Rainhill I, II & III
Conservation Area Appraisal
2008 Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal Contents
Page
1 1.0 Introduction
5 2.0 Proposals deriving from the Appraisal
20 3.0 Guidelines for New Development
26 4.0 Other Projects
31 5.0 Community Involvement
33 6.0 Delivery and Funding
35 7.0 Appendix 1
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Management Plan - Rainford I, II & III Conservation Area Management Plan Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 1.0 Background
1.1 Introduction
Until the late 19th Century Rainhill was predominantly a rural community reflecting typical agricultural trades. Important changes took place in the mid 18th Century with the turnpiking of the highway from Liverpool to Warrington (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968). The opening of the Liverpool - Manchester Railway (L&MR) in 1830 led to Rainhill being developed as a residential area. Of most historical significance, however, was probably the choice of Rain- hill as the venue for the locomotive trials to decide the type of engine which would operate on the new railways that really put it on the map.
Today the village still retains most of its historic character. The railway line is still opera- tional and an exhibition in memory of the Trials is housed in the village library. The skew bridge taking the former turnpiked Warrington Road over the railway is also still intact.
In recognition to its special architectural character and historic significance, part of Rainhill was designated as a conservation area where development control policies would seek to protect the essential character of the area (St Helens Council, 1976). Defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance” a conservation area and its designation, however, should not be an end in itself. Rather it should just be a demonstration of the commitment towards positive action.
As part of its statutory responsibilities, the Council, through its Design Team, is required to further undertake reviews as well as prepare and publish management proposals of at least one Conservation Area every year. This is set out in the Departmental Business Plan in response to the inclusion of Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) in relation to con- servation – namely BVPIs 219b and c.
A proportion of the Planning Delivery Grant (PDG) has been allocated towards meeting these BVPIs and Rainhill has been identified as the Conservation Area to be appraised and subsequent management proposals to be made towards its future development. This ap- praisal is St. Helens Council’s endeavour towards meeting this obligation and in the proc- ess protecting Conservation Areas from development that would adversely affect their char- acter.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 1 1.0 Background
1.2 Rainhill Conservation Area: Issues
Rainhill is a significant settlement and yet it was only in 1976 when a part of it was desig- nated as a Conservation Area. There are several key buildings and areas with character that contribute to its overall character but which presently lie outside the area of protection. There have been several instances where development proposals have been drawn up that would have potentially eroded these important historic assets. There is therefore an urgent need to re-consider the extent of the present Conservation Area boundary to see whether it should be extended to encompass other historic parts of Rainhill.
Within the designated Conservation Area there are activities taking place that make this an appropriate time to prioritise Rainhill for developing conservation area management propos- als, in line with re-appraising the Conservation Area itself. There are also a number of ir- regular boundaries in the centre of Rainhill, which need to be improved. The boundary to the car parks of the Commercial and Victoria Hotels along Station Road and that between the two pub car parks give a poor impression of the area. The land between Station Road and the railway and in front of the station is unused and poorly maintained. Ownership and opportunity need to be investigated in these areas. In addition, from an historical viewpoint, this is a particularly important year for Rainhill Station and the Liverpool to Manchester line, commemorating the 175th anniversary of the opening of the railway. On reviewing the sta- tion area it has become apparent that there are significant issues in terms of the quality of sense of arrival at Rainhill Station.
On the edge of the village centre the library and railway museum are unfortunately hidden away so that tourists looking for evidence of the Rainhill Trials would have no clear guid- ance either by signs or route marking. The setting of the library is also a pretty uninspiring point of arrival to a key public facility and the home to the Trials exhibition. This area is in serious need of immediate enhancement as well as a need to manage the form of any al- terations or replacement of buildings at the site.
Some of the above opportunities may form part of a future programme of highway works, but others could be in partnership with respective owners to make a considerable impact on the area. However, in order to steer this investment it is important to have management proposals in place.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 2 1.0 Background
1.3 Purpose of Appraisal
The purpose of a Conservation Area designation is not to prevent change but to manage it in the interests of the existing character of the area. This means to preserve as well as en- hance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. It is also recognised that development plan policy, development control decisions, proposals for preservation or en- hancement and the “management” of Conservation Areas can be best achieved when there is a clear and sound understanding of the special interest of the conservation area (DNH and DoE, 1995). The Council must therefore ensure that any new developments within the Area help to preserve or enhance its character or appearance.
The purpose of this appraisal is to identify the factors that make Rainhill an area of special architectural and historic interest, in accordance with the PPG15 advice and to assess any impact upon it since designation. Its therefore value is two-fold.
First, its publication will improve the understanding of the value of the built heritage. It will provide property owners within the Conservation Area, and potential developers with clearer guidance on planning matters and the types of development, which are likely to be encouraged. Secondly, it will enable the Council to improve its strategies, policies and atti- tude towards the conservation and development opportunities and priorities within the Con- servation Area.
In other words, the appraisal will form a sound basis for establishing effective Conservation Area policies; support the effective determination of planning and listed building applica- tions; and form relevant evidence in planning appeals.
The issues that will be looked into in this appraisal include:
• The historical development of the area;
• The character of individual streets;
• An assessment of the characteristic buildings types;
• An examination of historic detailing;
• An analysis of the success or otherwise of recent developments;
• An overview of possible enhancement proposals; and,
• A review of the Conservation Area boundary.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 3 1.0 Background
1.4 Document status
Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990 places statutory duty on a Local Planning Authority to “from time to time formulate and publish pro- posals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their areas which are Conser- vation Areas.” PPG 15 – “Planning and the Historic Environment” urges Local Authorities to prepare detailed assessments of their Conservation Areas. It states “the more clearly the special architectural or historic interest that justifies designation is defined and recorded, the sounder the basis for local plan policies and development control decisions, as well as for the preservation and enhancement of the character and appearance of an area” DNH and DoE, 1995). This document presents a Conservation Area Appraisal for Rainhill Con- servation Area and is intended as the framework for such consideration.
The approach to the appraisal closely follows that recommended by English Heritage in ‘Guidance on Conservation Areas Appraisals’. It is hoped that its recommendations will form the basis of a Management Plan for Rainhill Conservation Area.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 4 2.0 Location and Population
2.1 Regional context
Rainhill is one of the 15 townships into which the parish of Prescot was historically divided (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Farrer and Brownbill, 1990). It is located in the Northwest of England, about 10 miles east of Liverpool and 3 miles south of St. Helens. It is one of the two southern-most portions of the Metropolitan Borough of St. Helens. To its southeast lies Widnes in Cheshire and to the west and south Prescot in the Borough of Knowsley.
Having been well served by both road and rail since the late 19th Century, the village has enjoyed good communication facilities. The village's position some ten miles east of the thriving port of Liverpool meant that major communications have always passed through the area. Later, when the idea of a railway between Liverpool and Manchester became a reality that too passed through Rainhill village. This is marked on 19th century maps as the cross- roads where two highways passed through Rainhill - one from Prescot to Warrington and the other from Cronton to Eccleston. The adjacent M62 built in the 1960s completes the pattern of good communication within the village and its vicinity.
It’s siting and its proximity to major rail and road networks and the consequential ease of access to Warrington, Widnes, Liverpool and St. Helens have undoubtedly caused a rapid growth within and in the surrounding residential areas.
2.2 Population
From a small rural place of about 400 people at the beginning of 19th Century, Rainhill has grown rapidly to a population of about 12,000 in the last census. By 1821 there were 640 people living in 113 houses, which by 1,841 had almost doubled to 1164 persons in 217 houses (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Rainhill Parish Council, nd.). Sources put the population in 1861 at 2130 occupying 384 houses. Over the next 60 years the population fluctuated between 2208 and 2463 with numbers of houses steadily increasing to 545. Be- tween 1921 and 1931 the increase continued with a population of 3006 occupying 723 houses. By then the occupancy rate had decreased from 5.66 in 1821 to 4.15 in 1931.
