NORBITON HALL Heritage Assessment for Designation As Locally Listed Building with Inclusion in the Local List of Building of Townscape Merit (BTM)

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NORBITON HALL Heritage assessment for designation as locally listed building with inclusion in the local list of Building of Townscape Merit (BTM)

for Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames

Elisabetta Tonazzi ARB RIBA Conservation Architect

February 2018

Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 3 2. HERITAGE ASSESSMENT 4 3. ASSESSMENT AGAINST DESIGNATION CRITERIA 6 4. CONCLUSION 6

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This report seeks to assess the heritage significance of the Norbiton Hall residential estate and its suitability for heritage designation as locally listed building to be included in the local list of Buildings of Townscape Merit (BTMs). The historic development of the buildings which were built between 1933 and 1935 and their heritage significance are set out in the first part of this report; the second part of this report assesses the buildings against the Council's criteria for Buildings of Townscape merit and accordingly recommends the local heritage designation with inclusion in the local list of BTMs.

1.2 Locally listed buildings, currently designated by the Council under the title ‘Buildings of Townscape Merit’ (BTMs) are structures considered worthy of preservation within a council’s local jurisdiction. They can exist singly or in groups and they may also be surviving individual features such as decorative gates, or milestones rather than complete structures. BTM’s can possibly be former Grade III listed buildings or they can be designated on the basis of the wish of a council to grant protection through its own right to do so.

1.3 In some cases the decision not to place a building on the Statutory List as designated by Historic England, may provide a further reason to designate a BTM locally due to its local importance as opposed to national importance.

1.4 Locally listed building will normally have to meet the following criteria:

1. Any building, not statutorily listed, which can be proved to date from before 1840. 2. Selected buildings, not statutorily listed, dating from between 1840-1939 of definite quality and character. These are assessed by whether a building comes under one or more of the following categories: (a) was included as Grade III on the former statutory list; (b) retains a substantial portion of original features; (c) has group value; (d) has association with well-known characters or events; (e) displays special value within a certain type or illustrates social, economic or industrial history (e.g. railway stations, schools, almshouses, etc); (f) by reason of its appropriateness to the site and inter-relationship with other buildings makes a unique contribution to the townscape.

3. Post 1939 buildings, not statutorily listed, which are exceptionally good examples of the architectural output of the period and/or are the work of principal architects.

1.5 These criteria differ from statutory designation selection criteria in that they recognise particularly good examples of more familiar types of buildings as opposed to the more outstanding quality required for listed building designation.

2 HERITAGE ASSESSMENT

2.1 Norbiton Hall residential estate stands on a historic site which between 1309 and 1535 formed part of a large estate owned by Edward Lovekyn and then by John Lovekyn, respectively bailiff and mayor of Kingston, who founded and developed the grade II* Lovekyn Chapel standing on the corner between Old London Road and Queen Elizabeth Road. The chapel is located in the grounds of Tiffins Grammar School.

2.2 The rich heritage of the Norbiton Hall estate is so deeply ingrained in the urban identity of Kingston that besides the various historic records held at the Kingston History Centre, historic events and personalities have also been celebrated through commemorative plaques located respectively on the wall of the grade II* listed Lovekyn Chapel and the Old London Road elevation of Norbiton Hall residential block.

2.3 An archival note dated 26th February 1952 entitled ‘Norbiton Hall. Blocks of flats on historic Kingston site’ reports the following:

‘’ The records of the estate date back to 1174 when Henry II bestowed the Manor of North Barton, now called Norbiton, upon one of the Knights of Anjou. North Barton was the Saxon beartun, the granary in which the bear or barley and other produce of the land was stored. Norbiton Hall was built on land owned by a member of a famous Kingston family, Edward Lovekyn, who, in 1309, founded the Lovekyn Chantry Chapel. This Chapel was reconstructed in 1352 by John Lovekyn, four times Lord Mayor of London. It was confiscated to the Crown in 1535 and in 1561 Queen Elizabeth granted the place to Kingston Grammar School and it still stands as a near adornment to the new colony of flats. In 1532 the owner of the Hall was Erasmus Ford who complained to Henry VIII that the King's men had, without leave or notice, cut down thirty five of his finest elm trees, presumably for constructing the Great Hall at Hampton Court. In 1547 Norbiton Hall was let by Edward VI to Richard Taverner, High Sheriff of Surrey and the editor of a translation of the Bible. In 1588 George Evelyn, brother of John Evelyn, the diarist, bought the Hall; The Evelyns collected saltpetre and used it for making gunpowder. From the Evelyns the estate passed to Sir Anthony Benn, Recorder of Kingston and Recorder of London. His monument is in Kingston Church.’’ It is not possible to confirm what type of buildings existed at the time on the estate, however historic sources report that in 1631 a new brick building with 13 hearths was erected in the area and then in 1681 major renovation and alteration were undertaken.

