old lakenham conservation area appraisal...page 7// conservation area appraisal //old lakenham...

OLD LAKENHAMCONSERVATION AREA APPRAISALNUMBER 10 MARCH 2008

OLD LAKENHAM CONSERVATION:Layout 1 24/7/08 11:38

CONSERVATION AREAS IN NORWICH:

1. CITY CENTRE

2. BRACONDALE

3. NEWMARKET ROAD

4. HEIGHAM GROVE

5. THORPE

6. SEWELL

7. EATON

8. EARLHAM

9. OLD LAKENHAM

10.BOWTHORPE

11.MILE CROSS

12.THORPE HAMLET

13.THORPE RIDGE

14.UNTHANK & CHRISTCHURCH

15.HELLESDON VILLAGE

16.ST MATTHEW’S

PAGE 2 // CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL // OLD LAKENHAM


INTRODUCTION

04HISTORICDEVELOPMENT

06URBAN DESIGN &STREETSCAPE

11ARCHITECTURE

14NATURAL CHARACTER

18

MANAGEMENT &ENHANCEMENT

20FURTHER READING

24LISTED BUILDINGSREGISTER

24LOCAL LIST REGISTER

24

CONTENTS:



// CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL // OLD LAKENHAM

INTRODUCTION

The appraisal provides an assessment ofthe character and appearance of OldLakenham conservation area, andincludes proposals for management andenhancement. This fulfils section 69 &71 of the Planning (Listed Buildingsand Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

The appraisal was subject to publicconsultation in February 2008, andwas approved by the city council’sexecutive on 19 March 2008. It shouldbe read in conjunction with the city ofNorwich Local Plan 2004 (in particularChapter 3 ‘Heritage and the BuiltEnvironment’), detailed guidance and site specific development briefs.

The historic settlement, located ata bridging point over the Rivers

Yare and Tas, was historically smalland dispersed. Suburban expansionof Norwich has significantlyaltered the setting of thesettlement, surrounding the areato the north and leading to asignificant amount of infilldevelopment. Despite this, therivers still provide an importantlandscaped backdrop, particularlyin the area around the two bridgeswhere the relationship betweenthe river and historic buildings hasbeen maintained.

The conservation area can be dividedinto three sub areas, as indicated onthe adjacent map. The character ofeach area is described in more detailin the following sections, followed bya programme of management andenhancement proposals on p20.

To the southeast lie two railwaycottages within the neighbouringdistrict of South Norfolk. For moreinformation on this area pleasecontact South Norfolk District Council.

The appraisal will be used by the citycouncil to help determine planningapplications affecting the conservationarea, and will be taken into accountby the Planning Inspectorate whenconsidering planning appeals.

Old Lakenham was designated a conservationarea on 5 February 1980. The boundary wassubsequently extended on 18 September2003 to include the camping grounds (site ofthe former swimming pool) and to omit thenew house at 64 Sandy Lane. The area covers3.9 ha (9.7 Acres).



CONSERVATION AREA MAP

©Crown Copyright 2007



HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

The hamlet was first mentioned in theDomesday Book and was held by theCrown under Will de Noiers Stewartuntil Henry I gave the land to BishopHerbert and the Priory and Convent ofNorwich (later to become the Dean

and Chapter) under which it remaineduntil the dissolution of 1538.

The oldest building in the settlement isSt John and All Saints Church. Thechurch has long been a historic

landmark although its relative isolationhas in the past led to problems - duringthe 18th century it was a well knownhaunt of grave robbers.

The Parish of Lakenham is today associated with large housing estates,however the original hamlet to the south has a rich history dating backmany years. As an idyllic rural retreat close to the river it was a favoureddestination for day excursions from the city during the 18th and 19thcenturies when there were a number of ‘spring gardens’. During the late19th century the settlement was also well known for its large working mill,and more recently during the 20th century for its open air swimming pool.

The Cock Inn early 19th century




The O.S. Map of 1886 shows thatLakenham remained relativelyundeveloped throughout the 19thcentury and for many years the millwould have dominated theappearance of the village.

The mill is first referenced in Pigot’sdirectory of 1830 as occupied byRobert Hawkes & Co, wool spinners. In1836 White’s Directory lists theoccupiers as the Lakenham YarnCompany under the management ofDodshon Blake of Magdalen Street,who was also at the time running theNorwich Yarn Co in Fishergate Street.The 1840 tithe map shows Edward andRobert Wiffin Blake (the sons ofDodshon Blake?) as the owners. Theywere using the mill to spin mohair andworsted yarns. By 1845 steam

powered looms were installed and themill was employing 100 males and 200females. In 1866-7 the mill was takenover by Joseph Park & Sons of St JamesMill. At this time the mill wasconsiderably rebuilt and enlarged witha new boilerhouse, steam engine andchimney to supplement the water mill,new workers cottages, the re-alignmentof the River Yare and the Tas, and theenlargement of the mill pond.However, the decline in the wooltrade and yarn production meantthat the mill was last listed for thisuse in 1890.

