Ryde, St John's Conservation Area - Isle of Wight Council

Directorate of Economy and EnvironmentDirector Stuart LoveRyde, St John’s Conservation AreaConservation Area AppraisalAdoptedApril 2011[Insert images here]Conservation and DesignPlanning Services01983 823552conservation@iow.gov.uk

ContentsConservation Area boundary mapIntroduction 1RYDE, ST JOHN’S CONSERVATION AREALocation, context and setting 1Historic development of Ryde, St John’s 2Archaeological potential 3SPATIAL ANALYSISCharacter areas 3Key views and vistas 3Character area and key views map 5Aerial photograph 6CHARACTER ANALYSIS1. Appley and St John’s 72. The Church of St John the Baptist 133. St John’s Park 17CONDITION ANALYSISProblems, pressures and the capacity for change 22Potential for enhancements 22General guidance 24Bibliography and references 27Appendix A– Boundary description 28

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 11 Introduction1.1 The Isle of Wight Council recognisesthat a quality built environment is an essentialelement in creating distinctive, enjoyable andsuccessful places in which to live and work.Our EcoIsland Sustainable CommunityStrategy and Island Plan Core Strategyrecognise that our historic environment assetsattract investment and tourism, can provide afocus for successful regeneration and arehighly valued by local communities.1.2 As part of a rolling programme ofconservation area designation and review, theCouncil designates parts of Ryde, St John’s asa Conservation Area. Local PlanningAuthorities have a duty under The Planning(Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act1990 to designate as conservation areas anyareas considered to be of special architecturalor historic interest, the character orappearance of which it is desirable to conserveor enhance.1.3 The legislation also makes provision forschemes to enhance the area. Therefore, theinclusion of areas of potential allows forschemes to be put forward that will improvethe area, in keeping with its own individualcharacter, and to a high standard. Furtherpolicy guidance and information for land andproperty owners can be found on page 23 ofthis document.1.4 Designation does not mean thatdevelopment cannot take place within theconservation area or within its setting.Designation means that special considerationwill be given to applications within theconservation area to ensure that anydemolition is fully justified and that schemes(which are acceptable on all other planninggrounds) are of a suitable design, are highquality and appropriate to the specialcharacter. This additional level of considerationallows the Council to insist upon the bestpossible standards of design within aconservation area, and equally to refusedevelopment proposals on the grounds of poordesign or quality.2 Ryde, St John’s ConservationArea2.1 The Ryde St John’s Conservation Areawas first designated in December 1988. It fallswithin the parish of Ryde and is located to theeast of Ryde. Ryde Conservation Area (towhich it is, in part, attached) was firstdesignated in December 1969.2.2 This appraisal has been producedusing information contained within HistoricEnvironment Records (HER), the HistoricLandscape Characterisation (HLC), theHistoric Environment Action Plan (HEAP), andthe Isle of Wight Records Office. Informationhas also been obtained from the Isle of WightGarden Trust (IWGT), Ryde Social HeritageGroup and the Historic Ryde Society.2.3 The special interest of the Ryde, StJohn’s Conservation Area can be summarisedas follows: it incorporates a large part of thearea’s 19 th century architecture, mainly grandvillas, Italianate in style, situated withingenerously sized gardens. Although St John’sis formerly part of St Helen’s, it is closely linkedto the outward suburban expansion of Ryde.The conservation area also includes historiclandscaping associated with St John’s House,the Abbey of St Cecilia and the mid-VictorianChurch of St John the Baptist.3 Location, context and setting3.1 Ryde, St John’s is located on theeastern outskirts of Ryde making it, essentially,a residential suburb (there are no industries orretail outlets). The area is linked to othersettlements by the A3055. Newport, the Isle ofWight’s administrative centre, is 10 km (6miles) to the west; Seaview is a short distanceto the east. Directly to the south is enclosedpastureland. The wider area is hilly, linked tothe coast by roads that drop down to thecoastal plain. From some aspects there areclear views across Ryde.3.2 The geology of the area is comprised ofBembridge Limestones and Bembridge clays.Soils are mainly heavy, easily waterloggedclay, with lighter soils over gravel deposits.The area is heavily wooded, mostly secondarywoodland (with trees that have regeneratednaturally on previously unwooded sites), ratherthan ancient woodland. The main church in thearea is the parish Church of St John theBaptist.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 2Fig.1—Unpublished OS Map 1793© Crown copyright. .All rights reserved. 100019229—2009St John’sParkChurchSt John’s HouseApley HouseFig. 2—OS Map, 1st Survey, 1862 (pub. 1864)4 Historic development of Ryde, StJohn’s4.1 The recorded history of the area datesback to the beginning of the 13 th century andhas its origins in the medieval Preston Manor.The name Appley (meaning a clearing whereapple trees grow) is believed to derive from a13th century farm (the name appears as Apleyon the unpublished Ordnance Survey (OS)Map of 1793, Fig. 1). In the mid 14 th centurythe land was owned by Thomas Vavascour (orpossibly Vavasour). On his death in 1360 theland was divided between his 3 daughters oneof whom married John Turberville, a namecorrupted in later centuries into Troublefield.The 1793 OS Map also shows the area whereMonkton Mead Brook emerges as a cleardivision separating Appley from Ryde. Inmedieval times this area was even wider: theaddition of a sluice gate in the 18 th centurycreated a lagoon behind the beach andmarshland along the course of the brook.Thus, although St John’s is now considered tobe a suburb of Ryde (which developed fromthe late 18 th century onwards), it waspreviously part of St Helens.4.2 The 1793 OS map shows Apley House,a house which in the early 18 th century was thehome of David Boyes a notorious smuggler.Today the site is occupied by St Cecilia’sAbbey. St John’s, a house built in 1769 byLieutenant-Colonel William Amherst (1732-1781), also appears on the 1793 OS Map. Thehouse was named after St John’s inNewfoundland following the battle to reclaim itfrom the French in 1762, a battle in whichAmherst was Commander-in-Chief. The housewas bought by Edward Simeon in the 1790sand he extended the estate, buying up much of