2.4 The Victoria County History of Surrey reports to page 504 that: ‘’Sir Anthony Benn; he died in 1618 in possession of a messuage with appurtenances called Popes and land belonging, containing 20 acres at Norbiton, all held of the bailiffs of Kingston. […] Norbiton Hall was certainly in the hands of Roger Wood on his death in 1623, when it was described as a manor, grange, and capital messuage. This Roger Wood, son of one Roger Wood late of Islington, was succeeded by Robert his son, an infant two years old. Robert Wood was returned a knight of the shire for Surrey in 1654, […] His land was inherited by his daughter Ann, wife of Sir John Rous; they were in possession in 1662, but it was in the hands of the Reeves family in the following year. They retained it until 1744, when it was sold to one Greenly; it was sold again in 1788 to a Mr. Twopenny, who disposed of it soon afterwards to William Farren the actor. The house, which must have been rebuilt about this time, remained in his hands until 1794, when he sold it to a Mr. Lintall; he resold it in 1799 to General Gabriel Johnson. Early in the I9th-century it appears to have come into the hands of Mrs. Dennis, who gave it to her daughter the wife of C. N. Pallmer, M.P. for Surrey in 1828, and a West Indian merchant. Mr. Pallmer sold it in 1829 to the Dowager Countess of Liverpool, who resided here with Mr. R. H. Jenkinson, nephew of the first Earl of Liverpool.466. It is now occupied by the White Rose Laundry. The handsome grounds set with cedars, and the arms of the Evelyns on the lodge still remain.’’

2.5 The book The History and Antiquities of the Ancient and Royal Town of Kingston-upon-Thames by William Downing Biden, published in 1852 provides further historic background as follows: ‘’In the reign of Edward VI, Norbiton-hall was the property of Richard Taverner, esq., a man of some note as a zealous protestant and fearless expounder of the Scriptures. In 1603, George Evelyn, esq., of Long Ditton, died, seized of the Manor and Hall of Norbiton, valued at 20s. per annum and held by Mr. Evelyn of the Bailiffs of Kingston. In 1609 it

was in the possession of Anthony Benn, esq., and it afterwards passed through the hands of Roger Wood, Sir Robert Wood and others of his family, the Reeves family, Mr. Greenly, Mr. Twopenny, Mr. Farren of Covent-garden, and Mr. Lintall by whom it was sold in 1799 to Gen. Gabriel Johnson, and in the early part of the year 1829 it was purchased by Lady Liverpool and the present proprietor.’’

2.6 Consistently with the above account the History Centre archival note dated 26th February 1952 reports that: ’In 1829 the place was secured by the Countess of Liverpool, widow of the Earl of Liverpool who was Prime Minister at the time of the Battle of Waterloo. George Meredith lived nearly opposite to Norbiton Hall and his home was a meeting place for literary and social celebrities.’’

2.7 Another archival note authored by Kingston Museum and Heritage Centre and dated 25th January 1992 reports that after the Lady Liverpool ownership, Norbiton Hall was between 1864 and 1875 the residence of Sir Villiam Hardman, an intellectual and local politician who later became Mayor and bailiff of Kingston. As a justice he had rooms in the hall which he used to hear cases against local villains on a daily basis. The note reads as follows: ‘’Sir William Hardman 1828 – 1890. Sir Villiam Hardman was called to the bar in 1852 and lived the life of a man-about town in London. He moved to Kingston in 1864nd lived at Norbiton Hall, when it was a gentleman's estate, till 1875. From 1872 till his death in 1890 he was editor of the Morning Post (which amalgamated with the Daily Telegraph in the 1930s). He became Assistant Chairman to Surrey Quarter Sessions in 1865, Chairman in 1871 (unpaid) and in 1885 he was knighted for his services to Surrey. In January he was elected Chairman of the Provisional Surrey County Council. He was Mayor of Kingston in 1870, Chairman of the Magistrates, and became Recorder of Kingston in 1875. In September 1890 he died and was buried in Kingston Cemetery ‘’

