Harrow on the Hill Village - Microsoftbtckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site2873/Panel... · the street pattern and building form of this time remains largely intact and central to

19

Harrow on the Hill VillageCONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL Area Number 9

Harrow on the Hill Village Conservation Area forms the historic core of theHill, scattered with the area’s earliest buildings. Its unique townscapecomprises a historical settlement of considerable antiquity and visual

quality, set along an irregular network of ancient highways, and bounded byopen spaces, which serve to accentuate its distinction from the surroundingLondon sprawl.

1

PART ONE: THE CONTEXT1. Introduction

1.1 Harrow on the Hill is aconspicuous site: a largewooded mound rising over 70mabove the surrounding plain,and surmounted by an ancientchurch and spire it creates animpressive view, cherished frommany points around.

1.2 Harrow on the Hill Villagebecame a conservation area in1968. The area is situated inNorth West London, withinwalking distance of Harrow towncentre and Harrow on the HillStation. There is an approximatepopulation of 1,700 living withinthe conservation area, which issituated on the western slope ofHarrow Hill. The conservationarea comprises 21 hectares andruns from the rear curtilages of

properties on the east side ofHigh Street westwards toBessborough Road, stretchingbetween Byron Hill Road to theSouth and Church Fields to theNorth.

1.3 The North is bounded byRoxborough Park and the GroveConservation Area and HarrowSchool Conservation Area, withHarrow Park Conservation Arealying to the southeast. Roxeth

Map - Listed Buildings, Locally Listed Buildings, Archaeological Priority Areas and Sites of NatureConservation Importance

2

pN

These maps are reproduced from Ordnance Survey materialwith the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of thecontroller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. CrownCopyright. Unauthorised Reproduction infringes CrownCopyright and may lead to prosecutions or civil proceedings.London Borough of Harrow LA.100019206. 2007.

Hill and Sudbury HillConservation Areas bound thearea to the South, and to theWest and East lie areas of openspace, designated asMetropolitan Open Land. Thedesignation of these areas is inrecognition of their architecturaland environmental quality. Theirprotection and enhancement isconsidered to be of greatimportance. The entire area hasalso been designated as anArea of Special Character andmany its properties within theconservation area are subject toan Article 4 Direction to controla number of minor works.

2. Planning Policy Context

2.1 This appraisal, and linkedmanagement strategy,supersedes the Harrow on theHill Village Conservation AreaPolicy Statement that wasadopted in 1992 by HarrowCouncil. Much of theinformation, ideas and policiesfrom the 1992 document havebeen carried forward anddeveloped in line with currentEnglish Heritage guidance.

2.2 The purpose of thisappraisal is to provide a clearanalysis of the architecturalimportance, character andappearance of the area as awhole, which will help form thebasis for making sustainabledecisions about the area'sfuture. The appraisal is linked toa management strategy for theconservation area, which

identifies opportunities forenhancement along with policiesto protect its character.

2.3 This appraisal andmanagement strategy are setwithin the broader context ofconservation area policyguidance for Harrow containedwithin the Harrow UnitaryDevelopment Plan, the emergingLocal Development Frameworkand the associated Harrow onthe Hill Conservation Areas’Supplementary PlanningDocument which accompaniesall Harrow on the HillConservation Area Appraisals.The Harrow on the HillEnvironmental Strategy Reportwhich was carried out in 1996and Heritage EconomicRegeneration Scheme, whichwas begun in 2002, hasencouraged recent changes toHarrow on the Hill and hashelped to identify other potentialenhancements within the area,in particular: better trafficmanagement and preservationof the core shopping area, towhich the appraisal makesreference, within both thecharacter study section as wellas in the management strategy.The documents are also setwithin national policy guidanceprovided by Planning PolicyGuidance Note 15 and the1990 Planning (Listed Buildingand Conservation Area) Act. It isimportant to note that noappraisal can be completelycomprehensive and that theomission of a particular

building, feature or open spaceshould not be taken to implythat it is of little or no interest.

3. Summary of SpecialInterest

3.1 A conservation area isdefined as 'an area of specialarchitectural or historic interest,the character or appearance ofwhich it is desirable to preserveor enhance'. Harrow on the HillVillage Conservation Area is ofspecial interest for a variety ofreasons, although principally thiscan be linked to the area'swealth of history and significantamount of listed buildings, aswell as close historicalassociations with Harrow Schooland obvious underlyinglandscape character.

3.2 Harrow on the Hill VillageConservation Area is set withinthe immediate context of aprestigious boys school thatshares the area's name. HarrowSchool's cricket grounds framethe conservation area on itswestern edge to create a markedand pleasant green entranceinto West Street. The School'sboarding houses, classroomsand offices, many of which arelisted, surround the northern andeastern perimeter.

3.3 Otherwise, the area ispredominantly residential,although some commercial andindustrial uses are apparent,especially along High Street andWest Street, creating dynamic

View of spirefrom OldEtonianRestaurent

3

pockets within the conservationarea. The area alsoencompasses a number ofspecialist shops of interest, butin general any office or retailpotential here is considerablyoutrivaled by Harrow's towncentre.

3.4 Harrow on the Hill was oncehowever an importantcommercial centre in its ownright before this emphasis shifted

to Harrow town centre. Thegrowth of specialist shops andworkshops on The Hilldeveloped in close associationwith the expansion of HarrowSchool from 1859 to 1884,during which time the area'sresidential development was alsoconsiderably increased. As such,the Victorian era saw asignificant proportion of thearea's dwellings and streets builtand laid out to house artisans

and school employees. Theclose relationship with the boy'sschool has continued to remainsignificant in terms of the area'ssocial interest as well as itshistoric planned layout. Today, anumber of properties are stilloccupied by Harrowschoolteachers.

