This document was written and produced by The Conservation Studio on behalf of the London Borough of Ealing in November 2006
The Conservation Studio 1 Querns Lane Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1RL
T: 01285 642428 F: 01285 642488
www.theconservationstudio.co.uk
Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
CREFFIELD CONSERVATION AREA CHARACTER APPRAISAL
1. INTRODUCTION...... 3 1.1. THE DEFINITION AND PURPOSE OF CONSERVATION AREAS...... 3 1.2. THE PURPOSE AND STATUS OF THIS APPRAISAL...... 3 1.3. PLANNING AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ...... 4 1.4. SUMMARY OF SPECIAL INTEREST...... 4 2. LOCATION AND CONTEXT, USES AND ACTIVITIES...... 5 2.1. LOCATION AND CONTEXT ...... 5 2.2. USES AND ACTIVITIES ...... 5 2.3. TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY ...... 6 3. HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARCHAEOLOGY...... 7 3.1. HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT ...... 7 4. SPATIAL ANALYSIS ...... 14 4.1. PLAN, FORM AND LAYOUT ...... 14 4.2. LANDMARKS, FOCAL POINTS AND VIEWS...... 14 4.3. OPEN SPACES, TREES AND LANDSCAPE ...... 15 4.4. PUBLIC REALM...... 17 5. THE BUILDINGS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA ...... 18 5.1. BUILDINGS TYPES...... 18 5.2. BUILDINGS MATERIALS AND LOCAL DETAILS...... 22 5.3. LISTED BUILDINGS ...... 23 5.4. KEY UNLISTED BUILDINGS...... 24 6. THE CHARACTER OF THE CONSERVATION AREA ...... 26 6.1. ORIGINS OF CHARACTER...... 26 6.2. CHARACTER AREAS ...... 26 7. ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 29 7.1. KEY ISSUES...... 29 7.2. RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 30 8. SUMMARY...... 32 9. PLANNING AND POLICY FRAMEWORK...... 33 10. GLOSSARY...... 37 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING...... 41 12. APPENDICES...... 42 12.1. STAKEHOLDER CONTACT LIST...... 42 12.2. QUESTIONNAIRE AND SCHEDULE OF RESPONSES...... 42
Ealing Borough Council 2006 2 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
1. Introduction
1.1. The Definition and Purpose of Conservation Areas According to Section 69 of the Town and Country Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, a Conservation Area (CA) is an “area of special architectural or historic interest the character and the appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance”. It is the duty of Local Authorities to designate such areas and to use their legal powers to safeguard and enhance the special qualities of these areas within the framework of controlled and positive management of change.
1.2. The Purpose and Status of this Appraisal Creffield Conservation Area (CA) was first designated in 1993 and extended in 2004. This appraisal updates the 1999 Creffield CA Appraisal.
The scope of this appraisal is summarised in the following points: 1. Assess the special interest of the architectural and natural heritage of Creffield CA highlighting elements of special merit which contribute to the character. 2. Assess the action needed to protect and enhance the special qualities of the CA. 3. Propose the revised boundaries of the CA.
The document is, however, not intended to be comprehensive in its scope and content. Omission of any specific building, space or feature or aspect of its appearance or character should not be taken to imply that they have no significance.
The methodology of the CA Character Appraisal for Creffield follows the guidance provided by the Planning Policy guidelines 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (1994); the Guidance on Conservation Appraisals by English Heritage (2005); and the Guidance on Management of Conservation Areas by English Heritage (2005).
The analysis has been conducted on the basis of visits to the area, the involvement of local associations, and with consultation of primary and secondary sources on the local history and architecture.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 3 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal 1.3. Planning and Policy Framework CAs often arise from a process of local interest and action. Where areas have been designated, it is the Council’s statutory duty to give special consideration to the preservation or enhancement of their character or appearance in the exercise of their planning functions. To that end, special policies, relevant to the Creffield CA, are included in the Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) to sensitively guide and manage development. The policies and the wider framework for development proposals in the London Borough of Ealing, are summarised at the back of this document.
1.4. Summary of Special Interest Rows of fine Edwardian residences • Creffield is a late 19th and early 20th century residential estate of architecturally superior houses set around The Elms, an early 18th century villa. The houses have fine details such as bargeboards and decorative brick details • Their suburban character is created by a building line set substantially back from the highway behind generous front gardens. Rows of houses are interspersed with schools, churches and sports clubs; and railway lines weave through the area. • Charming residential roads gently wind across the area on these lower slopes of Hanger Hill. Their Grand turrets on prominent corner sedate appearance, contrasting with busy linear sites transport routes that mark the outer perimeter of the estate.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 4 CRCR MP0.75 10.751 SLSL 113 30.9m30.9m SLSL Boro C 125
27 84a 1 84a 1
0
0 ElEl Sub Sub Sta Sta
on 137
8 8 8 st & W 8 MP 5 5 WWdard Bdy CR
ard B 147 ElEl Sub Sub Sta Sta 3 5 dy MPMP5. 25.255 157 30.3m30.3m
1
102 167 102
W 1 to 18
ar
d
51 Bd 9
2 2 e 2 Oakley Hous ROAD
SL SL SLL y TON
41 LYN CW Add
11 11 6 6
2a 2a
5 d
i 112 El Sub Sta 112 7
1 2 4 ison o 5 o o 5 o 31.7m31 7m 3 19 6 7 11
6 C 1 t 1
1 3 5 t 1
Co
2 8
134 4 134 29.9m29.9m Ealing Council
rt
urt
1 to 15 BLOO 1 1 4
1 29.7m29.7m
1 1 4 4 4 13 4 Hollywood 9 5 C OAD 9 1 8 to 43 RedhallT Terrace
C L 1 1
5 5 4 AVENUE 4 C CF
Court MSB LEY AVENUE 9 AK 9 O O F 11 14 F C
1 0 R
0 t 1 1 16 S
66 E
our URY 0
13 12 0
5
19 69 5
23 2 Conservation Area Appraisals 1
1
2 to 80 65 0
7 MAYFIELD R bassy C 29.7m 12 67 30.5m
Em
70 2 2
4
BLO
1
3
O 2 0
2 5
5 O 45 29.9m2 31.0m 7 M 31.7m 47 1
SBU 58 58 48 CW
30.4m
to 63 63 to to
51 RY CRY 5 46
5 to 44 8
60 60 60 60 4 55 to to 55
55 to to 55 4
2 14
59 49 50 14
22 12 64 LO
2 CW Creffield Conservation Area CF
SLSL
SE 9 IN 68
82a 0 1 G 71
15 LIS M FW LB 4 O 5
SL 2
Y CLOSE 16
SBUR 4 OM N RO BLO
T FW
A
A
G Homefor fortheged theA Aged D
U 48 SLS
Te n n i s E
G 28.7m28.7m
en Te
27 Court A
R
nis Court
25a D
Tw
E
N
y
S 1
for 101
t 68
TCB Japanese School 68 Townscape Appraisal Map Tennis Courts D o A
1 O s d C R
25 D Homefor forthed theAge Aged 6 L FIE EF
87 R TCBTCB
ourt C
1 1
8 8
0
0 3
to
Springfield to 9 32
1 1
7 7
0 31 Club 1 0
29.1m
85
150 150 8 8 1 t
5 5 R 81 o o 6 s ElSub Sub e m Lo StaSta o d u ge n
2 t SL El LB
Sub (Not to scale)
Te n n i s 102 to 1 to 102
29.3m 1 to 102 27.6m27.6m
36 36
Courts Courts St 37
19
100 1 9 Tennis Courts 29.8m Bowling Green 100 a
CR
91
2 2
W
9 9
0 77 0
ES
1 29.5m
3
TERN 82
73 82
FREELAND ROAD 8 TWYFOR 29.9m LB 0 GARDEN D ROA Te n n i s
71 89
Freeland CREFFIELD 6 6
