CUCKOO LANE HEADINGTON HILL HALL OXFORD HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT JUNE 2021 worlledge www.worlledgeassociates.com associates HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT CONTENTS Worlledge Associate Introduction Headington Hill Hall Estate Boundary Walls to Headington Hill Hall Estate Heritage Significance Statement of Significance National and Local Heritage Policies and Guidelines Proposal Assessment of Impact Conclusion Appendix 1: Entries in the National Heritage List for England for Headington Hill Hall Appendix 2: Statement of Significance for Headington Hill Hall Appendix 3: Oxford City Council Local Plan Heritage Policies DH1 and DH3 Contact Information Raymond Osborne [email protected] Ruth Mullett [email protected] Patrick Horrocks [email protected] Nicholas Worlledge [email protected] 2 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT WORLLEDGE ASSOCIATES Worlledge Associates is an Oxford-based heritage consultancy, committed to the effective management of the historic environment. Established in 2014 by Nicholas and Alison Worlledge, Nicholas came to private practice with over 35 years’ experience working in heritage management for local authorities. This intimate knowledge and understanding of council processes, and planning policy and practice, helps us to work collaboratively with owners and decision- makers to manage change to the historic environment. Our team of dedicated researchers and specialists believe in the capacity of the historic environment to contribute to society’s collective economic, social, and cultural well-being. We aim to identify what is significant about places and spaces to support their effective management and sustain their heritage value. We have worked with a wide range of property-owners and developers including universities and colleges, museums and libraries, large country estates, manor house, farmsteads, cottages, town houses and new housing sites. 3 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT INTRODUCTION The intelligent management of change is a key principle necessary to sustain the historic environment for present and future generations to enjoy. Historic England and successive government agencies have published policy and advice that extend our understanding of the historic environment and develop our competency in making decisions about how to manage it. Paragraphs 4-10 of Historic England’s Good Practice Advice Note 2 (Managing Significance in Decision-Taking in the Historic Environment) explains that applications (for planning permission and listed building consent) have a greater likelihood of success and better decisions will be made when applicants and local planning authorities assess and understand the particular nature of the significance of an asset, the extent of the asset’s fabric to which the significance relates and the level of importance of that significance. The National Planning Policy Framework provides a very similar message in paragraphs 189 and 190 expecting both applicant and local planning authority to take responsibility for understanding the significance of a heritage asset and the impact of a development proposal, seeking to avoid unacceptable conflict between the asset’s conservation and any aspect of the proposal. It has never been the intention of government to prevent change or freeze frame local communities and current policy and good practice suggests that change, if managed intelligently would not be harmful. This Heritage Impact Assessment Report has been prepared, in accordance with the requirements of Heritage Policy DH3 of the Oxford City Local Plan 2016 – 2036, to accompany a development proposal to modify the existing pedestrian access through the stone boundary wall running along the southern side of Cuckoo Lane which marks the northern boundary to Headington Hill Hall, a grade II* listed building lying in the Headington Hill Conservation Area. It provides a brief chronology of the establishment, expansion and contraction of the Headington Hill Hall Estate and the consequential changes in use. It briefly documents the surviving boundary walls. While none are included in the National Heritage List for England in their own right, they mark and are part of the curtilage of the grade II* Headington Hill Hall and are significant markers in the landscape providing evidence of the wealth and status of the owners and builders of Headington Hill Hall, the Morrell family. The report includes a summary of the relevant national and local heritage policies and guidelines, a brief description of the proposed works, and an assessment of the impact, or otherwise, on the heritage significance of Headington Hill Hall and its boundary walls. 