3.5 In its wider context, HarrowHill is a well-recognised anddominant landmark that is aneasily recognisable feature fromwithin, and on approach to, theLondon Borough of Harrow.

4. The origins and historicdevelopment of the area

The urban development mapsmark key periods of historicgrowth from the 18th centuryand highlight some survivingelements that have helped todetermine the conservation area.It can be seen that earlydevelopment was concentratedalong main roads or tracks in aribbon-like fashion, with littlebuilding on backland areas,however as developmentreached saturation along themain roads, new roads werebuilt behind, creating cul-de-sacs. The most acceleratedphase of growth in the last 150years is also evident.

4.1 Early settlers of the Hill, whomay have been Paganworshipers, are likely to havebeen attracted by the prominentwooded ridge visible from miles

Maps demonstrating Urban Development

4

pN

Messeder

around. Records show that bythe 9th century this very earlysettlement had grown under theSaxon Kings of Mercia and thenfurther expanded by theArchbishops of Canterbury. TheDomesday Book of 1085-86shows the Hill was still within theArchbishop’s ownership and thelands held considerablemonetary worth. There were 117heads of families within theManor of Harrow, not just onthe Hill, although the priest waspresumably located there.

4.2 With fabric dating back tothe 12th century and set on theHill's peak, St Mary's Churchstands proud as a landmarkfeature of very early origins. Setwithin a picturesque churchyardand woodland setting, it isliterally the high point of thearea. Harrow on the Hilldeveloped as a settlementrunning south from St Mary'swith initial organic growth alongthe frontage of natural pathwayscrossing the elongated landisland. At its earliest stages thisroute, which became the HighStreet, roughly followed thenorth-south line of the Hill'sridge. A medieval route namedOld Village Way cascaded downthe Hill's western flank awayfrom the beginnings of the HighStreet to meet with flatter terrainbelow. This medieval routewould explain the siting of oneof the earliest properties withinthe conservation area, Old PyeHouse or Pie Poudre Court, as itwas then known. Only a small

section survives today and is theonly remaining evidence of thismedieval building line, whichwould have been located to therear of the later developed WestStreet. The former courthousederived its name from piedspoudres, which is French fordusty feet, a name which is likelyto have been derived to reflectthe area's market town roots,which regularly saw travellers toand from the Hill.

4.3 The significance of thevillage settlement grew with theadvent of a weekly market andannual fair, granted by RoyalCharter from Henry III in 1261.The fair was held on ChurchFields to the rear of the OldVillage Way and the market islikely to have been held wherethis pathway met the High Streetto allow space for the trading ofgoods and livestock. It isinteresting to note that Harrowon the Hill was quite early in thisrespect, as most towns did notgain this privilege until the 14thor 15th century. The weeklymarket lapsed at the end of the16th century, but the annual faircontinued until 1872.

4.4 In 1544, the Manor ofHarrow passed from the Churchto the Crown. Henry VIII held theManor for two years beforegranting it to Christ Church,Oxford. Records for the area atthis time indicate that the Manorof Harrow was probably thelargest in Middlesex, as well asone of the richest. The prestige

of the area was continuedthrough the establishment ofHarrow School, founded in1572 under a Royal Chartergranted by Elizabeth I to JohnLyon, an educated wealthylandowner, for the provision ofeducation to local boys. Thevillage of Harrow on the Hillbegan to expand at this time toaccommodate the necessarytraders and small businesses toserve the school.

4.5 During the mid 19th centuryHarrow School saw furtherexpansion under Dr Vaughan'sheadship, which gave rise tosignificant school buildings suchas the Chapel. The Chapel andNew Schools were built duringVaughan's headship. Othersignificant buildings, theVaughan Library, Speech Room,Gymnasium & Workshop,Science Schools, old MusicSchool (now the Museum ofHarrow Life) and Butler Museum& Museum Schools date fromthe period of his successor,Henry Montagu Butler, whichincluded the school'sTercentenary Appeal, to raisefunds for these new buildings(for more information seeHarrow School CA). The rapidgrowth at this time saw thelayout of a number of streetsincluding Trafalgar Terrace,Nelson Terrace and VictoriaTerrace, many cottages of whichwere to become occupied byschool employees. The form ofHarrow on the Hill todaygenerally reflects the

5

development of this period andthe street pattern and buildingform of this time remains largelyintact and central to theconservation area's builtcharacter.

4.6 The area's earliest buildingstend to be collected around thesite of the historic market placewhere West Street meets HighStreet, helping to demonstratethe original development of thearea. Crown Street, and someproperties on Byron Hill Roadwere constructed by the early1800s, growing graduallydenser by 1852. Part ofWellington Terrace, VictoriaTerrace and Waldron Road werebuilt within ten years of this date,and Nelson Road followed in thelater half of the 19th century.Modern streets such as LeighCourt and Yew Walk weredeveloped in the followingcentury, by which time the focusof Harrow on the Hill had shiftedfrom east to west, which isdemonstrated on the mapshowing the area's morphology.

4.7 By the turn of the 20thcentury, the High Street was aflourishing commercial area withnotable numbers of medicalpractices and other professionalservices. Crown Street and WestStreet were also importantshopping centres, with over 30suppliers of products rangingfrom straw hats to harnesses.West Street contained apoorhouse at nos. 31-35 untilthe 1830’s (later converted into

a dwelling house), a MissionHall, a District Nurses’ Homeand a forge. A new civicbuilding was built on the cornerof Byron Hill Road and the HighStreet, replacing the previouscivic offices formally located at49 High Street. The PoliceStation on West Street wasopened in 1840 and rebuilt in adifferent location in 1873, and afire station (now offices) wasbuilt on the High Street in 1888and had Council offices above.Gas streetlamps were introducedbetween these dates in 1850,and in 1880 Harrow on the HillStation was opened close to thefoot of the Hill providing a fastlink between Harrow and centralLondon. An imposing bank, theLondon and Home CountiesBanking Co, was opened in May1890, and a public hall wasbuilt in 1874 opposite the King'sHead, later becoming a cinemaand is now Cafe Cafe.