4 D AVENUE 4
Court Pavilion
S 20
1 0
2
0
1
80 4 4
4 4 37
Tennis
Te n n i s 27.2m
1 to 1
2 29.3m
Courts Courts a
4 4
59 7
2 TennisTennisCourts Courts 2 2
a
4 4
1 4
Tennis Courts 4 70
Electricity Cable 81
SL Cooling Station
Electricity Cable El Sub Sta Cooling Station 2
1 to 21
49 8
6 29.1m
4 1
22 60
6
4 TennisTe nC nourt i ss Courts
S
EW
32 M 32 BE 39
OM C D 58
AT 71
G A 29.3m
Inglis N 27
27 Court IEL
37 Conservation area boundary 4
3
R
1 to
6 62
O 23 58 A 29.2m
D PavilionPavilion
11
4 8 Sports GroundGround
Te nC nourt i ss C o u r t s 23 15 27 25 13 17 SportsSportsGround Ground
44 LB 21 1 to 6
Francis
Court 3 6
SL 40 2 1
9 CRE a 4
FFIELD ROA 33.4m 29.9m D 3
31.0m 8 12
3 BowlingBowlingGreen Green 8 54 29.5m9.5m 1a H 1
AN 5 0 B
0
IR
30
4 G 1
C
ER LA
1
H 26 GARDENS
LAYER
G
4 4
61
22 20 6
1 8 1 Tenniss CourtsCourt
R
2 9 2 N O 29.2m E
VE Listed buildings 1
1 3 11
4
1
8
4
54 28.1m 46
El Sub Sta 6 WOLVERTON 6 HotelHotel LB UE 19 VEN K A OO 76 RDH 78 FO 20
6
22
44 18
GARDENS 90
a 30 G 33 90 33 N TOA BUX
29.5m29.5m 92 7
4 38
42 42 E PavilionPavilion
NU
4
E 4 5 AV 5
K 3
OO
H 8
4 D 4 9
FOR 9 Positive buildings
55 55
17 17
25
57
GP 57
27 27
C
2 2
9 9 H
GARD
ATS
14
37 37
St Martin's W
ENS Vicarage OR 1 27.5m
TH
Fieldildi ng
ng T
3 3
0 0
3 65
errace 65
2
2 13
EalingEaling Common Common 1 5 8 30
3 7 5 35 1
1 106 11 12 15
MP0 10 3 7 8 24 26
N 1 2
108
2 2 8
21 28.8m
O 1
6 6 T
FieldingFieldin T Ter Ter 1 2
0 2
67 Locally listed buildings 7
28.3m28.3m TTe r ER SurgerySurgery 7 24 rac V L racerac ENS LB O BYRON RD 16 GA 1 AY
GARDENS to E NW
W STA
39 3 U 39 33 CR ROA to4 7 to 10 N W 6 to D 1 olerto E 2 verton 9 to V
14 2
ons 12 9 n A
Mans 14a 16 26
K
31 ShelterShelter 15 to 31 61
ions O 18 1a O 114
FW 2 2
H
1a D 2
R
3
1 3 2 ElESSub 2 O SubS TCB TCB 2 PCsPCs U F St X The StSta BYR BR 3
4 ON ROAD
19
ID Bridg 19 2 29.4m SportsSportsGround Ground 2
1 1 6 G 6 E R
e 1 War 1
O 1 1 4 AD 4 Meml SportsSportsGroun Groundd
Statio
a a
9
9 4
11
n 11
9 9 Bu ild St Martin's
ings 23 Church 18
5 Significant grassed open space
5 5
4 4
1 Statio 1
4 3
3 n 9
10 VENUE
2 2
2 P
ara
1 1 de Hall
VE
1 O 2
R 1 4 G
EalingC Common ShelterShelter 20
Station 15 50 50
18 FORDHOOK A
2 2
BIRCH
28.0m28.0m 20 TheThe Brian Brian ooWd avPilio nWood Pavilion
1 11
10
H
S a attatt LEOPOLD ROA ElEl Sub Sub Sta Sta ii io Bank A
Parade 13 The Brian Wood Pavilion n PO 28.7m D 24 L
TheThe E G
5 5
3
3 TCB
4
4 1
3
3 GranvilleGranville LB
3
3 A 1 1 1
3 3
4 4 CHA TCB TW 29.6mm R (PH)(PH) 26.8m D 29.4m29.4m Y 1 to 8 E TSWO
LB N FO
S LBL
2 Focal buildings WoodgrangeWoodgrange RD
8 8
8
9
9 380 RTH GARDENS
1 1 House to to AVEN 4
4 27.0m27.0m El
14
14 G Hartley Court Sub Sta
38
rosven Twyford High School 38 10 1 1 10
10 o
1 1 2 2 r CR Pa UE rad
e 376
5 5
6
5
5 5
42 42
2
3
6 7
2 2
5 2
1 1
G
7 7
4 4 R
AN
8 3 CrusaderCrusader
2a
2
V HallHall
8 I 3 1 3 LL Stone 70
a
9 OakfieldOakfield 26
8 26
9
10 10 E G CourtCourt
1
1 to 9
Ealcom A
1 2
R 2 1 Ealcom 1 28.4m CourtCourt D
EN 26.4m4m
2
8 8 S Important tree groups
1
SL H ar t Gro 19 22
15 3
3 ve 14
12 12 C
o 12 Sports Centre
1 to 1 1 to 1 urt LB 7 1
29.4m29.4m 30.5m30.5m
14
SCENT
354 TWYFORD CRE 9
0 G 4
U 1 N 13 to Shelter 6
Boro 12 N ElEl SubSuba StSta 24 12
E U X T R SL B W 20 R Acton S Cons ID Hil Y l Mews B G 1 Gro E FO U 1 t Twyford Crescent Gardens 3 R
o 12 OA 18
R 18 R t and sven D D
Y 6
6 308 2 2 C A or Court
R W
V E
E S
a Important trees N
7 C
rd Bdy
0 27.3m
2a 2a 4 E U SurgerySurgery
N El Sub Sta
2 E
T N Shelter
13 TCB 4 O
R 2 2 27.5m T
1 5
H 5
0
2 0 27.7m 3 4 4 28
o
o 3
C 11 18 t t PH
1 1 389 310
2 304 302 302300 9
9 296
3
1 3 294
7
IR Shelter 379 290
.
8 W 3
C 77 est 3 m 27.3m ShelterShelter
U 13 L 1 to 6 P
odge 5 UXBR 6 13 3 IDG L 11 Holmwo E ROAD 12 A od M Court ansions
R 12
7 7
R 26.8m8m 25.7m25.7m
LB O 19 o Buckley
8 t 1
A BROOK CLOSE HouseH ShelterShelter
D 351 39 3
337
53 53
3 3
15a
15a 32
281 281 5 2 3
309 309 305 305 323
25 Delray Hou
4 311
4 se 0
29.1m29.1m 0
3 3
5 5 5 5 3
3 PH
34
1 1 to to 1 1 0 to 0 40 34
nd 1
U to El Sub Sta
15 Important views 9
y
1
363a 363a
2 2
1
1a 1a
83 83
2 Surger 2
14 14
1
2 1
3a
30.0m 15 2
1b
The Brown H 1b 9
Cottage 9 A
1 Cottage 1
1 R 15
a T Stone G TheTheM all owsMallows
6 R
2 2 O H
1 1
2 1
V 1 ILLC 7
1 E 1 8
W
2 2 40 1 26.6m26.6m
EST L 28.9m28.9m R
16 26 E
S
D
T DepotDepot 1 27.4m7. 14 E
RO
ODGE 1
7
N 7
16 16 6 UE 2 6 VEN E NDS A A LA H CROSS
D
U
1 R
AVENUE
5 W 21
21 HI 9 T 26 SLSL 26 E HALL G ST ARD N
29.7m 23 ENS
4 4
S
G
A
R
D
E
N
S Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
2. Location and Context, Uses and Activities
2.1. Location and Context Creffield CA straddles the Parish boundary of Ealing and Acton in the London Borough of Ealing. The majority of the area lies in Acton. Since the 18th century The Elms, a grade II* listed building, has been a landmark in the area known as Acton Hill, on Uxbridge Road. Creffield was built on The Elms Estate, on the lower slopes of Hanger Hill.
The CA sits between the railway tracks to the north, Hanger Lane to the west, Uxbridge Road to the south and Rosemont Road/ Chatsworth Gardens to the east. Piccadilly and District Line tracks run through the central part of the CA, while Ealing Common and North Ealing Uxbridge Road looking west across stations are situated just outside the area. Ealing Common
The CA falls within the South Acton ward in the Borough of Ealing, which has a total population of approximately 1, 444. 53% of the population is recorded as White British. 20% are recorded as White European or White Other. 10% are recorded as Chinese or Other Ethnic group. 8% are Asian or Asian British. 5% Black or Black British and the remainder Mixed Race. (Source National Statistics, Ealing Census 2001).
2.2. Uses and Activities From the earliest times, woodland spread across the hillside giving its name to the neighbouring area: Hanger Hill (formerly “hangrawudu” meaning “steep sloped wood” in Old English). The people of Acton (“Oaktown”) harvested the oak and elm to supply London with Uxbridge Road looking east into Acton town centre firewood in medieval times.
Eventually the woods around Creffield were cleared and the area given over to farming, until houses were built from the end of the 19th century. Since then residential and leisure uses have prevailed. A church, three schools and three sports clubs serve the local and wider communities. Some substantial areas of open land in the area are used for leisure activities, although these are fairly hidden away and not always open to the public.
The southern part of the CA, around Uxbridge Road, has a predominantly commercial use, including shops, hotels and guesthouses, which extends to Acton Town Centre. There is also a history of industrial use in the area. The principal surviving historic residence, The Elms, has served as both an Electric Works and a toy factory before Twyford Gardens
Ealing Borough Council 2006 5 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal becoming a school. Also, for many centuries a mill stood very close by at The Steyne.
2.3. Topography and Geology Creffield lies on the southern slopes of Hanger Hill, which was formed by outwash gravel deposits left by advancing glaciers during the last ice age. There is a base of London clay, which runs into brick earth as it descends in the vale of Acton.
