Kingswear Conservation Area Appraisal

Kingswear Conservation Area Appraisal Conservation Areas are usually located in the older parts of our towns and villages. They are places whose surviving historic, architectural and locally distinctive features make them special. Conservation area designation highlights the need to preserve and reinforce these qualities. The policies followed by the District Council when assessing proposals affecting conservation areas are set out in the South Hams Local Plan and Local Development Framework, while the Supplementary Planning Document ‘New Work in Conservation Areas’ explains how to achieve compliance with them. This is essential because the Council has a statutory duty to approve proposals only if they “preserve or enhance the character or appearance” of the conservation area. The purpose of this appraisal is to set out what makes the Kingswear Conservation Area special, what needs to be conserved and what needs to be improved. January 2013 Kingswear Kingswear Conservation Area: Summary of Special Interest. Kingswear is situated on a promontory on the east side of the Dart, across the water from Dartmouth. Although Kingswear is much smaller than its bigger neighbour, the two settlements complement each other neatly, each occupying the view across the water from the other. Like Dartmouth, Kingswear is built in layers of development up the hillside from the shore of the river with roads following the contours. The conservation area occupies the lower slopes and, owing to the curve of the shore has an orientation North side of the village. that ranges between north, through west to south. The estuary is therefore always in evidence and the atmosphere throughout the conservation area is light and airy. Owing to the orientation and benign microclimate, the southern part of the conservation area, especially, is characterised by lush vegetation, both indigenous and exotic, much of it grow- ing in the typically large gardens of the area. The buildings of the village underwent a transformation Holne in the 19th century with the arrival of the Great Western Railway which is now one of its most prominent features. The village has also suffered from the gradual erosion of Lower & Higher Dean Staverton Marldon authentic architectural details, through the replacementShaugh Prior Dean Prior Bickleigh of windows, doors, and changes to the exterior finishes.Lee Moor South side of the village. Dartington Littlehempston Woolwell Rattery Whilst the purpose of Conservation Area designationWotter is not South Brent Berry Pomeroy Tigley to prohibit change, it is important that changes withinCornwood them Totnes Avonwick Harberton Sparkwell Holne Ashprington are in keeping with existing features and materials so as Bittaford Diptford Stoke Gabriel Lower & Higher Dean Staverton not to loose the sense of character which justified designa- Shaugh Prior HarbertonfordMarldon Dean Prior Lee Mill Bickleigh Lee Moor Dartington Littlehempston Woolwell Rattery Cornworthy Wotter UgboroughSouth Brent Berry Pomeroy tion. Accordingly, there are additional policies and controls Cornwood Tigley Ivybridge Avonwick Totnes Harberton Dittisham Sparkwell Ashprington Bittaford Diptford Stoke Gabriel Lee Mill Harbertonford Halwell on certain alterations, demolition and new developments. Ugborough Cornworthy Ivybridge Brownston Dittisham Ermington Halwell Ermington Brownston Brixton Brixton Moreleigh Modbury Moreleigh Yealmpton Kingswear Blackawton The Appraisal is not to be seen as a definitive list of all the Down Thomas Dartmouth Holbeton WemburyModbury East Allington Stoke Fleming Yealmpton Heybrook Bay Newton Ferrers Kingston Loddiswell Kingswear Aveton Gifford Mothecombe Bigbury Noss Mayo Strete Blackawton features of interest, and items omittedDown Thomas are not necessarily Ringmore Churchstow Kingsbridge Slapton B i g b u r y B a y Sherford Dartmouth Bigbury West Alvington on Sea Chillington Holbeton Stokenham Thurlestone Wembury South West Frogmore insignificant. Further information on the implications of the Milton Charleton TorcrossEast Allington Hope Cove Stoke Fleming MalboroughLoddiswellSouth Pool S t a r t B a y Heybrook Bay Newton Ferrers Kingston Bolt Tail Salcombe designation can be obtained from the Planning Service East Portlemouth Aveton GiffordEast Prawle Start Point Mothecombe Bigbury Bolt Head Noss Mayo Prawle Point Strete Group at South Hams District Council. Ringmore Churchstow Kingsbridge Slapton B i g b u r y B a y Bigbury West Alvington Sherford on Sea Chillington Stokenham Thurlestone The Appraisal has been prepared in the context South West Frogmore Milton Charleton Torcross of the South Hams Local Plan (1996), the Devon Hope Cove Malborough South Pool S t a r t B a y Structure Plan, and South Hams Local Development Bolt Tail Salcombe Framework, Devon Structure Plan and National East Portlemouth Planning Policy Framework. East Prawle Start Point Bolt Head Prawle Point 2 Kingwear Appraisal Location and Geology n Kingswear is located on the South coast of Devon on the eastern side of