4.8 The King's Head remains alandmark feature of the HighStreet, and is believed to standon the site of Henry VIII's huntinglodge. However, there is nohistorical evidence of the King orCardinal Wolsey ever visitingHarrow, nor, for that matter,Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop ofCanterbury, who was Lord of theManor for Harrow from 1532 to1545. Other hotels and publichouses tended to be situated onCrown Street, which wasformally known as HogarthLane. In the 19th century,Hogarth Lane was renamed

Crown Street after the Inn of thesame name. The North Star isnow a private residence butinterestingly still exhibitsdecorative pub signage. Inaddition to those mentioned,Crown Street also held aworkingmen's club and theBricklayer's Arms, which is nowalso a residential dwelling. TheCricketer's Inn and The Castle(still a public house) werelocated on West Street, and theLord Nelson could be found onNelson Road on the site of nos.16a and b.

4.9 In addition to St Mary'sChurch and the school chapelthere were once a number ofother religious buildings withinHarrow on the Hill, including,the Baptist Chapel on Byron HillRoad, which survives today asoffices, and the WesleyanChapel on Roxeth Hill. TheBaptist Chapel is now known asthe 'Welsh Chapel' . Aside fromthese, there was also the RoxethMission Hall as well as theRoxeth Parish Hall on WestStreet.

4.10 The rapid growth ofsurrounding areas across theBorough of Harrow during theinterwar period coupled withpopulation increase saw thegradual decline of commercialactivity on Harrow on the Hill, aswell as the marked shift in civicadministration in favour of theexpanding Harrow Town Centrewhich slowed development ofthe Hill. Post-war development

View fromthe top ofShort Hill

steps

6

has included substantialdevelopments such as LeighCourt and Yew Walk and therehas also been significant, butlimited amounts of infilldevelopment throughout thearea.

Archaeology and Geology

4.11 The totality of the Hill'sarchaeology is importantbecause of its complex layers of

history dating back to Saxontimes and earlier, which isreflected by the entireconservation area's designationas an Archaeological PriorityArea, with the exception of asmall section to the rear of theHigh Street. The archaeology ofthe Harrow on the Hill area iscovered in greater detail withinthe Harrow on the HillSupplementary PlanningDocument.

PART TWO: THE CHARACTEROF THE CONSERVATIONAREA TODAY

5. Townscape CharacterTopography

5.1 The hill's topography hasserved not only to bring Harrowon the Hill into existence butalso to mould the form of itssettlement, helping to determineprincipal thoroughfares. As a

Looking downWest Street

Junction ofCrown

Street andWest Street

Map showing Metropolitan Open Land and Topography

pN


result, Harrow on the Hill VillageConservation Area has a largelyurban, compact and tightphysical townscape that followsclosely the contours of the Hill,although exceptions includeChurch Fields and HarrowSchool's cricket grounds to thenorthwest. Footpaths linkprincipal streets with openspaces. This openness,especially that of wide-openspaces such as Church Fields,contrasts well with the sense ofintimacy achieved from windingroads that run throughout thearea's densely packed networkof streets. Such narrow roads,undulating terrain and variety ofbuilding forms give way tointeresting and attractive vistas.Townscape views like these arederived from gaps in the tighturban grain and provide thepedestrian with welcome leveland direction changes especiallywhere roads converge, such aswhere West Street meets HighStreet. Gaps between buildingsalong West Street also allowglimpses of Church Fields, itsopen space and trees on thisside of the Hill providing theconservation area with a strongsense of place.

Street Pattern

5.2 The street pattern of Harrowon the Hill Village ConservationArea exhibits features typical ofa medieval settlement, illustrativeof the area's organic andadaptive growth. A widening ofa main street or junction

between streets characteristicallyformed a market place. WhereWest Street and Crown Streetcreate a 'T'-shape junction thiswould point towards historicmarket town origins, howeverthis particular area now lackssuch vitality. Here the buildinggroups are densely packed,clustered around the junction tomake up the area's residentialcore. The High Street however, islined with more landmarkbuilding types, and towards thesouth and south east of theconservation area, density isreduced somewhat and herelarger properties are set withinmore spacious grounds.

5.3 West Street runs east to westfrom its junction with the HighStreet, down to meetBessborough Road, altering inwidth and narrowing after itsjunction with Crown Street. Itsgradient varies and becomesquite steep in places. Thiscombination of slopes andvaried built form createsdelightful views in all directions,and provides a picturesquesetting for St Mary's Church.Indeed, the topography andlayout of the roads is one of themost interesting factors of thetownscape. Where West Streetand High Street diverge at wildlydifferent levels an extremelyattractive area of townscape iscreated, especially where theland falls away to reveal anumber of good and earlybuildings. These frontages (nos.1-35) step down the slope and

look particularly fine as a groupseen from the Crown Streetjunction. The prevailing buildingheight for the majority of suchresidential properties is 2-storeywith pitched roofs and chimneysas common features. The roofsof streets such as West Streetand Waldron Road step downthe Hill's slope, whereas streetsthat were developed from cuttinginto the Hill, such as VictoriaTerrace and Nelson Road,demonstrate a more uniformroof height. Although roadshave been laid out in anirregular network, the regularroof types help to form an evenskyline in these areas.