Beyond the railway tracks, the hill rises more steeply through the Haymills and Garden Estates. To the east, Residential roads curve and rise the land falls away down Acton Hill into The Steyne and then rises again towards Acton Town Centre and Shepherds Bush.
Dips, rises and turns are particularly noticeable on Creffield Road, which winds like a backbone through the middle of the area.
Relationship of the Conservation Area to its Surroundings
The CA is enclosed by manmade infrastructure: busy roads and railway tracks. It is these transport links that led to the creation of the residential development and, Creffield Road follows an historic therefore, the surroundings are vital to its existence. field boundary
At the turn of the 20th century far less traffic was on the roads and the wider area had a much more sedate appearance. Despite a more frenetic pace of activity, Creffield still benefits from its prime location at the centre of a variety of transport links. The encroachment of traffic within the area has been minimised by the insertion of speed humps to deter through-traffic. In fact the proximity to major roads and frequent public transport services was, and still is, a quality that has attracted new waves of residents to the area. Also, the proximity to the town centre and its shops and other amenities is a benefit. Relative tranquillity is also found very close by at Ealing Railway tracks run below and around Common, a significant open recreation space. the CA
Ealing Borough Council 2006 6 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
3. Historic Development and Archaeology
3.1. Historic Development Creffield lies between the two Saxon settlements of Acton and Ealing. The traditionally wooded appearance of the area places Creffield closer to Acton, derived from Old English “ac” and “tun” meaning “town by the oak trees”.
From medieval times the area was given over to farming and firewood production. The two main hamlets were surrounded by a number of smaller settlements and the Manor retained a sedate rural character in the County of Middlesex.
To the west of Creffield, the small Church of St Mary was Rocque Map 1741 built in 1220 and Henry III granted a market charter to the settlement in 1232. The village of Church Acton grew around the church, market and the Oxford (later Uxbridge) Road.
Oxford Road was an increasingly busy thoroughfare and in medieval times Acton was a half-day journey from London, making it a good resting point. An inn was first recorded in Acton in 1337. The importance of this route out of London ensured that Acton grew steadily over time.
The proximity to the capital made it an ideal summer retreat for Courtiers by the 17th century, especially once stagecoaches were introduced and the road conditions improved. Acton became an important landholding as large landed estates such as Berrymead Priory were established.
The area’s profile was raised briefly in 1652 when the most powerful men in the country and 300 coaches full of Londoners assembled at Acton to greet the victorious Oliver Cromwell returning from the Battle of Worcester, having won the English Civil War.
By the mid 18th century the wealthier classes, including such notable figures as Henry Fielding, enjoyed the c.1805 Map “clean air” of Acton, as well as the natural springs at Acton Wells. More country retreats were built there, such as Fielding’s Fordhook House next to The Elms Estate.
The splitting up of the 800-acre Fetherstonehaugh estate from 1800 produced four or five small estates, bought by Samuel Wegg and John Winter among others. Winter
Ealing Borough Council 2006 7 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal built Heathfield Lodge, West Lodge and East Lodge. The Lodges were on sites in the CA.
Wegg added to his estate, which from 1750 centred on the house that was to become The Elms (built circa 1720). By 1827 the main residence was called Acton House and remained in the Wegg family until 1842. Then, as The Elms, it passed with 169 acres to Charles Round, a distant relative from Colchester, Essex. The house is now part of Twyford Church of England School.
As the 19th century progressed, life in Acton improved as mains water, gas, sewerage and, eventually, electricity were introduced. The village grew into a town, the outlying hamlets merging, and by this time an annual fair had been established. As Acton grew, the Round Family saw an opportunity to develop their farmland into a residential estate.
From the middle of the century, the railways brought better connections to London although to begin with the Great Western Railway did not stop at Acton as it headed 1865 Ordnance Survey Map west. The Metropolitan District Railway Ealing Extension followed the GWR in 1879 and provided commuter services to the City as well as a link to the GWR at Ealing. In the 1870s, neighbouring Fordhook House sold part of its grounds to the Metropolitan District Railway and by the 1896 OS map Creffield Road had been cut with a bridge over the tracks. The local landowners were very aware of the increasing value of their holdings.
An 1888 sketched map shows a predicted layout for the estate with these roads completed and connecting to Rosemont Road. The original intention was to infill the whole area with houses, but this was not carried out by the purchasers of the freehold.
In the 1890s, the rustic cottages along Uxbridge Road were demolished and the road was widened and improved. This helped improve the tram service, an “Acton Machine” coach and omnibuses having been in service since the mid 18th century. Early speculative houses had been built on The Elms Estate along Hanger Lane and on new roads carved through the fields.
Once the trams and trains were electrified (in 1901 and 1907, respectively) journey time and passenger comfort improved. Industry also spread and Acton’s population rose by half between 1901 and 1911. Property prices rose sharply and the rest of The Elms Estate was developed. 1896 Ordnance Survey Map
Ealing Borough Council 2006 8 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Estate Map 1888 Map Courtesy of Creffield Area Residents Association (CARA)
Estate Map 1906 Map Courtesy of CARA
Ealing Borough Council 2006 9 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Corner of Creffield Road and Wolverton Gardens around 1910 Photo Courtesy of Ealing Central Library
c. 1908 c.1939 Map Courtesy of CARA Map Courtesy of CARA
Ealing Borough Council 2006 10 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Wegg Lane (now Twyford Avenue) Photo Courtesy of Ealing Central Library
Twyford Avenue in the 1930s Photo Courtesy of Ealing Central Library
Ealing Borough Council 2006 11 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
The estate was an ideal location, with newly created Birch Grove being the limit of the 1d tram journey from London. Building restarted in 1904, with some parcels of land, including Birch Grove, being bought off by other parties. A large area was sold to the Gas Light & Coke Co. including The Elms and the current Twyford Sports Ground. The Ealing Lawn Tennis Club bought a smaller area north of Creffield, halting the plan to extend Oakley Avenue southwards.
Maps, including advertising for the “high class Estate” in 1905, shows development continuing:
By the Edwardian era, Acton was “already London-over- the-border” (Pevsner) although Acton was not officially incorporated into Greater London until 1965. Rapid growth continued and the character of Acton changed very quickly. Many new streets were laid out and lined with houses, turning the area into an effective suburb of London.
The remaining rural character was finally built over. The fishponds, which had stood by the Oxford Road for centuries and had watered resting stagecoach horses and grazing livestock, were sold to the council, covered 1914 Ordnance Survey Map over and turned into Twyford Gardens in 1903.
Development continued over the next 10 years and by the 1914 OS map the layout of the Creffield area was looking very much as it does today. Fordhook House had gone, replaced by houses on Fordhook Avenue and Byron Road (there is also a Fielding Terrace on Uxbridge Road). The Elms was a toy factory, J.F.K Farnell, which produced the famous Teddy Bear bought for Christopher Robin Milne.
As the 20th century progressed, so did developments in transportation. A motor bus ran daily from Ealing and Acton to the City and Essex by 1910, and the private motorcar followed in the next two decades. As the road network has expanded around Creffield, the area itself changed very little. Some high-rise blocks were inserted, along with new individual buildings on some plots.
3.2. Archaeology
Evidence discovered in the 1880s in the Creffield Road area shows habitation up to 500,000 years ago. Archaeologists found a relatively intact Neanderthal site, which is still the most important Levalloisian site (containing primitive flint tools) of its kind in London.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 12 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Creffield is, therefore, one of the oldest occupied parts of the country.
Although the landscape has changed with the intervening Ice Ages, the area would have been a suitable location for the hunter-gatherers to camp and support themselves. Mesolithic finds (circa 10,000 years old) have also been made around Creffield Road and at nearby Ealing Common. Various other archaeological finds have been made in the wider Acton area, including some bronze-age cremation urns.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 13 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
4. Spatial Analysis
4.1. Plan, Form and Layout The existing, historic paths of Hanger Lane, Uxbridge Road and Twyford Avenue determined the boundaries of Creffield although the roads within it were constructed specifically for the houses in the late 19th and early 20th century, as can be seen on the historic maps.
The roads are laid out in a loose grid pattern, their courses deviating gently. The tracks of the Great Western Railway determine the northern extent of the Buildings set back from the highway estate and run behind Inglis Road and Oakley Avenue. The winding east/west course of Creffield Road imitates an earlier field boundary a few metres to its south
The road layout has not changed since the estate was complete by 1914, although Uxbridge Road has been widened and a number of individual buildings have been lost and gained. A number have gone in Inglis Road, to be replaced by blocks of flats in the late 20th century. Much of the tennis club has been sold off for housing, including large tower blocks and a terrace of uncharacteristically deep, narrow houses. The Haberdashers’ Aske’s School (now the Japanese School) Broad roads has also been extended. East Lodge has gone from Uxbridge Road and blocks of modern flats and a petrol station have been inserted.
The original plan and form of the buildings all followed the same suburban principle of building houses in rows behind front gardens set back from the highway. All the plots were bounded by brick walls, many of which still survive.