2.8 The coming of the railway from Waterloo to New Malden Station in 1849, Kingston Station in 1863 and Norbiton Station in 1869 stimulated smaller scale suburban development, initially on London Road and to the north of it. In 1899 that part of the Norbiton Place estate on which the Norbiton Village roads were eventually built was sold in 1899 and development commenced in the early 20th century. In 1933 a planning application was submitted for the land to be to become a dog racing track but was rejected by council, and subsequently by the government on appeal. Subsequently Norbiton Hall was demolished to allow for the new residential complex with its 192 flats.

2.9 A Surrey Comet article dated 1977 refers as follows: ‘’Norbiton Hall now means a development of flats in Kingston’s London road. Once, however, it meant a stately home famed for the eminence of its owners and the splendour of its hothouse fruits.[…]After that most of the magnificent grounds were sold as building land and the mansion, once so secluded, found itself hemmed in by congested roads and reduced to only four acres. In 1933 it made headlines when a consortium of local, businessmen announced plans to buy the estate and turn it into a dog racing track. Controversy raged and Kingston Council vetoed the idea. Finally, the consortium appealed to the Government, but was rejected. Soon afterwards,' the historic old house, most of its splendour gone, was demolished by a firm of property developers and replaced by 192 flats. At least they’ retained its name, and put a plaque on the main wall to commemorate its history. ‘’

2.10 The archival note dated 26th February 1952 entitled ‘Norbiton Hall. Blocks of flats on historic Kingston site celebrated the high standards of the modern development and reported about the inauguration of the commemorative plaque which gave prestige to the new residential development: ‘’Norbiton Hall, the latest addition to the flat land luxuries of Greater London, stands upon an historic site in Kingston-upon-Thames. With the disappearance of venerable land marks within and just beyond the Metropolis it is thoughtful permanently to record the past for posterity and the story of Norbiton Hall is briefly stated upon an ornamental panel which yesterday (Thursday) was unveiled by Sir Alfred Woodgate, C.B.E., Mayor of Kingston, in the presence of members and officials of the ancient royal borough. The wording on the plaque is:- Here formerly stood Norbiton Hall built in the 16th. Century on Lovekyn's Chapell and. It has been the residence of Richard Taverner, George Evelyn, Sir Anthony Benn, the Countess of Liverpool, and others.

2.11 The 1952 note provides also a full account of the admirable value offered by the new development: ‘’Norbiton Hall, with nearly two hundred flats, has been erected to the requirements of the London County Freehold and Leasehold Properties Limited. In 1909 this firm's premises were worth just over £17,000 and now, with more than 7,000 flats at rentals ranging from £75 to £750, the properties are valued at over £8,000,000. The policy of the Company is to provide a public service for a public need and such is the demand for labour-saving flats designed on the most scientific lines that other suitable sites are being developed.’’

2.12 An invitation letter dated 4th September 1935 from the Norbiton Hall development company to a prospective buyer stressed the innovative, high quality yet affordable characteristics of the new residential complex, mentioning ‘domestic science’ and ‘‘the compactness of Norbiton Hail, with its built-in cupboards, dust-chutes and constant hot water, at £85 a year, would make an instant appeal. The £85 per annum - only 32/8d. per week - includes rent, rates, water rate, porterage and the upkeep of the beautiful grounds. The accommodation consists of. Dining Hall, Reception Room, two Bedrooms, tiled Kitchen and Bathroom. This, of course, would not be sufficient for a large family, so we have arranged for two flats to be converted into one, making the accommodation two Reception Rooms, four Bedrooms, Lounge Hall, two Bathrooms, Kitchen and Pantry, for the inclusive rent of £170 per annum.’’

2.13 Significance Original plan drawings and brochures of the 1935 show that the new Norbiton Hall estate not only acknowledged and celebrated the historic relevance and quality of the site by showcasing the rich heritage of the site and by retaining its toponymic associated to the historic estate, also the residential blocks were carefully designed to provide high quality, fully serviced accommodation.