Residential Built Environment5.4 The conservation area'sresidential buildings tend tohave vertical emphases,illustrated through terraced rowswith rhythmic patterns ofopenings, chimneystacks andrainwater goods. A strongbuilding line is a prevailingcharacteristic of a number ofthese streets although exceptionsinclude Byron Hill Road, the topof Waldron Road and westernparts of Crown Street, the areasof which are considerably lessrigid and demonstrate a varietyof building scales of much lowerdensity in differently shapedplots. Here the building lineretreats from the roadsidebehind front gardens, drivewaysand brick boundary walls, whichhelps to retain a sense ofenclosure, especially on CrownStreet. As the terraced rows tend

Terracedhouses on

WestStreet

WellingtonTerrace

8

to front directly onto the street,where front gardens areincorporated (most noticeablyon Nelson Road and parts ofWest Street) these areconsidered to be of particularvalue to the conservation areafor their greenery.

5.5 Some facades of propertieswithin the terraced rows showevidence of former integralshopfronts. Today, on WestStreet the period frontages withindividual shopfronts only go asfar as no. 63 on the north sidebefore the street opens out ontoa more suburban scale, butwould once have continued thefull length of the street. Theshopfronts are an importantcharacteristic of both West Streetand Crown Street and shouldtherefore be retained wherepossible, although it is acceptedthat the character of this area isnow predominantly one ofresidential, and is unlikely to beused as a shopping street again.The backs of these Victorianterraces often featureprominently in views into andout of the area. Unfortunatelythese backs have seen a varietyof changes to fenestration,which jar with the pleasantscene of Church Fields. Attemptshave therefore since been madeto control this with an Article 4Direction which requiresresidents to apply for planningpermission for any alterations ofa façade that fronts a highway,or open space.

5.6 Crown Street is, for the bestpart, made up of historicbuildings but is also subjected tosome poor modern infilldevelopment, especially atCrown Court. Traditionalbuilding lines are often lostthrough new development likethis which is often set back fromthe road, however mature treegroups help to maintain a senseof enclosure here. Nos. 31-39Crown Street are also moderninfill and are similar in design tothose buildings of VictoriaTerrace, however these representa successful combination ofexisting and moderndevelopment. Like these, thereare several other examples ofinfill development which happilyintegrate with the establishedscene, however there are also anumber of schemes which havebeen less successful. Wherepoor infill development has beenadded and extensions have beenunsympathetically designed, theconservation area is let down.

For instance, areas of WellingtonTerrace have been rather spoiledby modern development, andthe rear of Nelson Road andTrafalgar Terrace have beensubject to a variety of poorextensions and alterations whereaberrations are magnified bytheir open space setting. LeighCourt is a substantial moderninfill scheme, and comprises alinear group of 3-storey flatserected in 1961 of littlearchitectural merit which sit atthe base of a steep slope and atright angles to Byron Hill Road.Its junction is out of scale withthe area's historic fabric,although the area’s landscapingsoftens this.

The High Street5.7 As buildings reach the HighStreet, there is a markedtransition from residential tocommercial, not only in terms ofuse but also in the range ofarchitectural styles and fabric,displaying a hierarchical pattern

CrownStreet

3 & 4VictoriaTerrace

Trafalgar Terrace

9

in favour of development on theHill's top. Here the buildings aregenerally of higher status, ofgrander appearance and largerin scale fronting a principalthoroughfare. They are tightlypacked along the road frontageand demonstrate a pleasantassortment of buildings ofvarying storey heights and styleswhich sees the shopping areaextended before the road

descends past an importantgroup of large individual historicbuildings forming part of HarrowSchool. The civic scale of manyof the school buildingscombined with noticeablechanges in level creates a veryspecial townscape character. Thefrontages of The Park,Flambards and Moretonsespecially, create a fine scalewith possible glimpses between

them of the metropolis beyond.Their masses form part of thedistinctive silhouette of Harrowon the Hill viewed from the east.A great number of thesebuildings are listed andcollectively form an importantlandmark for the wider area andare central to the character andappearance of the conservationarea. Individual cornerbuildings, such as 2 Crown

Vistathrough

WaldronRoad

The Green

Map - Views into and out of Conservation Area

10

pN


Street also act as landmarkstructures within the townscape,and serve to reinforce thespaces they enclose which inturn give way to views.

Open Spaces5.8 Views, vistas and pockets ofopen space create memorableand interesting elements withinthe conservation area. Examplesinclude The Green, which formsthe junction between the HighStreet and Byron Hill Road is aninvaluable feature that providesthe shopping area with a senseof place and a central focus.Public open spaces like this one,albeit a small example, andothers such as Church Fieldscreate welcome nodes of leisureactivity as well as pleasant greenspaces within otherwise urbanenvirons. Similarly, HarrowSchool's playing fields towardsthe lower end of West Street alsocontribute to the area'simportant sense of place byhelping to provide uninterruptedviews up onto the Hill, and alsoby creating a distinctive andwelcome entrance into thehistoric area. Open spaces likethese are particularly valuable inhelping to divorce the historicarea from the surroundingsuburban sprawl, helping tocreate a soft edge and excellentgreen backdrop to theconservation area.

6. Key Views and Vistas

The important views identifiedon the map are not intended to

form a comprehensive list but doindicate particularly importantareas and indicate the sort ofviews important to the characterof the area. It should be notedthat many views or vistas into thearea are available fromsurrounding areas.

6.1 Harrow on the Hill is clearlya very special place, importantnot only to the Borough but toLondon as a whole. Due to thetopography of the Hill, clearviews out over Harrow can beseen from a number of locationsthroughout the conservationarea. Reciprocal views fromHarrow town centre showing thesteeply rising Hill, tightlygrouped buildings and view ofSt Mary's Church spire, with itswoodland setting, are alsodistinctive and allow the Hill todominate the skyline as a vitallandmark for the wider area.Important viewpoints andpanoramas are identified on theviews map.