Increases of population have undoubtedly had some implications on Rainhill’s built fabric. Following the 1939-45 war the population quadrupled and with it the number of houses. In 1951 there were 6,053 persons living in 1670 houses, which had increased to 12,326 per- sons in 3,835 houses in 1971. The current number of households (2001) stands at 4,836.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 5 2.0 Location and Population
2.3 Boundaries
The OS 6” first edition map depicts the historic core of Rainhill centred at Kendrick’s Cross, a main junction adjacent to Rainhill Iron Works and the LMR line. The settlement appears on Greenwood’s (1818) and Hennet’s (1830) historical maps of Lancashire but only in Yates’s (1786) map is the full four-way junction depicted.
The boundaries of the Conservation Area roughly mark the extent of this historic core of the village, which developed along Warrington Road either side of Kendrick’s Cross and the area between Warrington Road and the LMR line. This area is the present village centre that continues to fulfil its traditional function as a local focal centre providing almost all of the main services including schools, shops and the parish church. More recent develop- ments in the shape of housing and, to some extent, the new shopping precinct, tend to have taken place towards the south and south east of the Centre.
Topography and geology
As the name indicates, Rainhill lies on an area of high ground reaching a peak at Blundell’s Hill to the southwest. It lies between the Eccleston East Fault and the Eccleston West Fault where the strata are thrust down relative to those to east and west (Fletcher, 1996; British Geological Survey, 1980). The upper strata of solid geology are Permo-Triassic pebble beds above lower mottled sandstone in the Sherwood Sandstone group.
These beds outcrop to the south of Rainhill where in the 19th Century quarries were exca- vated in View Road and Mill Lane. The underlying Westphalian Coal Measures outcrop to the west in the area of Prescot and to the north in Sutton overlying drift deposits consist mainly of boulder clay with sand and gravel in the west of township.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Siting and a good communication network have meant that the growth of the village has been similar to comparable townships enjoying such facilities including:
• Rapid growth of the village over years;
• Increased pressure on the built environment both in terms of increasing number of houses as well as the built fabric itself.
• The southern part of village stands on high ground with good views south- wards over the Mersey valley;
• Availability of red sandstone locally explains its abundant use in earlier buildings and boundary walls.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 6 2.0 Location and Population Crown CopyrightCrown LA100018360 Communication in links Rainhill
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 7 3.0 Historical Background
3.1 Medieval origins
Originally part of Prescot, Rainhill existed as a settlement as early as the year 1190, when Richard de Eccleston granted to Alan the Clerk, his brother, the vill (town) of Raynhull (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Mills, 1976; Farrer and Brownbill, 1976). It is also around this time when the spelling Raynhull was recorded. Other early spellings include Reynhull (1246), Reynhill (1256), Raynyl and Raynull (1258) and Reynil (1259) (Eckwall, 1960; Mills, 1976).
The name Rainhill is thought to be derived from the Old English per- sonal name Regna or Regan who would have been a settler who es- tablished the small settlement on a hill overlooking the river Mersey. Between 1220 and 1230 Roger de Rainhill became under-tenant of the manor. The manor then passed down in two portions, one pass- ing to the Molyneux family through marriage.
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the land between the Rib- ble and the Mersey was granted by William I to his kinsman Roger of Poitou. He rebelled against the king and forfeited his lands to the crown in 1102, following which; the land remained in the possession of the non-reigning members of the Plantagenet family, who were created Earls and later Dukes of Lancaster (1352). In accordance with the feudal system, the land holding was subdivided into Hun- dreds with Rainhill forming part of the Hundred of Warrington.
By the 14th Century, one portion had passed to the Lancaster family who held it for four centuries. The second moiety passed originally from the Windles to the Brindles and then to the Gerards until the 16th Century. By 1565, Henry Eccleston had brought the manor be- fore the heirs of Hugh Lee or Ley became lords of the manor in 1629 (Farrer and Brownbill, 1990). Bartholomew Bretherton Esq., a fa- mous stagecoach proprietor who acquired half of the manor in 1824. The other half is believed to have been purchased by his descendant in 1881.
3.2 Middle Ages
Little is known of life in Rainhill in the Middle Ages except that it was a small agricultural community. Early records indicate that in 1635 a Henry Thomas was a weaver in the village and in 1662 Edward Hal- sall carried on the trade of blacksmith (Farrer and Brownbill, 1990; Philpot, 1998).
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 8 3.0 Historical Background
To the Middle Ages also belong the bases of two stone crosses preserved in the village, one at Kendrick’s Cross, opposite the Victoria Hotel, the other adjoining Mill Lane, each of which was restored by Bartholomew Bretherton. Bartholomew Bretherton came to live in the parish in 1807, building the mansion house first known as Rainhill House, later as Rainhill Hall in 1824 as the fam- ily residence. The house was sold to the Society of Jesus in 1923, which renamed it, Loyola Hall, and adapted it as a retreat house.
It is however three main events during the Georgian and Victorian periods that probably had the most impact on the history of Rainhill: i) The Liverpool – Warrington Turnpike
Being the then main Liverpool to London road, the Liverpool-Prescot-Rainhill-Warrington Road has always been an important route on Merseyside. Before it was turned into a turnpike road in the 18th Century it was mostly a muddy lane, which had hedges or ditches on either side (RPC, nd; Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Richardson, 2003). This track led to Warring- ton on the north-south road to London. On one side was a horse causeway, which would have been paved with cobbles and protected from the main road by posts or stoops.
The horse causeway was adequate for single horses with riders or pulling small loads but it was not good enough for wider and larger carts or coaches. One of the loads that were moved by road at this time was coal and this was one of the main reasons for having turnpikes placed on this road, to speed up the transport of coal to Liverpool.
From the mid-16th Century onwards it was the responsibility of the parish to repair roads. Trusts were set up to run turnpikes (RPC, nd; Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Richardson, 2003).
The Rocket The Novelty
The Sans Pareil
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 9 3.0 Historical Background
The Liverpool to Prescot Turnpike Trust came about after an Act of Parliament was passed in 1726. This stated that the trust had to re- pair the eight miles (13 km) of road from Liverpool to Prescot and a mile long (1.6 km) branch road along Twig Lane through Roby to Blacklow Brow in Huyton for 21 years. A second Act was passed in 1746 to continue the repair of the road and extend the road east- wards four miles from Prescot to St. Helens. The third Act in 1753 extended the turnpike ten miles from Prescot to Warrington and five miles from St Helens to Ashton in Makerfield.
On coach journeys from Liverpool to Manchester, the first stage where the horses were changed was at Rainhill (Rainhill Parish Council, nd. Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Richardson, 2003). Coach services began and as Rainhill was at the point where the first set of horses had to be changed, a thriving coaching and stabling trade grew up. The Bretherton family, soon to be rich benefactors to Rainhill, established themselves as coaching entrepreneurs. They built stabling for over 200 horses next to the Ship Inn. Following the establishment of a tollgate at Kendrick's Cross, a second toll bar was set up at Rainhill Stoops. ii) The Railway
The rapid industrialisation of the late 18th and early 19th centuries saw the growth of Liverpool as an international trading port, and the expansion of engineering and textile industries around Manchester (Rees, 1980; Thomas, 1980). These two cities also depended upon each other for their economic prosperity. Raw cotton and other ma- terials were imported, and finished manufactured goods were ex- ported via Liverpool docks. But early 19th century transport links were poor. The canal and turnpike roads were unable to cope with increasing levels of traffic.
After initial opposition from canal owners and local landowners, a group of prominent businessmen formed the Liverpool and Manches- ter Railway Company, which obtained an Act of Parliament in 1826. This allowed it to build a railway line from Liverpool to Manchester. Civil engineering works started immediately. This however, did not solve all the problems. How the trains were to be hauled on the rail- way was the next challenge.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 10 3.0 Historical Background
iii) The Trials
The Company’s Chief Engineer, George Stephenson, favoured steam locomotives as the means of hauling the trains. The Directors were not convinced that steam locomotives were the most suitable vehicles and decided to hold a series of trials to determine who could design and build a locomotive capable of hauling the type of train envisaged.
