,’ Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan for London Borough of Enfield June 2016 Final Report Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan i Contact information Francis Maude (Director) [email protected] Tel: 020 7245 9888 London Office 12 Devonshire Street London, W1G 7AB www.insall-architects.co.uk Figure 1: Cover Image: Watercolour of the west front of Broomfield House, c.1800. (From ‘Broomfield. An Illustrated History of the House and Garden’ by Steven Brindle. Publ. SDCT, 1994) This report and all intellectual property rights in it and arising from it are the property of or are under licence to Donald Insall Associates. Neither the whole nor any part of this report, nor any drawing, plan, other document or any information contained within it may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Donald Insall Associates. All material in which the intellectual property rights have been licensed to DIA and such rights belong to third parties may not be published or reproduced at all in any form, and any request for consent to the use of such material for publication or reproduction should be made directly to the owner of the intellectual property rights therein. Checked by FM. Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan ii Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan iii Contents Executive Summary 1 1.0 Introduction 3 1.1 Background to the Document 3 1.2 Conservation Plan Methodology – How The Document Works 3 2.0 Understanding the Site 5 2.1 Summary 5 2.2 History and Context 5 2.3 Site Uses Today 24 2.5 The Users of the Site Today 45 3.0 Assessment of Significance 47 3.1 Levels of Significance 47 3.2 Statutory Designations 47 3.3 Summary of Significance 47 3.4 Assessment by Heritage Value 48 3.5 Table of Significance of Composite Elements of the Park 53 4.0 Issues and Policies 66 4.1 General Points and Overview 66 4.2 The House 70 4.3 The Stables and Stable Yard 79 4.4 The Park 81 5.0 Implementation 93 5.1 General Points and Overview: 93 5.2 The House 93 5.3 The Stables and Stable Yard 94 5.4 The Park 95 Appendices Appendix 1: Gazetteer (Separate Volume) Appendix 2: Detailed Landscape Policies 98 Appendix 3: Arboricultural Assessment 104 Appendix 4: Ecology Chapter 119 Appendix 5: Hydrology 132 Appendix 6: Surveys by Parkland Consortium for LB Enfield, including GLHER Report 9144, Broomfield House and Park, Enfield 136 Appendix 7: List of Sources Consulted 137 Appendix 8: Landscape Options 141 Appendix 9: Listing Descriptions 152 Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan iv Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan v DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET Executive Summary Job Ref: BROX/CMP The Conservation Management Plan seeks to both guide and advise proposals for the future usage of the House and Park. Key Issues • How significant is what remains of Broomfield House? • What is the significance of the Park? Broomfield House • How valuable are the sports and leisure facilities to the community? Conservation Management Plan • What can be done with the stable yard? Volume 1 • How will any new proposals be realised, when previous options have not been? • What funding options are available? Revision B The House • In the centre of Broomfield Park is Broomfield House which was built in the 16th century; damaged by fire in 1984 and again in 1994. Broomfield is a house of considerable age and it has been renovated and altered on several occasions. The House is the focus of the Park, in particular the avenue and water gardens. According to the Souvenir of the Opening of Broomfield Park in 1903, James I used the estate and the house as a hunting lodge. It is listed Grade II*. • However upon recent assessment, no more than 20-30% of the historic fabric of the building remains. It is now in a very poor state. • This does include much of the early 18th century staircase of carved dark oak, decorative panelling Revision Record and murals by the Flemish artist Gerard Lanscroon. These most significant aesthetic elements of Section Rev. Date By Summary of Changes Chkd by Apprvd by Broomfield House are no longer in situ at the property but are carefully stored. These are of high 0 29.05.2015 Original Document A 23.06.2015 Amendments FM importance. B 17.12.2015 Rewritten FM • Broomfield House had been maintained intact in a succession of uses (a school, health centre, C 11.03.2016 Amendments FM café and museum) and since the 1984 fire various proposals have been developed to restore, repair D 23.06.2016 Amendments FM and redevelop the house, but not brought to fruition. • The west side of the House, which contained the more important features (the oak staircase and Lanscroon murals), could be rebuilt, incorporating the surviving historic fabric. • The east side of the House could be rebuilt in a contemporary approach on the same footprint to contain necessary modern facilities: WCs, lifts, and circulation supporting a holistic approaching of repair, restore