6.2 By virtue of the Hill's heightas well as its rise and fall, theconservation area can afford agreat number of spectacularviews and vistas out over muchof the Harrow Borough andthrough gaps in buildingfrontages. The High Streetprovides winding views, andchanging panoramas with thespire of St Mary's Churchforming a key reference point,from numerous vantage pointsat varying distances. The view ofthe spire from both Church

Fields and Harrow School'splaying fields is importantbecause of the openness ofeach space, creating long andmostly uninterrupted views uponto the Hill. Views from theresident's car park of WaldronRoad, and the far end ofVictoria Terrace also highlightthe topography of the area, andlook out over Harrow towncentre. Important viewsmentioned, as well as otherlesser important views that lookboth into and out of theconservation area, as well as anumber of significant vistascreated between buildings andalong streets are all identified,and illustrated on the mapincluding key landmarks. Keystrategically important views canalso be found within Policy D31of Harrow's UnitaryDevelopment Plan, and will bementioned within theforthcoming Harrow on the HillSupplementary PlanningDocument.

7. Activity and uses within thearea

7.1 The conservation area islargely residential with a small,but significant, element ofcommercial activity concentratedaround The Green on the HighStreet as well as a scattering ofbusinesses along West Street,and where West Street meetsHigh Street. The areasurrounding The Green hasbeen highlighted, since the mid1990's, as a Core Shopping

High StreetShopfronts

past &present

TheCastle,CrownStreet

11

Area, which looked tostrengthen sympathetic retailuses that would increase thearea's vitality. The CoreShopping Area policy, from themid 1990s, admitted that it isunlikely that much commercialactivity could now survive withineither West Street or CrownStreet. A number of formershops on these streets have longsince been converted intoresidential use although some

do retain original shopfronts asintegral features, that makeimportant reference to pastcommercial uses. Examples canbe found at 103 and 109 WestStreet. The Core Shopping Areawill be described in detail withinthe forthcoming Harrow on theHill Supplementary PlanningDocument.

7.2 The High Street windsthrough Harrow School campus

and as such the educational useof properties is key within theconservation area. The Schoolcontinues to play an importantrole and influence on thecommercial function of the area,particularly on those businessesand retailers with a directassociation e.g. the bookshopand outfitters. The schoolboys,visiting parents, staff andassociated services bring somevitality to the Harrow on the Hill

Lion motifon a

landmarkHigh Street

building

A HighStreetRestaurant

Map showing Metropolitan Open Land and Sites of Borough Importance for Nature

pN

12

These maps are reproduced from OrdnanceSurvey material with the permission ofOrdnance Survey on behalf of the controllerof Her Majesty's Stationery Office. CrownCopyright. Unauthorised Reproductioninfringes Crown Copyright and may lead toprosecutions or civil proceedings. LondonBorough of Harrow LA.100019206. 2007.

but their spendingpower/opportunity/intereststends to be limited. Whilst manyof the School's facilities areavailable for use outside termtimes, vitality deteriorates duringholiday periods. The School alsocontinues to have important tiesto, and links with, the localcommunity.

7.3 There are business uses onall four principal streets, whichform the conservation area'ssecond most prevalent usage.The third most common use ofthe area is retail and thenrestaurant, café, financial andprofessional (see SPD for moredetails on the Core ShoppingArea). There is also a storageand distribution land use onWest Street. In addition, TheCastle, at the junction of WestStreet and Crown Street, is in itsoriginal use as a public house.Built in 1901, it is now grade IIlisted, and is considered tomake a valuable contribution tothe vitality of the area. Thenarrow roads usually haveparked cars on either sidecreating even narrowerthoroughfares. This putstremendous amounts of pressureon the area. The traffic speedstend also to be very fast for suchconstricted spaces, putting evengreater pressures on the area.The High Street, as a principalthoroughfare, is particularlysusceptible to the pressures oftraffic and congestion; this isfurther explored within the SPD.

8. Architectural Qualities

8.1 Harrow on the Hill VillageConservation Area encompassesa wealth of architectural designof different styles, materials anddetailing. The quality of thearea's architecture is generallyvery strong with manyprestigious buildings erected inkey positions, with more modestbuildings situated on lowerslopes. These combine to forman attractive and variedtownscape and a fine setting forthe area's listed buildings. Theconservation area comprises 43grade II statutorily listedbuildings, including 4 items ofstanding historic street furniture.There are even greater numbersof locally listed buildings, whichcan be found on most streets,and are highlighted on the mapon page 2. The Council willendeavour to ensure theretention, maintenance andrestoration of these buildingswherever possible.

8.2 The High Street, inparticular, is host to theconservation area's greatestnumber of listed buildings. Theydemonstrate a good array ofarchitectural styles and arepredominately 18th or 19thcentury in date, although TheOld House and nos. 48-52have earlier roots. The scale anddepth of these buildings alsovary from small, domestic stylecottage rows, as at nos. 25A-35, to grander civic buildings,such as those found throughout

the area, especially surroundingThe Green. The variety andquality of the buildings thatcontribute to the High Streettownscape is of greatimportance, although theresidential terraces of WestStreet and Nelson Road alsoprovide the area withconsiderable townscape valueand special interest. Wherebuildings form dominant groupslike these they make a positivecontribution to the character andappearance of the area,especially where theydemonstrate historic fabric orconstruction, such as the timberframed buildings of 48-52 HighStreet. Part of the historic timberframe here dates to the 17thcentury, or possibly even earlier.13 West Street is timber framedand dates from the 16th century.Although much restored, itsantiquity is still clearly evident byits half timbered frameappearance, althoughunfortunately its ground floorhas been altered by the additionof a modern shopfront withmoulded detailing.

