SST1490_HECA_South_Staffordshire_Appendix_1_HECZs_Brewood_Codsall
Original Date/Time
January 2011
Title
SST1490_HECA_South_Staffordshire_Appendix_1_HECZs_Brewood_Codsall
Description
Executive Summary
The landscape of South Staffordshire is defined by its historic character which is dominated by a variety of field systems, primarily enclosed by hedges, some of which originate in the medieval and/or post medieval period. Woodland and settlement, comprising dispersed historic farms and cottages and villages both ancient and new, also make significant contributes to its historic character. The 13 project areas for the HEA are based around the hinterlands of three historic towns, 11 historic villages and the late 20th century settlement of Perton (cf. map 1). The historic towns comprise Brewood, Kinver and Penkridge, all of which were established as market towns during the medieval period. These three settlements, however, are all currently classed as Main Service Villages (MSV) by South Staffordshire Council along with Codsall, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Perton and Wombourne. The remaining settlements considered within the project are all
classified as Local Service Villages (LSV2).
The HEA aims to establish the potential for the historic environment of these 13 project areas to absorb new development and housing in particular. This has been carried out by dividing each of the project areas into ‘Historic Environment Character Zones’ (HECZs) and assessing the significance of the heritage assets of each zone. The assessment utilised the guidance provided by English Heritage in their document ‘Conservation principles: policies and guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment’. The assessment was followed by recommendations for each zone (these form Appendices 1 to 6 of the HEA; summaries can be found within the main report).
Summary of Assessment and Recommendations
The HEA found that despite the changes within the project areas during the 20th century, particularly from the intensification of agriculture as well as development, the historic landscape continues to play an important role in defining the local character of individual settlements under assessment. The historic cores of many of the settlements are defined by fossilised medieval layouts and historic buildings; many having medieval and early post medieval timber framed origins. There are surviving medieval property boundaries and the fossilisation of market areas mark out the origins of Kinver, Brewood and Penkridge as medieval market towns. The historic importance and need to conserve these historic settlements has been identified in the designation of Conservation Areas. Greater change has occurred in the former mining settlements in the north east of the District, but even here there are extant historic buildings which relate to their industrial origins and make positive contributions to the local character. Cheslyn Hay in particular retains its layout relating to its origins as an industrial squatter settlement which developed from the 17th century onwards. There is the potential for the enhancement of heritage assets within these settlements to contribute to an improved sense of place and well-being within each community. Beyond the medieval historic core of Codsall the historic character is dominated by mid to late 19th century brick villas which were built following the construction of the railway and its Grade II Listed station.
Beyond the extent of the built areas, historic field patterns associated with narrow winding lanes also survive. The majority of these fields are enclosed by mature hedgerows and in-hedge trees all of which contribute to the historic landscape character. Many of the extant field patterns within the project areas have their origins as medieval arable fields most of which were enclosed piecemeal in the 16th to early 18th centuries. They are particularly well preserved to the north west of Codsall, around Wheaton Aston and to the north east of Perton.
Large landed estates made a considerable impact upon the historic landscape of South Staffordshire in the form of landscape parks, the large planned farmsteads and the straight roads and field boundaries typical of surveyor planned field systems. Landscape parks are a particular feature of the Codsall project area and to the east of both Featherstone and Wombourne; the latter area includes a small portion of the Grade II* Himley Registered park and garden. These landscapes also survive around, Kinver, Swindon and Wombourne – all areas which lay within the cores of
the medieval Royal Forests that had covered much of the District into the early 14th century.
Industrial archaeology is of particular importance in the north east of the District where the lines of former tramways and canals and evidence of industry, particularly relating to coal mining, survive as both above and below ground remains. It is also a feature of the Stour and Smestow valleys, incorporating Kinver, Swindon and Wombourne. Arguably the greatest legacy of the 18th and 19th centuries are the lines of communication which cross the District; the canals (three of which are Conservation Areas) and the railway lines including the Kinver Light Railway and the
disused Bridgnorth & Wolverhampton Railway; the latter now utilised as a leisure amenity.
This document identifies those areas of particular historic sensitivity where special consideration should be given to the impact of development upon the legibility of the historic landscape character. Even where there has been extensive 20th and 21st century change has occurred there are often historic assets including specific historic field boundaries, which continue to contribute to the local character and which are also deserving of consideration within any future change.
The project areas for the South Staffordshire historic environment character assessment are:
Brewood
Codsall
Coven
Essington
Featherstone
Great Wyrley (and Cheslyn Hay)
Huntington
Kinver
Pattingham
Penkridge
Perton
Swindon and Wombourne
Wheaton Aston
Creator
Debbie Taylor (Staffordshire County Council)
Keywords
SST1490, Historic Environment Character Assessment, South Staffordshire, Brewood, Codsall, Coven, Essington, Featherstone, Great Wyrley, Cheslyn Hay, Huntington, Kinver, Pattingham, Penkridge, Perton, Swindon, Wombourne
Wheaton Aston
Date
January 11
Folder Tree
SCCData, SCCData/LibraryLinkFiles, SCCData/LibraryLinkFiles/Designations, SCCData/LibraryLinkFiles/Designations/HEA
Credit
suzyb
Copyright
Staffordshire County Council
Caption
Historic Environment Character Assessment: South Staffordshire January 2011