Glossop Conservation Area Character Appraisal Supplementary Planning Document
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Glossop Conservation Area Character Appraisal Supplementary Planning Document LDFGlossop 3 Conservation Area Character Appraisal Supplementary Planning Document Adopted 1 LDF 3 March 2006 CONTENTS Introduction 5 Summary 6 Historic Context 7 1. Industrial Context 7 2. Early Origins 7 3. Expansion 8 4. Consolidation 11 5. Decline 12 6. The End of the Mills 12 The Boundary 14 Character Appraisal 15 1. Architectural Quality 15 2. Street Pattern 21 3. Spaces 23 4. Scale and Density 25 5. Setting 27 6. Traditional Building Materials 29 7. Floorscape 31 8. Shopfronts and Advertisements 33 9. Contribution 0f Trees and Planting 34 10. Negative Factors 36 Appendices 1. Map of Town Centre Conservation Area 2. THI Stage 2 Bid Needs Assessment 3. Listed Buildings 2 INTRODUCTION Glossop has significant historical associations with the development of the textile industry in Derbyshire, which together with the special character of its streets and its unique mix of building styles has led the Borough Council to designate four conservation areas covering the town centre. Each designation aims to preserve or enhance the special character of the area and protect significant elements of its historical evolution. This analysis has been prepared to inform the continued development of the town whilst preserving those aspects, which make it special. It will identify the particular qualities and character of the area as well as the features detracting from its appeal. For the purpose of the appraisal the town centre conservation areas have not been separately defined as the town developed as a whole entity and the analysis of each component of the townscape relates equally to all areas to a greater or lesser extent. This appraisal is not exhaustive and any building, feature or site not mentioned will not mean that it is of little or no significant interest to the character of the conservation area. This document has been prepared with reference to Policy BC5 (Conservation Areas and Their Settings) of the Adopted High Peak Local Plan, March 2005. It will give certainty to developers, planners and the general public that development proposals will respect the characteristic features of the Conservation Area, therefore protecting its character. 3 SUMMARY The origin of Glossop as a centre for the cotton industry defines its character in the modern day. A range of 19th century workers cottages, 19th century industrial mills and publicly donated fine buildings are the surviving evidence of Glossop's development during a period where the textile industry dominated the local economy. The centre of Glossop is also characterised by a range of commercial buildings, housing a wide range of small independent shops, and financial institutions clustered around the crossroads. Interspersed between them are large-scale two and three storey administrative and public buildings. Residential areas are located around the commercial core and at the edges of the High Street. Currently Glossop has a few problem buildings and sites and with these exceptions the vast majority of buildings have a beneficial role to play in preserving or enhancing the character of the town. 4 1. HISTORIC CONTEXT 1.0 Industrial Context The original industrial settlement in the area Old Glossop lies a mile to the east of the present day town. Old Glossop was the original ‘Glossop’, a small agricultural settlement, which developed as the medieval market town and administrative centre for Glossopdale; a dispersed agricultural community based around six hillside communities. 1.1 The damp climate and proximity to flowing water that encouraged this early settlement was also to be responsible for its further development and expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries, when, from the wool spinning of yeoman farmers, (Old) Glossop became a thriving industrial textile town. Its location, close to a supply of fast running streams and in relatively close proximity to Manchester, contributed towards its rapid growth. As elsewhere, textile production at that time focused on domestic spinning. 1.2 The end of the 18th century witnessed the transformation industry nationally from a cottage industry to a factory system of mass production. The introduction of steam power required more plentiful supplies of water and between 1785 and 1831 a significant number of new larger cotton mills were built. By the 1830’s, 46 mills had been built extending due west along the watercourses along the valley bottom and away from (Old) Glossop. 