Southend on Sea Borough Council Conservation leaflet

PLANNING CONSENTS GRANTS INTRODUCTION a

All development in the Conservation Area should follow the Prittlewell is one of Southend's most important historic areas but Prittlewell was first designated a Conservation Area in e advice in the Conservation Area Guidance leaflet and, in is in urgent need of action to restore its buildings and improve the 1995, because it has special architectural and historic r particular, respect the features outlined above that contribute to its general environment. The Prittlewell Heritage Economic interest and a character which needs to be preserved special character. Regeneration Scheme provides grants for the repair and and enhanced. Despite its decline over many years, restoration of certain commercial properties in the area (see the Prittlewell's special interest remains. Priority is being A

Planning permission is needed for development which materially Grants leaflet for details). The Council will also seek to bring given to reversing this decline, restoring its historic

affects the appearance or use of buildings or land. This can about improvements in the area in association with local buildings and upgrading its environment. n include, for example, re-roofing and altering windows, residents and businesses and other agencies. constructing extensions and new buildings. The need for This leaflet describes the main features that give the o archaeological evaluation before and during development will be area its special interest. It is one of a series of leaflets i considered where proposals include ground works. forming the Council's Conservation Guide and should North Street in the early 20th century, looking northwards from t be read, in particular, with the Conservation Area the East Street / West Street junction. ADVICE AND CONTACTS a Listed buildings are shown on the plan. These have special Guidance leaflet. Together, these leaflets will help Until the late 19th century, Prittlewell and Leigh, three architectural or historic interest in their own right and, in addition v Officers from the Technical Services Department are available to residents make informed decisions about development miles to the west, were the principal settlements in to planning permission, require listed building consent for to their properties and, so, help to preserve and what is now the Borough of Southend. "South End", offer practical and technical advice on conservation and the need r internal and external works (see the Listed Buildings leaflet). for consent. Contacts and sources of further information are enhance the Conservation Area's special character. first recorded in 1481, originated in a group of farms at the southern end of the lands belonging to Prittlewell e given in a separate leaflet. th Priory. From the mid 18 century this settlement s slowly developed in response to an increasing barge trade with London, oyster cultivation on the foreshore n and especially the new fashion for sea bathing. For o PRITTLEWELL CONSERVATION AREA much of the 19th century South End remained a small resort. But from about 1870, the pace of development quickened and by the end of the century Southend's C rapid expansion had absorbed the village of Prittlewell in a large urban area. Although subsequent changes l l have harmed Prittlewell's character, its historic importance for Southend give it special interest. This e can be summarised as: w ! Prittlewell is an example of an evolving medieval Prittlewell as it was shown on the Chapman & Andres map of 1777 village. e (published by Philimore & Co Ltd) ! Prittlewell has links with Prittlewell Priory and its l history. t ! Prittlewell is closely linked with Southend's t

PRITTLEWELL'S SPECIAL i development history.

INTEREST ! Prittlewell is likely to contain archaeological r evidence of Southend's past.

History P

The former medieval village of Prittlewell is on the south slope of the gentle valley formed by . It is centred on St Mary's Church at the "T" junction of ancient roads - East Street / West Street and North Street which formed the village's medieval market place. North Street led to and is now the northern section of Victoria Avenue.

