HERITAGE STATEMENT

In respect of:

Alterations to lower ground floor

NUNTON HOUSE, NUNTON, SALISBURY, SP5 4HP

On behalf of:

Mr A Gribben

February 2015

ELAINE MILTON HERITAGE & PLANNING t: 07979 942042 e: [email protected] w: www.emhp.co.uk

Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2.0 HERITAGE DESIGNATIONS ...... 3

3.0 DESCRIPTION ...... 4

4.0 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT ...... 10

5.0 DISCUSSION ...... 11

6.0 ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE ...... 11

7.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSALS ...... 12

8.0 POLICY CONTEXT ...... 13

9.0 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 14

10.0 CONCLUSION ...... 16

SOURCES USED IN THE REPORT ...... 16

APPENDIX 1: English Heritage Listing description for Nunton House and the orangery at Nunton House

APPENDIX 2: Proposed lower ground floor plan approved in 2006

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.1: The front (south elevation) of Nunton House Fig.2: The east end of the front elevation (east return screened by yew hedge) Fig.3: The window at the southern end of the east elevation on the lower ground floor Fig.4: The kitchen/family room on the lower ground floor Fig.5: Door to studio as seen from the lobby to the north Fig.6: Door to the studio as seen from the studio side Fig.7: The L-hinge on the boarded side of the studio door

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Fig.8: The east wall of the studio Fig.9: The bottom of the east studio window as seen externally Fig.10: The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the kitchen side Fig.11: The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the studio side Fig.12: Approximate design of the proposed half-glazed doors

COPYRIGHT: The contents of this statement must not be copied or replicated in part or in whole without the express written consent of Elaine Milton Heritage & Planning

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

1.0 Introduction

1.1 This heritage statement accompanies an application for listed building consent for alterations to the lower ground floor of Nunton House.

1.2 Nunton is a small village and former civil parish in south Wiltshire, approximately 4 miles south of Salisbury. Nunton House is located at the east end of the village opposite St Andrew’s Church.

1.3 The report describes the heritage significance of Nunton House and provides an assessment of the impact of the current proposals in accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (the NPPF, March 2012) and in order to meet the council’s local validation checklist for applications affecting listed buildings and conservation areas. A site surveys was carried out on 11 December 2014.

1.4 Information on the history of the site has been drawn from a number of sources including the Victoria County History volume for Wiltshire. A list of the sources used in the preparation of the report is presented on p16.

2.0 Heritage Designations

2.1 Nunton House was added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest at Grade II* on 23 March 1960 and is therefore deemed by English Heritage to be a heritage asset of particular importance and more than special interest. The listing description for the house notes its group value. This is presented in Appendix 1.

2.2 The orangery in the gardens to the east of Nunton House was listed at Grade II on 28 March 1985 and is therefore deemed by English Heritage to be a heritage asset of national importance and of special interest. The listing description for the orangery notes its group value. This is also presented in Appendix 1.

2.3 Nunton House is not within a designated conservation area.

3.0 Description of the Building

3.1 Nunton House is located on the east side of the lane. It is linked to the north by a two-storey service range with Lower Nunton Farmhouse. The garden to the house is

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

bounded on the west and south sides by red brick boundary walls. Access is currently provided via a curved driveway entrance flanked by brick piers with stone ball finials within the west wall. This leads into a gravel parking and turning area with squared edges in front of the house. There is a redundant field gate within the south boundary wall.

3.2 The house is two-storey plus basement (lower ground floor) and attic. It is constructed in red brick and is of seven bays with a three-bay projecting centre having an ashlar pediment on giant pilasters. Windows are sliding sashes with rubbed and gauged brick arches and stone keystones. The walls are terminated by a moulded cornice and parapet. The roof is covered in plain clay tiles and has coped verges and end chimney stacks.

Fig.1 The front (south elevation) of Nunton House

3.3 The lower ground floor has six two-light casements on the front elevation with subdividing glazing bars.

3.4 The lower ground level of the east wall is screened by a yew hedge. It contains a two- light casement with a segmental brick arch at its southern end, each casement being subdivided by glazing bars into six panes. The window itself is modern, with exposed butt hinges and with trickle vents within the top of the frame. Below the window there are vertical lines in the brickwork indicating a former door opening.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Fig.2 The east end of the front elevation (east return screened by yew hedge)

Vertical break lines in the brickwork

Fig.3 The window at the southern end of the east elevation on the lower ground floor

3.5 The interior of the upper floors of the house contains a number of original fittings, including newel stairs with turned balusters, Regency fireplace surrounds, fielded panelling, moulded ceiling cornices and panelled doors with eared architraves. The rooms are generous in size.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

3.6 By comparison with the upper floors, the lower ground floor is plainly decorated and the rooms are generally smaller. There are a few original features, including some chamfered ceiling beams with concave stops and one or two original four-panelled doors with L-hinges. There is a quarter-turn staircase at the north side connecting the lower ground to the ground floor. Most of the walls are plastered, although there is some painted tongue-and-groove timber cladding within the kitchen/family room. The ceilings comprise suspended plasterboard incorporating down-lights.