1.3 Early Origins (1793 – 1830) Until 1792 the population travelled between townships of the dale along farm lanes, many of which survive as footpaths. In 1793 the turnpike from Chapel- en-le-Frith to Enterclough Bridge (Woodhead Road) was laid followed in 1803 by the road from Marple Bridge to Glossop, (later extended to form the Snake Turnpike) which linked the mills along the valley bottom. The crossroads of the two roads became the natural focus for the new industrial settlement. In 1807 the Howard Arms, originally a farmhouse selling ale, was rebuilt as a coaching inn further consolidating the centre. A new community started to develop and in 1811 the Littlemoor Chapel was built on Victoria Street. 1.4 The great and sustained burst of building after 1780 was on a scale not previously experienced. The valley had everything needed to encourage and sustain population growth. The Glossop quarries1 produced millstones, freestones and flagstones for paving or roofing. Early fuel was from local peat and wood. By the 19th century there were coal mines at Bore Lane, Chisworth, Combs Charlesworth, Ludworth and Simmondly. In 1801 at the first ever census there were 2,759 people in the eight townships of the dale, a doubling since 1740. By 1821 the population had almost doubled again to 5,135. 1 The quarries had possibly developed following the great rebuilding of the 17th century 5 1.5 From 1782 to 1820 carding and spinning mills were built along every brook in the dale. In 1815 Matthew Ellison, agent for the Duke of Norfolk, built Wren Nest Mill in High Street West. In the same year, John Wood came to Glossop from Marsden in Yorkshire, and rented two vacant mills in (Old) Glossop. By 1819 he had moved to Bridge End and extended an old Fulling Mill. 1.6 By 1820 the Shelf Brook area had nine mills, there were five on Hurst Brook, eight on Chunal brook, eight on Glossop Brook, six on Padfield Brook and six on the Glossop side of the River Etherow. The longest stretch without any textile mills was the length of Glossop Brook near Manor Park (the grounds to the former seat of the Howard’s) being as it was, in close proximity to the Howard family home. Most mills were for cotton spinning, a few span wool and a smaller number paper making. The names of some mills, such as Wren Nest, reflected on the once rural character of the area. Others, such as Woods Mill, were simply named after the owner. 1.7 The ‘new’ town, known by then as ‘Howard Town’2 grew rapidly as rows of stone cottages were built to house the many mill workers and managers. “The cottages were small and low by modern standards, not served by piped water or gas...and with primitive sewerage facilities. They were however solid and weatherproof, close to the mills, neighbours and the growing shops....Ground floors were stone flagged and probabaly scrubbed refularly and sanded, and in the best cottages the open fire place was replaced by cast iron ovens....which provided cooking facilities and hot water...” Farey (1817) 1.8 Expansion (1830-1860) Between the start of the 19th century and 1850 the population grew six fold as the continued growth of large individual mills was spurred on by the development of the steam engine. By 1842, Howard Town Mill, Wren Nest Mill and Sidebottom's in Hadfield stood out from the rest. The majority of mills employed less than 100 people3. At that time Howard Town employed 1,256 people, Wren Nest 513 and Sidebottom's 835. The Howard Town Mills of John Wood and Brothers Limited was the largest textile mill site in north- west Derbyshire and at its peak was one of the largest integrated cotton mills in the country. 1.9 The town was also taking shape at this time. In 1837 Norfolk Square was laid out. As would be expected, the earliest development of the town concentrated along the Marple Bridge Road that linked the mills along the valley floor. 2 After Bernard Edward Howard the 12th Duke of Norfolk 3 Below these 3 were 9 smaller units employing between 100 and 200 people. The remainder comprised over 30 mills. 6 1.10 The building of the Town Hall started in 1838. The original design comprised the arcaded Town Hall building with a symmetrical row of shops either side, which culminated in domed pavilions at either end where it turned the corner. At that time it housed a lock up prison, underneath the town hall on the east side of the arcade. By 1844 a savings bank was held in the Town Hall on Mondays. The building also housed the Glossop County Court. Building continued with the 13th Duke. 1.11 By 1860 a number of areas of smaller streets had been set out off the turnpike roads. One area focused directly to the south of Howard Town Mill, another to the south of Wren Nest Mill and another around the railway station to the north of the town centre. 1.12 The town’s expansion resulted in the extension of local quarries. The sled roads from Glossop Low and Shelf Benches along which horses hauled the stone survive to the present day.