By 1892 Henry Hollidge was using themill to crush grain, probably for animalfeed. This era ended when the mill wasdestroyed in a fire on 31 March 1908.

After the fire the chimney stack of theboiler house was dismantled, the threestorey bulding to the south had onestorey removed, and a new, smaller millwas built by the insurance company.

Also ruined in the fire was theneighbouring Cock Inn which wassubsequently rebuilt in a similarstyle, although reduced in size.

By 1911 the mill had been taken overby William Moyes who continued withthe grist trade until 1914. In 1915W.T. Jordan lived in the mill house andused the leased mill as a toyworkshop until 1937. He sold his toysin his own shop, which was theprevious factory, at 5 Golden BallStreet (later demolished to make wayfor road widening, also in 1937). The

Lakenham scene late 19th century© Norfolk County Council

The mill after the fire of 1908© Norfolk County Council

The Cock Inn after the fire of 1908© Norfolk County Council



O.S. MAP 1880 - 1889 OLD LAKENHAM HISTORIC MAP



O.S. MAP 1955 - 1968 OLD LAKENHAM HISTORIC MAP




sawmill continued in use to supplytimber for river bank protection until1947 when the mill was bought aspart of the Trafford Estate by theNorwich Corporation.

Two other important buildingsnow demolished were an old 17thcentury house along MartineauLane, called Villa Gardens, and OldLakenham Hall off Sandy Lane.Both buildings had associationswith Lakenham’s history as adestination for day excursionsfrom the city.

Villa Gardens had a datestone of 1638and was a similar building in terms ofarchitectural style to the Old Post

Office which survives on MansfieldLane. The house was used as a publichouse between 1867 and 1895.During an air raid on 17th May 1941the building was badly damaged, butit was not demolished until the1950’s. The Old Hall was situated onthe site of Old Lakenham Hall Drive.It was once known as KensingtonGardens. During the mid to late 20thcentury the Hall became the CountyTraining Headquarters of the Scoutsbefore being demolished in 1971.The hall and grounds weresubsequently developed.

The mill was also used to pumpwater into the open air swimmingwhich was opened in 1908.

The swimming pool was 80 yardslong, and constructed with a concretebottom and sides, so that the river(and the fish!) continued to passthrough it. Changing rooms wereadded in the 1930’s, and during the1950’s the pool was modernised witha chlorination and filtration plant. Thepool remained open until October1992 when it was forced to close dueto a bill for £100,000 for necessaryrepairs. All traces of the pool wereremoved in the following year and thearea is now part of the campsite.

Villa Gardens, Martineau Lane© George Plunkett

Lakenham Old Hall© Norfolk County Council

The swimming pool© Norfolk County Council



URBAN DESIGN AND STREETSCAPE

The historic core of the village clustersaround the crossroads where theformer mill, the Cock Inn and the OldPost Office are all located. This formssub area A. This scene has remainedrelatively unchanged since the fire of1908. The lanes have a sense ofenclosure with buildings and highboundary walls abutting the street, incontrast to the more open frontage ofthe new housing on the north side ofMansfield Road.

The crossroads would once havebeen an informal pedestrian arealightly trafficked, but they are nowpart of a cut through route to thesouth. The road alignment andmarkings have been designed to easethe flow of traffic rather thanpedestrians, and this is to thedetriment of the village’s character.The junction has recently (2007) beenremodelled with a mini roundabout,and it is hoped this will reduce someof the traffic problems.

To the east and south of thecrossroads the settlement hashistorically maintained a very closerelationship with the river. It isimportant that the scenic views ofthe river from the bridges and theopen space between them, as wellas the relationship between the riverand the Cock Inn, are preservedand well maintained.

The area which lies to the east of thetwo bridges combines with the landto the south of Martineau Lane toform sub area B. This area ischaracterised by the river and wetmeadows which form a ‘backdrop’ tothe settlement where further sprawlof modern development has beenprevented. However, in contrast tothe views from the bridge, the riverremains relatively inaccessible, and itdoes not feature in any views fromeither Mansfield Lane or Sandy Lane.

Old Lakenham lies to the south of a swathe of late 20th centuryhousing estates and the contrasting informal layout of thevillage and verdant green landscape of the river valley becomeimmediately apparent when approaching the conservation area.