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 3the surrounding land. The original house andpart of the original estate now form BishopLovett Middle School. By comparing thehistoric maps it can be seen that, although thebuildings have been added to, the boundariesof these two historic estates are more or lessunchanged.4.3 The 1860s map (Fig. 2, page 2) showsthe Church of St John the Baptist (built in1843, formed into an ecclesiastical parish in1844) and the residential development of StJohn’s Park (built in the 1850s): both were builton land that was formerly part of the extendedSt John’s estate. With regard to St John’sPark, the map on page 4 (the 1908 OS Mapsuperimposed over a present-day map, Fig. 3),shows that, in the intervening years, eventhough some of these houses have beenreplaced or added to, the outline of thedevelopment, with its inner parkland, is alsoessentially unchanged.5 Archaeological potential5.1 Evidence in the area shows continuityof settlement from the Neolithic periodonwards. Archaeological finds listed on thehistoric environment record (HER) include ahoard of 12 Bronze Age palstaves (a type ofaxe) found at St Johns Park, sherds of Romanor Iron Age pottery and evidence of a possibleRoman cemetery in the vicinity. Anexamination of the unpublished OS Map of1793 (Fig. 1, page 2) shows a dispersedsettlement pattern but little evidence of amedieval field system: rather the field patternappears to derive from 16 th to 18 th centuryenclosure. Further information on the area canbe obtained from the historic landscapecharacterisation (HLC) maps and descriptions.5.2 This document does not identify all theknown heritage assets within the conservationarea, therefore any omission of any building,feature or space should not be taken to implythat it is of no interest.SPATIAL ANALYSIS6 Character areas6.1 The Ryde, St John’s Conservation Areacovers an area that contains previousdesigned landscapes and planned settlement.The road layout, the building density, thearchitectural details and the presence of openspaces are all characteristics derived from thearea’s historic development: this, in part, hasbeen determined by the topography andgeography of the area but the majordetermining factor is previous land ownershipand usage.6.2 Based on this spatial analysis it is alsopossible to discern 3 distinct character areaswithin the conservation area (Fig. 4, page 5).There is clear delineation (almost east fromwest) along the A3055 (East Hill Road): thisseparates St John’s Park and the Church of StJohn the Baptist from the historic estates ofAppley House (St Cecilia’s) and St John’sHouse (Bishop Lovett Middle School). Thisspatial division is visually apparent in the aerialphotograph on page 6 (Fig. 5).Area 1: Appley and St John’sArea 2: The Church of St John the BaptistArea 3: St John’s Park6.3 In coastal areas, the boundaries mayfollow the line of the mean low watermark, extending to include the whole of anypier, any part of which is within the mean lowwater mark which is the extent of thejurisdiction of the Council and so is used forconsistency.7 Key views and vistas7.1 Views into and out of the conservationarea are mostly obscured by trees. However,these trees make a significant visual impactand separate it from the more urbanised feel ofRyde: this is most noticeable on the drive fromthe Esplanade up onto East Hill Road or whenviewed from along the coast.7.2 Other important views are towards thechurch, from Appley Road, East Hill Road andAlexandra Road. Views across Ryde from thechurch are mainly obscured but may bepossible from certain vantage points. Thereare a number of important views in and out ofthe St John’s Park character area: the viewdown East Hill Road, from Appley Road, withthe belt of trees on the east and the regularstepping down of the villas on the west; theviews out from West Hill Road across Rydeand to the Solent.CHARACTER ANALYSISThe analysis of the character of theseindividual areas is examined in depth in thefollowing chapters.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 4© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019229—2009Fig. 3—OS Map 3rd Edition, 1907, published 1908, superimposed over present day map

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 5

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 6Fig. 5—Aerial photograph, 2005

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 7Character Area 1:Appley and St John’sSummary of special interestThis is a pleasant, quiet area, diverse in use, the original settlement pattern of which is clearlydisplayed in its boundaries. There is a mix of 19 th and 20 th century architecture; elegant 19 thcentury villas, some of it Italianate in style, sit beside 20 th suburban housing. Remnants of 18 thand 19 th century parkland have a significant visual impact and some areas, semi-contained andsemi-concealed by trees, feel shadowy, secluded and enclosed although overall the area isspacious and green reflecting its suburban nature.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 88 Appley and St John’sFig. 6—St Cecilia’s8.1 The Appley and St John’s CharacterArea is centred on the historic estates ofAppley House (also written as Apley) and StJohn’s House. These houses are amongst theearliest in the area and retain, in part, theiroriginal landscape setting. The area is boundby Appley Road to the south and East HillRoad to the west.9 Historic development9.1 Although the recorded history of thisarea dates from the medieval period, AppleyHouse and St John’s House can be dated tono earlier than the 18 th century. Appley Houseis the older of the two and is said to date fromthe 1720s, built for the smuggler David Boyes(or Boyce) who traded in illicit goods betweenFrance and England. In the 19 th century it wasthe home of the engineer and manufacturer ofsteam engines Nathaniel Clayton (1811-1890)who was also a keen yachtsman and memberof the Royal Yacht Squadron. At some pointthe grounds were remodelled by the gardendesigner Edward Milner (1819-1884) whoseredesign included a large walled garden,vineries and a peach house.9.2 From 1879 Appley House was used asa private school (the Isle of Wight College)before being taken over in 1906 byBenedictine Nuns who relocated fromNorthwood House. The remains of the originalhouse are incorporated within the Abbey(including vaulted cellars, possibly used byBoyes for the storage of wines and spirits).The Abbey (1906-7) was designed by EdwardGoldie: it has a tower topped by a woodenFig. 7—St John’s Houselouvred belfry under a pyramid roof (Fig. 6).The Abbey grounds contains open parkland tothe south of the house, trees and a gardenarea (see aerial photograph, Fig. 5, page 6).9.3 To the south of the Abbey is St John’sHouse, built by William Amherst (1732-1781)in c.1769. The house was bought by EdwardSimeon in 1796 and the following year heemployed Humphrey Repton to landscape thegrounds down to the seashore. Little remainsof this landscaping, the lodges and shore-sidebuildings have all been demolished but thehouse, constructed in local stone, survives tothis day. It is now occupied by Bishop LovettMiddle School (Fig. 7) which took over thehouse in 1947. It is a listed building (Grade II)and is mentioned in Lloyd & Pevsner (2006) forits architectural merit.9.4 At one point the St John’s estatecovered quite a wide area: the Simeonspurchased more and more land in the earlypart of the 19 th century only to gradually leaseor sell it off again in the latter part of thecentury. The estate extended from MonktonBrook to the west, Westridge Cross to thesouth and St Clare’s to the east, enclosing thehouse and grounds of the Appley estate. Theaerial photograph (Fig. 5, page 6) shows theextent of development that has taken place tothe north of the house on part of the original StJohn’s estate. Some of these buildings datefrom the mid 19 th century but they are notassociated with the development of St John’sPark. It is not known if they were built ondemand or by speculative builders but, aselsewhere, they were built to a highspecification and were to be occupied by