8.3 The continued developmentof the area has led to a diversityand interaction of variousarchitectural elements found inboth individual, and groups ofbuildings. Most buildings sharesimilar construction techniquesor similar traditional materials,predominantly red or yellowstock brick often combined withslate roofs. Many older Victorianproperties are also rendered in

The King’sHead, alandmarkHigh Streetbuilding

CivicBuildings,88-94 HighStreet

13

light colours. It is not unusual tofind brick buildings withelaborate stucco mouldings ortimber detailing, or a mix ofsash and casement timberwindows. The range of frontdoors is wide and varied, someof which are of particularinterest for their decorative andmoulded canopies, e.g. ThePark on the High Street, or 8-10Byron Hill Road, which show amoulded canopy with Doricpilasters. Others have heavilyarched and decorative porchesas at Moretons on the HighStreet, which is set on squarepillars. A low relief in the shapeof a lion on The Park first floor,designed by Coade and Sealey-Lambeth is an exemplar of therange of interesting detailincluded within the area's richbuilt heritage.

8.4 Classical BuildingsBuildings of a Classical style andform are generally situated onthe High Street and here tend tobe either former Civic buildingsor part of Harrow School.Buildings designed in a Classicalstyle tend to be elegant in theirdesign. The conservation areaincludes examples such as 7High Street, which dates to themid 18th century, as well as anumber of more landmark styleproperties.

Imposing properties, such asMoretons, add considerably tothe varied architectural characterof the area by providing a gooddiversity of scale. These

buildings are dominant due totheir 3 and 4-storey heights, andlandscaped settings. Thegrounds of The Park areespecially significant, asCapability Brown originallylandscaped these, althoughsadly the lake is all that remainsof his work today. Between ThePark and Moretons is,Flambards, which directly frontsthe street. It is a restrained late18th century house, built ofyellow stock brick with anelaborate door case andintricate leaded fanlight. Otherlandmark buildings include TheKing's Head, a former hotel,which is a fairly typical late 18thcentury building (although with a16th/17th century core) ofsimple design rendered whiteand provides an important focusfor the area. The buildingsalong its frontage form a solidbuilt façade of part 3-storeysand part 2-storeys plus attic. Anornate Edwardian additionextends forward of the original,with distinctive Dutch gabledetailing and decorativemoulding. Assembly Rooms ofthe 19th century once formedpart of the hotel but have sincebeen demolished and replacedwith new infill development,which attempts to mimic thearchitectural detailing of the lostAssembly Rooms.

Suffolk House marks the cornerof Byron Hill Road and CrownStreet and is an impressive butsimply detailed early 19thcentury town house, which

comprises 2-storeys with ashallow, hipped and pitchedroof, although adjoiningadditions have a parapet andflat roof. A high red brick wall inFlemish bond that makes for astrong junction encloses it. Thehouse contrasts well with thecottage row of the same street.Similarly, Derrylands, onWaldron Road, presents astriking contrast to the modern,smaller scale cottages of theroad's lower slopes. Also a townhouse, Derrylands is a 19thcentury 3-storey houseconstructed of yellow stock brickwith elaborate stucco detailing,including rustication.

8.6 Gothic detailingAdjoining Suffolk House onByron Hill Road is a formerVictorian church in the Gothicstyle. The rising road at thispoint emphasises the importanceof the former Baptist Church intownscape terms, which hassince been successfully adaptedfor industrial use. 41, 45-49High Street demonstrates Gothicstyle windows with delicatetracery bars and blue brickdiapering. These buildings areespecially important for theirgroup value, which althoughdesigned by different architects,were built together in 1868.

8.7 Vernacular Style Buildings25A-35 High Street are an 18thcentury row of cottage stylelisted buildings of domesticscale. These contrast well withthe larger educational premises

Wall inByron HillRoad

The OldMission Hallon WestStreet

14

on the same street. 12-22 ByronHill Road also form a charminggroup of 19th century cottages,which could be enhanced withthe repair and reinstatement ofwindows and boundaries.

8.9 TerracesThe architecture of NelsonRoad, Crown Street and WestStreet is of a Victorian domesticstyle. Most buildings are of 2-storeys in terraced cottage rows.The rows demonstrate a generalregularity of narrow plot widthsand sloping roofline as the rowsfollow the contours of the hill.Architectural elements includethe predominance of yellowstock brick, some with renderedfinish, slate roof coverings, andarchitectural features such assliding timber sash windows. The19th century terraces havecreated small, pleasant homeswith character, the earlier ofwhich tend to be flat fronted butsome later examples can befound bay fronted.

8.5 Interesting Brick buildings64-68 High Street, date fromthe 18th century and aredistinctive 3-storey gabledVictorian properties. As well astheir brick construction, theproperties display timberdetailing, tile hanging andalternative finials at roof level.The group have original timbershopfronts with transom lightsand marginal glazing bar detailat street level.

The Old Mission Hall on WestStreet is an elaboratelydecorated building withextensive use of terracottadressings in red brick with lighterred quoins and stringcourses. Ithas a centrally pedimentedgable and palladio windows atfirst floor, as well as a distinctivescooped parapet.

9. Streetscape /Permeability

9.1 Historic walkways, throughnarrow streets and alleys, addfurther layers to the streetscapecreating an intersected streetpattern. There are rights of waythrough and into Church Fieldsand other common areas,providing an important networkof links across into and out ofthe built area. The road layout isalso generally irregular andinformal in character which, incombination with the use of Yorkstone paving and interestinghistoric brick paviours, in placescreates a village feel. Historicbrick paviours can be foundoutside 44 High Street, wherethe shopfronts are set back fromthe road. Otherwise here thefootpath surfacing tends to be ofYork stone paving, but this isreduced somewhat within theresidential areas. The pavementsare very narrow in sections andin some areas these do not existat all. The nature and age of theHill's buildings are such that fewhave off street parking spacesand therefore most roads arealso narrow after beingconsiderably reduced in width by

on street parking.