4.2. Landmarks, Focal Points and Views The landmark buildings in the CA have impressive scale. The Elms confidently addresses Uxbridge Road through fine gates and is protected by a high wall. Its impressive Church visible from key junctions architecture is unparalleled in the area, although its setting is rather diminished by the overlarge sports centre next to it. St Martin’s Church, a grand Edwardian redbrick building, is tucked away in the smaller streets of the area. The Japanese School stretches along Creffield Road and, despite a derivative extension, maintains the appearance of the splendid, but oppressively authoritarian school that it once was.
Besides these buildings, many others provide focal points around the CA. Particularly eye catching are houses on major junctions that use lavish details, such as shaped Pleasant views out of CA
Ealing Borough Council 2006 14 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal gables, turrets, castellated bays and intricate chimney detailing to show off this affluent area.
Twyford Gardens provide another focal point, one of the breaks in the miles of relentless buildings along Uxbridge Road. Its hooped iron railings and tidy appearance betray its early 20th century municipal origins and the gardens are a refreshing splash of green along the urban highway.
The views in, out and around the CA make an important contribution to its character. These are the notable views: View across Twyford Gardens
• Out of Freeland and Inglis Roads to the mature trees that line Hanger Lane, providing a rich green. The avenues of lime trees along Inglis Road add to the effect; • Out of Wolverton Gardens towards the eastern section of Ealing Common. A similarly verdant backdrop that harks back to Creffield’s rural origins; • Along Twyford Avenue. The straight and wide road has long views that successfully show off the pleasing architecture and the rhythm of the streetscene, which opens out into a wide skyline; • Out of Birch Grove and Twyford Avenue towards the church. This house of worship has the scale of a Landmark property with cupola small cathedral. The sight of the structure is striking on turning these corners. The design is perhaps a slight misjudgement of scale; • Along Uxbridge Road onto Ealing Common and into the heart of Acton Centre. These views give contrasting outlooks, the urban Acton and the rural Ealing Common. They represent the “best of both worlds” that Creffield has always represented: with the services and opportunities provided by the town on one hand and green open spaces on the other.
4.3. Open Spaces, Trees and Landscape Twyford Gardens Church roof dominates the skyline This area was formerly covered by ponds and a watering hole for grazing animals, such as stage coach horses. It is now public gardens, split into two sections by Twyford Avenue. Unfortunately, the gardens are often a focus for anti-social behaviour at odds with the pleasant peaceful surroundings and the well-maintained flowerbeds. Other users such as the schoolchildren from Twyford C of E School inject a more positive atmosphere into the gardens. Trees screen most northerly views out towards the houses along Twyford Crescent.
Twyford Sports Ground Currently the training ground for WASPS Rugby Club, Public amenity space this large area is outside the CA but is designated as Community Open Space. The general community does
Ealing Borough Council 2006 15 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal not have right of access to it and the access points from Twyford Avenue have limited views into it the ground. Its largely treeless appearance does not have a great impact on the CA although any plans to develop parts or all of the site could affect the amenity and character of the CA considerably.
Ealing Lawn Tennis Club This privately owned open space within the CA is largely covered with a “temporary” modern dome to allow all- weather tennis practice. The dome is prominent in the view up Daniel Road from Creffield Road. The Club is the Twyford Sports Ground oldest resident of the Creffield area and has sold off parts of its land to developers over the last few decades.
Bowling Green This area is also Community Open Space, but is tucked away from the surrounding area, down a driveway that was once planned as another residential road. The commercial buildings surrounding the green are rundown and unattractive in appearance. The green itself appears to be accessible only by appointment.
Trees Trees are plentiful in most of the area, although the specimens on Birch Grove, notably silver birches, are Ealing Lawn Tennis Club newly planted. Established trees, including limes, line the other roads, particularly Creffield and Inglis Roads and Wolverton Gardens. The trees on Twyford Avenue, while mature, are smaller species and sparsely positioned along the road. Its straight course and width mean that traffic picks up a lot of speed (despite the speed humps) and the lack of trees combines to give a more urban feel to the road than the other residential streets in the CA.
Uxbridge Road, a commercial route, is even more urban, wider and has hardly any tree cover. The trees on Ealing Common and Twyford Gardens, which are long established and plentiful, provide this highway’s arboreal character. They contribute a rich green backdrop to the Trees with severely reduced crowns views west out of the CA at Uxbridge, Creffield, Freeland and Inglis Roads.
A few mature trees are in back gardens, some trees were planted once the new houses were built and there are groups on the Common where the landscape is level and open. It appears that many horse chestnuts on the edge of the area are suffering from disease.
At Creffield the land begins to rise up Hanger Hill, but gently drops further towards Acton until, at the eastern edge of the CA the landscape drops suddenly into the town centre above the course of Bollo Brook which heads Across Twyford Gardens to shops south to the Thames.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 16 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal 4.4. Public realm Lamp posts Along most the roads the lamp standards are of 1960s vintage, the “hockey stick” design: tall and slender with rectangular lamps reaching over the road. There are a few exceptions to this, for example on the eastern stretch of Creffield Road, where earlier models stand with the lamp fixed centrally above the standard, shaped like an inverted pyramid. All styles of lamp are due to be replaced in the current Borough-wide Public Finance Initiative. Some posts are already in situ along Twyford Avenue, very tall (at least double the traditional height as shown in historic photographs) and painted black.
Post boxes 20th century cast iron post boxes are to be found around the area. None are of a sufficient vintage to merit statutory protection, but the splash of traditional pillar-box red colour adds to the character of the area.
Kerbs Old lamp standard Kerbs are generally 300mm wide granite slabs. Earlier roads such as Inglis and Creffield have cobbled gutters. Later roads have granite slab gutters.
Speed Humps The speed humps on most of the residential roads in the area successfully reduce the speed of motor vehicles. Their full width and height makes them effective although their appearance does not enhance the area’s character. However, the speed humps on Twyford Avenue are small “islands” that do not fulfil the function so well. Related street signs are suitably discreet.
Bus shelters Small bus stops and larger bus shelters are all modern, built of perspex and metal frames with plastic seats.
Railings The municipal style marks the perimeter of Twyford Gardens. Here, the iron railings have a traditional hooped appearance. Traditional post box Electricity cabinets The electricity cabinets in the CA are all in a modern style and painted dark green. They are mostly set well back from the kerb, which diminishes their intrusion on the character of the CA. The distinctive Edwardian boxes to be found in Ealing are not located here as the majority of the area was in the old Acton Municipal Borough.
Prominently sited electricity cabinet Ealing Borough Council 2006 17 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
5. The Buildings of the Conservation Area
5.1. Buildings Types The majority of properties on the CA are late 19th / early 20th century in origin although some new infill development has appeared in recent years. The buildings have distinct characteristics that can loosely be separated into four groups:
Early Creffield Early Uxbridge Road property
The first houses built on The Elms Estate were constructed in the 1890s in the newly laid Inglis, Freeland and Creffield Roads. These are mainly large detached houses, although there are some semidetached houses too. They are a mixture of two storey buildings, some with attics. An unfussy but attractive style predominates featuring square bays, a mixture of red and stock brickwork, some Tudor door arches and other variations of details, including balustrading. The houses on Creffield Road and the south of Inglis Road are slightly taller, while those further north, covering the former “Hamilton Road East” and Freeland Road are squat and two storey: wider and extending further back into their plots. These rows Fine details and dressings contrast with the larger three storey houses on Hanger Lane, which are of a similar vintage and were also on The Elms Estate, but are not included in the Creffield CA.
There appears to have been a good deal of experimentation with design across these first stages of development, with the following characteristics featuring in these sub-groups:
Creffield Road: • Gable ends facing the road; • Some have small dormers in the attic floor; • Sash windows with brick surrounds, some rendered; Subdivided properties • Plain brick and rendered door arches and cases; • Patterned brick bay panels on canted bays with red rubbed brick flat arches and plain cornice on ground floor bays; • Slate roofs with distinctive butterfly style terracotta ridge tiles; • Mainly stock brick frontages and garden walls with piers; • Few details.
Inglis Road: • Two storey houses some with attics; • Attic floors have gables breaking through and Regular roofscape on Freeland Road terracotta details;
Ealing Borough Council 2006 18 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
• Terracotta details to bay panels and flat/ flush full height tower bays on taller properties; • Fish tail tiles on canted bays with turrets and rendered window details on two storey properties leading around the corner; • Clay tile and imitation slate roofs; • Butterfly ridge tile details on original roofs.
Freeland Road:
• Two storey houses some with attics; • Uniform rows of canted bays down the street, some Inglis Road with terracotta detailing on panels all with stone lintels and cills. Plain brick cornice at eaves level; • Mostly yellow stock brick with redbrick detailing; • Some timber fret cut details around recessed porches; • Some stone detailing on lintels; • North side has a continuous arrangement of dormers/ gabled turrets along the roofscape. Alternate full height and single storey bays; • Slate roofs with butterfly ridge tile detail.