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 9Fig. 8—Wilmington Housewealthy and noteworthy people, most likely assecond (or even third and fourth) homes. Orthey may have been rented or borrowed for thesummer season. Ryde was extremelyfashionable during the 19 th century: from the1850s the names of all noteworthy arrivals tothe Island and descriptions of balls and soireeswere published in the local paper (the Isle ofWight Observer) under the heading the‘Fashionable List’.9.5 According to Kelly’s Directory of 1891,the Right Honourable Lord Rollo was residingat Wilmington House (Fig. 8), Lieutenant-General Sir Campbell Ross resided at LothianHouse and Colonel Clement Carey occupiedMelmoth Lodge. The postcard from 1905 (Fig.9) shows a number houses in front of theboating lake and these are shown circled onthe map (Fig. 10): Melmoth Lodge is the oneon the far left of the postcard, nearest to thelake. From the superimposed map it can beseen that, over the years, the grounds of theseproperties have been divided with infilldevelopment, characteristically 20 th centurysuburban housing. A new primary school hasalso been built within the grounds of the middleschool.9.6 St John’s Lodge on Appley Road alsobelonged to the St John’s estate. It was built inc1871, the date when the estate was sold toJohn Peter Gassiot (1797-1877), abusinessman and amateur scientist (he wasassociated with public demonstrations ofelectricity). At this time there were only 20acres of land remaining and the entrance tothe estate was relocated from the bottom of StJohn’s Hill where there were originally twoFig. 9—Postcard, 1905 (Bartie’s Postcards)Melmoth LodgeWilmington House© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019229—2009Fig. 10—OS 1908 Map, superimposedpicturesque lodges designed by HumphreyRepton. Gassiot had another wing added tothe main house and the remaining estate relandscapedby W.B Page of Southampton (a7-sided folly still exists on the edge of thegrounds).9.7 St John’s Lodge, the replacementlodge, stands adjacent to Appley TowersLodge, one of the remaining lodges of theformer Appley Towers. This house(demolished in the 1950s) was also built onland previously owned by the Simeons. It wasone of the grander houses on the Islanddesigned by the Ryde architect ThomasHellyer for George Young, a Rydeentrepreneur associated with the Ryde PierCompany and the creation of the railway. In1870 Appley Towers was owned by Sir WilliamHutt and he had the small tower on the coast

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 10Fig. 11—Appley Coach House and Cottagebuilt (confusingly, called Appley Tower). Theremaining lodge (listed, Grade II) is neo-Jacobean in style, in brick with shaped gables.The nicely proportioned Middle Lodge is alsoincluded in the conservation area: this mayalso have belonged to Appley Towers butthere is no direct evidence that this is the case.9.8 Also included in the character area arethe Old Stables, Appley Coach Hosuse andAppley Cottage on Appley Road (Fig. 11)opposite Appley Upper Lodge. Thesedistinctive buildings also relate to the AppleyTowers estate.10 Qualities, materials and localdetails10.1 The style of architecture makes astrong contribution to the character of the areaas a large number of the mid-late 19 th centuryhouses built to the north of St John’s Houseare still in situ (see map, Fig. 10, page 9).Some of the large houses were built in theItalianate style popular at the time due to theinfluence of Osborne House: Appley RiseHouse even has its own ’Osborne tower’ (Fig.12). The ‘Osborne tower’, also known as a‘belvedere’ tower (meaning, literally ’fair view’)was an architectural feature considered to bean essential element of the style.10.2 Most of the 19 th century houses are twoor three storey in height, have slate roofs andare built from a mix of local stone and buffcolouredbricks (stone construction with brickdressings or brick construction with stonedressings) or built completely in buff-colouredbricks. Buff coloured bricks are common toFig. 12—Appley Rise Housecertain areas of Ryde and reflect the statusthat they had compared to red brick (at thebeginning of the 19 th century bricks in generalwere considered to be an inferior buildingmaterial). The OS Map of the 1860s (Fig. 2,page 2) shows a brickyard adjacent to AppleyHouse: this was gone by the time of the OSMap of 1897 but it is unlikely that the brickswere used in this area because of the natureand quality of the clay. St Cecilia’s Abbey(1906-7) was also built in buff-coloured brickand its louvred tower and extensive slate rooffits neatly with the surrounding architecture(Fig. 6, page 8).10.3 Mid 19 th century windows are timber,mostly sliding sash with small glazing panes:many houses retain these. There are also fineexamples of more unusual windows, typical ofthe Italianate style (such as the archedwindows in Appley Rise House, Fig. 12).10.4 There are a number of 20 th centuryproperties within this part of the conservationarea, mostly single or two storeys in heightdating from the mid to late 20 th century. Withregard to more recent developments, nobuilding can be described as a model schemebut some are more sympathetic to the scale,height and building materials of theirsurroundings than others.10.5 There are 2 listed buildings within thischaracter area, both Grade II: St John’s Houseand Appley Towers Lodge. St Cecilia’s Abbeyand its grounds are on the Local List ofBuilding, Structures, Parks and Gardens ofArchitectural and Historic Importance (the‘Local List’). Other buildings of interest in the