Construction of the line was substantially complete by the summer of 1829 and the section through Rainhill was chosen as the location for the trials. Rainhill was selected because the railway line was flat and straight and offered good conditions for the trials. The Direc- tors of the company offered a prize of £500 to the designer of the locomotive, which best met the criteria of the competition. The Trials were held over nine days starting on the 6th October 1829. The initial entrants were quickly reduced to three: “The Rocket”, “Sans Pa- reil” and “Novelty”.
At the conclusion of the trials the “Rocket” was declared the outright winner and the prize awarded to George and Robert Stephenson. Construction of the railway was completed, and the design concept for the Stephenson locomotive was the basis of 130 years of devel- opment and refinement.
The success of the “Rocket” at Rainhill had enormous implications for communications worldwide. It led to the development of railway systems throughout the world as a means of transport, and locally it led to the establishment of the Vulcan Locomotive Works at nearby Earlestown, which exported locomotives all over the world until the 1970s. Their economic impacts were to expand existing and develop new industries. Its impact was of a magnitude that is difficult to comprehend today.
The L&MR, substantially unaltered, survives into the 21st century as an important part of the UK rail network. It is hailed as the first intercity railway line in the World.
The success of the “Rocket” at Rainhill had enormous implications for communications worldwide. It led to the development of railway systems throughout the world as a means of transport, and locally it led to the establishment of the Vulcan Locomotive Works at nearby Earlestown, which exported locomotives all over the world until the 1970s. Their economic impacts were to expand existing and develop new industries. Its impact was of a magnitude that is difficult to comprehend today.
The L&MR, substantially unaltered, survives into the 21st century as an important part of the UK rail network. It is hailed as the first intercity railway line in the World.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 11 3.0 Historical Background
3.3 Victorian times
During Victorian times residential areas grew around the village centre, and family-run firms linked to the local watch making, glass making and coal industries began to thrive (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Farrer and Brownbill, 1990; Cowell and Philpot, 1988). In the 18th Century Rainhill was famous for its file making and later on it became quite pros- perous with such industries as a brass foundry, factories producing clothes and gas cook- ers. Since farming and coaching would have been impossible without horses it was no wonder that the most popular tradesman was the village blacksmith.
Up to the early part of the 19th Century, however, there were no churches in the village with the nearest being nearly two miles away at Prescot. James Owen, Esq., of the Lawton House, gave the site for the first church in Rainhill. He also gave all the stone for the build- ing from a quarry, which now forms part of the garden of “Rockland” in View Road. The foundation stone was laid in 1837 and the church was opened for worship in 1838. In 1839, the church was consecrated and dedicated to St. Ann.
St. Bartholomew’s Roman Catholic Church, paid for by Bartholomew Bretherton, was com- pleted in 1840. He also provided St Bartholomew’s School, which opened soon afterwards. Like the Anglicans, Methodist residents of Rainhill had to travel out to worship with the nearest being Wesleyan Methodist churches at Prescot and Nutgrove. St. James Method- ist Church was opened for worship in the 1860s.
3.4 Archaeological interest
Records from Merseyside Archaeological Services show little archaeological potential for the Prehistoric period of Rainhill. The general geology of the area would probably not have been suitable for early settlement (Merseyside Archaeological Services, nd.). The Romano-British period is only represented by chance finds. Land within and around medie- val moated sites is the only significant archaeological remains in the area.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 12 3.0 Historical Background
3.5 Resultant pattern of development
The historical developments of the village seem to have parallels with the pattern of devel- opment of its historic core. First and foremost, were the two main means of communica- tion, the L&MR and Warrington Road. With the competition and inauguration of the railway, a nucleus settlement grew around Rainhill Station in the mid- 1800s. This coupled with the establishment of Warrington Road as a major route resulted in the village nucleating within the triangle formed by this road, the L&MR and Victoria Street. Historic maps show that most of the buildings inside this triangle and the buildings on Station Street, Victoria Ter- race and Victoria Villa, had already been built in 1893. This nucleus has grown ever since to be the historic core of Rainhill. The increasing influence of Warrington Road is evident in the buildings on either side of its length through Rainhill. Again records show that the Victo- rian Villas (417 to 533) were existing before 1893 and the terrace of cottages (602 to 630) formerly known as Church Place and now as Church Terrace.
The second most important influence was that of the two Churches on Warrington Road particularly St. Ann’s and its adjoining community centre which remain the focus of most social activities in Rainhill. Soon after its opening in the 1830s, St. Ann’s Church became centre of village life (Sherley-Price, 1968; Richardson, 2003). In 1840 the first National Church School was opened at the corner of View and Warrington Roads and most of the village’s social activities revolved around it. It consisted of two classrooms – one for the boys and one for the girls. Six years later there were 128 children aged from 6 years up to 16 years on the register. Even with the later relocation of the school, St Ann’s Centre as it is now called is still the host to most of Rainhill social activities. The pattern of development of the village is also very similar to many towns enjoying good communication facilities. The patterns of communications centred on the Warrington Road, which have developed during the last century, have played a major role in its growth. This route has been the main artery for the village and in the past has formed a spine of the settlement.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
• A historical village evolving from three main historic events: turnpiking of Liverpool–Warrington Road, construction of L&MR line and the locomotives trials leading to:
• A nucleus of a small mixed-use town with a range of residential and com- mercial buildings around the railway station;
• An almost continuous single row of buildings lineally along Warrington Road.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 13 3.0 Historical Background
Crown Copyright LA100018360 Historic map of Rainhill dated between 1860-1893 1860-1893 between dated ofHistoric map Rainhill
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 14 4.0 Character Area Analysis
4.1 An overview
The character of the Conservation Area in terms of the layout, townscape and architecture for the most part derives from on one hand, the linear grouping of the buildings along War- rington Road and, on the other, to the nucleus of buildings sandwiched between this road, the railway line and Victoria Street. Although none of these buildings are necessarily out- standing in themselves, grouped together they form a pleasant environment and together with the Old School and the two churches are important links with the past.
4.2 Layout
Spatial layout
The main structure of the Conservation Area, as pointed out above, comprises of three main features: the railway line, Warrington Road and Victoria Street. The railway line marks the northwest edge while the Warrington Road and Victoria Street provide the south- ern and eastern spines respectively. All these roads provide a strong focus to the Conser- vation Area both visually and functionally.
The railway line provides not only one of the nuclei out of which the village grew out but also marks the physical boundary of the area to the north, Warrington Road and Victoria Street provide the main transit trunk road and pedestrian spines respectively.
Key individual buildings/structures
Like many town centres, Rainhill Conservation Area contains a fairly wide variety of building types and uses. Probably the most significant of these include the two churches, St. Ann’s Centre, the Victoria Hotel, Commercial Hotel, the building at corner of Warrington Road and Exchange Place, Rainhill Station and the recently built Somerfield supermarket.
The Commercial Hotel is one of the most conspicuous buildings in the Conservation Area. It is visible from the top of the Skew Bridge as one approaches Rainhill. It is the symbol of the area from the railway. Its array of fine details makes a major contribution to the charac- ter of the Conservation Area.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 15 4.0 Character Area Analysis
Like the Commercial Hotel, the Victoria Hotel is an equally dominant structure in the con- servation area both in scale and position; a landmark building along Warrington Road. The two churches along Warrington Road and St Ann’s centre are equally important historical and architectural landmarks. Apart from buildings, there is also the famous “Skew Bridge” taking Warrington Road at a skew angle of 34° over the L&MR, the first of its kind in the World.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Two main characters about the layout of the Conservation Area
A triangular nucleus around the railway line, Victoria Street and Warrington Road.