Hamilton Road East (Inglis Road): • Two storey, running deeply into their plots; Large Freeland Road properties • Variations in form every two or three houses (style of bays, etc); • Varying from very little architectural detail on north side (rendered and painted front elevations, some with turrets) to extravagant use of plasterwork, fret cut timberwork and balustrading, tile hanging and fancy pantiles; • Remaining red brick properties have rubbed brick flat arches over their windows; • Chunky windows cases; • Some elaborate door arches, plaster details in lintels and brick patterning; • Original front paths have diamond pattern using red, Lavish styling in “Hamilton Road blue and yellow tiles; East” • Both tile and slate roofs.
Grand Creffield After the completion of the initial phase of the development further roads were cut as the owners prepared to build more houses across the railway tracks. The houses spread westwards from Twyford Avenue along Creffield Road, some built by speculative builders who had bought multiple plots from the Rounds. However, the houses built around the junction of Inglis/ Creffield Roads and Wolverton Gardens were given lavish details.
The corner house on Inglis Road is larger and grander than others on this road, perhaps having been Dutch gables, cupola and weather vane
Ealing Borough Council 2006 19 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal remodelled as the development gathered pace once more. Its fine chimneystacks and tower bays mark the gateway in style. These features and scale are carried through on the other corner, the other houses also having elaborate Dutch gables. The house on Wolverton Gardens even has a cupola with a weather vane attached.
The design was bold and was an attempt to elevate the standing of the area with the “Queen Anne” style favoured by architects in the late 19th century. The red brick is almost rust coloured and with tight joints in Castellated bays Flemish bond. Nos. 12 and 14 are particularly grand, featuring lavish stone and plaster details including a broad storey band that incorporates a shallow pinnacled portico. Large canted corner tower bays rise to the third storey.
Further towards Ealing Common, the remaining houses have less detail, sometimes through alteration, and belong to the earlier phase of development. Those opposite are semidetached and more modest in general.
Similarly tall and gabled houses were built at the southern end of Birch Grove. The land was bought by a different developer who kept to this grander style rather One building style abutting another than adopt the subsequent, more modest design that was to spread across the remaining area.
Edwardian Creffield While the new middle class wanted plenty of space in their houses, they did not need too much opulence. The core of the houses in Creffield provided for their more modest, if elegant tastes.
The other residential roads in the area: Oakley Avenue, Montague, Western, Layer, Stanway and Hale Gardens, Twyford Avenue, Twyford Crescent and the remaining parts of Creffield Road, Birch Grove and Wolverton Gardens all have this superior suburban appeal. Distinctive pointed oriel window and butterfly ridge tiles
There are still differences between each road, for instance many on Twyford Avenue have attic floors above the two storeys, whereas most other roads were kept to two storeys. Also, while most are semi-detached, some on Creffield Road are detached.
General features can be identified, which were used as the developers standardised their format:
• Each set of semis has full height square or canted bays on either end and front doors beside each other with windows above: either flush or oriel; • The oriels are either pointed or canted. Some roads Sturdy bays with pilasters alternate these styles effectively;
Ealing Borough Council 2006 20 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
• Openings often have render dressings at cill and lintel level, throwing the red brick into relief. Windows are timber double hung sashes with curved top rail; • Plaster/ terracotta details are also common on bay panels; • Some, mainly in Creffield Road, have decorated bargeboards and tile hung gables. Others have black and white half timbering in the gable end; • Tuck pointing is still in evidence on some of the front elevations; • Porches are mainly recessed, some with timber fret cut surrounds, some more substantial double width porches with tiled roofs supported on ballastered Twyford Avenue pillars and with bulls eye windows next to the front door; • Distinctive leaded lights above front doors incorporating house numbers; • Some bays are castellated, notably on Birch Grove, Hale Gardens and Twyford Avenue; • Walls topped with low railings and gate piers with pointed capstones were built to contain good-sized front gardens throughout the area; • Some pairs on Hale Gardens are more substantial, having another bay, but still semidetached.
Retained front gardens Acton Highway On Uxbridge Road the blocks of 3, 4 and 5 storey houses line the south side of the road. They are of a similar period to most residential roads and have sash windows and bays, but are more town than suburban in character. Some blocks have parades of shops at ground level. All are divided into flats or hotels. The buildings on the north side and Twyford Crescent tend to have the more residential character of the roads that they meet. West Lodge, an old Rothschild building (listed grade II) marks the Parish boundary of Acton and Ealing.
The Holmwood Mansions building has particularly fine Acton Highway detailing, with an elaborate scrolled pediment above the front door, ribbed brick window arches and stone and terracotta dressings. Keystones appear to have been in vogue at the time. The central bay rises to five storeys, capped by a decorated pediment with a bulls eye window. The rather shabby shopfronts below, with overlarge and garish signage have a clashing modern character.
Infill development The majority of development in the last century has had to fit into the few remaining gaps or replace other buildings. Many of the inserted buildings have departed Holmwood Mansions, Uxbridge Road from the “Creffield” style.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 21 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Inglis Road – Hollywood Court is an undistinguished block of flats and its neighbour has a catslide roof which is not typical of the area. Two other 20th century houses, one with a Dutch gable and another in an unadorned Arts and Crafts style are set back from the road in former back garden areas. A third house has introduced a modern mansard roof into a row of original houses.
Creffield Road – The Francis Court flats on the corner of Daniel Road and the large modern house at No. 17 have a plain style and do not contribute greatly to the area. Opposite them, Nos. 36 & 38 have another uncharacteristic mansard roof. Unsympathetic mansard roof
Birch Grove – No. 58 an unfussy, whitewashed 1930s house was inserted close to the top of road. While it does not have Creffield features, its different orientation and small scale ensures that it does not upstage the older houses.
Twyford Avenue – No. 2a is a modern detached house which neither enhances nor particularly detracts from the character of the area. Twyford Court is a handsome low- rise 1930s set of flats in a toned down Art Deco style. While the designer did not take architectural cues from the surrounding buildings, the quality of the design and respect showed for the surroundings means that it does enhance the area. The garages built on the site of proposed roads are generally overlarge and unsympathetic with the character of the area.
Western Gardens – Nos. 8 – 30 lie on the site of former tennis courts, with many houses squeezed onto this plot of land. This has resulted in unusually proportioned houses: narrow and very deep. They feature a mixture of architectural details that are unrelated to the “Creffield” look. Rare surviving tiled pathway Twyford Crescent – No. 15 is overlarge for its plot and has an uncharacteristic half timbered design. However, its appearance does not adversely affect the character of
5.2. Buildings Materials and Local Details
The majority of the buildings in the CA are built using traditional materials. They tend to be finished in redbrick in Flemish bond, although some, particularly in Inglis Road are built of yellow London stock brick. Roofs are generally of clay tile with terracotta ridge tiles, often decorated. Some replacement roofs are of imitation slate.
Exposed structural materials such as lintels are of stone, which would have been imported from outside the area Original leaded panes due to the lack of suitable deposits in the London area.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 22 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Bricks and clay tiles would have been fired locally or in the Buckinghamshire area. Original pointing uses lime mortar although repair work has often used cement mortar. There is some existing tuckpointing in, and on the edge of, the CA. Detailing around the doors and windows is generally made from stucco although some of the older properties use terracotta.
Original windows are all constructed of timber, although uPVC replacements have crept in, to the detriment of the area. Boundary treatments are usually constructed of yellow stock or red brick. The piers originally had stone capstones, some of which are still to be found in the area.
5.3. Listed Buildings
The Elms (grade II*), Twyford Church of England High School, Twyford Crescent This early 18th century villa was the centre of the estate Doorcase to Holmwood Mansions until it was sold in the late 19th century and is the historic focus of the Creffield area. It is built in brown stock brick with red brick dressings. Its current function as a school building has not affected its original appearance, which features two storeys plus attic and a frontage of five bays. Four Roman Doric pilasters on plinths rise over two storeys and, along with the broad, plain entablature, the pilasters are painted a striking white to stand out against the brown and red brick. Above a pediment is a round arched window while two dormers sit either side in a Welsh slate roof. Unfussy chimneys sit on the gable ends. The bays have double hung sashes set in segmental arches with keystones. There are later wings attached on either side. Six stone steps lead up to the The Elms (grade II listed) panelled door, which has a white, similarly striking, rusticated surround. Both interior and exterior have been well maintained, granting it the elevated status of being listed grade II*.
The Elms stands proudly in front of a great lawn peppered with mature trees. The generous space in which the house is placed has been preserved and continues to provide a good deal of the character of the property itself and this gateway to the CA. A fine high brick wall and iron gates enclose the buildings, although there are a number of views in to them. Entrance to The Elms West Lodge, Uxbridge Road The West Lodge to Grosvenor Court was the site of one of the houses (also called West Lodge) built by John Winter in around 1800. It was eventually sold to the Rothschilds of Gunnersbury. As befits a lodge, the building is of modest proportions and is oriented to face
Ealing Borough Council 2006 23 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal away from the main road. It is two storey and built of whitened brick. It has a central semicircular brick bay that building also featured mullioned and transomed windows and an iron balcony.
