic garage.

The Smithy, along with Farrier’s Orchard and Reapers, are recent and of no architectural or historic interest but are included in the proposed Conservation Area boundary as they occupy key spaces within the village. Avis Cottages (Fig.11) are also of limited architectural merit but have some social interest, being good examples of local authority built housing. The final modern building, Clamar, incorporates materials that reflect the earlier vernacular buildings and is consequently the most ‘in-keeping’ of the recent additions.

Fig.11. Avis Cottages, terrace of three local authority built houses.

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On the east side of the Conservation Area, a further extension is proposed to encompass the buildings of architectural and historic interest. Chief among these is the Grade II listed Pooles and Burgess (Fig.12). The farmhouse is 17th-century in origin, making it the earliest building recorded in the proposed Conservation Area. The walls are rendered except for the west gable end which is exposed brick, representing a rebuild of an existing wall or an extension. The double Roman tiled roof has a turnerised treatment giving it a colour closer to slate. There is a good range of farm buildings attached to the south-east that, with the more recent agricultural shed on the roadside, form a partially enclosed farmyard.

Fig.12. Pooles and Burgess, viewed from the south.

Further north along the valley are Graymanes Cottage and Pond Cottage (Fig.13). These semi-detached dwellings were probably originally occupied by farmworkers. The stone-built painted cottages are likely to originate in the early-19th-century. Pond Cottage has PVCu windows and a large two-storey extension to the east in modern materials, while Graymanes Cottage retains traditional timber windows.

Fig.13. Graymanes Cottage (left) and Pond Cottage (right).

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Dairy House Farm (Fig.14) is likely to have been the home farm for Bathealton Court. The farmhouse is stone-built with a hipped slate roof; comprising two right- angle wings of two-storeys, it has a rather tall, chunky appearance. Externally, it appears to be 19th-century, although this may well conceal earlier origins. Associated with the farmhouse, is a small complex of well-maintained stone farm buildings, some of which may also have been adapted from earlier buildings.

Fig.14. Dairy House Farm, from the south.

6.2 Listed Buildings and Important Unlisted Buildings The proposed Conservation Area has just three listed buildings, although there are a further seven unlisted buildings of historic interest. Schedules of listed buildings and important unlisted buildings are set out in Appendices C and D and identified on Map 2.

6.3 Facades The local red sandstone provides the main building material for the traditional buildings in the village. Paint or render, usually coloured white, is often used. Bicknells, the Church, The Lodge, and the Village Hall are exceptions, where the stone is left exposed and in the latter case, combined with a later extension in brick to good effect. The boundary walls are also of exposed stone. The stone is likely to have been obtained locally and a potential source is the disused quarry east of Dairy House Farm.

6.4 Roofs The roofs in Bathealton are predominantly gabled and fall into two distinct traditions of covering: Roman or double-Roman tiles; and Welsh slate. Generally, slate is used for the Bathealton Court estate buildings and those built by the church, while the Roman tiles appear on lower status and later village buildings.

6.5 Windows Simple, painted timber, ‘cottage style’ casement windows are typical, although it is regrettable that in many cases these have been replaced with PVCu. Unsurprisingly, Bathealton Court has much grander sash windows. With the

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exception of the ground floor middle bays, where the current door was formerly a window, these are six-over-nine on the front elevation and many appear to contain contemporary 19th-century glass. The Rectory has a fine round-headed stair light on the north side. Other notable buildings are the Lodge and Village Hall, both of which have Tudor-style stone mullions, with metal windows.

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7. Street Scene

7.1 Walls, Railings and Gates Exposed stone walls of various dates occur throughout the village. There is a particularly good tall section of wall around The Rectory, although the south-west section terminates with breeze blocks and the lower courses appear to have been partially rendered (presumably as a response to traffic splashing water off the wet road). Around the church opposite, the wall is lower and acts as a revetment to the churchyard. The main entrance to the church, to the south, has a good iron overthrow with a lantern.

Fig.15. Stone walls at village road junction.

Bathealton Court has fine stone walls forming a walled garden to the north of the house. The grounds are notable for the use of iron fencing. This mostly appears to be 20th-century, and of a plain design although some incorporates the monogram ‘T’ (or ‘J’?) ‘M’. There is also a short section of fine quality late-18th/early-19th- century railings east of the walled garden (Fig.16). The main entrance to the house has a modern gate complex with electrically operated gates.

Fig.16. Railings, Bathealton Court.

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7.2 Trees, Hedges and Green Space The parkland surrounding Bathealton Court is the principal green space and notable for its individual mature specimen trees, as well as planting in tree groups. The driveway to the house has an avenue of young limes.