and new build. • The basement survives and could contain mechanical and electrical installations for any new function to be housed in a restored or new section of the house. • The exterior appearance of the house should relate to the period of the key surviving parkscape features. A restoration to the status quo of the late 18th century (but nevertheless retaining the north Prepared by: Signed: Date: June 2016 range itself) would have the benefit of connecting the house to the baroque water gardens if restored. The Stable Buildings • The buildings within and around the Stable Yard are clearly legible as part of a prosperous merchant’s Checked/Approved by: FM Signed: Date: June 2016 estate of the 18th century. All are fully capable of a basic level of refurbishment, for uses which will support that of the House, and this should be aimed at. • There is commercial potential for the stable and ancillary buildings, which could support a more charitable activity in the main house. Commercial uses have been accommodated within the House and Park before, and must be considered again now, to help provide the necessary funding for the restoration, and create an income for future maintenance. • An Options Appraisal is the best approach to determine way forward to link these buildings with a use for the main house and a use connected to the wider recreational park. The Park • The 1650s baroque features are currently vulnerable to dilution or removal without the house to set Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan vi Donald Insall Associates Broomfield House Conservation Management Plan 1 the context, and as a result of pressures from accommodating recreational facilities and a lack of 1.0 Introduction committed funding. However enough survives, both above ground and as buried archaeology, to give a great opportunity for restoration. 1.1 Background to the Document • In 1977 the elms from the avenue in the west field (parkland) were removed and replaced by limes, many of which have already been lost. The double tree avenue should be reinstated using appropriate This Conservation Plan was prepared by Donald Insall Associates and TerraFirma and their sub-consultants for species based on historical research and arboriculture advice. We understand this is now in hand, the London Borough of Enfield. again using lime trees. • Interpretation would be very beneficial; there is an opportunity to create a warmer and more inclusive A first draft was issued in May 2015. Following key stakeholder comment, the main text of the document has image through the use of better surfacing finishes, co-ordinated range of signage and the sensitive been substantially re-written, condensed and reformatted design and placement of street furniture. th • Communal facilities and later 20 century additions to the park, (e.g. oval lake, bowling green, tennis The survey for the House and Curtilage Buildings was undertaken during February – May 2015 by Robert Miles and MUGA courts, children’s play area and conservatory) play important roles within the context of a and Jonathan Cerowski of Donald Insall Associates, and the research by Carrie Maude and Katrina Royall, all highly valued urban park; as such improvements would be considered as part of wider enhancement to of Donald Insall Associates. complement the historical restoration or re-creation with greater communal use of the gardens nearer the house. The Survey for the Park and Gardens was undertaken by a diverse consultant team including historians, archaeologists, hydrologists, and ecology consultants co-ordinated by Terrafirma. Sport and Leisure • Sporting facilities to the east in the former gravel pit are unthreatening, and add communal value The intention of this document is to inform the London Borough of Enfield and their fellow stakeholders on the • The tennis courts and bowls club, though popular, are less well sited in the context of the historic park Broomfield House Partnership Board by providing: layout. • The water features in the park suggest swimming and skating as additional activities which might be • an analysis of the history and construction of the House and Park. offered • an assessment of the significance of the House and Park and of its various component elements. • Any restoration or change to the leisure facilities could be carried out independently of the works to the • a conservation briefing for the future usage and restoration of the House and Park. house and other buildings. • a conservation strategy for the continuing maintenance and repair of the House and Park Moving forward 1.2 Conservation Plan Methodology – How The Document Works An options appraisal, supported by public consultation, a financial review and works budget costings has been prepared, and a commercial partner is now being sought for the management of craft and artists’ studios in the The Conservation Plan seeks to both guide and advise proposals for the future usage of the House and Park, Stable Yard area.