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 11Fig. 13—Trees & boundary walls, Appley Risearea are Wilmington House (Fig. 8, page 9),Appley Rise House (Fig.12, page 10) and StJohn’s Lodge.10.6 Mature trees contribute significantly tothe Appley and St John’s Character Area (Fig.11) and make the area feel less urbanisedthan other parts of Ryde. Equally, theopenness created by large gardens and thespaces between properties (despite the 20 thcentury infill development) also contributes tothis less urbanised feel.10.7 Boundary walls contribute to thecharacter of the area, particularly the stoneboundary walls along Appley Rise (Fig. 13)and the red brick boundary wall of the Abbeyto the north, running parallel to the coast (Fig.14) (although this wall was described as an‘atrocity’ by the local paper when it was firstbuilt in 1907). Also of interest is the formerentrance of the Abbey on Appley Rise whichconsists of a pair of vermiculated gate piers(Fig. 15).10.8 Abbey Lane, for the most part, waspreviously excluded from the conservationarea) but is now included (there are a numberof 20 th century properties built in the groundsof the mid 19 th century houses). This unusualunmade road is a highly visible feature andappears much as it must have done for over acentury, flanked by characteristic stoneboundary walls which give only glimpses intothe gardens of the houses nearby.Fig. 14—Northern boundary, St Cecilia’s Abbey11 Public realm11.1 The character of the street scene isgreatly enhanced by historic street furnitureand historic surfaces and this is oftenoverlooked during development work and theinstallation of underground services. For themost part the surfaces are tarmac, oftenpatchwork, but there are original limestonekerbs and gulleys which should be retained.11.2 Along the upper part of Appley Risethere are sections of grass verge rather thantarmac pavement. This, along with theshingled surface of Abbey Lane, makes thearea feel less urbanised.12 Green spaces and biodiversityvalue12.1 The Appley and St John’s CharacterArea contains a large area of open space,retained from its original use as landscapedgardens. The areas use as a school and anAbbey means that the open space has beenretained. In other regards, individual gardenscontribute to the feeling of openness. Fromsome aspects the presence of this openness isobscured by trees but these trees also make apositive contribution to the character of thearea in the form of covered walkways andsemi-concealed views (Fig. 13).12.2 Some of the oak trees in the area maybe several hundred years old, remnants of the18th century parkland. There are alsoexamples of exotic trees, the largest recordedexamples on the Island. The wooded characterof the area also allows red squirrels to flourish.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 12Fig. 15—Former entrance to the Abbey13 Key views and vistas13.1 As mentioned above, views into andout of the area are mostly obscured by trees,which when seen from the coast and from EastHill Road make the area appear secluded andseparate it from the more urbanised feel ofRyde: this is most noticeable on the drive fromthe Esplanade up onto East Hill Road or whenviewed from along the coast.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 13Character Area 2: The Church of St John the BaptistSummary of special interestThis is primarily a peaceful residential area which radiates southwards from the church, achurch which sits prominently and comfortably at the junction of several roads. At times the areais awash with the chatter of children travelling to and from school, a pleasant contrast to thebackground murmur of constant traffic. 19 th century villas sit beside 20 th suburban housing,essentially linear ribbon development, situated within generously proportioned gardens.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 14Fig. 16—Church of St John the Baptist14 The Church of St John theBaptist14.1 The Church of St John the Baptist islocated at the top of a hill, at the junction ofEast Hill Road, Appley Road and High ParkRoad, opposite Bishop Lovett Middle School(Fig. 16). The Church of St John the BaptistCharacter Area includes the church and theresidential buildings immediately to the south,the east and the west.15 Historic development15.1 The area south of Appley Road isassociated with Troublefield Farm andTroublefield Copse, the origins of which derivefrom the medieval Preston Manor. The farm,with its semi-regular fields, is depicted on the1793 map (Fig. 1, page 2): it is identified againon the OS Map of 1864 (Fig. 2, page 2),adjacent to St John’s Farm, but thendisappears from the maps. On the OS Map of1908 (Fig. 3, page 4) St John’s Farm nowappears as Appley Home Farm whichsuggests that the farm was incorporated intothe St John’s estate and then re-sold, possiblya reflection of the changing fortunes of theSimeon family. The church was also built onland owned by the Simeons although in thiscase the land was specifically donated.Appropriately, the new church wasconsecrated in the name of St John theBaptist.15.2 As previously mentioned, this area ofRyde used to be part of the parish of St Helensand the church, built in 1843 and created anecclesiastical parish in 1844, continued to bepart of the Chapelry of St Helens until 1979.Fig. 17—West elevationThe original church, designed by Rydearchitect Thomas Hellyer, was smaller than thepresent church, aisle-less and cruciform builtfor the parishioners from the small village ofOakfield to the south east. With new residentialdevelopments at Elmfield and St Johns Parkthe church had to be extended. Theseadditions, completed by 1870, were also byHellyer, and included side aisles, vestry andgallery (complete with turreted stairway andclock, Fig. 17). Further alterations were carriedout in 1953 to specifications by ecclesiasticalarchitect Sir Charles Nicholson. The OldParsonage on Appley Road was the home ofthe first incumbent of the newly extendedchurch but the first vicarage was on High ParkRoad, adjacent to the church. The presentvicarage is on Victoria Crescent.15.3 The 1793 (Fig. 1, page 2) shows a roadcutting across the area. Comparing this mapwith later maps it appears that this road haschanged little in the intervening years,although it only became East Hill Road in 1848when it was officially laid out from the churchto the Strand. The Strand, at that time was theeastern boundary of Ryde and the location of aboundary stone, still in situ, is clearly markedon the 1908 OS Map). A toll gate waspositioned at the church end of East Hill Road,collecting money from those travelling intoRyde.15.4 The 1860s OS Map shows nothing inthe area except the church and the farm: the1908 superimposed map (Fig. 18, page 15)shows how the area has developed. Ofparticular interest is the line of uniform villas(one since lost to redevelopment) extending