3.7 The kitchen/family room occupies the westernmost four bays on the south side of the lower ground. There is a downstand beam spanning midway across the middle of the ceiling where a wall has been removed.

Fig.4 The kitchen/family room on the lower ground floor

3.8 The studio occupies the two easternmost bays on the south side of the lower ground. It is accessed from a lobby to the north via a modern four-panelled door within a modern doorframe. The door has been boarded over on the studio side: there are L-hinges on this side.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Fig.5 Door to studio as seen from the lobby to the north

Fig.6 Door to the studio as seen from the studio side

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Fig.7 The L-hinge on the boarded side of the studio door

3.9 There is a chimney breast on the east wall of the studio, the fireplace within which is blocked and plastered over.

Chimney breast with blocked fireplace

Fig.8 The east wall of the studio

3.10 To the right of the chimney breast is the modern two-light casement described in 3.4 above.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

3.11 The ground level outside is at a higher level than inside.

Fig.9 The bottom of the east studio window as seen externally – note the relatively small amount of brickwork below the window and the vertical break-lines in the brickwork

3.12 The wall between the studio and the kitchen/family room is a solid masonry wall, which is plastered on both sides. There is an indent on the studio side of the wall acting as shelf space.

Fig.10 The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the kitchen side

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Indent in wall used for storage

Fig.11 The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the studio side

4.0 Historic Development

4.1 Jonathan Clarke, who died in 1701, is described in his monument in St Andrew’s Church as ‘of Nunton House’. This is probably the predecessor of the present Nunton House, which dates from c.1720.

4.2 Clarkes’ daughter, Martha, married William Batt in 1715. He considerably enlarged the estate and his family occupied Nunton House until the 18th century when it was replaced by New Hall, Bodenham as the principal residence.

4.3 A short back wing on the north side joined the house to Lower Nunton Farmhouse in the 18th or early 19th century.

4.4 The house passed with the estate until 1921, when it was sold.

4.5 Listed building consent was granted in 2006 for alterations to the house, including works to the lower ground floor (local planning authority reference S/2006/1451). The approved works included the removal of part of the east-west wall to the south of the stairs and a north-south wall between the second and third windows from the west to create the family/kitchen room. The proposed plan for the lower ground floor that was approved in 2006 is presented in Appendix 2.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

5.0 Discussion

5.1 The plan form of the lower ground floor appears to have been considerably altered following the approval in 2006.

5.2 The door and doorframe to the studio is modern, although older L-hinges appear on the inner boarded side, apparently having been reused from another door.

5.3 The original door opening to the room where the studio is might have been from the west, possibly where the indent forming the shelves exists.

5.4 The chimney breast on the east wall of the studio corresponds with the fireplaces and chimney stack at higher level. The chimney breast at lower ground level probably accommodated a fireplace for a former kitchen or service room.

5.5 The modern window on the east wall of the studio is in the position of a former door opening. It is not known when the transition to a window took place. The external ground level has clearly been raised up in front of the former door.

6.0 Assessment of Significance

6.1 Nunton House is of considerable architectural and historic interest as an early 18th century country house. It displays a high quality of design and decoration, and is of special interest for its plan form and layout.

6.2 The house and orangery are of group value. The setting provided by the garden contributes to their significance.

6.3 The house contains a number of original features including staircase, panelling, doors and cornices. The primary interest internally lies in its ground floor.

6.4 The lower ground floor is typically plain and of much less architectural interest than the upper floors. Despite the openness of the kitchen/family room at the south side, it is characteristically cellular in nature, thus preserving evidence of its historic use as modest-sized kitchens and service rooms.

6.5 The lower ground displays contemporary feel by virtue of the crisp plastered walls, suspended ceilings, various modern partitions and handful of new doors.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

7.0 Description of Proposals

7.1 Listed building consent is sought for alterations to the lower ground floor.

7.2 A 2400mm wide opening is proposed in the wall between the kitchen/family room and studio in order to improve the visibility and connectivity between the rooms. Approximately 900mm of nib wall would be retained on either side of the opening. A downstand would be formed at ceiling level boxing in two universal I-beams recommended by the structural engineer. A pair of bi-folding doors, formed in painted tongue-and-groove timber panelling would be installed to enable the rooms to be separated when required.