the Dartmouth Harbour, near the mouth of the River Dart. n The underlying geology includes alluvium deposits along the mouth of the creek, slates with grit along the northern edge of the village and Dartmouth slates to the south and east. n Historically, the steep topography confined development to within the 100m. contour, spreading over the headland during the 19th and 20th centuries. n Road access to the outskirts of the village is generally good, but within the village vehicular access is restricted by access to the ferry crossing and narrow streets. Sketch map, 1998, showing the influence of topography. Buildings are Population and Land Use currently spread over the headland Kingswear Station. n The population of the parish of Kingswear was 1332 in 2001, an increase of nearly 350% in 190 years. n Historically, Kingswear was known for its fishing industry and associations with trade in the port of Dartmouth located opposite the river. n Activity is now centred on tourism encouraged by the Great Western Railway train connection to Paignton, Historic Development (above) and pleasure boating from the river moorings. and Townscape n Commerce is minimal, centred upon a Post Office, (right) village shop, pubs/ cafes and boat related busi- Kingswear formerly lay in the parish and manor of Brixham. nesses. The Chapel of Ease dedicated to St. Thomas was a daugh- n The ferry connection to Dartmouth (below) remains ter church of Brixham, built as early as 1170. The history of an important link, the community benefiting from the village is largely associated with the neighbouring port services provided by the town across the water. of Dartmouth, although in origin the settlement may well be part of Kingston. The village grew due to its position at the mouth of a creek where access could be gained from the ships at all states of the tide. Kingswear castle was built in 1491- 1502 as part of the defences of this important harbour. This fell into disuse after 1643, but it did have a role in the Civil War when a redoubt was built upon Mount Ridley. ‘In Elizabethan times, when the port of Dartmouth was a thriving base for scores of ships engaged in the Atlantic trade, the whole area south of Kingswear Church was a close built huddle of merchant houses, warehouses and wharves’. Today, little remains of the original settlement as the advent of the railway brought redevelopment and Dartmouth lower ferry expansion to the small village. Kingswear Appraisal 3 Extent of village based on the Effect upon village growth First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1890 The figure ground plan opposite shows the density of King- swear as it would have appeared in the 1840s. The northern side of the village was more densely built upon, with buildings concentrated upon the western tip of the water frontage. To the south and east buildings are less frequent, dispersed amongst the valley slopes. The higher ground behind the buildings is divided into garden plots by a series of rubble stone walls. These garden plots were markedly larger along the southern and western sides of the valley than on the northern edge. The subsequent plans show the gradual loss of garden plots as with the increase in technology, land has been developed upon the steeper banks. The present ground plan shows a decrease in the density of building along the western waterfront, and an almost indiscriminate distribution Extent of village based on the of buildings that has occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries. Tithe Map of the 1840s Kingswear has grown from a small fishing settlement with merchant houses clustering upon the western mouth of the Creek, to a largely residential village, its buildings dispersed over the headland. Its present character is derived from redevelopment following the arrival of the railway in 1864, bringing 19th and 20th century changes. Extent of village based on present Ordnance Survey n Kittery Quay was the counterpart of Dartmouth’s old Quay, with trading and merchant houses once clus- tered along the shore line. n Buildings in this part of the village were so densely crowded that The Square was arched over, with the entrance to higher ground via what is now known as Alma Steps (above). n The ferry is thought to date to the 13th century as a regular crossing. n In the late 16th century, Nicholas Shapleigh set sail from Kittery and established the earliest villageship in Maine, New England. n From 1700, Kingswear ceased to be an active trading port and became a desirable location for the residences of wealthy families. n Many of the older buildings were removed for the building of the Yacht Club house in 1881, Longford, Stone House and the Priory. n The majority of the building stock dates from this time. 4 Kingwear Appraisal Building materials and finishes Many of the buildings within the village are of 19th and 20th century fabric, although some may be earlier in origins. This has led to the village having a visual commonality of building finishes.

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