2.14 The above historic ex-cursus demonstrates how the site on which Norbiton Hall stands bears historic interest because of its longstanding, historic association with eminent local and national personalities and events to the point that these remarkable people and events have been commemorated through plaques and the exceptional Norbiton Hall estate, although secondary to the palatial Norbiton House, gave the name to the 1935 residential estate.

2.15 The 1935 residential blocks bear architectural interest as when replacing the neoclassical Norbiton Hall house the modern apartment blocks were carefully designed in a refined architectural style inspired by prestigious buildings of the time such as the Guldhall and Bentalls and was built with quality materials including modern comforts such as water, electricity, etc. and communal gardens to make an impact on people lives and on the street scene. The site layout and the buildings’ composition, carefully integrated with its surrounding context and expanding road infrastructure generated a group of building which stood out in the typical low rise historic townscape of Kingston In summary the heritage significance of the Norbiton hall residential complex can be ascribed to its local Historic interest, Architectural interest and Townscape contribution

3 ASSESSMENT AGAINST DESIGNATION CRITERIA

The residential complex was developed between 1933 -1935, both buildings and landscaped communal spaces are of definite quality and character and:

a) Retain a substantial portion of original features: such as the original plan form and internal communal spaces: the four storey brick elevations with traditional pitched roof and rhythmed by chimneys, the full height pilasters crowned by simple square urn finials, the three storey full height round arched stairwell windows, the channelled brickwork surrounding the rusticated entrance door frames. These features are substantially unaltered.

b) Association with well-known characters or events: In medieval times the site was part of Edward Lovekyn’s estate where the Lovekyn Chapel was founded in 1309 at the western end of the wider site where the Tiffins Grammar School, at the start of London Road stands. Opposite Norbiton Hall is St Peters Church which was built in 1842 by Gilbert Scott in the Norman Style. The Norbiton Hall estate hosted over the centuries a number of eminent, influential local and national personalities including Mary, Countess of Liverpool, her cousin Robert Jenkinson, Lieutenant of Dover Castle and William Hardman, Mayor of Kingston, magistrate and recorder.

c) Group Value: The residential complex was carefully designed as a unified urban, architectural and landscape composition of early 20th Century dwellings. This total design approach is reflected in the consistent materials, facades, windows, roofs, architectural details and landscape design of communal spaces which unifies the buildings’ group. As such the Norbiton Hall buildings form a highly distinctive group in the local townscape.

d) Displays special value within a certain type or illustrates social, economic or industrial history (e.g. railway stations, schools, almshouses, etc.). This residential complex is one of a small number of remaining early 20th century architectural and typological experiments of well designed, good quality residential accommodation for a growing middle class population which was attracted to Kingston by its suburban character, a thriving industrial and commercial economy and an expanding railway network. This local socio-economic link with the past is preserved and highlighted by the retention of Norbiton Hall.

e) By reason of its appropriateness to the site and inter-relationship with other buildings makes a unique contribution to the townscape: The Borough Character Study which assessed the borough’s architectural and townscape character states that the Norbiton Hall blocks have a strong presence on the street and their exceptional height impact on the small scale historic context is mitigated by their well-designed site configuration and landscape contribution. The open nature of the mansion blocks should be preserved from fill-in/fill-up development. The gentle sweep of Old London Road combined with the angled return of Birkenhead Avenue creates a consistent, compact urban frontage which return on the Avenue where the residential blocks display a sense of natural enclosure provided by the richly landscaped courtyards which are spatially open and connected to the surrounding built context. Despite the height and mass the Norbiton Hall buildings have a domestic scale and character and have a successful relationship with the surrounding scale and massing. The context-sensitive site layout, the consistent architectural composition and landscape design tie together well to create a cohesive built form.

4 CONCLUSION

Norbiton Hall is a good example of residential development with distinctive architectural and landscape features, it dates to 1933-1935 and has the definite quality and special character which would justify local heritage designation for the following reasons: it retains a substantial portion of original features, the development site is associated with well-known characters and events, has group value, displays special value as residential type and has socio- economic links with the past, it relates well to surrounding buildings and makes a unique contribution to the townscape. The consistent style, date and intactness of the Norbiton Hall

15 buildings and the communal landscape give it a clear and distinct domestic scale and sense of place. For these reasons it is considered to meet the Council's criteria for designation as a Building of Townscape Merit