Outside of the park, in the churchyard, there is a fine yew sitting on top of a low circular mound, the edge of which has been cut away by the path (Fig.17). This tree is likely to pre-date the current church. Other smaller trees of a variety of species are situated around the edges of the churchyard.

The road forming the west boundary of the Conservation Area, north of the village is enclosed by trees and hedgerows on both sides, giving a ‘tunnel effect’ until open countryside appears on the west side after The Lodge.

Fig.17. Churchyard yew

7.3 Public Realm

Groundscape The roads within Bathealton are all tarmac, with no footways or kerbs and are edged by grass verges, stone walls and hedges. The long driveway to Bathealton Court is formed by loose gravel.

Wirescape Overhead transmission lines are present throughout the village and quite intrusive. Outside of the Conservation Area to the south, large electricity pylons cross the countryside. These have a negative effect on its setting, as well as detracting from individual buildings (Fig.18).

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Fig.18 Church and pylon, viewed from Bathealton Court.

Lighting There is no public street lighting provision in Bathealton.

Street Furniture The only street furniture identified as being of historic interest is the K6 telephone kiosk, which along with the parish noticeboard and a post box (Fig.19), is situated opposite the village hall.

Fig.19. Village amenities.

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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:

 PVCu replacement windows in unlisted houses;

 prominently sited television satellite dishes attached to houses;

 transmission poles and overhead wires;

 electricity pylons (outside of the Conservation Area) (Fig.18);

 post and panel fencing;

 poor quality repointing of stone work (Fig.20).

 large obtrusive road signs Church/Rectory area (Fig.15).

Fig. 20. ‘Strap’ pointing - unattractive and potentially damaging to stonework.

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8.2 General Condition Buildings and walls within the Conservation Area are generally well maintained and in a good state of repair.

8.3 Buildings at Risk None of the buildings within the Conservation Area have been identified as being ‘at risk’.

8.4 Threats and Pressures Bathealton is a small intimate village, with a settlement pattern little changed over the last two hundred years. Consequently, it has very limited development opportunities as almost any new build within, or immediately outside of, the proposed Conservation Area is likely to upset this balance.

A further potential threat is the incremental erosion of the character of the Conservation Area by relatively minor additions and poorly executed repairs to unlisted buildings and their boundary treatments. That said, where deleterious work has already taken place, it has been on a relatively minor scale and in most cases reversible.

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9. Recommendations

9.1 Boundary Changes On 11 February 2010 the Conservation Area boundary was altered to:

 encompass all historic buildings within the settlement, namely: the Lodge; Dairy House Farm; Graymanes and Pond Cottage; and Pooles and Burgess;

 include buildings not of historic or architectural interest that occupy important sites within the village, namely: The Smithy; Farrier’s Orchard; Reapers; and Avis Cottages;

 tie-in with current boundaries identifiable on the ground north and east of Bathealton Court;

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.

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 currently available from the Local Authority.

 Article 4 Direction (see Appendix B) to prevent the introduction of further PVCu windows and doors.

 Consideration of enhancement of the area east of Avis Cottages, to improve informal car parking.

 Change road signs at Church/Rectory junction for a less obtrusive design more in keeping scale/design.

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Appendix A – Bibliography, Further Information and Advice

Sources Consulted  Berthon, G (2005): Welcome to Saint Bartholomew’s Bathealton in the Tone Deanery in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.  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 (35th list).  Somerset Historic Environment Record.  Thorn, C & F (eds): 1980. Domesday Book: Somerset. Phillimore.

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.  Planning Policy Guidance Note 15: Planning and the Historic Environment. 1994.  DETR Circular 01/2001. 2001.  Guidance on the Management of Conservation Areas. English Heritage 2005. Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals. English Heritage 2005.

Design  Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development. ODPM 2005. Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing. DCLG 2006.  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: Conservation Officer Taunton Deane Borough Council The 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 PPG15 Planning and the Historic Environment provides a principal point of general guidance on the conservation areas. 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;

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 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 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. Bathealton Court II 25/01/56 40011 Church of St Bartholomew II 25/01/56 40010 Poole And Burgess II 26/03/84 40013 Service buildings north of Bathealton Court inc. Court Cottage*

* Buildings not listed in their own right but regarded as being listed by virtue of being within the curtilage of a listed building.

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 Rectory 18th/19th- century rectory. Village Hall Former Parochial School of 1846. School House School teacher’s house of 1884. Lodge 19th-century lodge to Bathealton Court. Dairy House Farm 19th- century or earlier farm, possibly home farm to Bathealton Court. Graymanes and Pond Cottage Good example of 19th–century farm workers’ cottages.

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Appendix E – Maps

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