Lydiard Park, Swindon Case Number
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English Heritage Advice Report 13 August 2013 Case Name: Lydiard Park, Swindon Case Number: 476988 Background English Heritage has received an application for the upgrading of Lydiard Park, Swindon, currently included on the Register of Parks and Gardens at Grade II. Asset(s) under Assessment Facts about the asset(s) can be found in the Annex(es) to this report. Annex List Entry Number Name Heritage Category EH Recommendation 1 1001238 LYDIARD PARK Park and Garden Amend Register Visits Date Visit Type 15 January 2013 Full inspection Context A few years ago extensive restoration of Lydiard Park and its structures, begun in 2005 and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, was completed. The applicant has expressed concern over development proposals for a new housing estate that is proposed for an area of land adjacent to the registered site, which may affect the registered site and its setting. English Heritage was consulted on an application for the housing estate in 2010. The application was refused and the refusal upheld at appeal. A second application for approximately half the original area and now physically removed from the boundary of the registered site was submitted in late 2012. The second planning application too has been refused, but unlike its predecessor attracted an officers’ recommendation to approve (the Council’s Conservation Officer raised no objection). Although English Heritage is not required to give advice on planning applications affecting Grade II registered sites, in this case English Heritage's level of involvement in response to the planning application took account of its long-standing interest in Lydiard Park, as well as an overarching wish to provide support for the prevention of ad hoc development around Swindon where heritage assets are affected in advance of site allocations being agreed through the Local Plan process. In late 2012 English Heritage's Designation Department received an application for the inclusion of the land proposed for housing development to be included in the national Battlefield Register, as it was believed to be the site of the Battle of Ellandun. Following initial assessment the site did not meet the criteria and as such the land was not recommended for inclusion. Lydiard Park is classed as a Country Park. Assessment CONSULTATION A consultation report was sent to Swindon Council, three further owners, the local Conservation Officer, the applicant, the Garden History Society, Wiltshire Council, and three further internal interested parties. No responses were received, except from the local authority (as main owners), the owner of land included in the north part of the Registered site, and two interested parties. Page 1 of 15 English Heritage Advice Report 13 August 2013 The local authority (as owners) kindly pointed out some errors in the dates of the various restoration works referred to in our report. These have now been corrected. They also asked whether we could consider referring to the main views from the park to the former estate, and in particular Folly view. We have now referred to these views were appropriate. In response to the consultation, one of the owners claims that the land in the north-east part of the registered site should be excluded from the designated area, or the Register entry should at least refer to its limited significance. The owner believes the land was never incorporated in a meaningful way into the landscaped grounds and does not contribute to special historic interest. In 2001 new evidence became available which showed that in the 1830s the land had been purchased by Lord Bollingbroke for the purpose of creating a drive by removing the parsonage and thus further expanding the park. By 1839, as indicated by the Tithe map of that date, this land was in use as pasture. Using parkland for grazing was very common at the time, as it was also believed to add to its ornamental quality. As indicated by the Tithe map and apportionment of 1841, Lord Bollingbroke let the land to Thomas Plummer which was most likely for grazing. As a rule, the Register entry and boundary map includes the extent of the historic parkland at the end of the C19 when most parks had reached their maximum extent, but before the more obvious parkland characteristics have been eroded or obscured as has been a common trend at many sites since the mid C20. In this case the part of parkland in question, and its boundaries, has survived well and as such fully merits inclusion within the designated area. As requested, more detailed reference to the evidence has now been included in the Register entry in order to further clarify the significance of this land. Two of the interested parties claim that the site would probably not merit upgrading notwithstanding the clear success of its extensive restoration programme. One of the parties commented that we should carefully re-consider the inclusion of Lydiard Residential Park within the registered area, as certain development may undermine the registered status of Lydiard House. Whether Lydiard Residential Park still merits inclusion within the registered site will be discussed below. DISCUSSION The special historic interest of Lydiard Park was first confirmed in 1987 when the site was included on the Register of Parks and Gardens at Grade II. Sites registered at Grade II are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them. In 2001, as part of the Register Upgrade Programme the grading of the site was judged to be appropriate but the Register entry and boundary map were amended to reflect new information that had become available since it was first registered. As stated in English Heritage's Register of Parks and Gardens Selection Guide for Rural Landscapes, in order for a site to merit designation at Grade II* it would need to be of more than special interest in a national context. Usually this additional interest is most clearly reflected in the quality of its design, but also in the level of its influence and reputation, through the involvement of (a) nationally important designer(s), or through strong associations with other significant persons or events. For example, the Grade II* registered Gunton Park in North Norfolk, is a large country mansion with mid C19 gardens designed by William Teulon, has a wooded pleasure ground of late C17/early C18 origins for which Charles Bridgeman prepared designs, and is set within an extensive C18 landscape park embellished in the early C19 partly following advice from Humphry Repton which was further extended in the mid C19 by William Sawrey. Another example is Gunnersbury Park, which like Lydiard, once formed part of a country estate but is now in public ownership. Despite its poor condition, it is Gunnersbury Park's association with William Kent and Princess Amalia, and its many important listed (garden) buildings, including The Temple (listed at Grade II*), that give this park a greater level of special interest thus meriting its Grade II* registration status. It is true that the high quality restoration works at Lydiard have been very successful, and that they have significantly improved the understanding and readability of the historic development of this important site. However, the level of special historic interest of the park has not increased and as such it is appropriately registered at Grade II. As part of the current assessment English Heritage has carefully looked at the boundaries of the designated area in order to confirm whether they are accurate. The current registered area includes Lydiard Residential Park situated just north of Hook Street, which covers a part of Park Copse. This woodland forms the west part of the site and includes a number of Tree Preservation Orders, some incorporated within the Residential Park. The current Register entry refers to this as a mobile home park. However, over the years this has developed into a permanent residential park of circa 40 homes, with tarmac roads and private gardens to each of the dwellings. Unlike holiday parks, the owners now have the same development rights as other home owners. For the purpose of registration, unsympathetic developments within a park or garden might either be excluded from a registered area, or left within it. The decision rests on whether the development constitutes merely a minor intrusion into the site - temporary huts, tennis courts, car parks, swimming pools, are common examples - in which case it is left within the site boundary, or whether the interference is more major. Where the intrusions have replaced the former design - strips of housing round the edge of a park, or Page 2 of 15 English Heritage Advice Report 13 August 2013 areas of extensive development within the park, for example - and the change is basically irreversible, then the area is excluded. It is clear that in this case, similar to most housing estates, the change is permanent and sadly, can no longer be described as a minor intrusion. As such, it is recommended that Lydiard Residential Park is excluded from the designated area. However, it remains part of the immediate setting of the registered park and as such it is referred to in the Register entry under the heading LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING. CONCLUSION After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the claims to significance of this case, Lydiard Park is not recommended for upgrading. However, the Register entry and map are recommended for an amendment to reflect the new information that has become