Buildings in East Street enclosing the churchyard. Only one of these now remain. The first settlement at Prittlewell may have been a 6th century Saxon village, possibly close to the present St N Mary's Church. The Church still contains part of a 7th century arch, evidence of a Saxon Church from which the present Church developed in the 12th century. But 50m Conservation Area Boundary 0 100m no other above-ground evidence remains from this Based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of The Controller period. A Saxon burial ground to the north has also of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction Listed Buildings infringes 1 Crown copyright and may lead to prosecutions or civil proceedings. been discovered east of Priory Park. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Licence number LA 079383 Buildings on the Local List Prittlewell at the end of the 19th century. TSD Nov 2000 th St. Mary's is the only church in the locality mentioned in the Prittlewell began to expand as the 19 century progressed. Architecture Domesday Book of 1086, and suggests Prittlewell's local Almshouses built by the village rector in about 1870 remain at the importance. In the early 12th century, lands at Prittlewell were corner of North Road and West Street. Schools are recorded in the Prittlewell's buildings today display a wide variety of design and granted to the Cluniac Priory at to establish a new priory village from the medieval period. Southend's oldest surviving materials and have no dominant architectural character. But this north of Prittle Brook. A market was granted to the village in the school, St. Mary's, originated in Prittlewell as the Church school. variety illustrates to a limited extent the evolution of the village 13th century, evidence of its local importance, and this continued Established in 1727 in cottages at North Street (now demolished), from medieval times to the present and shows typical materials until the late 16th century when it may have been transferred to it moved to the site in East Street in 1868 where the original and designs. The buildings which contribute in particular to this Rochford. building remains. The new railway and Prittlewell Station also architectural progression include: encouraged development in East Street. But by the end of the 19th th century and the early 20 century, Southend's rapid expansion ! St Mary's Church which dates from Saxon times and the had overtaken Prittlewell and absorbed the former village into a 12th century onwards. large urban area. It also resulted in the demolition of many of the ! 255 and 296/275 Victoria Avenue, originally a 16th century village's medieval buildings and replacement by Victorian, timber framed buildings but have unfortunately been Edwardian and later developments. substantially altered. ! 30 East Street, an 18th century red and blue brick 2 storey house now converted to offices. ! 60 East Street an 18th century weatherboarded cottage with a double pitched roof. ! 37-41 West Street, late 18th early 19th century terrace of The 18th century weatherboarded cottage at 60 East Street. three timber framed cottages with prominent curved bays at ground floor level. ! Golden Lion Public House circa 1880 is of typical Victorian The Priory was suppressed in 1536 along with many other design, a symmetrical red brick frontage with a two storey religious houses around the country, and seems to mark a turning central bay and projecting gable. th ! point for the village. After the mid 16 century Prittlewell appears 147-155 Victoria Avenue, built in 1897 is a terrace of to have had little outward expansion, although some new modest two storey red brick houses. ! buildings were erected during the period. Of those which survive, 3-23 West Street, built around 1905 is a terrace of purpose 60 East Street dates from the 18th century and 37-41 West Street built shops with flats over and gables roofs. from the late 18th or early 19th century. The brick frontage of 30 East Street is also 18th century, but it may conceal an older timber framed building. Nevertheless, an annual Fair is recorded at Prittlewell in the 17th century to suggest some continuing local importance.

St Mary’s Church Prittlewell appears to have been relatively prosperous in the mid 15th to mid 16th centuries when there was considerable building work in the village. The tower and other embellishments were added to the Church, new buildings facing the market encroached onto the churchyard and new timber framed houses were built elsewhere. Of these, only 255 and 269/275 Victoria Avenue now remain. As well as the Priory, a Jesus Guild was active in the Late Victorian cottages in East Street built at the same time as parish during this period and was concerned with the area's social Prittlewell Station. and religious welfare. By the end of this period, Prittlewell was described as a "populous town having in it 300 people". Victoria Avenue south of East Street - West Street was constructed in 1889 to link Prittlewell with the centre of Southend. A number of buildings including the original Blue Boar were consequently demolished and the present Blue Boar was built at the new road junction. Subsequent widening of Victoria Avenue resulted in the demolition of all the original village buildings on the east side of the road as far north as Prittle Brook. The west side of Victoria Avenue north of West Street has also been altered with a number of late Victorian and early twentieth century replacement buildings such as the Golden Lion (c.1890) and the Spread Eagle (1925).

255 Victoria Avenue Whilst much of the medieval village has disappeared, (The former Carlton Bakery) as it may have archaeological evidence of its old buildings and society is likely looked when built in The imposing 18th century brick frontage of 30 East Street may conceal an to remain below ground and in its remaining buildings. It is The Golden Lion Public House, part of Prittlewell’s rebuilding in the late the 15th century. older timber framed building. especially important that the area's archaeology is safeguarded. 19th and early 20th centuries.