7.3 The existing door to the studio would not be required if the new opening is formed, and it is proposed to be removed and blocked with plasterboard and stud. The L- hinges are proposed to be retained and reused for another door within the lower ground floor.

7.4 The fireplace within the chimney breast on the east wall of the studio is proposed to be reopened. The detail of the fireplace would be determined following some initial investigation.

7.5 The window on the east wall of the studio is proposed to be removed and the door opening reinstated. The doors would be half-glazed panelled timber double doors with the design and proportions of the upper glazed part mirroring the existing casements. Due to the higher external ground level, steps would be required within the gravel area adjacent to the new door to accommodate the change.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Fig.12 Approximate design of the proposed half-glazed doors

8.0 Policy Context

8.1 The Wiltshire Core Strategy (WCS) was adopted by Wiltshire Council on 20 January 2015. Core Policy 58 of the WCS seeks to promote the conservation and, where possible, enhancement of the county’s historic environment.

8.2 A number of policies of the Salisbury District Local Plan 2011 have been retained under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The following ‘saved’ heritage policy is relevant to the proposed application:

 CN3 – Development affecting listed buildings or their settings.

8.3 National planning policy relating to the historic environment is provided within section 12 of the NPPF. It advises that heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and should be conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance. Paragraph 132 of the NPPF states that when considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation. The more important the asset, the greater the weight should be. Significance can be harmed or lost through alteration or destruction of the heritage asset or development within its setting. Any harm or loss to a heritage

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

asset’s significance should require clear and convincing justification, and needs to be weighed against identifiable public benefits. Substantial harm or loss of a Grade II listed building should be exceptional.

8.4 Paragraph 133 of the NPPF states that where proposals would lead to substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, the proposals should be refused unless it can be demonstrated that this would be outweighed by substantial public benefits. Paragraph 134 states that where proposals would lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, the harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposals, including securing its optimum viable use.

8.5 Interpretation of the NPPF is provided by the web-based National Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). It confirms that what matters in assessing if a proposal causes substantial harm is the impact on the significance of the heritage asset, and that in general terms, substantial harm is a high test and may not arise in many cases. Works that are moderate or minor in scale are likely to cause less than substantial harm or no harm at all, however, it notes even minor works have the potential to cause substantial harm.

8.6 The PPG clarifies that public benefits might comprise anything that delivers economic, social or environmental progress as described within paragraph 7 of the NPPF. Public benefits should flow from the proposed development and they should be of a nature or scale to be of benefit to the public at large and should not just be a private benefit. The benefits do not always have to be visible or accessible to the public in order to be genuine public benefits, and they may include heritage benefits, such as:

 Sustaining or enhancing the significance of a heritage asset and the contribution of its setting;  Reducing or removing risks to a heritage asset;  Or securing the optimum viable use of a heritage asset.

9.0 Heritage Impact Assessment

9.1 The formation of the opening between the kitchen/family room and the studio:

 May potentially involve the loss of original wall fabric, although this is not conclusive as mentioned above (the wall was possibly altered to convert a former door opening where the shelves exist);

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

 Any potential loss of original fabric would be minimal: The section of wall proposed for removal would represent a small proportion of the wall fabric within the lower ground floor;  900mm of wall would be retained on either side of the 2400mm opening, a downstand would be formed at ceiling level and there would be doors within the opening, thus enabling the historic plan form to be appreciated and the cellular nature of the studio to be maintained;  The tongue-and-groove doors would be modest in appearance, in keeping with the character of the lower ground: They would clearly read as a contemporary addition, enabling this to be distinguished from the original parts of the lower ground floor;  When viewed within the context of the alterations having already been carried out to the lower ground after 2006 and the lesser architectural importance of the interior of the lower ground floor, the proposals would cause limited harm to the overall significance of the heritage asset.

9.2 The removal and filling in of the door to the studio:

 There would be no loss of historic fabric through the removal of the contemporary door and doorframe;  The L-hinges that appear to have been reused from elsewhere would be retained and reused within the lower ground floor;  The plasterboard and stud infill would be capable of being reversed;  The final finish would match the adjacent walls and the appearance would harmonise.

9.3 The reopening of the fireplace:

 Would involve restoration of a historic feature;  There would be no loss of historic fabric, only removal of recent infill.