Linear arrangement along either side of Warrington Road.
Key individual buildings at the intersections of main streets; they are landmarks and also act as key focal points.
4.3 Townscape
Overview
Townscape is the feature, which distinguishes the special interest of a Conservation Area from the intrinsic merit of individual buildings within it. It refers to the ways in which views open and close through an area, to changes in level, visual contrasts and linkages, texture and rhythms and patterns in the street scene, elements which give the environment of an area individuality and character.
The relationship between unity and diversity is an important factor in the character of any settlement not least a historic one. Homogenous places tend to be dull and monotonous
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 16 4.0 Character Area Analysis
whereas too much variety could turn into visual anarchy. Historic towns tend to embody the right balance and this is an important part of their attraction.
Approaches
The spatial layout of Rainhill Conservation Area is an important factor in the townscape. There are four main entry routes into the Conservation Area from the south, southeast, northwest and north. Each approach provides, in different visual ways, the wide-ranging characters of the area
Streetscape
The Warrington Road is the main spine of the Conservation Area. It is very open in charac- ter being extremely wide and containing a linear series of buildings and trees. The charac- ters of the roads are as follows:
i) Warrington Road The approach from the west via the Skew Bridge emphasises the local availability of sandstone with both the bridge parapet and the extensive wing walls constructed in stone. The south side of the bridge has had a steel panel parapet inserted to allow for the widening of the road.
Through the commercial part of the village almost all the buildings face directly onto the pathway. The exceptions are two small gardens at 503, 511, and the space in front of the Victoria Hotel.
Eastwards from Kendrick’s Cross to the War Memorial the north side of the road comprises the 19th Century villas with brick boundary walls with sandstone copings to various designs while on the south side St Ann’s Churchyard is bounded by a coursed rubble wall capped by castellated on-edge coping stones which continues after the Lych gate at the corner of St James’ Road into St James’ Road. St James’s Methodist Church has a random rubble wall with half-round copings. Beyond the War Memorial on the north side the random rubble sandstone boundary wall pre-
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 17 4.0 Character Area Analysis
dates the houses evidenced by a variety of metal and stone gateposts. ii) Victoria Street The west side of the street is continuous rubble stonewall enclosing the yard and garden of the Victoria Hotel. However, the original continuity of terraced houses on the east side has been broken by the post war demolition of seven houses and their replacement with two blocks of garages and groups of modest dwellings, which do not relate to the compact character of the core streets in Rainhill. The remaining buildings survive in shape but with altered frontages and painted walls. iii) Victoria Terrace The close proximity of 19th Century industry (Victoria Works) to houses is exemplified here. The north side of the road is the brick boundary wall of the former coal yard. On the south side three blocks of houses forming a terrace have similar brick front- ages with boundary walls to small front gardens mostly in brick with brick or stone copings and evidence of earlier cast iron railings. Although varying in style the walls have a similarity of character. iv) Station Road While Warrington Road has always been the vehicular route through the village and attracted commercial users, the railway station was reached via a back street with nothing to define it except the Commercial Hotel. The station building is at the bot- tom of a slope surrounded on the west side by vehicles waiting for repair and exter- nally stored industrial goods. Only the roof of the building is clearly visible. To the east is a piece of waste ground running along the back of the station platform. There are two prominent elements on the south side of this street; one positive and one negative. The Commercial Hotel dominates the corner with Station Street and from the back of the hotel to the corner of Victoria Street, the boundary is a broken edge of damaged brick walls, bollards, car park openings and goal post gates. v) Station Street Immediately opposite the entrance to the station, this street retains its terraced cot- tage character although only two of the buildings have residents. The road has re- cently been re-aligned to provide on-street parking with the footway re-laid using ‘tegula’ blocks.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 18 4.0 Character Area Analysis
vi) Victoria Place This street is a post-war development built on open land to the rear of a terrace of houses on Victoria Street but to which access could only be obtained by demolishing the frontage houses. They have no merit in terms of architecture or urban design and were excluded from the original Conservation Area.
Public Realm Audit
The road surface for all streets in the centre of Rainhill is black rolled asphalt edged with concrete kerbs.
Most footways are in flexible black bitmac although the footways on a short section of War- rington Road between Station Street and View Road and the length of Station Street have been re-paved in buff coloured ‘tegula’ blocks.
Street lighting is a uniform style of grey galvanized steel column, which is used on both the principal traffic route of Warrington Road and the subordinate side streets without distinc- tion
In two areas public realm and private property coincide. The area to the front of the Somer- field store has been stylistically incorporated into the public realm by extending the use of ‘tegula’ blocks to include the full width of the footway. In contrast the area to the front of the Victoria Hotel retains an appearance of separateness; concrete flags protected by steel posts linked by a chain.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 19 4.0 Character Area Analysis
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Evidence of earlier modernising development where the grain and edge characteris- tics of the 19th Century village have been eroded by the demolition of buildings and the introduction of car parks.
4.4 Setting of the Conservation Area
On the north and west sides of the Conservation Area the Skew Bridge and the railway line provide a hard edge to the village which cuts through any sense of continuity with the mod- ern residential areas beyond.
To the south and east the boundaries are more permeable providing a transition to the later residential development along Warrington Road and particularly to the late 19th Century villa developments on roads leading off the south side of Warrington Road.
Essential Character
The setting of the Conservation Area is provided by a ring of later residential developments, which interlock and differ in character according to the period in which they were built.
4.5 Open spaces
As they tend to create the pattern of the settlement and reinforce its historic rural character and appearance, the open spaces in a Conservation Area are extremely important. The generous amount of space in the Conservation Area both in the commercial and residential areas is also an important factor in the Rainhill village character.
There is large open space outside the railway station and also two car parks behind the Vic- toria and Commercial Hotels. The problem is that these spaces create a more open grain to this part of the Conservation Area to the detriment of its character and appearance. These open spaces, it can be argued, are not well utilised at the moment making them vul- nerable to land and development speculators. A good example is the Somerfield super
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 20 4.0 Character Area Analysis
market, which has been built in an area that had remained vacant for a long period of time.
The open spaces in the front of houses 517 to 560 along Warrington Road are also a common feature. Again while this might have been a deliberate attempt to set the buildings away from the noisy Warrington Road. These spaces are still vulnerable to the threat of owners and developers putting up garages, something that might compromise the street scene and consequently the character of the Conservation Area.
Equally important open spaces are the graveyard and car park of St Ann’s Church. While the future of the space behind the Church is quite secure because of its use as a cemetery the one in front of it is not. At the moment it is reserved for staff and visitors’ parking, but one cannot guarantee that given its strategic siting within Rain- hill that it will not attract the attention of a developer in future.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Porous nucleus vulnerable to infill developments; Limited recreational open spaces; Spaces are generally of poor quality and not accessible for amenity uses.
4.6 Architectural character
Dominant architectural styles Rainhill exhibits many of the popular domestic styles of the Victorian period. The changes in style throughout the centuries can be traced across the Conservation Area from East to West, North to South. From the relatively plain houses in the early Victorian style in the Station Street area, through the more exuberant exam- ples of Victorian styles on Victoria Terrace and sections of Warrington Road to the simple late 17th Century dwellings in Warrington Road. Rainhill reflects the changes in fashion throughout the years of its development. This mix of type, size and style
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 21 4.0 Character Area Analysis
creates a character of high quality and great diversity.
The character of the conservation area is defined, however, not only by the variety of style but also the predominant use of sandstone and brick for walls, timber for openings and dark grey Welsh slate for roofing. The visual interest, which results from the combination of styles within a short distance, is one of Rainhill’s most en- during characteristics.
Another observation is that most of the buildings in the Conservation Area front di- rectly onto the street rather than presenting their gables to the street. Equally, a large proportion of them are set back from the street frontage behind sandstone gar- den walls and metal gates. Undoubtedly this gives a variety and interest to the overall architectural character.
