MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:33 pm Page 1 REFERENCES: Monxton - A Hampshire Village History by Diana K. Coldicott. Amport, East Cholderton, Monxton Conservation Policy, 1980, extended 1981. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Monxton Village Design Statement team warmly thank: The Monxton parishioners who completed the questionnaires, took part in workshops and meetings, contributed photographs of the village, wrote summaries and gave of their skills and special knowledge in numerous ways. Monxton Parish Council for encouragement and interest as well as Test Valley Borough Council for its support, especially David Bibby of the Planning Department for his kind and knowledgeable guidance. Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils. Mrs Diana Coldicott for special help on historical facts of the parish and assistance with editing of text. Mr Mark Oldroyd for very generous support for Graphic Designer. Mr Charles Littleworth for his picture of Monxton High Street. Professor Peter Gibson for specialist help with the initial workshop. Mr David Allen, Curator, Andover Museum. Designed by Elaine Odlin Graphic Design. 01424 751649 Printed by Bulpitt Print Limited, Andover, Hampshire. 01264 363600 MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:33 pm Page 2 MONXTON VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:33 pm Page 3 INTRODUCTION Village Design Statements are the result of an initiative started by the Countryside Commission (now Agency) in 1993, which focused on the significance of local character and distinctiveness as planning issues within rural settlements. Emphasis was placed on the need for input from local communities to identify what they believed were the unique qualities of their villages, which should be preserved in any future developments. Guidance in achieving this was produced by the Countryside Commission in 1996 in a document entitled ‘Village Design - making local character count in new development’. In 1999 Test Valley Borough Council agreed that Village Design Statements (VDS) would be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance in Test Valley in accordance with guidance which was approved in 2000. With this status it becomes a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. The Monxton Village Design Statement outlines the qualities Traditional signpost on the Green. and characteristics which give the Entrance to village from Grateley. parish its distinctiveness as seen by the community. The character new projects of whatever scale, Liaison with of the village is described under may be carried out with sensitivity Community three headings: and will be in harmony with the An opportunity was taken by 1. Landscape and Surroundings; setting and style of the village. Monxton parishioners to show 2. Settlement Pattern; and The VDS was accepted by the and discuss already approved 3. Buildings and Materials. Parish Council on 20th November VDSs in the Village Hall, when Design Guidelines have been 2003, and adopted by Test Valley officers from the Planning put forward to ensure that any Borough Council as Supplementary Department of Test Valley future developments, whether Planning Guidance on 5th May Borough Council were exhibiting alterations to existing buildings or 2004. a draft of the Local Plan. 2 MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:33 pm Page 4 Right and below: The Village Green – the heart of Monxton. This was followed by a well- Valley in the Pillhill Brook Valley attended Open Meeting and a Floor. The Pillhill Brook flows questionnaire to all parishioners through the main part of the (over 80% responded) asking settlement and joins the River them to give their views on what Anton, a tributary of the River is important to them about Test, at Upper Clatford. Monxton and its surroundings. The area of the parish An introductory workshop followed, containing listed buildings is in after which three research teams the Amport and Monxton were established to study the Conservation Area designated in aspects of the parish set out above. 1980 and extended in 1981 by There were further workshops and Test Valley Borough Council, and the community has been kept in includes all of the old part of touch, culminating in an all day the village. exhibition of text, maps and photographs at which comments Population were welcomed. Based on the 2001 census from Hampshire County Council’s Small Location Area Population Forecast, the Monxton is regarded as one of estimate for 2000 is 245 people Hampshire’s prettiest villages. living in 118 dwellings. Currently It is located three miles south there are twenty-eight children west of Andover and seventeen aged twelve or younger, which is miles north of Winchester in the a significant and welcome northwestern part of the Test increase on recent