9.4 The removal of the window and reinstatement of a door opening:

 Would involve restoration of a historic feature;  There would be no loss of historic fabric, only removal of a modern window and brick infill below the cill;  The design of the doors would maintain the existing proportions and be of modest design, in keeping with the character of the lower ground floor;  The doors would be in a non-prominent location on the side wall, screened in views from the front of the house by a yew hedge;

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

 The external steps would be formed within an area of built-up ground, and the proposals would reinstate the original level adjacent to the doors.

10.0 Conclusion

10.1 Nunton House is of considerable value for its architectural and historic interest. The primary architectural interest lies in the exterior of the house and the upper floors.

10.2 The lower ground floor makes some contribution to the significance of the house by virtue of its layout and typically modest character, which indicate its former function as kitchens and service rooms.

10.3 Most of the proposals would not harm the significance of the listed building, and may arguably enhance appreciation of it through the restoration of lost or damaged features.

10.4 The proposal for the formation of the opening between the kitchen/family room and studio may result in harm through the loss of original fabric, although this harm would be limited and ‘less than substantial’ for the purposes of decision-taking.

10.5 The proposals for opening up the space would help maintain the house in use as a single dwelling, this being the optimum viable use for the building.

10.6 The less than substantial harm to the heritage asset would be balanced with the benefits of sustaining the building in its optimum viable use.

10.7 The proposals would be compliant with local pan policies Core Policy 58 and CN3, and the policies contained within the NPPF.

Sources Used in the Report

English Heritage, Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance (April 2008).

English Heritage, Designation Listing Selection Guide: Domestic 3: Suburban and Country Houses (October 2011).

English Heritage, PPS Planning for the Historic Environment: Historic Environment Planning Practice Guide (March 2010).

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

Victoria County History for Wiltshire via http://www.british- history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=115483&strquery=nunton#n1251 Date accessed: 15 January 2015.

National Heritage List for England via http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/protection/process/national- heritage-list-for-england/ Date accessed: 15 January 2015.

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

APPENDIX 1: English Heritage Listing Descriptions for Nunton House and Orangery to the East of Nunton House

List entry Summary

Name: NUNTON HOUSE

Location

NUNTON HOUSE, NUNTON VILLAGE

Grade: II*

Date first listed: 23-Mar-1960

Details

SU 12 NE ODSTOCK NUNTON VILLAGE (east side)

5/144 Nunton House

23/3/60 GV II*

Large house, with rear service wing attached to Lower Nunton Farmhouse. Circa 1720 for Batt family. Header bond brick to front, Flemish bond to sides and rear, tiled roof with coped verges and brick gable end stacks. L-plan. 2 storeys, basement and attic, 7-window symmmetrical front. 3-bay centre has steps up to central door with 6 fielded panels, brass fittings and segmental pediment on engaged Tuscan columns. Either side are narrow 8-pane sashes with two 12-pane sashes in flanking bays. First floor has central 12-pane sash with shouldered architrave and 8-pane sashes either side, with two 12-pane sashes to sides. Central 3 bays have pediment on giant pilasters, and giant pilasters flank sides of front. Modillioned cornice and parapet. Four hipped dormers to roof. Basement has six 2-light casements. All windows have flat brick arches and stone keystones. Left and right returns have two narrow 8-pane sashes to ground and first floors, left return has basement door with pediment and sash to right. Lead rainwater heads to side gutters. Rear of main range has 3-storey stair turret with 2-light leaded casement to each floor, to right is round-arched stair window. To rear is C18 2-storey, 2-window service wing, linking main range with Lower Nunton Farmhouse; ground floor has 9-pane sash and casement, first floor has two 12- pane sashes and hipped dormer has casement. Interior: Original fittings include newel stairs with turned balusters, dados with bolection rail, fielded panelling above and below, classically moulded ceiling cornices and doors with fielded panels and cornices. Ground floor Regency fireplace surrounds with reeded pilasters and anthemion frieze. Some other fittings, including the door and window eared

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton architraves, and the plaster ceiling decoration in the drawing room, are thought to be early C20 work. This house is very similar in design to No 68 The Close, Salisbury, c1718. (Unpublished records of RCHM (England), Salisbury).

List entry Summary

Name: ORANGERY IN GARDENS TO EAST OF NUNTON HOUSE

Grade: II

Date first listed: 28-Mar-1985

Details

GV II

Orangery. Circa 1720. English bond brick, tiled hipped roof. Single storey, 5-bay front. Central French windows have fanlight over, two 15-pane sashes either side, with low brick plinth and gauged brick quoins. Modillioned cornice is carried in arch over fanlight. Rear and sides are windowless. Interior has stone floor. Contemporary with Nunton House (q.v.).

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Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton

APPENDIX 2: Proposed lower ground floor plan approved in 2006

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