Building materials Traditional materials contribute strongly to the character of an area. The arrange- ment of forms, proportions and details are crucial to the definition of that character. Roofing materials, for example, have an influence on the character of an area in terms of the texture, colour and slope of the roof. Steep roofs tend to be associated with materials, which cannot withstand water for a long period. Good example of this would be thatch. Conversely a gradual roof will be in materials, which are fairly impervious; tiles and slate would be good examples. The slope of the roof can also be down to the weight of the material with steep roof slopes tending to be in heavier materials. A good example in would be stone slates laid on a 45° or more roof pitches.
The buildings within the Conservation Area demonstrate the range of vernacular materials prevalent throughout all periods of its development. This includes the use of brick for walls and slate for roofs. With the vast majority of all buildings in Rainhill being roofed in slate of one form or another, roofs tend to be medium slopped (40°- 45°) and grey in colour. The retention of sandstone as a material is especially im- portant in maintaining the distinctive character of the area. It continues to be used
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 22 4.0 Character Area Analysis
as a structural walling material as well as in the construction of houses, bridges and boundary walls, common throughout Rainhill village.
Windows throughout the Conservation Area are predominantly, either in the form of casements or, more commonly, sliding sash. The small ones tend to have stone lintels while larger houses frequently tend to have elaborate stone bay windows at ground floor level. Such houses also tend to have stone quoins.
The detail and quality of all these is an important feature in defining the architectural character and appearance of the area. The use of building materials sympathetic to the area for any new development or alterations is an important way in which the character and appearance of an area can be preserved.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Except for Houghton Street area, the built form still reflects the es- sence of the original settlement pattern.
Various architectural styles are identifiable in the Conservation Area from plain late 17th Century buildings, to late 19th Century grand Vic- torian Villas.
A predominant building form of small scale, residential and mixed uses buildings. The use of red sandstone and brick with grey slate roofs being the unifying features.
Key buildings provide strong visual stops, landmarks, focal points and gateways.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 23 4.0 Character Area Analysis
4.7 Local details and features
There are a number of local features, which add to the area’s distinct identity and form part of the special interest of the area:
i) Boundary walls Many properties have front boundary walls built in red brick, with sandstone copings, or locally available red sandstone. Their colour and texture is a dis- tinctive feature of the Conservation Area and in some parts is essential to its predominantly stone appearance. Some of boundary walls are plain but it is common for most of them to have crenulations or copings. Additionally many of these walls incorporate iron gates, gateposts and railings each with varying degrees of decoration.
ii) Stone lintels Lintels over doors and windows especially in Victoria Terrace are an equally distinctive feature in residential houses in the Conservation Area.
ii) Gardens, Trees and hedges Rainhill has a definite character that comes from the abundance of hedges and trees that provide a marked contrast to the openness of the surrounding landscape. This is especially so along Warrington Road.
There are no formally registered parks or gardens in the Conservation Area but there many individual and groups of green areas in the village area. Trees add sig- nificantly to the character and interest of the area. The several specimens of trees mainly along the roads and within the gardens act not only as enclosures but also as defining elements as well as a backdrop to the village or as a setting to the build- ings. Along Warrington Road, they also act as noise barriers. The layout and height of these trees contribute immensely to the character of the Conservation Area. Management of ageing stocks of trees though might be a problem worth
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 24 4.0 Character Area Analysis
bearing in mind.
iii) Chimneys and cast iron rainwater goods Most buildings having been first built when there was no gas heating and have chimneystacks. Most of them are still well maintained. Gutters and down pipes in cast-iron are also common traditional features in the Conserva- tion Area.
iv) Sliding sash and traditional timber doors Timber windows and doors are still an important feature of buildings in the Conservation Area. Traditional timber front doors and sliding sash windows are common on residential houses in Victoria Terrace and Warrington Road.
Loss of detail in the Conservation Area has always been a major concern. Insensi- tive alterations to window and door openings, loss of natural slate roofing and deco- rative render details to walls, replacement of wooden windows and cast iron rain- water goods with inappropriate, mainly plastic materials, and removal of chimneys are all major concern as they lead to the erosion and loss of historic fabric. This process of change directly affects the character and appearance of Rainhill’s historic buildings and consequently the special interest of the Conservation Area.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 25 4.0 Character Area Analysis
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Stone or brick boundary walls in front of houses is one of the key features of the Area.
The use of stone for bay windows, window surrounds and in par- ticular lintels adds character to the Conservation Area.
The area is endowed with a variety of hedges and trees which con- tribute immensely to the visual character of the Conservation Area.
They also provide a strong sense of place and general tranquillity.
4.8 Activities and uses
The historic use and activities of an area will have had a fundamental influence on its character and appearance.
Early activity Evidence of prehistoric activity is scarce in the Rainhill area. This is probably be- cause settlement in the neighbouring moss lands was deemed more favourable (Cowell and Philpot, 2000). This is confirmed by the very few finds dating the Romano-British period discovered in the area; only an isolated coin was found near the centre of Rainhill village at Kendrick’s Cross. A significant pottery scatter from this period was found on the south-facing slopes of the ridge south of Rainhill (Cowell and Innes, 1994)
Post –Medieval Activity Up until the 19th Century, as already discussed, Rainhill village had largely been an agricultural community. This changed after the series of historic developments, which took place between 1750 and 1850; the locomotive trials, the construction of the railway, and the turnpiking of the Liverpool – Warrington Road.
Thomas Moore and Company, glass bottle manufacturers, was established in 1828 at Kendrick’s Cross (Barker and Harris, 1959; Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Richardson, 2003). Later on in the 1840s, Mellings’ Iron Foundry was established to undertake locomotive repair work for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Com- pany. It was dismantled later and John Roby set up a brass foundry adjacent to it and built the first industrial cottages in Rainhill for his workforce.
John Melling’s son had established the Rainhill Gas and Water Works by 1870. He originally supplied the Railway Company with gas and later water and gas to the whole township (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968). Rainhill was also made famous
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 26 4.0 Character Area Analysis
for file cutters and watch-toolmakers in the 18th and 19th Centuries and red sand- stone quarries in the outer vicinity of the settlement.
Current activities Presently Rainhill is primarily a commuter town with residents travelling daily to the nearby towns of St. Helens, Liverpool, Warrington and Widnes with some commut- ing to as far as Wigan and Manchester for work business or shopping. Within the town centre, the activities in Rainhill Conservation Area reflect the mixture of com- mercial and residential uses commonly found in any village centre with a good com- munication network.
Historically Warrington Road, and Victoria Street with the Victoria Hotel at their inter- section would have been the main centres of activity with the pub, the church and the Old School providing valuable communal and social facilities. Currently, activi- ties still concentrate on roughly the same area but also spreading southwards into View Road and St. James Road.
Obviously current uses have exerted considerable pressures on the existing build- ings and spaces. Inappropriate uses in the Conservation Area such as car repairs detract from the character of the area as seen in Figure 61. Pressure for more of- fice and residential space has also meant alterations and even demolition of existing structures.
Adding to these pressures is the perennial problem of car parking space. Though there seem to be plenty of open areas, there is limited public parking space. Thoughtless and illegal car parking often creates a dangerous environment for pe- destrians and appears to be inadequately policed. The shoppers’ car park in the shopping precinct just outside the Conservation Area is well used and useful facility for the town, but it is rumoured that it will soon be “pay and display” facility. This will further displace car parking into the area.
Increased pressure for additional accommodation for offices and residential space may result in the demolition of buildings. Need for additional parking may also lead to the demolition of boundary walls, and the opening up of former private gardens and yards to the public thoroughfare.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
Mixed use; commercial and residential.
Lack of enough car parking spaces.
A busy transit area adding to the village’s sense of being vibrant.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 27 5.0 Extent of Loss, Intrusion or Damage
5.1 Alterations
The character of most of the buildings in the historic core triangle have changed from resi- dential and mixed use to being more commercial with offices taking the entire ground and first floor spaces.