Village core Views of river



URBAN DESIGN AND STREETSCAPE

The church is some distance from thevillage core, situated on a hill abovethe river valley. The area forms subarea C and is characterised bydetached buildings set within verdantlandscaping and a long high wall tothe south along Sandy Lane. Thecharacter of this area is dominated bylandscaping with buildings largelyhidden within street views.

The church, although an importanthistoric focal point and locallandmark, is obscured in views fromSandy Lane by the dense vegetationthat surrounds it. The church hasnow in effect been re-orientated toserve the new suburban communitiesto the west where it has become amore recognised landmark for thelocal area.

There are a number of importanthistoric boundary walls in thesettlement. The red brick wall whichborders the south of Sandy Lane wasthe former wall of the Old LakenhamHall, whereas the flint and brick wallalong Martineau Lane formed theboundary to a house a known as Villa Gardens.

Vegetation dominates Sandy Lane Views of the church from the West. Former wall to Villa Gardens



URBAN DESIGN & STREETSCAPE MAP




ARCHITECTURE

Although the church dates from the 13th century there is surprisinglyonly one other surviving historic building that dates from before 1700.Many of the buildings within the village core have either been demolishedor reconstructed following the fire of 1908.

The oldest parts of the church (1) datefrom the 13th century, however thetower dates from the 15th century,the north porch dates from 1824, thesouth aisle was rebuilt in 1825, andthe chancel was constructed circa1864 by J. Brown. The bulk of thechurch is constructed of flint, whereasthe chancel is of brick constructionand now rendered with a hardcement render. The lychgate was builtas a memorial to those who died inWorld War II.

The only other buildings to survivefrom before 1800 are, from the17th century, the Old Post Office(161 Mansfield Lane) (2), and fromthe 18th century, ‘The Lodge’ onSandy’s Lane (3).

The Old Post Office is constructed offlint and brick rubble with red brickdressings and pantiled roof. Early 20thcentury photos show that the buildingwas formerly thatched and rendered.The windows are 20th centurycasements, but the greater width ofthe window surrounds indicates that

they were designed for wider 17thcentury windows with mullions. Aninteresting feature is the mouldedbrick pediments above the windows.The same characteristics were foundin Villa Gardens, now demolished (see historic development section). It is unfortunate that the rooflight ison the steep front pitch, detractingfrom the appearance of the building.

The Lodge is red brick but painted,with a pantile roof and two brick endchimneys. The top floor retains theoriginal iron framed casement

Far left:St John & All Saints Church

LeftThe Old Post Office, 161 Mansfield Lane



ARCHITECTURE

The mill The Cock

windows, whereas the ground floorwas extended in the late 19th centurywith white brick, sash windows and anew porch. Facing on to Sandy Lane is the converted coachhouse of TheLodge (4) with an interesting crowstepped gabled detail.

Although the mill has a longhistory, the present mill buildingsand the Cock Inn were rebuilt andthe granary remodelled followingthe fires of 1908.

The Mill House (5) along MansfieldLane survived the fire and dates from theearly 19th century. It is constructed offlint rubble with red brick dressingsand a pantilled roof with a centralbrick chimney stack. Windows on thestreet are earlier 19th century sashes

with smaller pane windows. The leftand right gables have been rebuilt inred brick during the 20th century.

The old mill buildings (6) and (7) areboth red brick, now whitewashed,with hipped slate roofs and simplecasement windows. The mill to theright has a two storey timber cladhoist, whereas the mill building tothe left has lucams.

The Cock (8) was also rebuiltfollowing the fire of 1908, based onthe original cottage design. 19thcentury photographs show thebuilding elongated and rendered,however the present building has flintfacing at ground floor with exposedtimber framing around casementwindows at first floor level.

Pics over leaf:

1. Weatherboard lucam former mill (The Old Granary)

2. Former window surroundThe Old Post Office

3. Gargoyle water spoutSt John & All Saints Church

4. Pub signThe Cock Inn

5. Date StoneSt John & All Saints Church

6. Street Name and flint wallingThe Old Post Office

7. Memorial lychgate 1939-45St John & All Saints Church

8. Churchyard MemorialSt John & All Saints Church

9. 19th sash windowThe Mill House



1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.



HISTORIC BUILDINGS MAP




NATURAL CHARACTER

Looking East from the north bridge The river adjacent to The Cock Inn The churchyard of St John & All Saints

The rivers are most visible from thebridges and the publicly accessiblesmall field which lies in betweenthem. This section of the river hasprovided an important recreationalresource for centuries and it isimportant that the river banks andthe open spaces are preserved andwell maintained.

