NW CA cover:Layout 1 - North Norfolk District Council

More documents

Recommendations

Info

North Walsham Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management PlanNorfolk’s cloth manufacturing industry declined with the coming of the Industrial Revolution.In North Walsham, agriculture replaced weaving as the main source of income. The townbecame a centre for the local corn trade and the manufacture of agricultural implements.Trade directories show how the industrial base of the town developed from this. In the mid19th century, the town had small industries including gun-makers, ironmongers and braziers.By the 1880s, the East Norfolk Iron Works had been established, with the Walsham andDilham Canal supplying raw materials. Ironmongers F.H. Randell also worked as iron &brass founders, machinists and agricultural machine makers. The building firm of Cornishand Gaymer also enjoyed considerable success in the Victorian period; by the 1880s, it wasemploying 200 men.The railways arrived in 1874. The numerous late 19th century buildings along the town’sside streets show the town’s growth around this time. Railways offered a convenient andpractical way of transporting the bulkier products of North Walsham’s industries, makingthem available to a wider market. The ornate late Victorian and Edwardian villas alongYarmouth Road attest to the prosperity of the town at this time.During the 20th century, as the importance of agriculture to the town declined, NorthWalsham’s manufacturing industries provided the main source of income. The town hassubsequently become a major employer in the region, and seen rapid growth, particularlyin the second half of the 20th century.There has been some change to the town centre during the 20th century. Old houses weredemolished to make way for a shopping arcade near to the church, and car parks establishedon the north and south sides of the centre.Paston College has also grown in size and importance. Once a grammar school serving thesurrounding area, it is now a sixth form college. The school has expanded to include the siteof a former iron works to the east.In recent years, North Walsham has attracted large retailers as well as new industry. Storessuch as Lidls, Sainsbury’s and Roy’s of Wroxham have established themselves just outsidethe centre. Despite their presence, the town centre appears healthy, with a variety of smallindependent retailers.4.2 The archaeological significance and potential of the areaFinds from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods excavated during 2004-5 providethe earliest evidence for human occupation in the North Walsham area. Neolithic or Iron Agepits were also found and some artifacts from the Bronze Age. Aerial photographs haverevealed ring ditches which may be the remains of burial mounds from this period. The pitsmentioned above contained fragments of Iron Age pottery.While there is no evidence of Roman remains at present, Roman pottery, coins and jewelleryhave been found.The town’s church is a reminder that by the Medieval period North Walsham was a prosperoussettlement and some medieval artefacts have been recovered. Apart from the church, thereis little evidence of medieval buildings as a fire of 1600 destroyed most of the town. Somestones from Medieval houses were incorporated into later buildings as can be seen at BexleyCottages on Station Road.More recent archaeology includes the remains of the North Walsham & Dilham Canal to theeast of the town, completed in 1826. It was never a great success and fell out of use due toimproved local roads and the coming of the railways.10North Norfolk District Council
North Walsham Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management PlanOld maps show that there were once three windmills in the parish, brickworks and a limekilnalong with a gibbet, bone mill and workhouse.A large park which once belonged to a substantial country house, The Oaks, is now thetown’s Memorial Park. Here there were once pleasure gardens, orchards, a hot house andan orangery. The Oaks was sited on the east side of the town; it was demolished in the1930s.Two world wars have added to the region’s archaeology. There are pill boxes from bothwars; the four which survive from the First World War are considered to be rare examples.Some of the best finds have turned up by accident, such as the Neolithic or Iron Age pitsdiscovered during pipe laying works. With such a long history, any excavation work takingplace within the North Walsham historic core may produce evidence of an earlier settlement,and alterations to older buildings may produce evidence of the town’s historic development.4.3 The conservation area and the relationship with its settingThe expansion of North Walsham, particularly during the 20th century, means that theConservation Area is surrounded on all sides by commercial and residential development.There is no immediate connection with the surrounding countryside, and the most attractiveviews out of the Conservation Area are along the tree-lined approach roads, such as AylshamRoad.Leaving the Conservation Area on the north and east sides, there is an abrupt change ofcharacter. Along the Yarmouth Road, large buildings in an exposed setting dominate theview, including new stores separated by car parking and service areas. The Post office andTelecom buildings on the corner with New Road are particularly un-inspiring examples of20th century architecture; the squat shape and grey-brown colouring of the Telecom buildingis only slightly relieved by a screen of trees. As the first building one sees on leaving theConservation Area on the east side, the Post Office is an unfortunate focal point. Worse stillare the store opposite and car park behind it, which detract from the character of the otherwisemodestly-sized and compact streetscape of the conservation area on the west side ofYarmouth Road.Figure 4 : Vicarage Street looking to the west, with Vicarage St car park and recent housing developmentsat right.Immediately to the north of the Conservation Area is the Vicarage St car park, surroundedby indifferently designed modern housing and unkempt 19th century houses, with little tocreate a positive or even a definite character. There are a few attractive houses along theadjoining Bacton Road.North Norfolk District Council11
Page 1 and 2: NORTH WALSHAMConservation AreaChara
Page 3 and 4: North Walsham Conservation Area Cha
Page 11: North Walsham Conservation Area Cha
Page 63 and 64:
North Walsham Conservation Area Cha
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81:
Page 84 and 85:
show all

NW CA cover:Layout 1 - North Norfolk District Council

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?