The commercialisation of this area has resulted in a variety of shopfront changes that are not always sympathetic to the environment or the character of the area.
5.2 Use of inappropriate materials
The predominant (traditional) building materials in the conservation area, as already noted, are red brick, red sandstone, slate roofs and timber door and windows. The replacement of original features, such as timber windows or doors, with other materials, such as aluminium or uPVC, is fairly common throughout the conservation area. This has had a detrimental effect on the character and appearance of the area.
Equally contentious are inappropriate extensions to buildings and structures within the area. The Skew Bridge, for example, was widened on one side in 1963 to allow for pedestrian ac- cess on either side. Steel was used both as structural and wall material. Ideally red sand- stone should have been used instead of the painted metal walling which is detrimental to the appearance of this historic structure.
5.3 Sites with negative impact
There are many open spaces in the conservation area, which have a negative impact. Some of them are currently used, as car parks while some are simply vacant. Such open spaces are always vulnerable to inappropriate development. A case in hand is the Somer- field supermarket. While the local Civic Society are very impressed with the building in
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 28 5.0 Extent of Loss, Intrusion or Damage
terms of the materials used; its massing and scaling does not enhance the setting nor the character of the conservation area. Sympathetic redevelopment of vacant sites would be beneficial to the area.
5.4 Visual clutter
Inappropriately sized or excessive signs on buildings or traffic signs located within pave- ments create visual clutter and impacts on the character of the Conservation Area. While traffic signs are well located in the Conservation Area, visual clutter seems to be a major problem. Warrington Road is particularly affected with either inappropriately sized signs or a cluster of disorganised signage on business premises. Well-designed and appropriately sized and illuminated signage would significantly enhance the character of the conservation area.
5.5 Car Parks behind the Victoria and Commercial Hotels
While these two open spaces serve a useful purpose in that they serve the two hotels’ cus- tomers, their siting at the core of the village tends to erode rather than enhance the charac- ter of Conservation Area. Historic maps show that it was not until 1950s or even later that this combined open space emerged. The 1943 map shows a row of buildings along the now extinct Houghton Street and a very well proportioned and controlled space behind the buildings and Victoria Street. This calls for an urgent redress to redesign and control this space again.
5.6 Inappropriate uses
There are some trades, which are not appropriate in the centre of a town let alone the core of a Conservation Area. While they are legitimate businesses, the garages at the junction of Station Road and Warrington Road do not appear to be suitably located. This also ap- plies to some extent to Victoria Works on the opposite side of Station Road.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 29 5.0 Extent of Loss, Intrusion or Damage
The problem with the garages is that there is no adequate working space within the prem- ises and vehicles tend to spill out onto the roads, spoiling the environment and putting the public at risk of accidents. Both the garages and the “Works” occupy prime locations in the village and it could be beneficial to the environment and the character of the Conservation Area if they are relocated and the land put to better use.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER
• Uses and development within the Conservation Area that detract from its character and appearance;
• Open spaces in the core of the Conservation Area that detract from the character of the Area;
• Visual clutter within the Conservation Area is caused by inappropriate ad- vertising.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 30 6.0 Boundary Changes
6.1 Boundary Changes
The area adjacent to the conservation area would invariably affect its setting, character, ap- pearance or views into or out of it. The boundary is therefore one of the important consid- erations in the efforts towards preserving and enhancing the Conservation Area. As part of this character appraisal, therefore, the boundary of Rainhill Conservation Area has been examined. Parts that are considered to possess the special interest, which led to the origi- nal designation, may be added, while those which are considered to no longer to possess that same character could be removed (DOE and DNH 1995).
The main issues to consider in undertaking a review for the amendments of the boundary are, first whether the area under consideration has the same “demonstrably special archi- tectural and historic interest” (English Heritage, 1997) as the main parts of the Conservation Area, thereby indicating that the character and appearance should be preserved or en- hanced.
Second, it is also advised that where development adjacent to a conservation area would affect the setting, character, appearance or views into or out of it, the preservation and en- hancement of that conservation area, should be a material consideration.
In view of these two considerations, areas currently within the conservation area that are of limited intrinsic quality have also been reviewed. These have the potential for removal on the basis that any redevelopment within those areas must pay regard to the conservation area. In addition, it enables the removal of areas that may diminish the overall value of the area. Areas outside the existing boundary, which have the potential of being added to the conservation area, have also been reviewed.
Below are the recommendations for amendment of the conservation area boundary and the criteria used in the process. Details of the fieldwork for the proposed new Conservation Ar- eas are appended at the end of the document.
6.2 Criteria
Taking into the account the essential qualities of Rainhill Conservation Area the following issues will be critically reviewed in the proposed amendment of the present ccnservation area boundary:
Boundary
• Is there a clearly defined edge to the existing boundary (i.e. definite change in character and quality between the two areas)? • Is there an area clearly meeting the defined criteria which lies outside such a de- fined edge?
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 31 6.0 Boundary Changes
Architectural quality and historic relevance
• The main question will be whether the area is of similar demonstrable special ar- chitectural or historic interest as the rest of the conservation area?
• The development within the area dates from a similar period to substantial parts of the conservation area;
• The uses within the area reflect prevailing or former uses of substantial parts of the conservation area;
• The development is the work of the same architect/developer active elsewhere within significant parts of the conservation area;
• The development is of similar massing, bulk, height and scale to a significant portion of the development within the conservation area;
• The development within the area is of notable architectural and historic interest in its own right.
Townscape quality
• What proportion of the buildings within the area would be defined as positive contributors if located in the conservation area;
• Whether there is evidence of significant alteration to the street or area as a result of:
• Alterations and extensions;
• Alterations to roofs; and,
• The loss of original details (doors, windows or chimneys) or re-facing of brick- work.
6.3 Removal
The row of buildings on Warrington Road from 535 to 561 should be excluded from the Conservation Area. The revised boundary should only include the boundary wall along Warrington Road. These buildings are fairly new (built in the 1960s) and they have been altered so much that they have lost the little special character they previously had to war- rant any special protection. Though most of chimneystacks are still in good condition, most of the timber-framed doors and windows have been replaced with uPVC. These buildings
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 32 6.0 Boundary Changes
have been so modernised that they have lost their original historic character and should therefore be removed from the conservation area.
The Victoria Works on Victoria Street could also be excluded from conservation area but there is always that concern that any new development in that area might affect the setting and the character of the historic core of the village. Unless guarantees in the form of a de- velopment brief for the site are in place, the Works may need to be retained in the conser- vation area.
6.4 Additions
It is felt that the first property after Warrington Road towards Prescot should be added into the existing conservation area. The building appears in the Rainhill historic maps and it has maintained its original architectural character.
It is also felt that some areas on the south of the village should be included in the conserva- tion area. Historic maps link some properties, especially between St. James Road and View Road, and in Lawton Road, to the early development of the village. They therefore form an important part of the historical development of Rainhill dating back to the first half of the 19th Century.
There are two distinguishing characteristics to these areas. Streets, which have a continu- ous character comprising sandstone walls, define the public realm and mature boundary trees, which have also been retained where new development has taken, place in the grounds of former large houses. These make for a more homogeneous character than would otherwise be the case given the diverse range of styles and ages of the dwellings. The trees also frame views and direct the line of site. The built characteristics comprise a number of houses of various sizes both detached and semi-detached which display quali- ties of design and materials commensurate with the aspirations of the affluent middle classes who were settling in the area during the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century. However the continuity of character was broken in the latter part of the 20th century by the demolition of four of the largest houses and their replacement by small es- tates of high density detached houses. The loss of Lawton House and Orchard Dene in View Road, Oaklands in St James’s Road and Oakdene in Lawton Road had a significant impact on the overall character of the area. Planning permission has recently been granted for the redevelopment of the house and grounds at 140 St James’s Road, which raises the issue of the significance of the remaining properties as a coherent group that should be pro- tected from further intrusive development. The particular characteristics of these houses include distinguishing details in front door framing, window surrounds in different materials to the main structure and decoratively carved barge boards.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 33 6.0 Boundary Changes
With the railway providing a physical barrier to the village expanding northwards most de- velopment activities have been concentrated southwards, making this area quite vulner- able. With the area further south being in the Green Belt, the trend has been to redevelop the remaining large gardens. With some important buildings already lost through this proc- ess, there is an urgent need to take action lest more of this important historic built fabric is lost.