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 15Fig. 19—Edwardian house, High Park RoadFig. 20—Marlborough Roadfrom two storey neo-classical villas to modestpre-second world war bungalows.16.2 The Church of St John the Baptist islisted, Grade II. The other listed buildings inthe area are St John’s Farm Lodge and StJohn’s Cottage, now known as 14 & 16Marlborough Road, listed Grade II (Fig. 20).Parts of these buildings are believed to datefrom the late 16 th or early 17 th centuries,presumably when the buildings belonged toTroublefield Farm.© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019229—2009Fig. 18—OS Map 1908 superimposedsouth along High Park Road: it is not clear ifthese villas were part of a planned lineardevelopment which was later curtailed. All thebuildings on this map are still in situ exceptone of the villas (the one farthest south) onHigh Park Road. On the opposite side of theroad is an unusual Edwardian house (Fig. 19),atypical for the area.16 Qualities, materials and localdetails16.1 The Church of St John the BaptistCharacter Area includes the houses on AppleyRoad, High Park Road and Alexander Road,an eclectic but representative mix of housesbuilt between the latter part of the 19 th and theearly part of the 20 th centuries. As there issuch a mix of houses, the materials range fromgrey and buff coloured stone to yellow and redcoloured bricks, from low pitch hipped greyslates roofs to high pitch red clay tiled roofs,16.3 Unlisted buildings of interest are theseries of uniform villas on the east side of HighPark Road, an Edwardian property on the westside of High Park Road (Fig. 18), 9-11Alexander Road (once High Park Hall College)and No 1 Alexander Road (Fig. 21, page 16).Also included are the converted stable andcoach house along and the Oakfield Primaryschool along Alexandra Road.16.4 There are also a number of boundarywalls that enhance the character of the area: inparticular, the stone walls surrounding thechurch and fronting properties along parts ofAppley Road, Marlborough Road andAlexander Road; the brick walls and piersalong the west side of High Park Road; andthe rendered, neo-classical balustraded wallon the east side of High Park Road (Fig. 22,page 16).17 Public realm17.1 The character of the street scene isgreatly enhanced by historic street furnitureand historic surfaces and this is often

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 16Fig. 21—1 Alexandra Roadoverlooked during development work and theinstallation of underground services. Again, aswith other areas, most surfaces are tarmac,often patchwork, there are also originallimestone kerbs and gulleys which should beretained.Fig. 22—High Park Road18 Green spaces and biodiversityvalue18.1 The Church of St John the BaptistCharacter Area contains a number of maturetrees, mainly in the grounds of the church andin the area south of the church in the gardensof the properties on High Park Road andMarlborough Road. The high number of treescontributes to the overall wooded nature of theRyde, St John’s Conservation Area.19 Key views and vistas19.1 The most important views in thischaracter are towards the church, from AppleyRoad, East Hill Road and Alexandra Road.Views across Ryde from the church are mainlyobscured by infill development but may bepossible from certain vantage points.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 17Character Area 3: St John’s ParkSummary of special interestClimbing gently from the seafront, St John’s Park is a fine example of 19 th century residentialplanning on a grand scale: these 19 th century residences retain many of the characteristicdecorative features of Italianate architecture, the richness of which matches the area’s elevatedposition dominating views across Ryde, a dominance assisted by the thickly wooded parkland atits core. The woodland and gardens contribute significantly to the spaciousness of the area.Towards the north-west is a distinctive row of Victorian and Edwardian houses which retainmany original features.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 18Fig. 23—View along West Hill Road20 St John’s Park Character Area20.1 The St John’s Park Character Area islocated on the western side of theconservation area and is centred on the mid-19 th century irregular tear-drop development ofSt John’s Park. It is an area of gentlyundulating woodland surrounded by residentialdwellings located on East Hill and West HillRoads (Fig. 23). Also included is the lateVictorian terrace located at the bottom of WestHill Road.21 Historic development21.1 This area of land appears on the 1793map (Fig. 1, page 2) as a series of semiregularsmall fields and not as ancientwoodland as its current layout may suggest. Inthe early 19 th century the land was acquired bythe Simeons and became part of the St John’sestate. Parts of this estate were being leasedin the 1830s and the area began to bedeveloped in the 1850s. Development wasfacilitated by the laying out of East Hill Roadand the pressing need for Ryde’s outwardexpansion, a demand for building landprobably elevating local land prices.21.2 The design for St John’s Park was byThomas Hellyer, although none of the housesare known to be directly by him. The choice ofthe irregular tear-drop shape may have beendetermined by geography rather than aestheticdesign and the overall concept (substantialvillas on substantial plots) may have beeninspired by a similar scheme at East Cowes.Surviving draft leases show that the position ofthe houses and the terms to be observed byeach tenant were strictly controlled byFig. 24—Leavington HouseSimeon’s Surveyors. To preserve theseclusion of the park itself, houses were keptat least 80 ft (24 m) from the inner boundary.Since there was no single developer the styleof the houses varied but all had to be at least£600 in value when built – most were actuallymore than this. One of the builders believed tobe involved was John Harbour of Ryde whohad a brickyard at Binstead (as mentionedpreviously, although the 1860s OS Map, Fig.2,page 3, shows a brickyard adjacent to AppleyHouse it is unlikely that the bricks were used inthis area). Again, as elsewhere, the houseswere built in a mainly Italianate style, thepervading style of the period through theinfluence of Osborne House (and, again, aselsewhere, Osborne towers appear in variousforms).21.3 St John’s Park was described in theIsle of Wight Observer of 17 th January 1957 asa “great addition to the environs of Ryde…Evergreens and flowering shrubs are thrivingmost luxuriously. Several sites are taken onbuilding leases and villas are in the course ofbeing erected.” (HRS) An interesting footnoteis that the hoard of 12 palstaves (a Bronze Ageaxe) mentioned on page 3 were discovered in1858 when digging the foundations forLeavington House (Fig. 24): these weredonated by Sir John Simeon to the Isle ofWight Philosophical Society.21.4 By 1868 most sites around the parkhad been filled and this fashionable newsuburb was virtually complete. There weregaps in the development, most notably at thenorthern area of West Hill Road: it is not quiteclear why this is the case but it may have been