9.2 Boundary treatments do varythroughout, although low brickwalls, fences and iron railingsare prevailing characteristics,especially on Byron Hill Roadand the High Street. Thedetailing on the High Street isgenerally of a high order withstone ballustrading and metalrailings enclosing the spaces.The special qualities of the areamake attention to detailworthwhile and as such eachcomponent of the townscapedeserves close attention.Therefore any additional streetfurniture should respect thehistoric qualities of the area andbe of the highest quality ofdesign. Brick walls are importantto the street scene especiallytowards the south of CrownStreet and at the top of WestStreet. Otherwise, many of thebuildings are set directly ontothe pavement and have noboundaries or front gardens,and here the building lineencloses the road. However, inmany cases the introduction ofclimbing plants and windowboxes add considerably to thecharacter of the street scene andoverall townscape value.

9.2 Heritage style lamppostslight the majority of the area'spavements, the narrowness ofwhich restrict the siting of toomuch street furniture andfortunately limit obstructive andvisual clutter, although in someareas there does tend to be a

The watertrough onBessboroughRoad

Fountain,the High

Street

15

proliferation of bollards.Authentic historic items aretherefore clearly identifiable andcontribute greatly to the streetscene, and include letterboxes,police lanterns and patternedcoalhole covers that sit withinthe pavement surface of theHigh Street. Two listed 1935 castiron listed telephone boxes ofthe K6 square type stand nearbyand a recently restored 1881

drinking fountain, which islocated over a natural spring,also stands on the High Street.On Bessborough Road a gradeII listed metropolitan granitehorse trough can be found.

10. Green Spaces andEcology

10.1 Surrounding Harrow on theHill to the east and west arelarge areas of open spacedesignated as MetropolitanOpen Land, a policy which isessential in safeguarding bothuninterrupted views up onto theHill as well as the Hill's unique

Map to show Positive, Negative and Neutral Buildings

16

These maps are reproduced from OrdnanceSurvey material with the permission of OrdnanceSurvey on behalf of the controller of HerMajesty's Stationery Office. Crown Copyright.Unauthorised Reproduction infringes CrownCopyright and may lead to prosecutions or civilproceedings. London Borough of HarrowLA.100019206. 2007.

Negativefeature - The

stone piersadjacent to 60

Crown Street

Negativefeature - Thewall at 40Crown Street

sense of place. Parts of theconservation area that areincluded within the designatedMetropolitan Open Land areHarrow School's cricket groundsat the lower end of West Streetand Church Fields to the rear ofTrafalgar Terrace and Yew Walk.Church Fields are also classedas common land and providethe area with an important andinformal recreational use as wellas wider amenity value. ChurchFields are defined as 'Sites ofImportance for NatureConservation' and are gradedSites of Borough Importance,grade I. The land showsevidence of medieval terracingfor farming. The terraces runparallel to the contours of theHill, but are now becoming veryeroded due to the area's highlevel of use. The Site ofImportance for NatureConservation provides a habitatfor large flocks of redpolls,

linnets and goldfinches, whichfeed on the thistles here inautumn. The treetops of thelarger woodland trees are alivewith birds at all times of year,such as nuthatches, tawny owls,breeding thrushes and flocks ofgreenfinches. Similarly, the treecover and hedgerows of privategardens provide excellenthabitats for a range of birds andmammals, including theubiquitous grey squirrel,hedgehogs and bats.

10.2 Trees, open spaces andstreet greenery make up a vitalelement of Harrow on the HillVillage Conservation Area, albeita small part. Private gardens,especially those of Crown Street,provide opportunity for maturetree groups of mixed deciduousand native trees to emerge as adominant feature of theconservation area. Trees can beseen above rooflines, and

because of their elevated levelsdue to the Hill’s typography, theyform an important part of theHill's wooded outline. A largeproportion of tree groups withinthe area are therefore protectedby Tree Preservation Orders, themanagement of which should bestrengthened.

PART 3: SUMMARY OFHARROW ON THE HILLVILLAGE CONSERVATIONAREA

11. Summary and the MainAssets

o The wooded steeply rising Hill,spire and grouped buildingsform a major landmark and aplace of quality in a suburbansetting of relatively uniformcharacter, and offer one of thekey enduring views of greaterLondon.

o Views and vistas are foundbetween buildings and alongwinding streets, which arevaluable and provide the areawith interest. Views of thechurch spire are extremelyimportant and must beprotected, as this is crucial inproviding the area with itssense of place and thereforetree management isimportant.

o The contrast of tight urbangrain and open space is alsoan essential characteristic ofHarrow on the Hill Village

Historic photo of the High Street

17

Conservation Area, which isnow a predominately quietresidential area and a veryspecial location, with HarrowSchool as a dominantinfluence.

o The conservation area is flushwith good architectural stylesand elements, which have

survived well, from terracedresidential rows to grandschool buildings. Theresidential nature of themajority of the conservationarea forms a large part of itscharacter and contributes tothe area's overall village feel.

o The shopping area of the

High Street also creates vitalityand enhances the villagecharacter of the area. Theretail and restaurant uses areat the heart of the shoppingarea, providing for the area'sresidential population as wellas Harrow School, which arecentral to the area's character.

Pressure Location Description (Why negative? Scale? Design? Condition? Unauthorisedwork?)

