Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

The Historic and Built Environment
Originally a Norman keep-and-bailey castle, the
surviving keep at Orford was built by Henry II
in the 12 th century as a coastal defence. The
comprehensive building records are the earliest in
the country. The top of the keep affords splendid
views of Orford Ness and the surrounding
countryside.
© English Heritage
• Historic Landscapes – The grain of history is
still evident in many of the building blocks
of the landscape. Late prehistoric territorial
boundaries are represented by earthworks at
Wheathampstead and Colchester, and later in the
Devil’s Dyke, in Cambridgeshire. The formation
of the royal forests and great medieval parks,
are traceable by their park banks and ancient
woodland, such as at Hatfield Forest and Ongar
Great Park. Also important are the 18 th century
landscaped parks, exemplified by Luton Hoo. In
contrast, at a local level, deep green lanes, which
follow ancient routes through the agricultural
landscape, and the patterns of the fields,
represent the ever-changing agricultural regime
upon which regional prosperity was based.
Buildings and Settlements
• Historic Cities - Cambridge and Norwich are
historic cities of international significance.
Cambridge is famous for its university, with some
16 The Regional Environment Strategy for The East of England
of its buildings, such as King’s College chapel,
being of world renown. Norwich has the largest
surviving medieval core of any city in Britain.
• Religious Buildings - In the East of England
parish churches are a major architectural feature,
with 25% of the nation’s Grade I churches lying
within the region. They include small Saxon
churches, such as Bradwell-on-Sea, as well as
the great medieval churches of Suffolk. The
region’s eight cathedrals are key to regional
identity and sense of place, as are the haunting
remains of the great monastic foundations such
as Walsingham and Bury St Edmunds. .
The views of Ely Cathedral from across the
Fens evoke one of the strongest images of the
East of England.
©Countryside Agency/ David Burton
• Market Towns, Villages and Coastal
Settlements – Historically, the region was
dominated by an agricultural economy centred
on market towns, the visual legacy being the
wealth of timber-framed houses, shire halls, and
corn exchanges. The booming trade with the
continent, via the east coast ports, is reflected in
the magnificent Customs House at King’s Lynn,
and in the architectural legacy of Flemish gables.
Victorian seaside architecture characterises such
resorts as Cromer and Southend-on-Sea.
• Rural Estates and Buildings – Many fine
country houses and parklands can be found
in the region. They range from those created
on former monastic remains, as at Audley
End, to the Georgian masterpiece of Holkham
and Heveningham, and the Victorian gothic of
Knebworth in Hertfordshire. The importance
of agriculture is further exemplified in historic
barns, such as the medieval granary barns of
Cressing Temple, and the 18 th century model
farms of Norfolk, whilst Willington Dovecote
and Stables in Bedfordshire demonstrate the
sophistication of some manorial complexes.
Wrest Park in Bedfordshire includes one of the
most important formal gardens in the region.
Laid out originally by Henry, Duke of Kent, in the
early 18 th century, the gardens were modified by
Capability Brown later in the same century, and
again by Earl de Grey in the mid 19 th century.
They epitomise two centuries of garden history.
© English Heritage
• Industry – There are many industrial buildings
that are characteristic of the region. Historic
industries are represented by the wind and
watermills, maltings and breweries, weaving
The Historic and Built Environment
lofts and textile mills. The hat factories of Luton
and fish curing works in Great Yarmouth and
Lowestoft are part of the towns’ identities. Predating
the supremacy of the railways are the
regional canals and their associated buildings.
Assessment of the Current State
While much has been achieved through grant
aid and other initiatives there are, nevertheless,
significant problems. The historic environment
has undergone constant change over many
centuries, but the rate of change in the 20 th
century was unprecedented:
• The Council for British Archaeology identified
more towns in the East of England than
any other region whose historic importance
requires special care in their planning. The
character of these towns is under assault
from roads, town centre redevelopment,
out-of-town stores and warehousing, and
peripheral housing expansion.
• Ancient monuments in the region have
been degraded by a combination of modern
farming practices, mineral extraction, and
development. In the East of England, 15% of
known monuments were destroyed between
1945 and 1995.
• An estimated 1,000, or 2%, of the region’s
listed buildings have been identified by
English Heritage as being ‘at risk of decay’.
One third of entries on county and English
Heritage Buildings at Risk registers are the
result of changing agricultural practices.
17% are country houses, typically left empty
and degrading for many generations. The
general decline in religious observance has
resulted in redundant churches, which make
up 12% of entries. Historic buildings in
market towns also contribute 12% of entries
e.g. town houses, commercial buildings,
schools and pubs.
The Regional Environment Strategy for The East of England
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