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 20Fig. 27—No. 60 West Hill Roadtend to be shallow pitched, mainly naturalslate: where tiles are used the pitch is steeper.22.3 In terms of decorative details, ofparticular importance are the window and doordressings, the extensive use of quoins, dentilmouldings, balustrading (both stone and iron),and the use of polychromatic brickwork on theconjunction with porches and projections. Theconcentration of these features in oneparticular area is found nowhere else on theIsland.22.4 Many of the buildings have originaltimber sash windows with original glass still insitu, some have original ironwork at thebalconies in tact. Many of the originalboundary walls and gates are still present,complete with original landscaping to largefront and back gardens (Fig. 26).22.5 The St John’s Park Character Areaalso includes development to the north-westside of West Hill Road, a series of pleasingdetached and semi-detached two storeyproperties. They are modest accommodationin comparison with the elaborate villas to thesouth east. The area on the 1860s OS Mapappears vacant but by 1908 the area iscomplete. They are constructed in a mix of redand buff brick (some rendered) under lowpitched slate roofs typical of the lateVictorian/Edwardian period. They have twostorey bays, some canted, with occasionaldecorative details (contrasting brick bandingand quoins, terracotta keystones, roof finials,etc). In some instances, there are originaltimber sash windows with original glazingretained.Fig. 28—New Lodge22.6 In some parts, unsympathetic infilldevelopment has occurred over the years(particularly in the central and northern areas)but, for the most part, the open aspect and thesurvival of the architecture means that thecharacter has been retained.22.7 There are no listed buildings within theSt John’s Park Character Area but there aremany notable buildings. As mentioned above,the style of the area is Italianate but eachbuilding is virtually unique, and some of theseare of significant architectural interest to bementioned in Pevsner: Argosy, its neighbourVista Marina, Victoria (or Victorian) Lodge andNew Lodge, described as the best house in thegroup (Fig. 28).22.8 The parkland of St John’s Park is onthe Local List of Buildings, Structures, Parksand Gardens of Architectural and HistoricImportance (listed June 2008) because of thecontribution it makes to the character of thearea.22.9 Boundary walls make a significantcontribution to the character of the area. Ofparticular interest are the old walls and gatepiers of the inner parkland (Fig. 24, page 18)constructed in the 1860s. At the northern end,the prominent modernist blocks of CollingwoodCourt are surrounded by a colonnaded gardenwall which is also part of this original boundary.22.10 The stone boundary wall at thejunction of Rink Road (named after the rollerskating rink) is also of interest, not leastbecause it contains an original stone cartouche(Fig. 29, page 21): it is not clear what the origin

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 21Fig. 29—Stone wall and stone cartoucheor the meaning of this is (the wall may havebeen the boundary of a garden owned by oneof the properties on West Hill Road).23 Public realm23.1 The character of the street scene isgreatly enhanced by historic street furnitureand historic surfaces and this is oftenoverlooked during development work and theinstallation of underground services. Again, aswith other areas, most surfaces are tarmac butthere are original limestone kerbs and gulleyswhich should be retained.24 Green spaces and biodiversityvalue24.1 The large gardens contribute to thegreen appearance and the feeling of opennessbut, undoubtedly, the major contribution comesfrom the inner parkland. Although the parklandis overgrown and is now predominantlywooded this open space has anoverwhelmingly positive impact on the area.Originally landscaped parkland the area is nowdominated by self-seeded trees. Within thegrounds of the villas themselves a more formaltree planting has taken place (including exoticspecimens) although this is being eroded bythe need to provide car parking space for subdividedvillas.Fig. 30—High Park Road25 Key views and vistas25.1 There are a number of important viewsin and out of the St John’s character area.These include views down East Hill Road withthe belt of trees on the east side (in thegrounds of Bishop Lovett School) and theregular stepping down of the villas on the westside and views out from West Hill Road acrossRyde (Fig. 30) and to the Solent.25.2 From outside the area, the buildingsand inner parkland of St John’s Park are highlyvisible from various aspects of Ryde and fromthe Solent.24.2 Equally important is the wooded areato the east of East Hill Road, part of thegrounds of Bishop Lovett Middle School.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 22CONDITION ANALYSISThe preceding chapters have defined thecharacter of the Ryde, St John’s ConservationArea and listed a host of positive elements thatare essential for its continued existence as anarea of special interest. However there are anumber of factors that are recognised to havea cumulative negative affect.Problems, pressures and the capacityfor changeP1 Poor quality public realm. Althoughthere are examples of limestone kerbs andgulleys which add to the character andappearance of the area, this is interspersedwith concrete kerbs. Equally, poor roadsurfaces and ill matched materials have anegative impact. In other areas where there isno paving (for example, along parts of AppleyRise and Abbey Lane) this should be retainedto prevent the urbanisation of the area.P2 Parking. The creation of hardstandingsfor vehicles within gardens can result in theloss of green space and historic boundarytreatments. It can also lead to the loss ofhabitats and biodiversity. In particular parkingcontained within the forecourts of the largermulti-occupancy properties impacts visually onthe character of the area. In other areas,particularly on Appley Rise and Ampthill Road,on road parking adds to congestion,particularly during school time, close to theprimary school.P3 Through traffic. Traffic on East HillRoad is fairly constant (it is the A3055, one ofthe main through roads for traffic across theIsland). During school time congestionincreases in the area, close to Bishop LovettSchool and on Ampthill Road, close to theprimary school.P4 Development and redevelopment.Pressure for development and redevelopmentmay result in applications for inappropriate infilldwellings and inappropriate extensions tobuildings of local interest which fail to respectthe size, scale and materials of the originalbuildings. Such applications will not besupported. In particular, the St John’s ParkCharacter Area has suffered from the intrusionof unsympathetic development. (The northernpart of St John’s Park was originally excludedfrom the conservation area for this reason. It isnow included to recognise that even negativeor neutral areas have potential forenhancement and to protect the originalboundary walls of the parkland.P5 Replacement window and doors. Theloss of traditional windows and doors is gainingmomentum. Care should be taken to retainexisting windows and doors and wherereplacements are required considerationshould be given to the type, design and profileof any replacements.P6 Inappropriate boundary treatments.These can alter the character and appearanceof an area. For example, around the Abbeygrounds there is pre-fabricated concrete,barbed wire and corrugated iron (Fig 14, page11).P7 Increased clutter from multi-occupancyresidence. For example, dustbins, letter boxes,utility provision, car parking spaces, etc areoften insensitively sited. Equally, overheadcables, satellite dishes and television aerialscan have a negative impact.P8 Trees. Trees are important across theconservation area and should be maintained.Some of the oak trees in the area may beseveral hundred years old, remnants of 18thcentury parkland. There are also examples ofexotic trees, the largest recorded examples onthe Island. The wooded character of the areaalso allows red squirrels to flourish.P9 Environmental. Given the location ofthe area there are numerous environmentalpressures from climate change includingerosion and flooding, either tidal or fromMonkton Mead Brook. See ShorelineManagement Plan (SMP2) for a fullassessment.Potential for enhancementsE1 A key opportunity for improvements willbe the Council’s Highways PFI projectinvolving renewal and like for like replacementacross the Island from 2013 and to includeroad surfacing, street furniture, road signs andlighting. This is an opportunity to safeguardthe local distinctiveness through improving thepoor aesthetics of the public realm, inparticular the cluttered streetscape andmismatched surface finishes in the historiccore. Poorly sighted, mismatched or decrepitsigns, bins, road markings and bollards shouldbe removed. The general approach to all

