Hinton Charterhouse Parish Summary
1. General Hinton Charterhouse is a small village and parish located approximately 6 miles South of Bath. The parish includes the Village of Hinton Charterhouse as well as a part of Midford, Pipehouse, Freshford and Friary and surrounding countryside.
The population of the Parish is 477.
2. Designations
The Parish is ‘washed over’ by Green Belt land. There are two SSSIs in the parish at Hinton Charterhouse Field and Hinton Charterhouse Pit The centre of Hinton Charterhouse Village is a Conservation area The Parish is within the Cotswolds AONB There is a Millennium Green designated as a QE II Field in Trust in the village of Hinton Charterhouse. There are a number of Grade I and II listed buildings in the Parish
3. History
Parish history dates to ancient times originally being part of the Wellow Hundred. The Carthusian Priory located in the parish dates from 1232 and was founded by Ela Countess of Salisbury who also founded Lacock Abbey. There is also Roman architecture in the area including a roman road. Tumulus from earlier times are also evident.
The defensive line for Bath in WWII runs through the Parish and there remains a tank trap in Hogwood along with remains of trench works and a number of intact pillboxes across the parish.
The Parish is essentially a ribbon development along the B3110 however its centre was once around The Green and the church.
4. Architecture
There is a mix of architectural styles in the village from the Palladian Hinton House through to the more modern low cost housing at The Brambles. The parish has developed steadily over a long period of time and thus different architectural styles are present, however the architecture in general is ‘traditional village’ in style with natural materials, especially bath stone and slate or tiled roofs are prevalent.
5. Landscape
Hinton (‘High Town’) Charterhouse village is on a plateau up from Midford, Wellow and the Limpley Stoke Valley.
The Parish encompasses a broad range of landscape features including; the plateau, wooded valleys, steep valleys and gulleys, ancient woodland, farmland and parkland.
It has a very green in its feel with open spaces and spectacular views in all directions from the higher points in the Parish.
One of the Parish Boundaries is the River Frome and to the west Wellow Brook. There are a number of springs and smaller watercourses in the area.
6. Commercial Activities
The Parish is fortunate to have a strong commercial activity base and the has yet to become a dormitory settlement.
Commercial activity includes three farm enterprises being Abbey Farm, Hinton Estate and Tytherly Farm. There is also a commercial shoot on Hinton Estate.
There are many self-employed and home workers in the Parish. Businesses in the Parish include: Homewood Park Hotel The Rose & Crown Inn The Stag Inn Hinton Charterhouse Post Office and Stores Charterhouse Works Garage. Hinton Charterhouse Clinic Hogwood Cattery A commercial natural burial ground
7. Infrastructure and Communications
There are two major road routes through the village being:
The A36: A trunk road running North/South through the parish. This road is characterised by heavy usage and is a major commuter route. The stretch through Hinton Charterhouse parish has a particularly poor accident record.
The B3110: Not supposedly a major route but used as a rat run to Bath and Bristol and used illegally by HGVs. This causes particular traffic problems in the village with HGVs turning in Hinton Charterhouse and coming to grief under a low bridge in Midford. The B3110 is over capacity during peak times with lengthy traffic queues.
The parish is served by a First Great Western bus service (267) running between Bath and Frome. The nearest rail connection is in the neighbouring village of Freshford and the bus service connects with Bath Spa railway station.
There are no government services such as Fire, Police or Ambulance based in the village with these services being provided from Bath or Radstock.
There is no school in the parish and local children attend primary and secondary schools outside of the area.
8. Recreation and Green spaces
In addition to the surrounding countryside and its footpaths and bridleways the parish enjoys the following green spaces and leisure facilities:
The Millennium Green and Play Area Brownsfield football field. Hinton Charterhouse Cricket Club The Memorial Hall Freshford Tennis Club.
9. Web References.
www.hintoncharterhousepc.org.uk
www.hintoncharterhouse.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinton_Charterhouse
www.freshford.com/hinton_home.htm
10. Character Assessment Areas
In assessing the character and landscape of Hinton Charterhouse Parish the following areas were designated:
Village Centre & Hinton Villas A36 Corridor Clearbrook and Midford Friary, Dog Kennel Farm, Iford and Pipehouse Rosemary Lane and Abbey Lane The Surrounding Countryside The Brambles The Glebe The Green and New Town
11. Character Assessment Area map
12. Village Objectives
The Parish community wishes to remain a working, rural community that would seek to develop organically over time, whilst protecting the Green Belt and the open spaces and agricultural land. The community would like its businesses to continue to thrive and the community has a desire to protect and maintain its open spaces and see them developed for the function that they were created.
The community’s desires for its physical development will be encapsulated in a village design statement to be published in 2014.