Also fronting onto the river is the rearof the Cock Inn. The Cock Inn and theadjacent piece of land provide animportant recreational resource.

To the east of the conservation areathere are important private openspaces which include a TreePreservation Order area. The citycouncil owned campsite was theformer grounds of Villa Gardens andalso the former swimming pool whichhas since been grassed over.

To the west of the conservation areathe churchyard lies on the brow ofthe hill above a steep embankmentsurrounded by thick vegetation. Thegraveyard is a pleasing mixture oflawned areas and more natural areasof managed decay. The area at thebottom is known as Sandy Lane Wood.

The rivers and wet meadows make an important contribution to the character andappearance of the conservation area and provide an important natural habitat for wildlife.



NATURAL CHARACTER MAP



MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT

No. Location Issue Action Term Responsibility

1

The city council has a duty to enhancethe character and appearance of theconservation area where possible. Thefollowing table highlights opportunitiesto improve the management of theconservation and to carry outenhancement. Inclusion on the list isnot a commitment by the council toundertake the work and further workwill be required to establish thefeasibility of these proposals. Eachopportunity has been identified as ashort, medium or long term goalreflecting its cost and complexity.

Enhancement of the conservationarea also depends on the care thatindividual owners take with themaintenance and repair of theirproperties and due consideration topreserving and enhancing theconservation area when carrying outalterations to their properties. The listtherefore also identifies opportunitiesfor private owners.

After five years the appraisal will bereviewed to see whether the characterand appearance of the conservationarea has been successfully enhancedand to assess whether newopportunities are available.

(S) Short TermStraightforward enhancement proposals, which should be relatively easy to achieve or are included in existing work programmes

(M)Medium TermInvolves some expenditure and/or complexity

(L) Long Term Complex proposals involving largerfinancial commitments

Junction ofLong JohnHill/MansfieldLane/StokeRoad.

There is a problem ofspeeding traffic.Footpaths have beenrecently widened anda mini roundaboutinstalled.

Consider furthermeasures such as20 mph speedrestriction, speedtables and softer‘surface treatment’once the impact ofthe mini roundabouthas been evaluated.

L Highways.




2

3

4

5

MartineauLane andMansfield Lane.

MartineauLane.

Car Park ofThe CockMartineauLane.

Open spaceeast of StokeRoad.

Deterioratingboundary walls inneed of repair.

Refuse bins appearin unsightlylocation.

Boundarytreatment lookstatty and the carpark appears as avacuous spacedominating thestreetscene.

Bin and kerbside ofstreet appear tatty.

Replace spalledbrickwork withsympathetic bricks.

Consider installing bincompounds or moreattractive bins.

Improve theappearance of theboundary to enclosecar park and providestreet frontage, forexample planting.

Consider way ofenhancingappearance – morerural appearing binand appropriatetreatment.

S-L

M

M-L

M-L

Owners andoccupiers.

CityCare/NorwichCity Council.

Owner and/oroccupier.

Norfolk CountyCouncil, NorwichCity Council(Transportation& LandscapeDesign).





6

7

Wall west ofStoke Road.

St John andAll SaintsChurchyardSandy Lane.

Wall is obscured byovergrowth ofvegetation.

Access from SandyLane is poorlymaintained.

Cut back vegetation.

Repair steps andrailings or install newaccess.

S

M-L

Owner and/oroccupier.

Parish/Diocese& Green Spaces.





MANAGEMENT & ENHANCEMENT MAP




LISTED BUILDINGSThe following buildings have beenlisted Grade II either because of theirarchitectural interest, their historicinterest, their close historicalassociation or because they formpart of an important group.

Harwood RoadChurch of St John and All Saints.

Mansfield Lane161 (The Old Post Office)Mill House.

Sandy LaneThe Lodge.

LOCAL LIST BUILDINGSThe following buildings within theconservation area are included on thelocal list for their architectural and/orhistorical importance. These buildingsare valued for their contribution tothe local scene, or for local historicalassociations, but do not merit fullstatutory protection.

Long John Hill The Cock The Old Mill (including The Granary).

A full list can be viewed at www.norwich.gov.uk



NOTES


CONTACT DETAILSPLANNING SERVICESCITY HALLNORWICH NR2 1NHTEL: 0844 980 3333

IF YOU NEED THIS APPRAISAL IN ANOTHER FORMAT OR LANGUAGE PLEASE PHONE 0844 980 3333, FAX 01603 213000 OR EMAIL [email protected]


old lakenham conservation area appraisal...page 7// conservation area appraisal //old lakenham...

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