84 4Tadcaster 84 4Tadcaster 85 Tadcaster 4 Tadcaster 86 Tadcaster 1 87 on the edge). Key to this is increas- agreement can be reached to allow town. The largest project is likely to ing confidence in the quality that can these projects to proceed. The be the Mill Lane housing scheme on be achieved in new environmental SDF also includes proposals for the eastern bank of the river. How- adcaster is a historic town affordable housing and a weak retail works and housing development. If environmental improvements to the ever, the masterplan also includes that has retained much of its centre. The Charter set out a vision local people can be confident that valley, to incorporate the necessary opportunities for infill development Tunique character. The Selby for Tadcaster as: development can take place without flood defence measures into a wider and living over the shop in the centre District Charter identified that, while damaging the character of the town landscaping scheme. of the town. Tadcaster and Sherburn are the ‘A historic brewing town with an then a range of projects can be The SDF has also addressed the Together these projects will not same size, Sherburn is a village that unspoilt character that is a good unlocked. issue of traffic calming and environ- transform Tadcaster – it does not has grown too quickly undermin- place to live and visit’ The SDF includes schemes that mental improvements to the main require transformation. They will, ing its village character. Tadcaster have been developed in the past for streets through the idea of Living however, strengthen and improve its by contrast is a town that has not This SDF sets out a strategy to the town such as the improvement Streets, which is common to all historic character and pave the way grown. This has had the positive achieve this by improving the quality of the main car park, the improve- three of the town masterplans. for new development around the effect that it remains largely unspoilt, of the environment and encouraging ment of Kirkgate and Robin Hood heart of the town that can secure its but also has created a number of new development in the heart of the Yard. These schemes are endorsed The aim is then to encour- long-term economic future. problems such as a shortage of town (but preventing development by the SDF and the hope is that age new housing in the heart of the 88 adcaster lies on the River era up to a hundred coaches a day famous for its beautiful white contested place for possession. held at the junction of Kirkgate and Wharfe between Leeds and passed through, many changing Magnesian limestone. The Romans During the War of the Roses the Bridge Street. TYork. Its Roman name is Cal- horses here. ‘The Ark’ was a meeting used Tadcaster stone to build their battle of Tadcaster was fought The town is still home to many caria – meaning ‘place of limestone’. place where the Pilgrim Fathers are Headquarters and medieval builders around the Tadcaster river bridge ancient treasures, such as the ‘Ark’ Once a small settlement, it served reputed to have met to plan their used the stone to build the city walls and at Townton 3 miles away where building, a motte and ditch of the as a resting place for travellers voyage to America. The building of York and the York Minster. in 1461 a decisive battle was fought Norman castle, and the 1200s St. and a staging post on the London originates from the late 1500s and The close proximity to York and its which ended the conflict. Tadcaster Mary’s Church. Originally built in (Londinium) to York (Eboracum) now houses the offices of Tadcaster position on the river Wharfe as the Market was initiated when Henry de 1150, alterations and additions road and became a noted meeting Town Council. key crossing point between York Percy obtained a charter from King were made to St. Mary’s at different place. In the heyday of the posting Tadcaster has always been and Leeds meant that it was often a Henry III in 1270, and was originally periods till the 1400s. It was finally Tadcaster 2 89 across the river by rail, using this By 1378 five innkeepers are record- viaduct. The last time the viaduct ed as being in business in Tadcaster. was used to fetch and carry goods Today it is the home to Sam Smith’s, was in 1955. It was made a Grade the oldest brewery in Yorkshire, taken down in 1875 and rebuilt on mans built the small motte and area became pleasure-gardens, also 2 listed structure and purchased which has been brewing in Tadcaster foundations, which were 5 feet (150 bailey Castle in the 1300s. This was known as Tadcaster Beach. by the Tadcaster Town Council for since 1758 when Stephen Hartley cm) higher because it was subject to eventually demolished and the stone A viaduct of eleven arches spans pleasure uses. The Viaduct walk bought the Old Brewery. In 1847 the flooding. Floods have indeed been a was used to rebuild the bridge. The the river just north of Tadcaster now runs from Wetherby Road, right famous Smith family acquired the fact of life in Tadcaster for centuries. northern embankments were used Bridge and was built by George across it with access to both banks brewery and a John Smith ran the A little chapel was built at the east as a gun emplacement at the time Hudson as part of his railway of the river. operation. In 1883, four years after side of the bridge for use during of the battle. The present bridge programme. However, he fell into Early mention of brewing in his death, John Smiths brewery was floods when people were unable to crossing was built around 1700, and financial difficulties before the line Tadcaster comes from tax lists, built, opened and began making reach the church. was based on the first stone bridge could be completed. It was not which show that there were brewer- the ale for which the area is now Using local rubble, the Nor- built in 1200. In the 1800s the whole until 1882 that goods were brought ies or brew houses as early as 1341. famous. 90 he plans on these two pages explore the urban form of Tadcaster town centre are the old breweries that dominate the town. Beyond this are a today. They show the classic bow-tie shape of a bridge town with series of lower density suburbs. The plan opposite combines this plan with Tthe knot of the tie being the bridge. the contours showing clearly the flood plain through the centre of the town that cuts it in two. Figure Ground Plan Street hierarchy The plan above left is a figure ground plan of the town. This shows just the buildings of the town and removes all other details. It shows the The reason for Tadcaster’s existence is its position on the Great North Road. compact nature of the town with the small town centre based around High Today, however, the A1 has been diverted well away from the town and the Street, Chapel Street and Kirkgate. However, covering an area equal to the A64 now bypasses Tadcaster. There is, however, concern that restrictions on Tadcaster 3 91 turning movement and poor sign posting mean that a great deal of through traffic continues to use the centre of the town. The street network shows a series of pri- mary and secondary streets converging on the bridge. However, the local street network is much less well connected and a lot of minor streets are cul-de-sacs. Land use The plan to the left shows the main building uses in the town. The predominant land use is residential with a relatively small amount of retailing and commercial development. However, the plan shows clearly that the breweries are the other main land use including the modern Coors brewery to the north. 92 93 94 Tadcaster 4 95 he concept for Tadcaster is much less radical than the Tone for the other two towns. Tadcaster is a traditional and very beautiful town. It has retained its traditional character and resisted much of the poor quality develop- ment that has damaged Sherburn largely due to the benign influence of the brewery that owns large parts of the town. To preserve what is special about To tame the car and create livable To create the highest quality To only build housing in the heart The brewery’s influence has been Tadcaster: The traditional high streets: To tame traffic and change environment: To coordinate a series of the town: To consolidate the posi- a check on development, which street, the relationship with the brew- the environment of the streets so of improvements to the heart of the tion of the town centre. means that Tadcaster has grown eries and the valley through the heart that they are reclaimed for people, town to transform the quality of the very little in recent decades. It of the town. and become more attractive as environment. therefore has the same population placed to shop and spend time. but fewer shops than Sherburn. However, Sherburn is actually an overgrown village whereas Tadcaster is a historic town that has not grown sufficiently to support a town’s range of facilities. This is Tadcaster’s dilemma – its character has been saved by restricting development but its town centre has suffered from lack of investment and a limited local catchment area. The key to unlocking this dilemma is to make everyone more confident in the quality of development so that there is a willingness to allow mod- est growth.