Hiding behind a large tree and in the shadow of Grosvenor Court, it is one of the hidden gems of the CA.
5.4. Key Unlisted Buildings
Locally Listed Buildings
Nos. 3, 5 & 23 Birch Grove were all built by Mr Harris in the early 20th century and are fine examples of a more individual style working within the general “Creffield” look.
Nos. 10, 12 and 14 Creffield Road were among the last to be completed on the road and the most lavish. Turrets, cupolas, Dutch gables, castellated bays and richly finished dressings abound, as they do on No. 1 Twyford West Lodge Crescent at the southern gateway to The Elms Estate. Next door at Nos. 1 & 3 Hale Gardens, the semis are larger than many others in Creffield and their large stone dressed castellated bays do not sit entirely comfortably with the pointed oriel windows at first floor level. The houses appear to belong to larger scale architecture of the type found on St Martin’s Church at the other end of Hale Gardens. The church is designed in a pleasing manner, with clean tripartite Tudor window arches at ground floor and clerestory level, with large decorated windows above the east door. Turrets and a cornice details give some variation to the eaves level of what is a vast building. The steep long roof is neatly covered in Japanese School thousands of clay tiles. A fine, low red brick boundary wall complements the red of the church and “Creffield” gate piers ground it in the local streetscene.
At the eastern end of Creffield Road The Japanese School (Haberdashers’ Aske’s) is a broad red brick Edwardian building, unmistakeably utilitarian and removed from the domestic character surrounding it. The school is 15 bays wide with a bright red brick frontage set close to the road. Seven tall square brick pilasters break into steep pediments in the parapet. The ridges are topped with pinnacles and the school towers ominously over the tall stock brick wall that runs along the pavement St Martin’s Church outside. Tall, narrow stone-mullioned windows and chimneystacks contribute to the dominance of the building in the streetscene. The building also has a grand front doorcase. Unfortunately, the modern extension fails to use the architectural cues effectively. Misfiring attempts to incorporate a similar pediment and a storey band cannot compensate for the bulkier plan and roofstyle and differently proportioned windows. They
Ealing Borough Council 2006 24 Nos. 1 and 3 Hale Gardens Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal combine to produce a “fatter” building, which threatens to upstage the principal building from the eastern approach.
Other Key Buildings
Grosvenor Court, Uxbridge Road This three-storey block of flats from the 1930s is handsome and striking. With black-and-white half timbering in the gables and unpainted stone mullions in full height canted bays, it is “Stockbroker Tudor” but is elegantly designed. Its symmetrical appearance includes Grosvenor Court clean lines and curves and the builders have used quality materials. Positioned close to Uxbridge Road, it is a suitably grand block in the series of tall blocks in the streetscape.
Twyford Court, Twyford Avenue
Due to its later vintage and individual style, this building stands out from the rows of Edwardian houses in Creffield. However, it also stands as an example of how such differences in appearance do not necessarily result in a jarring visual effect or a loss of character in the area. This building’s low-rise design and soft tones add to the rich suburban mix. Twyford Court
Ealing Borough Council 2006 25 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
6. The Character of the Conservation Area The roads in the CA are lined by fine, large residential houses, interspersed with the community buildings: schools, clubs and a church. At the edge of the area, Uxbridge Road retains architecture of a similar period, but relates more to serving the needs of the historic route between Oxford and London. It carries a large amount of motor traffic and, along with Hanger Lane, marks the extent of the residential parts of the Creffield area. The mix of these two characters within a single CA is a valuable celebration of the manner in which the suburbs of London have grown alongside each other, sometimes with contrasting characteristics but often benefiting each other.
6.1. Origins of Character The sounds and vibrations of trains passing regularly Winding roads evoke a sense of the reinforce the suburban London location. A key factor in rural history of Acton the development, and subsequent character, of this area is the history of transport. Acton established itself through its proximity to the Oxford Road, Hanger Lane and Gunnersbury Lane, and the trading and communication opportunities that these routes provided. Subsequently, the 19th century railway expansion which criss-crossed Acton brought residents within 30 minutes of the city and the electrification of services made Acton a highly desirable area. It was this technological innovation that helped fulfil the vision of the Round family: to fill its land with quality houses. The scheme was slightly scaled down (retaining the open space of Twyford Sports ground), but the covenants on the leases of the properties ensured that the landlord maintained a strong control over the appearance of the area. Twyford Avenue 1904 6.2. Character Areas Photo Courtesy of CARA
Early Creffield This area followed on from the initial development attempted on Hanger Lane. This enclave in Inglis, Freeland and Creffield Roads was constructed from around 1885 to 1897 in a more intimate framework of residential roads. The houses have progressively less grandeur and height as they head north. The colder, blander stock brick is replaced with a warm red brick or bright yellow stock. Even a few semi-detached houses were built, along with more modest, tightly grouped sets of detached houses.
The style and character of these buildings, with its mixture of form and finish, is lacking in the confidence of Large, stocky rows either the subsequent grand buildings of Creffield Road
Ealing Borough Council 2006 26 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal or the uniform rows of semis laid out in the rest of the area. Unlike the Hanger Lane properties, the character here is definitely suburban but the developers had not yet found the Creffield “look” of later years. However, common details such as butterfly ridge tiles were already being used at this time.
These houses lie behind rows of mature trees: filling the width of their plots but retaining front and rear gardens. Fine stucco and terracotta details survive on the buildings today, along with original boundary treatments: red brick walls, hedging, railings and gate piers with pointed Rows of bays characterise the capstones (mainly gone in Freeland Road). streetscene
Alterations to many of the larger detached houses include roof conversions and rear extensions that penetrate deeply into rear gardens. Also some modern structures have been inserted in the area. All of these factors contribute to a slight loss of character, although the original plan and form is retained.
Grand Creffield The “grand” properties are mainly to be found on Creffield Road and the Wolverton Gardens junction. These tall houses have lavish details, featuring fine shaped gables, turrets and cupolas. They emulate the style of Bedford Park in the south of the Parish, but their Sumptuous features mark one stage small number shows the limits of this stylistic experiment. of construction It has the character of an area trying to better itself and the similarly, grand southern parts of Birch Grove peter out as the development road winds north.
Edwardian Creffield The next phase of development did not take place until the start of the new century when transport links were improved. The majority are all two storey, detached or semi-detached with fine, but not lavish features that followed on from the Early Creffield model. Distinctive oriel windows of two designs created an interest without being extravagant in either style or cost.
This forms the core of Creffield: superb quality, but the beginnings of mass production to a plan in the affordable housing market. The repetition of features is particularly noticeable along Twyford Avenue, which is long and straight. An attractive group value develops when these properties are, as they always have been, well maintained and their appearance is kept in accordance with the original design.
Acton Highway An unfussy, but rich appearance Creffield might have remained open fields for much characterises the 20th century longer had it not been for Uxbridge Road. Whereas the developments railway carved right through the area in the 19th century, the road has always lain to one side. Therefore, Creffield
Ealing Borough Council 2006 27 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal has a happier, symbiotic relationship with the road: it serves the people with access to work and leisure, the houses provide passengers for the buses (and formerly trams).
The houses and shops that line the road are oriented towards it and trade off its travellers. Many of the tall houses on the southern side are hotels, continuing the historic Acton tradition of accommodating passers through. They were built around the time of the core of The Elms Estate, also benefiting from the technological developments in travel and the increased customers that Uxbridge Road is resolutely urban it would bring to their front doors.
The shopping parades that remain have rich terracotta detailing on their front elevations and some traditional shopfronts with stall risers, mullions and transoms remaining. Other, new developments have been excluded from the CA designation because a lack of architectural special character.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 28 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
7. Issues and Recommendations
7.1. Key Issues • Subdivision of houses is a serious issue. Multiple occupancy results a greater loss of front gardens to parking and too much clutter around buildings: gas meters, waste bins, letterboxes and doorbells/ intercoms, satellite dishes. Owners could take more measures to reduce the impact of such clutter. • In general, the character of the CA has been affected in certain ways: o Hardstandings have been introduced to Loss of boundary treatments and provide further parking areas. This is front gardens especially significant in this area, which is noted for the generous proportions of front gardens and the contribution that set back frontages makes to the character of the area. This development is encouraged by the lack of controlled parking measures, which allow commuters to park all day, using up much space that would otherwise be available space for residents; o Overlarge dormers have often been inserted, even some mansard roofs. These are often related to flat Loft conversions conversions, which can completely destroy the special character of buildings (see Inglis Court); o Windows and doors – Many timber sashes have been replaced with uPVC, and distinctive coloured leaded panes have been lost. o The few remaining tiled paths contribute to the appearance of the frontages and their future is under threat; o Some recently inserted raised front walls with high iron railings; electronic gates and/ or overlarge brick piers affect the character of the CA; Clutter from subdivision o Trees – Severe cropping at insensitive times of year is clear in certain roads such as Inglis; o Satellite dishes are often sited on elevations fronting the highway. • There appears to be evidence of some breaches of planning control in the CA; • In the areas where redevelopment would be welcomed in conservation terms, such as around the Bowls Club, new structures should respect the plan, form and design of the Creffield area; • The impending new streetlamps are at least twice the height of the original standards in this area; Non-traditional roof styles
Ealing Borough Council 2006 29 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
• There is graffiti on electricity and telecom cabinets, walls and fences; • A rusted mechanical digger is left on the edge of the CA boundary at Wolverton Gardens. • There is a lack of amenity space. Although this is available close by in Ealing Common, Twyford Gardens is commonly used in an anti-social manner to the exclusion of other local residents.