Such action will mean that the Council will be able to protect the special historic and archi- tectural character of this area. It will also ensure that no developments take place adjacent to the existing conservation area in a way that would undermine its setting or character.
The sequence of development and redevelopment has effectively created three discrete areas within the area under review which retain the style and character of the original late 19th century residential development: the area of Lawton Road and part of Knowsley Road; the area between View Road and St James’s Road including Heyes Mount and the north side of Mill Lane between Rainhill Mount and Rann Lea; and the village core around Ken- drick’s Cross. The framework of sandstone walls, which define the area, links each of these areas. It is therefore recommended that two more separate conservation areas be established in Rainhill. One will be between View Road and St. James Road up to Mill Lane. The other one will be in Lawton Road. The current conservation area will be known as Rainhill Conservation Area 1, the St James/View road one as Rainhill Conservation Area 2 and the Lawton Road one as Rainhill Conservation Area 3.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 34 6.0 Boundary Changes 535 to 561 Warrington Road Road Warrington 561 535 to Victoria Works Works Victoria Conservation Area Area Conservation Proposed Boundary Changes in the
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 35 7.0 Summary of Key Character
7.1 Summary of key character
Previous sections have highlighted the significance of Rainhill and how its setting, history and architectural qualities have combined to create a unique character worthy of special care and protection. This recognition led to St Helen’s to designate part of it in 1976 as a conservation area. Unfortunately the protection never went far enough in terms of setting up proposals, which could guide its protection.
Designed to protect the area’s character, such proposals would have contained policies that ensured development took account of the scale, form, materials and details of its surround- ings. Therefore, this section summarises the findings of the appraisal.
From the appraisal, it can be concluded that Rainhill derives most of its special interest from the following factors:
(i) Setting
• Siting and good communication network have meant that the growth of the vil- lage has been similar to townships enjoying such facilities.
• Good topography with the village standing on high ground guaranteeing good views outwards to the south.
• Good geology resulting in abundant red sandstone ensuring locally available buildings materials, at least for those structures built in the earlier periods.
(ii) Historic
A historical village evolving from three main historic events:
• Turnpiking of the Liverpool to Warrington Road.
• Development of LMR line.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 36 7.0 Summary of Key Character
• The Rainhill locomotive trials.
(iii) Architectural
Evolving from those historical developments, a historical settlement that:
• Nucleated around the station.
• Radiated from the main traffic routes: Victoria Street and in particular Warrington Roads.
• Interesting townscape with buildings of various scales, architectural periods and styles from simple Victorian terraces to elegant villas, to imposing gothic churches, to simple 17th century dwellings all co-existing in a relatively small area.
• Key individual buildings that contributed to the overall setting and functioning of the Conservation Area.
• An urban space with an interesting structure and grain which includes a mixture of buildings, open spaces and trees within a small area.
• The prevalent use of traditional building materials, notably red bricks and locally available red sandstone for walls; timber for doors and windows, slate for roofs and cast iron.
• Local features and details, especially stone lintels and bay windows, traditional timber doors and sliding sash windows all which give the area its distinctive character and identity.
(iv) Environmental
• The area's trees, hedges and other vegetation especially where these bound a road or footpath.
• In addition, the continuous stands of trees along the main routes also contribute to the village’s added sense of serenity and tranquility.
In summary therefore, following considerations were taken into account in the designation of Rainhill as a Conservation Area:
• The distinctive architectural and historic qualities of the area.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 37 7.0 Summary of Key Character
• The age and character of buildings and spaces.
• The number of buildings of townscape merit.
• The occurrence of other features of specialist interest including the trees and landscaping.
These are the qualities that should be preserved and enhanced for Rainhill to continue maintain its character. Any management proposals in terms of planning policies or en- hancement and regeneration efforts should be geared towards meeting this key objective.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 38 7.0 Summary of Key Character Crown CopyrightCrown LA100018360 8 4 3 2 7 1 6 5 Open areas that have a negative impact on thethat negativeOpen areas CA impact on have a thatOpen areas CA the are positive for Strong edges keyGrouping retaining features Key buildings Key routes existingcore CA) of Village (focus 3 Key Key Summary of the main characteristics of the Conservation Area Area Conservation the of characteristics main of the Summary
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 39 8.0 Recommendations
8.1 Recommendations
In order to preserve and enhance the character of Rainhill Conservation Area, the following recommendations are being proposed.
8.2 Enhancement and/or regeneration
From the appraisal, several observations were made about the condition of the conserva- tion area. First, it was observed that the character and appearance of a number of build- ings were in bad condition and would benefit from general repairs and reinstatement works:
• Reinstatement of traditional front doors and sliding timber sash windows on resi- dential properties.
• Reinstatement/Installation of traditional timber shop fronts; single glazed and tra- ditional handwritten signs.
• Reinstatement/installation of traditional Victorian blinds, metal grills etc.
• Reinstatement/repair of architectural details.
Second, a number of properties were vacant. Putting vacant properties back to use, change of use of flats above shops would regenerate the area by:
• Not only improve the appearance of individual buildings but also the character of streets.
• Boost the economy of the area.
• Improvement of public open spaces.
Detailed guidance is needed for the above works as well as on new buildings.
Third, the general appearance of the area would equally benefit from rationalisation of traf- fic signs, street furniture etc. to respect the special character of the area.
From the previous three observations, the following specific recommendations towards the enhancement and regeneration of the Conservation Area are being made:
(i) Open spaces Enhancement plans have already been proposed for improvements to the car parks of the Victoria and Commercial Hotels. This includes new boundary walling, tree plant-
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 40 8.0 Recommendations
ing and lighting as well as possibly creating a modest Park-and-Ride facility for the station.
From the investigations in this appraisal, a more radical approach is being considered for the longer term. It is proposed that the car park space be reduced to what it used to be before the demolition of Houghton Street to create, as it was originally, a tighter urban grain. This would either be in the form of reinstating the buildings in Houghton Street and relocating the parking to either the land near the station or that on the op- posite side of the railway and currently used by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority as a recycling centre. Alternatively, it could be re-designed such that there will be some mixed-use buildings and a more controlled parking space in terms of design and size to be enclosed by new development.
(ii) Victoria Hotel Victoria Hotel is one of the key buildings in Rainhill both in its history setting and loca- tion. Improvements to the frontage of Victoria Hotel including repaving, landscaping and accent lighting would go a long way to enhance the character of the conservation area.
(iii) Rainhill Trials Exhibition The Locomotive Trials are an important historical event to Rainhill and the exhibition is an important link with that history. In order to make the exhibition more accessible, either it should be relocated to a site inside the station or a way marking of the route between the station and its present location at the Rainhill Library would be neces- sary. Should the latter option be taken, in collaboration with the local heritage groups, a heritage trail could include the route between the station and the exhibition with ap- propriate signage. A feasibility study is to be undertaken early next year and this will determine whether the existing site is the most appropriate.
(iv) Houghton Street Enhancements In urban design terms, Houghton Street was an important element in the form of Rain- hill, particularly the triangular nucleus between the railway, Warrington Road and Vic- toria Street. Every effort should be made for reinstatement of the character that con- tributed to the setting, history or architectural character of the village. However, if pro- posals for the redesign of this street do not turn out to be possible the recently com- pleted enhancements including better lighting, street furniture and public art, together with future phases of public realm enhancement will help to create a positive effect in the centre of the conservation area.
