mellor |architects
Heritage Statement
Changing Places in Cartmel Conservation Area
for Lower Allithwaite Parish Council
Mellor Architects, 125 Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4EN [email protected] 01539 727402
INDEX
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 SITE HISTORY AND CONTEXT
3.0 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
4.0 PROPOSED WORKS
5.0 IMPACT ON THE ASSET AND MITIGATION
Report data
Location Ford Road Cartmel Cumbria
Easting ref: 337881 Northing ref: 478716
Report author Peter J Boyd BA(Hons) BArch RIBA IMaPS
Address Mellor Architects 125 Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4EN
E-mail [email protected]
Telephone 01539 727402
Date of this report December 2020
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
1.0 INTRODUCTION The application site is at the eastern end of Ford Road in the village of Cartmel, close to the banks of the River Eea, on a site currently occupied by the existing public toilets owned and managed by the Parish Council of Allithwaite. The site is within a Conservation Area.
The applicant, Allithwaite Parish Council, wishes to remove the existing structure and erect a new public lavatory on the site, comprising a unisex compartment alongside a modern ‘changing places’ accessible facility which offers a place for people with physical disability needs and their carers to address those needs in privacy and with dignity.
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
2.0 SITE HISTORY AND CONTEXT Cartmel is located in the Furness peninsula, between the estuaries of the Rivers Leven and Kent, some 5km from Grange-over-Sands and 21km from the principal market town of Kendal. It was formerly in the historic county of Lancashire, and an area often referred to as ‘Lancashire beyond the sands’. Following local government reorganisation in 1974 the Furness area was incorporated into the new county of Cumbria and the second tier local government district of South Lakeland. The settlement at Cartmel is believed to date from around 677, with King Ecgfrith of Northumberland gifting the area to St Cuthbert and the monks of Lindisfarne. It was first recorded as ‘Ceartmel’ in the writings of Simeon of Durham, and also in the Pipe Rolls of 1177. It has been the location of an Augustinian priory since 1189 when William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, with authority from Richard 1, founded and endowed the Priory.
Following the Northern Rebellion in the sixteenth century the lands passed to the Duchy of Lancaster, and despite some damage during the Reformation the priory church escaped total destruction by Henry VIII’s commissioners, and the village itself continued as a trading centre, with the market cross and fish stones still surviving in The Square. In the mid nineteenth century the well- known horse racing activity became formally established in Cartmel, although it is believed that racing had been taking place here since the sixteenth century.
Today the village and surrounding area form key tourist attractions in South Cumbria, with much of the village protected by a large conservation area as well as the Grade I, II* and II listings given to numerous individual buildings and other structures.
The civil parish of Lower Allithwaite in which the village is located recorded a resident population of 1,831 in the 2011 census.
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
3.0 HISTORIC & CULTURAL A large area in and around the village is included in the Cartmel Conservation Area which was originally designated SIGNIFICANCE by Lancashire County Council in 1969, with the agreement of North Lonsdale Rural District Council. South Lakeland District Council subsequently carried out a character appraisal of the designated area in 2008, which was approved the following year.
The Cartmel Conservation Area edged in red. The yellow edging (top right) indicates the limit of the national Park
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
The current conservation area includes not only the two built up areas that form the settlement of Cartmel, including the Priory church, but also the immediate landscape settings in and around the village encompassing the central undeveloped areas between the two distinct parts of the village and also Cartmel Park and Park Wood to the west of the River Eea. A key feature of the village, and therefore of the Conservation Area, is the priory church, founded in 1190 as an Augustinian community and dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and St Michael. The church has been altered, improved and extended many times throughout its history, including work during the nineteenth century by EG Paley, but it has retained many fine features from the twelfth century onwards.
However in addition to the Priory church the conservation area appraisal of 2008 identified a total of 69 listed buildings and structures in and around the village, including some 19 memorials and smaller features worthy of individual listing, and a further 72 unlisted buildings which it was decided still contributed in various ways to the historic character and townscape value of the whole.
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
4.0 PROPOSED WORKS The applicant, Allithwaite Parish Council, wishes to remove the existing structure and erect a new public lavatory on the site, comprising a unisex compartment alongside a modern ‘changing places’ accessible facility which offers a place for people with physical disability needs and their carers to address those needs in privacy and with dignity. The brief requires that a large part of the building is dedicated to a single space complying with ‘Changing Spaces’ requirements to provide adequate toileting and changing room for an adult user and their carer, including the necessary manoeuvring space within the room and on the approach to the entrance. A continuation of the roof slope is provided to offer shelter at the entrance, with semi-enclosure provided by an open timber screen.