7.2. Recommendations • An Article 4 Direction could substantially reduce the threat to the character of the area posed by incremental change to the frontages of properties. Control of hardstandings and window and door replacements is especially needed. • Owners of multiple occupancy residences could be encouraged to take more measures to reduce the impact of clutter related to subdivision. New published advice on hardstandings and subdivision could help any such efforts. Abandoned digger on the edge of the • A review of boundaries or a new designation may CA resolve the conflicts of character between the “Creffield” area and the “Uxbridge Road” area. The more commercial area on the Uxbridge Road could make a new CA, perhaps joining with the Tram Depot to form an Acton Hill CA, even incorporating Ealing Common station and other historic shopping parades • Currently the CA does not include all of the historic Elms Estate. Some properties were considered unworthy of inclusion in the 1993 and 2004 designations due to a lack, or a loss, of special architectural or historic interest. For instance, the houses on the south side of Creffield Road, opposite the Japanese School, are part of The Elms Estate, Outside the CA but their lack of special architectural interest makes them unlikely candidates for inclusion. However, thought could be given to the inclusion of Chatsworth and Buxton Gardens, and Lexden and Barlow Roads in the CA, because the properties could be considered to retain more special character despite the loss of some details that may be replaced by owners if they wished to restore the original features. • A final boundary consideration would be to move the Ealing Common CA boundary back to the edge of the Common. Properties along Hanger Lane historically belong to the old Round Estate. The properties at the western end of Creffield Road are also worth Potential inclusions considering for inclusion.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 30 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
• A more sensitive approach to tree lopping should be initiated. The limes along Inglis Road do not benefit from an appearance featuring no crowns but basal growth extending the lengths of their trunks. Also, newly planted saplings should be maintained for a number of years after planting to ensure their survival.
Fine details outside the CA
Ealing Borough Council 2006 31 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
8. Summary
Creffield Conservation Area retains an air of bourgeois Edwardian splendour with an attractive mix of handsome residential houses interspersed with schools, churches and open areas. Its special character is determined by the quality of the architecture, the clear groups of styles that determine a “Creffield” look in the area, and the fine example it presents of Edwardian suburban development.
Instead of copying the sumptuous glamour of Bedford Park in the south of Acton parish, it found a style and form that suited the tastes and needs of a new breed of suburbanite. The houses were large enough to accommodate servants and were constructed well, using good local materials, sited in generous plots. Its key quality is its prime location at the centre of both road and rail networks, which has attracted new residents to the area for more than 100 years. The mix of these residential and commercial characters within a single CA is a valuable celebration of the manner in which the suburbs of London have grown alongside each other, sometimes with contrasting characteristics but always benefiting each other.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 32 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
9. Planning and Policy Framework In conservation areas there is a presumption in favour of retention of buildings and structures that contribute to their special character. They are subject to additional planning controls, including demolition of buildings, restriction of ‘permitted development’ rights and automatic tree protection. It is an offence to demolish an unlisted building, fell or lop a tree without planning permission. A brief summary of the principal legislation and policy guidance applicable to the St Stephen’s CA is set out below:
The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 sets out the process of assessment, definition or revision of boundaries and formulation of proposals for conservation areas as well as the identification and protection of listed buildings. Authorities are required to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area, or in case of listed buildings, to have special regard for their preservation in the exercise of their powers under the Planning Acts.
Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) Note, 15, for local and other public authorities, property owners, developers, amenity bodies and the public, sets out Government policies for the identification and protection of historic buildings, conservation areas and other elements of the historic environment. Ealing Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) or Local Development Framework (LDF) includes its statutory policies for implementing the Acts and applying the PPG. This Appraisal should be taken into account when considering, applying for or determining planning or listed building applications within the CA.
The underlying objective of the relevant legislation and guidance is the preservation or enhancement of character or appearance of conservation areas. Any proposed development which conflicts with that objective should normally expect to be refused. PPG 15 and local policy also support a presumption in favour of preservation of any building or object which is considered to make a positive contribution to the character of a conservation area. At the same time, the need to accommodate change which respects or reinforces the character of the area in order to maintain its vitality is recognised.
Many local planning policies, not just design and conservation, can affect what happens in a conservation area. For example, policies on sustainable
Ealing Borough Council 2006 33 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal development, meeting housing needs, affordable housing, landscape, biodiversity, energy efficiency, transport, people with disabilities, employment, town centres and many others can all influence development and the quality of the environment in conservation areas. However, policies concerned with design quality and character generally take on greater importance in conservation areas. The adopted Unitary Development Plan’s chapter on Urban Design included policies dealing with:
• Design of Development (4.1) • Mixed Use (4.2) • Landscaping, Tree Protection and Planting (4.5) • Statutory Listed Buildings (4.6) • Locally Listed Buildings (4.7) • Conservation areas (4.8) • Ancient Monuments and Archaeological interest areas (4.9) • Commercial Frontage and Advertising signs (4.10)
Throughout the Chapter, references are made after each policy to other relevant documents and policies, including:
• SPG 5: How to prepare an Urban Design Statement • SPG 12: Greening Your Home; • Ealing LA21 'Keeping Your Front Garden Alive' • PPS 1 Delivering Sustainable Development • PPG 15 Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas • PPG 16 Archaeology and Planning • PPG 19 Outdoor Advertisement Control • By Design: Urban Design in the planning system: towards better practice • (CABE & and DETR, 2000); • 'Better Places to Live: By Design'. A companion guide to PPG 3 • (CABE, 2001) • The London Plan, Policy 4B.5, 4B10, 4B11, 4B12, 4B14
The Council has also issued a draft Supplementary Planning Document entitled RESIDENTIAL EXTENSIONS, in October 2005. In general it is applicable to residential properties in conservation areas.
Policy 4.8 – Conservation Areas, states:
• The Council will preserve or enhance the character and appearance of Conservation Areas and their settings;
Ealing Borough Council 2006 34 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
• New development, built or otherwise within or adjacent to the Conservation; • Area, will be permitted provided that it is well related to the existing character of the area in terms of its historic and architectural quality, and green setting. The Council also requires that any development proposal adhere to the Council's specific Conservation Area guidelines; • The Council will refuse planning permission and Conservation Area; • Consent for redevelopment of existing buildings, unless the proposed replacement development will preserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area. The Council will also, where appropriate, make Article 4 Directions, restricting development rights granted by the General Permitted Development Order; • It is the Council's intention to create new and extended Conservation Areas in the Borough, in areas which merit this status, having regard to the individual merits of buildings, spaces and other features, and the quality and character of the area as a whole
In addition, the criteria for further designation or extension of conservation areas are set out as:
The area concerned must be the setting for one or more of the following:
• Listed Buildings, or a group of buildings of good design from any period, especially where they create an attractive townscape; • Urban open spaces or historic village greens; • Features of historic or archaeological interest including industrial or transport heritage; • Landscape features including the water, trees, gardens of value for their plants, wildlife or the amenity of the surrounding area; • An historic street pattern; • The area should have some cohesion of character worthy of preservation; • and, • The benefits of preserving that character must be considered to be greater than the loss of certain permitted development rights, having regard to the financial and resource implications of such action.
Further advice on policies in the UDP, restrictions on residential and commercial properties and how to apply for permission may be obtained from London Borough of Ealing, Planning and Surveying Services, 14- 16 Uxbridge Road, London, W5 2HL Tel (020) 8825 6600 (General Planning Enquiries), (020) 8825 9357
Ealing Borough Council 2006 35 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
(Conservation & Urban Design) and the Council’s website www.ealing.gov.uk or email [email protected].
Ealing Borough Council 2006 36 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
10. Glossary Arch - the spanning of an opening by means other than a lintel. Most commonly arches are curved and made up of wedge shaped blocks. Numerous variations exist e.g.
Blind, Triumphant, Vernacular
Band – an unmoulded, projecting string course, often delineating a floor/storey.
Bargeboards – projecting boards set against the incline of the gable of a building Bay - the vertical division of the exterior, (or interior) of a building marked by a window opening. They may be Round, (or Canted) or Square.
Bond – style of laying Headers, (bricks laid with the long side at right angles to the face of a wall), and Stretchers, (bricks laid with the long side along the face of the wall), within masonry courses. Flemish Bond is where alternate Headers and Stretchers are used in the face of the wall. English Bond is where alternate courses of bricks in the facing wall are either Headers or Stretchers.