(v) Rainhill Library Improvements to the area in front of the library are also recommended. This will in- clude work on a new entry and gateway, public art, paving and rationalising the dis- abled access to provide a stronger sense of arrival for the way-marked trail from the station to the Rainhill Trials exhibition. The way marking would work if the library is
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 41 8.0 Recommendations
considered the most appropriate location for the exhibition.
(vi) Shop fronts Enhancement of property frontage including reinstatement of traditional timber shop fronts with appropriate signage within the conservation area. This will enhance the character of the area.
(vii) Public Realm Enhancement: A public lighting scheme for key buildings in the conservation area as well as paving and improvement of street signage is recommended. It is important that the capital in- vestment in the Rainhill Conservation Area is not seen as just a single year pro- gramme. The programme will need to look as far ahead as the lifespan of the initia- tives within the management plan, some of which, including improving the setting of the station, are for a period of up to five years. The more radical proposals involving the reinstatement of Houghton Street and infilling of parts of the car parks will inevita- bly be longer-term projects.
(viii) Skew Bridge It is being recommended that the metal walling on the side that the Bridge was ex- panded for accommodate a footbridge should be clad in red sandstone to match its opposite wall.
8.3 Legislation and Guidance: Article 4 Direction
The special character of Rainhill, as already pointed out, is mainly derived from its setting, history and the architectural quality of its individual buildings and details and features like brick and red sandstone walls, slate roofs as well as timber doors and sash windows. Widespread replacement or loss of these features would do great harm to the appearance and character of this unique area.
Already there are various planning control measures in place which could be used the built fabric in the conservation area including the Conservation Area Consent (CAC), Listed Building Consent (LBC), and Tree Preservation Order (TPO). There are other works though which are not subject to any development control (Permitted Developments) but which may affect the setting, history and character of the conservation area.
It is recommend ended that an Article 4 Direction should be declared to cover properties within the conservation area. With this declaration, planning permission will now be re- quired for works otherwise permitted without seeking planning permission from the Council. Article 4 Direction should cover alterations, which affect the external appearance of houses in the conservation area, such as:
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 42 8.0 Recommendations
• Extensions.
• Replacement of windows or doors.
• Re-roofing or alterations to chimneys or ridge tiles.
• Erection of new porches.
• Taking down gardens or covering them in tarmac.
• Enclosures for car parking space.
• Erection of gates, fences or walls.
• Covering of external wall surfaces with render, paint or cladding.
• Satellite dishes, antennae etc.
Despite pressure from property owners, tenants and developers, previous experiences have shown that Article 4 Directions have been successful in safeguarding the appearance and character of a conservation Area. There is always the possibility of enforcement action against any breaches of this planning control policy.
8.4 Grant aid programme
In the course of the review it has been noticed that many properties within the conservation area are not in good conditions. Clearly, many undesirable alterations and repairs were noted including plastic windows and doors, in the case of residential properties and plastic shopfronts and inappropriate signage on commercial properties. Efforts need to be made to avail funds in the conservation area in a bid to reverse these negative changes. In addition to the Council through its Planning Delivery Grant Scheme, a number of other sources are available for such objectives. These sources include the English Heritage (Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme – HERS) the Heritage Lottery Fund (Townscape Heritage Initiative - THI - grant scheme) and the Countryside Agency (the relatively new Market Towns Initiative - MTI).
Though the scale of work has not been assessed yet, it is proposed that as a matter of pri- ority efforts should be made to devise the format for grant scheme and then approach Eng- lish Heritage and the Lottery Fund for funding.
A survey of the building stock within the three conservation areas in Rainhill is necessary to ascertain the condition of the buildings and amount of finding needed to enhance the re- spective areas.
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 43 8.0 Recommendations
Widen gateway Main hard landscaping in Widen and relay and put in gates. resin bound gravel with disabled ramp up Repair stone granite/grey stone. to library from the boundary walls Contrasting surface to area car park outside the library.
N
Area in front of medical Circular seating area located centre to be incorporated between the library and the into the project subject to medical centre. Proximity to trees agreement and a financial enables making use of shade. contribution by the Primary Trees to be fastigiate species. Care Trust. Up lighting of trees subject to budget.
Proposed improvements of the Rainhill Library Forecourt
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 44 References and Further Reading
Barker, T. C. and Harris J. R. (1959): St. Helens, A Merseyside Town in the Industrial Revolution. Carson.
British Geological Survey (1980): Geological Survey of Great Britain - Runcorn: Sheet 97, 1:50,000 Series (Solid Edition).
Cowell, R. W. and Philpot, R. A. (2000): Prehistoric, Romano-British and Medieval Settle- ment in Lowland North Western England.
Cowell, R. L. and J. B. Innes (1994): North West Wetlands Survey 1: The Wetlands of Merseyside.
Department of Environment and Department of National Heritage (1995): Planning Pol- icy Guideline 15: Planning and the Historic Environment. DOE and DNH. London
Dickinson, F. (1979): A History of transport through Rainhill. Rainhill Civic Society. Rainhill
Dickinson, P. and Dickinson, F. (1968): The Story of Rainhill. Rainhill Civic Society. Rainhill.
English Heritage (1996): Conservation Area Appraisals. The English Heritage. London
Farrer, W. and Brownbill, J. A. (1990): The History of the County of Lancaster. Volume Four. Victoria County History. University of London.
Ferneyhough, F. (1980): Liverpool – Manchester Railway 1830-1980. Book Club Associ- ates
Fletcher M. (1996): Rainhill Hall Farm, St Helens, Merseyside Archaeological Evaluation, North West Archaeological Surveys Report Number 6.
Lewis, J. (1991): The Medieval Earthworks of the hundred of west Derby: Tenurial evi- dence and physical structure. Vol. 2. A PhD thesis submitted to the University of Notting- ham.
Historic Maps: Hennet’s 1830 Historic Maps, Yates 1786 Historic maps
Merseyside Archaeological Services (nd): An Archaeological note on Rainhill. MAS. London
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 45 References and Further Reading
Mills, D. (1976): Lancashire Placenames. Batsford. London
Pevsner, N. (1969): Buildings of England, Lancashire. Penguin.
Philpot R. A. (1988): Historic Towns of the Merseyside Area: A Survey of Urban Settlements to c. 1800. National Museums And Galleries on Merseyside. Occasional Paper No. 3.
Rainhill Civic Trust: http://www.rainhill-civic-society.org.uk for paintings by Jim Petrie
Rainhill Railway and Heritage Society: http://www.sthelens.info/community/rainhill/ main.shtml
Rainhill Parish Council (nd): Rainhill, Lancs: The Official guide
Rees, P. (1980): Railway began here. Edge hill Railway Trust.
Richardson, J. (2003): The Local Historian’s Encyclopaedia. Historic Publications.
Sherley-Price, L. (1968): Bede: A History of the English Church and People. Penguin.
Singleton, D. (1975): Liverpool – Manchester Railway. Dalesman Books
St Helens Borough Council (1976): Rainhill Conservation Area.
St Helens Borough Council (1994): List of Buildings of Special Architectural Interest and Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
St Helens Borough Council (1998): St. Helens Unitary Development Plan. St. Helens Council. St. Helens
St Helens Council (2005): Conservation Area Review and Management Proposals, Rainhill; Justification and Project Outline. Design and Conservation Team, Development Plans Group, St. Helens Council
Thomas R. H. G. (1980): Liverpool – Manchester Railway. Batsford. http://www.stanns.org.uk/ http://www.knowhere.co.uk/3585_stuff.html (10/11/05) http://rainhill.merseyside.org
Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 46 Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal
Urban Regeneration & Housing Department
Development Plans St Helens Council Town Hall Victoria Square St Helens Merseyside. WA10 1HP
Tel. 01744 456190 Fax. 01744 456194 Contact. [email protected] Site. www.sthelens.gov.uk
Document Reference: RAINHILLCA1