4 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT Extract from the Tithe Award Map showing the boundary of Headington Hill Hall with the boundaries marked by Headington Hill Road to the south, Marston Road to the west, Cuckoo Lane to the north and Pullen Lane to the east HEADINGTON HILL HALL ESTATE While Headington Hill Hall was not a large, landed estate, it was an Extract from the Tithe Award Map showing the boundary of estate of considerable status, and contained the largest private house Headington Hill Hall with the boundaries marked by Headington Hill in Oxford, with 51 rooms in 1858. Road to the south, Marston Road to the west, Cuckoo Lane to the north and Pullen Lane to the east. Research has shown that the estate expanded in the mid-late 19th century and from the second quarter of the 20th century began to The 1876 OS map shows a lodge noted on the 1849 Tithe Award contract as land was transferred into public ownership and use for map and two additional lodges on Headington Road, lower lodge parkland, or developed as government offices, and higher education at the south-west corner and top lodge to the north-east corner. A uses, resulting in Headington Hill Hall and its immediate grounds further lodge was on Marston Road. The top lodge marked the main becoming, firstly a company HQ (1959-1992) and from 1992 a part of entrance to the estate. Evidence from engravings show that there was Oxford Brooks University. an existing boundary wall along the southern boundary of the estate adjoining which is the raised footpath installed in 1700. It is thought BRIEF CHRONOLOGY likely the walls to Pullen Lane and Cuckoo date from this period of In 1817 the Oxford brewer James Morrell senior bought some grazing expansion. land from the Savage family at the top of the hill, and the original Headington Hill Hall was built by 1824. The 1849 Tithe Award map 1874 and 1875 the estate expanded by the purchase of 13 acres shows the house north of Headington Road surrounded by a garden to the north on Cuckoo Lane, and 66 acres lying to the south and pasture comprised 36 a 2 29p. It was bounded by Headington of Headington Road. In 1877/8 a bridge was constructed from Road to the south, Pullen Lane to the east, Marston Road to the west Headington Hill Hall to the land to the south. In 1878 a substantial and Cuckoo Lane to the north. coach house and stable was constructed in the northeast corner of the estate. An access was created in the wall to allow access to/from Pullen Lane. 5 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT In 1929-30 land was sold to Oxford City Council so it could build In 1992 Oxford Brookes University took over the site and has carried housing. In 1930-31 the Oxford Preservation Society negotiated the out several developments, including the extension and conversion of purchase of 56 acres of land on the south side of Headington Hill for the former coach house and stables, used by Pergamon as offices, a park, now South Park. Following requisition of the Hall and grounds to create the Richard Hamilton Centre. This involved the creation of a for the war, the government erected offices on land to the east pedestrian access on Cuckoo Lane. Further west down Cuckoo Lane fronting Marston Road. Land was also developed for a Territorial Army there is a second access point serving the halls of residences that lie Base. In 1949 that the land formerly occupied by Morrells Nursery, to the north-east. south of Headington Road, was sold and in 1956 became the campus of Oxford College of Technology. SUMMARY Over the period 1849 to 1959 the estate expanded from 36 acres to 1953 Headington Hill Hall and four lodges and 37 acres transferred to 115 acres and then to 17 acres surrounding the house. Much of the Oxford City Council and Headington Hill Park and South Park created. land has become public parks, with the balance being used by Oxford Between 1959 and 1992 the House and grounds were leased to the Brookes University. The Headington Hill Hall estate has moved from a Pergamon Press. private secluded space designed to exclude people to primarily open space and public uses. 6 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT Engraving 1810 showing the raised pavement and wall to what became the Headington Hill Hall Estate BOUNDARY WALLS Cuckoo Lane is thought to be an ancient lane and marked the boundary of the parishes of St Clements and Headington and at the TO HEADINGTON eastern end where these parishes meet Marston parish. HILL HALL ESTATE There are two boundary date stones, one from the from 17th century (listed grade II see Appendix 1) on Marston Road marking the beginning of the lane running through to Pullen Lane and one dated 1901 in the wall of the former coach house and stables at the eastern end of the lane. It marked the line of the Parliamentary Borough Boundary and ward boundary. There is also a date stone in the wall fronting Headington Hill Road (listed grade II see Appendix 1) set into the wall during road improvements in 1930, possibly moved then, and in 1771 when the road was re-aligned. Inscribed ‘Here endeth Hedington Hyway W.K. & I.F.’ Headington Hill was paved - 1725. While the boundaries to Headington Hill Hall are well established the existing boundary walls may date to the expansion of the estate noted on the 1849 Tithe Award Map or the major building program in the late 1850s.