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 23highways works throughout the conservationarea will follow the less-is-more principle andan audit of the public realm should beundertaken to inform decision making. Detailedguidance is contained in the Council’sGuidance for Works on Highways and thePublic Realm document. Existing limestonekerbs and historic surface finishes will beretained and carefully repaired. Where costsavings permit, natural or traditional materialswill be sought, stretches of historic material relaidand specific local designs replicated inorder to sustain important local character.E2 Outside of the PFI project, the Councilwill work in partnership to secure sensitivepublic realm enhancement schemes in theconservation area. We will work with the TownCouncil to identify public realm improvementprojects which will sustain the historic interestand local distinctiveness of the conservationarea.E3 The Council will continually seekimprovements to both vehicle and pedestrianmovements whilst respecting the character ofthe area.E4 Within the designated conservationarea boundaries, the Council will apply stricterpolicies and tighter controls on all types ofdevelopment, paying particular attention to theneed to sustain and enhance the character ofthe conservation area in line with PPS5 and toconsider its setting and its seascape (PolicyDM13). Where new designs are proposed inthe conservation area or its setting, the LPAwill seek to encourage ingenuity and quality indesign, appropriate to its particular historiccontext. The need to sustain variouscharacteristics such as the historic plan form,views, traditional materials and relationshipsbetween buildings will be key considerations indetermining applications within the designatedarea. Proposals which lack quality materials orapplications which are poorly detailed will notbe supported. Key information on the externalfinishes, profiles and fenestration detailing willbe sought as part of the application in orderthat the effect of a proposal on the character ofthe conservation area can be determined.control certain types of development andprevent the loss of original material. Whereloss is acceptable steps should be taken tocontrol the type, design and profile of certainfeatures (for example, replacement windows).E6 Where appropriate the LPA will workwith owners and the Town Council to improvethe local environment and take action toaddress disamenity, unlawful development,inappropriate land uses and to secureinvestment in and sensitive management ofvacant land or buildings in the area.E7 Stricter control on multi-occupancy,including the possible use of Article 4Directions. Consideration should be given todesign solutions for the siting of shared utilities(to avoid clutter) and landscapingE8 The Council will monitor applicationswhich affect the amenity value of trees(measuring over 750mm radius at 1.5m aboveground level) in the designated area. It willcontinue to promote good tree management toensure that trees are retained and the specialarboreal characters of the three areas aresustained.E9 The Council will continue to work withrelevant bodies and organisations on theenvironmental issues regarding the Harbourand the coastal defences in line with theCouncil’s commitment to the SMP2E5 In line with English Heritage guidanceon sustaining and enhancing the character of aconservation area, residential dwellings will besubject to an Article 4 Direction to removecertain permitted development rights. This will

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 24GENERAL GUIDANCEIn recognition of the fact that the historicenvironment makes a very real contribution toour quality of life and the quality of our places,the Government Statement on the HistoricEnvironment for England, (DCMS, 2010)established this vision :That the value of the historic environment isrecognised by all who have the power to shapeit; that Government gives it proper recognitionand that it is managed intelligently and in away that fully realises its contribution to theeconomic, social and cultural life of the nation.The historic environment should be seen as avital contributor to improving the quality ofplace, and quality of life, for all. By supplying afocus for civic activity and offeringopportunities for learning and recreation thehistoric environment can also be thefoundation for more engaged and activecommunities. At its most basic, in providingdistinctive local features and a tangible link tothe past, the historic environment is oftencentral to local identity in both urban and ruralareas. Conserving the historic environmentresource for future generations also accordswith the principles of sustainable development.These wider objectives for the historicenvironment are reflected in Planning PolicyStatement 1: Delivering SustainableDevelopment, (ODPM 2005) which says that,… planning should facilitate and promotesustainable and inclusive patterns of urbanand rural development by [amongst otherthings] protecting and enhancing the naturaland historic environment, the quality andcharacter of countryside, and existingcommunities. The Council appreciate that ourhistoric built environment is an essentialelement in creating distinctive, enjoyable andsuccessful places in which to live and work.Our Eco Island vision and LocalDevelopment Framework Core Strategyrecognizes that our natural and builtenvironment attracts investment and tourism,provides a focus for successful regenerationand is highly valued by Island communities.Managing changeIt is acknowledged that change is inevitable.While it is right to provide protection andsupport for our past, this must be managedintelligently, with an appropriate balance ofpriorities and an understanding of what couldbe gained or lost. “In shaping places,Government at all levels must give priority tocreating high quality environments for thosewho use them, developing and implementingpolicies which seek to retain localdistinctiveness and give due weight to theobligation to protect, enhance and promote thehistoric environment.” (The GovernmentStatement on the Historic Environment forEngland, (DCMS, 2010))Recent revisions to national planning policyguidance are informed by the known publicbenefits provided by the historic environment.Planning Policy Statement 5 (Planning forthe Historic Environment, CLG, 2010) wasintroduced in March 2010 to replace PPG15and PPG16. The PPS does not changeexisting legal framework for the designation ofscheduled monuments, listed buildings,conservation areas etc and existing law setsout the basis on which the various consents orlicences may be required.The new PPS employs the term heritage assetin relation to conservation areas, listedbuildings, locally listed features, historiclandscapes, all sites on the HistoricEnvironment Record (HER) including oldbuildings and archaeology, whetherdesignated or not. PPS5 states that “once lost,heritage assets cannot be replaced and theirloss has a cultural, environmental, economicand social impact. Significance can be harmedor lost through alteration or destruction of theheritage asset or development within itssetting.”This approach governs how change ismanaged in a Conservation Area. Large scalechange requires “clear and convincingjustification” (HE9) for loss of significanceaffecting any designated asset, particularlywith regards proposals incorporatingsubstantial harm to a building or feature ofsignificance within a Conservation Area. Thisjustification needs to consider the variouspublic benefits as outlined above and includemarketing and other reasonable endeavours tosecure the continued conservation of aheritage asset. PPS5 Policy HE7 defines theprocess of place-shaping as one where thedesirability of enhancing or better revealing thesignificance of the conservation area is a keyconsideration, including, where appropriate,through sensitive development of elementswhich do not contribute to the significance ofthe designated area. In these circumstances,