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
5.0 IMPACT ON THE ASSET and The existing Conservation Area encompasses a wide area of the village containing closely related vernacular buildings MITIGATION which form distinct groups, individual structures (the most prominent of which is the Priory church) and significant expanses of open, undeveloped land. Despite the different character of each constituent part they all contribute to the conservation area as a whole and complement one another. Much of the value in this conservation area as opposed to building with individual ‘listing’ protection, is derived from this very contrast in appearance. The location of the existing lavatories and proposed replacement building on Ford Road is close to the south-west boundary of the designated area, and south of the closest group of listed buildings.
The site location shown circled with Listed building and structures indicated by the small triangles
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
Around the site at Ford Road the more prominent listed buildings facing The Square have given way to less significant structures as well as various walls and other enclosures. While each of these still contribute to the character of the conservation area, the relationships between elements is looser than in the core built-up area, with key focal points evident but becoming less prominent. As can be seen from the photographs of the existing building the position of the new structure on a sharp corner of Ford Road does serve to mark its corner position, with views along the road from the east, as well as from the north and south along the western bank of the river. As a stark white painted, rendered and flat-roofed ‘box’ however the existing building does not sit comfortably alongside the adjacent walls and other features.
View of existing from the east. View of existing from the north View of the existing from the south
The closest listed buildings to the site are the Royal Oak public house and Ford House, both listed grade II and which front The Square to the north of the site and on the west side of the River Eea. Neither building relates directly with the application site, having various other structures such as the unlisted Ford Barn between the two. Of note is Church Bridge, also listed grade II, and from which there is a view to the south along the river towards the application site. However much of the view is dominated by attractive mature willows which edge the river, and the view is also a transient one seen as the bridge is crossed, and unlikely to be affected significantly by the proposed rebuilding. In general the Conservation Area character appraisal carried out by South Lakeland District Council in 2011 has little to say about the southern ‘leg’ of Ford Road, its principal concern being with the character of the northern stretch from Wayside and behind the properties on Devonshire Square.
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
Above: View east from the existing along Ford Above: View from the site along Ford Road to the Road north with the river on the left
Right: View to the south from the site with the river on the right
The closest building to the site is the unlisted Methodist Chapel, which was opened in 1872. This is a modest worship building which stands in isolation from the main village group but despite its proximity to the site is sufficiently large and assertive to be unaffected by the proposal.
The proposal new building is designed to occupy its location but with a slated roof so that, while still being a focus at the corner site it more readily blends with its low key setting. The detailing of the walls, roof and external timber screen is constrained and simple.
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
APPENDIX
Listing entry for LOWER ALLITHWAITE THE SQUARE SD 3778 (South side) Cartmel 8/102 Ford House 25.3.70 G.V. II House. Ford House Probably C18. Roughcast stone with slate roof. 3 storeys, 3 bays. Windows have paired sashes with single glazing bars and horns; single sash to window over central entrance. 2nd floor has small-paned casements. Entrance has C19 6-panel door, 2 panels glazed. Gable-end stack.
Listing NGR: SD3785778746
Listing entry for the LOWER ALLITHWAITE THE SQUARE SD 3778 (South side) Cartmel 8/103 Royal Oak Public 25.3.70 House G.V. II Royal Oak Public House Public House. Early to mid C18. Roughcast stone with slate roof. 2 storeys, 5 bays. Windows are sashed with single glazing bars and horns. Entrance has flat pilasters, frieze and flat canopy. Large cross-axial stack to left end. Rear has later wing and extensions. Interior has chamfered beams and stone fireplace with corbelled lintel.
Listing NGR: SD3784778746
Listing entry for LOWER ALLITHWAITE THE SQUARE SD 3778 Cartmel 8/89 Church Bridge G.V. II Bridge. Dated 1829. Dressed Church Bridge stone and ashlar. Segmental arch with ashlar voussoirs and key; band above. Ashlar parapet with date to south side of south parapet. South side of north parapet inscribed; "C.C. CHURCH BRIDGE".
Listing NGR: SD3788678770
References Conservation principles, policies and guidance Historic England : 2008
Levels of significance – from Managing Built Heritage : The role of cultural values and significance. Bond and Worthing.
Character Appraisal : Cartmel Conservation Area South Lakeland District Council : 2011
Cartmel Priory – Website
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria
mellor architects
125 Highgate Kendal Cumbria LA9 4EN
01539 727402
also at 1 Cable Court, Pittman Way, Preston, PR2 9YW tel: 01772 797788
Changing Places, Cartmel, Cumbria