years. View along Andover Road. 3 MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:33 pm Page 5 HISTORY Monxton High Street a century ago. The 1114 acres that comprise the parish of Monxton are wedged between the bordering parishes of Abbotts Ann and Amport. In this area, man was farming long before the arrival of the Romans. However, it was the construction of the Portway road by the Romans which lead to subsequent development. Two House of Constantine coins 4thC. Silver denarius of Julia Maesa early 3rdC. Barbarous radiate, late 3rdC. Three minims, ever lived in the village, but the Throughout the period of its late 4thC. Abbey continued to draw income ownership the College kept good A small section of the Portway along Green Lane is impressive. from it for the next 300 years. records which are still in its runs along the east-west line of Later, the village was one of The Abbey’s possession of archives. They include a splendid the present village High Street, five that became established Anne de Bec (and its other English map which was commissioned from Monxton Mill to the start of along the banks of the stream, manors) was brought to an end by from John Doharty in 1751 and Hook Lane in Green Lane, before which was then called River Anne. Henry IV during the Hundred shows two of the great medieval continuing its route westwards. ‘Anne’ was incorporated in their Years War. For a time it was held fields being farmed as strips. After Roman coins from the 3rd and names. By the time of the Norman by the Duke of Bedford and came the Monxton Enclosure Act of 4th centuries have been found at Conquest the village had become to be called Monkeston. After his 1806 the ownership of these Manor Farm which indicate that a separate parish and manor and death in 1435 it reverted to the strips was reorganised, and the there was some Roman settlement was duly recorded with its mill in king, so when Henry VI founded resulting small fields were there. Two other factors influencing Domesday Book* in 1086. King’s College, Cambridge, in 1441 enclosed by hedges. Later these the development of the village as Subsequently its Norman he gave it to the College as a were absorbed by the larger it is today were the presence of owner gave the parish to the small part of its foundation. farms, as shown by the Ordnance the Pillhill Brook and the natural Abbey of Bec-Hellouin in King’s College continued to Survey Map undertaken in1873. hollow in the land, which was later Normandy and the parish became own Monxton parish with its King’s College sold its enlarged. Even today the escarpment know as Anne de Bec. No monks houses and cottages until 1921. property in Monxton in 1921 when the two farms and many of *In Andover Hundred. The king holds Monxton in demesne. Wulfgifu held it the cottages were bought by of King Edward in alod. It then paid geld 1 for 10 hides; now for 2 ⁄2 hides. There is sitting tenants. Village life was land for 3 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs; and 3 villains and 5 bordars little affected. The many changes with 2 ploughs. There are 3 slaves, and a mill rendering 7s 6d, and 2 acres of since then, particularly since meadow, and a small wood. TRE it was worth 100s; and afterwards , as now, £9. 1945, have largely been caused The Hampshire Domesday. Alecto Extract from Domesday Book. Historical Editions (1989). by outside forces. 4 MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:33 pm Page 6 This Ordnance Survey Map of © Crown Copyright Monxton, plotted July 2003, Monxton Ordnance demonstrates how little the Map Licence settlement has changed since No. 100043282 the Ordnance Survey Map, above, made in 1873. 5 MONXTON VDS 04/04 29/9/04 1:34 pm Page 7 LANDSCAPE & SURROUNDINGS Monxton nestles in the valley of the Pillhill Brook between chalk uplands. Descending into the village by road or public paths from the higher ground of the valley, mature trees and hedges almost hide the settlement giving a visual surprise when the houses and thatched cottages come into view. Close to the village are a number of paddocks owned by parishioners which are valued open sites. The panoramic views from above the village across the rural landscape are impressive, being enhanced by woodlands, copses and mature trees. The slopes of the valley surrounding and pastureland known as Church the village provide an effective Field, adjacent to Manor Farm screen from the Defence Logistics buildings. Three mixed copses Organisation, the Portway were planted in 1995 two on Industrial Estate, the A303 and Watergate Lane and one next to other villages. Nevertheless, Church Field. The community has looking north from high spots on a tradition of tree planting, Watergate Lane (see Public Rights including over thirty varied native of Way map) it is possible to see trees planted to commemorate the North Hampshire Downs.