Buttress – a mass of masonry or brickwork projecting from or built against a wall to give additional strength
Capitals – the top or head of a column, pier or pilaster, which relate to Classical architecture
Casement window – a window hinged vertically to open like a door
Cladding – an external covering applied to a structure for protective/aesthetic purposes
Column – an upright, often supporting, structure either, round, square or rectangular in form
Coping – a capping or covering found on top of a wall. They can be flat or sloping to discharge water
Cornice – a projecting, decorative moulding found along the top of a building. refers to a cornice made up of a series of small square blocks Dentil Cornice
Corbel – a projecting block, usually stone, supporting a horizontal beam
Course – a continuous layer of stones or bricks found in a wall. Referred to as String, (horizontal) or Soldier (vertical)
Ealing Borough Council 2006 37 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Cupola – a dome that crowns a roof or turret
Curtilage – the available space attached to a property which forms a singular enclosure
Door hood – a projected moulding above an exterior door designed to through off the rain
Dormer window – a projecting window placed vertically in a sloping roof with a roof of its own
Dressings - a decorative feature made of stones, most commonly set around windows
Eaves – the underpart of a sloping roof overhanging a wall, (Oversailing), or flush with it
Elevation – the external wall or face of a building
Façade – commonly the front face of a building
Fanlights – a window, often semi-circular with radiating glazing panels, found over a door in Georgian buildings
Fenestration – the arrangement of windows in a building
Finial - a formal ornament, (usually in Fleur-de-Lis) at the top of a gable, pinnacle or canopy
Footprint – the total area over which a building is situated
Gable – the triangular upper part of a wall found at the end of a ridged roof
Grain – refers to the arrangement and size of buildings in the urban context
Hardstanding – an area of hard material used for parking cars within the cartilage, (often front garden space) of a house
Hipped roof – a shallowish pitch with sloping at the vertical ends
Keystone – central wedge-shaped stone at the crown of an arch
Mortar – mixture of cement, (or lime), sand and water laid between bricks as an adhesive Lintel – a horizontal supporting element of timber, metal or stone found across the top of a door or window
Mansard roof – has a double slope where the lower part is steeper than the upper part
Ealing Borough Council 2006 38 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Moulding – a continuous projection or groove used decoratively to throw shadow or rain water off a wall
Mullion – a vertical element (glazing bar) that divides a window into two or more lights
Pantile – a roofing tile with a curved S shape designed to interlock
Parapet – a low wall used as a safety device where a drop or edge exists Pediment – a low pitched Gable above a Portico
Pier – a solid vertical masonry support (or mass) found in buildings and walls
Pilaster – a shallow pier projecting slightly from a wall
Pinnacle – a small pyramidal or conical shaped crowing element
Pitched roof – the most common type. Gables exist at each end of the pitch
Plinth – the projecting base of a wall or column
Pointing – the exposed mortar finish to brick or masonry joints
Polychromatic – multi-coloured brickwork
Portico – a roofspace open or partly enclosed
Quatrefoil – a set of decorative openings, often leaf shaped cut into an arch
Quoins – dressed bricks found at the corners of buildings, usually laid so that the brick faces are alternately large and small
Ragstone – rubble masonry, rough building stones or flints, generally laid in irregular courses
Recess – space set back in a wall, often the setting for an entrance porch
Render – plaster or stucco applied to a wall
Rooflight – a window set flush into the slope of a roof
Rusticated – masonry cut in huge blocks, often in its original hewn state, that is normally found on the lower half of buildings
Ealing Borough Council 2006 39 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Sash window – a window that is double hung with wooden frames (sashes) that slide up and down with pulleys
Sepulchre – a recess with Tombchest designed to receive an effigy of Christ
Sett – paving slabs
Sills – the horizontal element found at the base of a window or door frame Stucco – a form of plaster used internally or externally to decorate or protect
Transom – a horizontal bar of stone or wood across a window
Ealing Borough Council 2006 40 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
11. Bibliography and Further Reading
Baker et al. A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7 Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden, Victoria County History 1982
Ealing Council. Adopted 2004 Plan for the Environment, 2004
English Heritage. Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals, 2005
Hounsell, P. The Ealing Book, Historical Publications, 2005
Jackson, A. Semi-detached London. Suburban development, life and transport, 1900-39, Wild Swan Publications Ltd., 1991
Oates, J. Acton - A History, Phillimore, 2003
Pevsner, N. & Cherry, C. The Buildings of England, London 3: North-West, Penguin 1983
Ealing Borough Council 2006 41 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
12. Appendices
12.1. Stakeholder Contact List
Ealing Civic Society 60 Beaufort Road Ealing London, W5
Creffield Area Residents Association 54 Birch Grove Acton London, W3 9SR
Ealing Common and Creffield Area Conservation Panel 54 Birch Grove Acton London, W3 9SR
12.2. Questionnaire and Schedule of Responses
Conservation Area Questionnaire
Responses by CARA
What makes this Conservation Area different to any other area in the Borough/ London/ England?
Very large almost intact late Victorian early Edwardian Estate, little bomb damage and very few infill houses – Also due to size of plots the area was never really redeveloped in the 1960’s. There are a few 1960’s flats on Inglis Road by the Railway line and the tennis courts.
What are the special historic qualities of the Conservation Area?
We have a full history of the land from before Miss Wegg’s transfer to the Rounds family.
We still have the enforceable restrictive covenants as to use of the houses.
What are the special architectural qualities of buildings in the Conservation Area?
As per the Council’s conservation statement - 21 Set back building line – nice front gardens. Some great stained glass front doors. No retail – no commercial – therefore low light pollution
Ealing Borough Council 2006 42 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Roof lines – Majority in tact to front – Semi detached with matching gables
What distinctive features (e.g. signage, kerbing/ road surfacing, street furniture) make a positive/ negative contribution to the Conservation area?
Positive – front gardens uniform roof lines Negative – “concreting over” of entire front gardens and removal of front walls – dustbin stores and meter cupboards. Satellite dishes. Installation of high electronic metal security gates – requiring brick piers. The original “garden” gates were hung from iron posts. Brick piers were built on the boundary of the house.
Which features are most at risk, or have already been lost, in the Conservation Area?
Loss of front Gardens and front walls – often due to council’s introduction of CPZs Changes to fenestration – PVC aluminium replacing wooden sash and casement – incorrect detail in replacement windows. Loss of stained glass windows
What, if any, are the wider threats to the character of the area?
Lack of enforcement by Ealing Council Off street parking Division into flats – Polish (transient) community moving into Acton pushing up rents on the flat market – thus putting pressure on turning the houses into flats; resulting in large unsightly bins again in front gardens Satellite dishes – (again lack of enforcement.) Extensions and communication systems to the Ramada Hotel Only 3 roads outside the CPZ – resulting in transient parking and then loss of front gardens Raised front walls – high iron fencing with electronic gates over 3ft (One metre) Misleading information from Council and Government on European Legislation and Kyoto agreement recommending that changes are made to windows – example PVC - when less expensive timber saches are available. Unsympathetic dormers. – Any thought of a Mansard roof - just not in keeping with character.
Have any recent developments detracted from the character of the area?
Yes: Division of houses into flats resulting in loss of front gardens etc.
Ealing Borough Council 2006 43 Creffield Conservation Area Character Appraisal
Are there any significant open spaces in the area and could they be improved or utilised in a better way than they are at present?
Bowls Club Twyford Avenue Sports Ground and Ealing Tennis Club – all have been the subject of planning applications. New tennis pavilion is “OK”, but a tight budget has prevented the original designs from being implemented. Original plans for redevelopment of former industrial buildings and saving of the bowls club turned down by Conservation Officer, but acceptable to CARA and the Conservation panel!
Which are the most significant views in, out and within the Conservation area, and why?
One of the first views (and not good) is the view looking down south when one crosses the railway line under the North Circular. Views down Twyford Avenue and Twyford Crescent from the Uxbridge Road. Some very nice houses opposite St Martins Church on Hale Gardens. Plus some significant houses on Creffield – eg number 12 as well as several houses on Birch Grove – 1, (still a mess) 3, 5 23 and 25.
Are there any roads or areas beyond the Conservation Area boundary, which you regard as being worthy of inclusion? If so, why?
South side of Creffield opposite Japanese School, sections of Chatsworth, Buxton and Lexden all built in the same development. In reality the “Former” Elms Estate to include the entire original area including the Twyford Avenue Playing fields – an area notes as worthy of special archaeological interest (Middle Palaeolithic site – one of the oldest inhabited sites in the UK Many local residents would like to see Fordhook and Byron included into a Conservation Area.
Do you think that any parts of the Conservation Area do not merit inclusion and should be removed? If so, why?
No.
In terms of guiding future development in the area, what piece of advice would you most like to see in the character appraisal?
Matching replacement windows – timber Followed by retention of front gardens (by bringing in a full CPZ for the area.)
Ealing Borough Council 2006 44