Traffic andparking

The historic street pattern of Harrow on the Hill does not lend itself to modern volumesof traffic. The High Street is a major thoroughfare through the area and the area'sresidential core generates a large amount of traffic, which all puts pressure on the area.In addition, there are a number of schools within the vicinity, which also increases thispressure, especially in the mornings and early evenings. Attempts at traffic calmingmeasures have been made, by introducing “pinch points” where the road is narrowed toslow traffic. Although these have had some success, the conservation area still requirestraffic calming measures in other areas. Such parked cars and heavy traffic detractsfrom the quality of the street scene, townscape and open space and can also provide aphysical barrier to pedestrian circulation, although crossing points have been introducedinto the High Street. The amount of traffic would ideally be reduced to alleviate theenvironmental impact on listed and other historic buildings, and their settings. However,a balance must be struck to ensure that shop units are still accessible and to ensure thisvitality is not lost. Street signs and road markings also affect the visual amenity of thearea and ideally would be reduced where this is possible.

All areas

12. Problems, pressures and negative features

12.1 This section identifies elements, which are either considered to detract from or put pressure onthe special character of the conservation area, and would therefore benefit from appropriate andsympathetic change.

18

A co-ordinated vocabulary of street furniture needs to be adopted on these roads, whichshould not be restricted to historical imitations but include modern designs that are inkeeping with the conservation area, so as to retain the distinctiveness of Harrow on theHill. The quality and quantity of bins and bollards respectively should be looked at. Thesurfacing of roads and pavements could also be enhanced with York Stone paving.

Lack ofcontinuity ofstreet furniture

Waldron Road,Byron Hill Road

Unsympatheticmodernshopfronts,advertisingsigns, displays,fascias, blindsand lighting

Modern shopfront elements such as advertising signs, changes in fascia size and design,plastic blinds, and cluttered lighting can appear visually intrusive on historic façades if oflow quality design, and can therefore have a significant impact on the character andappearance of the area. There is some evidence of this within the High Street, especiallywith the use of plastic blinds.

High Street

NegativeFeature - TheJunctionCrown Street& West Street

NegativeFeature - Vacant

West StreetProperties

InappropriateDevelopment,Alterations andextensions

Small householder developments such as alterations or extensions are common to anyresidential area where owners wish to improve their property, or enlarge their livingspace. However, as the potential for extensions on most residential properties is generallylimited in Harrow on the Hill, the conservation area is extremely sensitive to these minordevelopments in much the same way as it is to larger schemes, even the smallestextensions can therefore accumulatively have a significant impact. Unless large-scaledevelopment is of the highest design quality, it can also seriously detract from thecharacter and appearance of the area. Having said this the built fabric is generally wellmaintained and often sensitively altered.

Selectedlocationsthroughout theconservationarea

Retention of Harrow on the Hill Village's vitality is crucial, although this has becomemuch stronger in recent years. A mix of uses remains important in maintaining theconservation area's character. A functioning retail element is therefore key and thechange of use from retail to residential, for example, can obviously have a drastic effecton the local shopping provision of the area, and will therefore be resisted on the HighStreet.

Loss of retailand town centrevitality

High Street

Lack of vitality The West St/Crown St junction is another important nodal space. The qualities of thisspace are however masked by its tarmac covering relieved only by a tiny pink brick islandin the middle, on which stands a solitary lamp post. There is scope for the enhancementof this space by a return to an historic material. The shallow depth of the kerbs hints atthe possibility of the tarmac having been overlaid on setts below. Repair of these wouldcertainly provide a more appropriate setting for the buildings adjacent, most of which arelocally listed. This space ought to be improved and given back some of the identity andindividuality which has been lost.

Where CrownStreet and WestStreet converge

Pressure for cells and masts are inevitable at this lofty location because of the coveragethey afford. Hand in hand with this, there is also pressure for associated equipmentcabinets, which creates both visual and obstructive clutter on buildings and footpaths.Masts on either the street or on buildings severely impacts on the historic streetscene andis out of character with the area.

Telecomsequipment onthe Hill

Along the HighStreet

Vacant buildings impact on the conservation area's vitality as well as its appearance.Each vacant building on West Street requires regular maintenance and restoration, aswell as a sympathetic new/reuse. This is necessary to enhance the street scene and toprotect each building's future for the long term, as well as its protection from furtherdeterioration.

Neglectedbuildings

West Street

19

Harrow on the Hill Village

Other PublicationsThe Council produce the following SupplementaryGuidance leaflets that are relevant to the Harrowon the Hill Village Conservation Area

Conservation Areas: Residential Planning GuidelinesListed Buildings: Planning GuidelinesLondon Borough of Harrow Listed BuildingsLondon Borough of Harrow Conservation Areas

Further information regarding the StatutoryBackground and general Council policies relating toconservation areas can be found in the HarrowUnitary Development Plan and on our website.

Adopted May 2008

Public Consultation

This document, and theassociated managementstrategy, were subject to publicconsultation. Views were soughtfrom local residents, councillors,the Conservation Area AdvisoryCommittee, the Harrow HillTrust, English Heritage as wellas other stakeholder groups. Thedocuments were displayed at theCouncil and on the Council'swebsite. They were amended toreflect the views expressed byrespondents to the consultation.The documents wererecommended for approval bythe Local DevelopmentFramework Panel andsubsequently adopted as formalplanning documents by Cabinet.

020 8736 6180

Produced by:Harrow Council

Community & Environment servicesConservation teamCivic centreStation roadHarrowHA1 2UY

Contact the team on: 020 8736 6100, or 6101

www.harrow.gov.uk

Harrow on the Hill Village - Microsoftbtckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site2873/Panel... · the street pattern and building form of this time remains largely intact and central to

Documents