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 25LPA’s are encouraged to support design whichis appropriate for its context and which makesa positive contribution to the appearance,character, quality and local distinctiveness ofthe historic environment and makes a positivecontribution to economic vitality andsustainable communities. This additional levelof consideration allows members and officersof the Council to insist upon the best possiblestandards of design for new developmentswithin a conservation area or affecting itssetting. Small scale changes are considered inPolicy HE4 which specifically requires localauthorities to consider whether the exercise ofpermitted development rights would underminethe aims for the historic environment, therebysupporting the use of Article 4 Directions inconservation areas.For all proposals in a conservation area oraffecting its setting, Policy HE6 now requiresthat an authority only validate applicationswhich provide sufficient information regardinga) the significance of any heritage asset and b)the proposed impact to it/them. Further detailon what information to provide is available atour website www.iwight.com/conservation orplease call 01983 823552 in office hours.Applicants are also advised to contact theArchaeology Service atarchaeology@iow.gov.uk or phone 01983823810 for access to the council’s HistoricEnvironment Record (HER).WindowsThe Council will always encourage the repairand refurbishment of original windows inConservation Areas. The fabric of an originalwindow i.e. timber, historic glass and fixturesand fittings are an important part of the historicinterest of the window which itself forms anintegral part of both the character and theappearance of a property.It is also important to note that the Council’scommitment to EcoIsland priorities includesmeasures to support sustainability andtherefore the re-use of traditional buildings andthe harnessing of their embodied energy iseminently sustainable. For the same reasons,it is also preferable to retain historic windowsas opposed to installing new, industriallymanufactured windows of plastic materialssuch as UPVC. As such, the local planningauthority supports the preservation of originaltimber or metal windows in buildings ofhistorical or architectural value. When originaltimber or metal windows are beyond repair andthis has been fully justified by the submissionof a detailed specialist report, the preferencewill be for the like for like replacement of thedecayed windows, incorporating the retainedglazing and fixtures and fittings, wherepossible.Replacement with alternative windows, interms of design or materials, will generally onlybe considered when the existing windows areof an inappropriate design, e.g. notcontemporary with the architectural style of thebuilding. Sensitive upgrading can beundertaken to improve the thermalperformance of a historic building, mostcommonly this is through sash refurbishment,hidden draughtproofing, upgrading loftinsulation and installing secondary glazing.Further ways to achieve a reduction in energyloss can be found in English Heritage’sadvisory note Energy Conservation inTraditional Buildings (2008).Improvements to later or modern replacementwindows will be sought where the units arepoorly detailed, of inappropriate material andfail to enhance the character and qualities ofthe conservation area.Changes requiring planning permissionAt the time of writing, ordinary unlisteddwellings do not require planning permissionfor the changing of windows. However, if aproperty contains flats or incorporates acommercial element, planning permission islikely to be required.When a conservation area is designated,alterations to Permitted Development Rightscome into effect whether an Article 4 Directionis designated or not. Detailed advice shouldbe obtained from the Council’s planning officeor via the Planning Portal website. Generaladvice regarding the most common issueswithin a conservation area is as follows.Please note this advice is correct at the time ofwriting.Extensions and alterations to dwellingsAt the time of writing, the determination as towhether an extension requires planningpermission is primarily determined by virtue ofthe location, ground coverage and dimensionsof the alteration. The materials employed onany alteration or extension should be of similar

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 26appearance to the existing. Any roof extensionor addition which would materially alter theshape of the roof (including dormers on anyelevation) will require planning permission.Cladding any part of the exterior of a dwellinghouse within a conservation area (e.g. inartificial stone, timber of tiles) requiresplanning permission.Garages and outbuildingsAt the time of writing, planning permission isusually required for garages and outbuldings,particularly if they would be situated on landforward of or between the side elevation of adwelling and boundary of the curtilage of thedwellinghouse.Satellite dishesAt the time of writing, a satellite dish is notpermitted on a chimney, wall or roof slopewhich faces onto and is visible from a highwayor on a building which exceeds 15 metres inheight.Solar panels and micro generationAt the time of writing, the erection of solarpanels on a non listed building is permittedwhere the installation, so far as is practicable,is sited to minimise the effect on the externalappearance of the building and the amenity ofthe area.However, the historically diverse nature ofsettlement within a conservation area makes itdifficult to define specific areas ofarchaeological potential. The likelihood of theoccurrence of archaeological material isrelated specifically to previous land usage.Archaeological remains of any period could befound within a conservation area and thereforeproposals to carry out works which includeground disturbance may require anarchaeological evaluation or assessment. Theresults of a preliminary archaeologicalevaluation may indicate that the impact of theproposed development on archaeologicalremains is inappropriate or needs to bemodified.Demolition of structuresAt the time of writing, conservation areaconsent must be obtained for any proposal tototally demolish a building with a cubic contentgreater than 115 cubic metres or a structuresuch as a wall if it is higher than 1 metreadjacent a highway and 2 metres elsewhere.Where total loss of (or substantial harm to) thesignificance of a heritage asset is proposed, acase should be made on the grounds that theproposal is necessary to deliver substantialpublic benefits and that for example, noalternative location or design will achieve thisappropriately.Up to date advice relating to other types ofproposals can be obtained from the Council’splanning office or via the Planning Portalwebsite.Design of new developmentPPS5 policies HE7, HE9 and HE10 requireattention to the extent to which designcontributes positively to the character,distinctiveness and significance of the historicenvironment. Irrespective of architectural style,a building will fit into its context if it observesthe conventions of scale, height, building line,alignment, and materials that have been usedpreviously in the conservation area. Furtherguidance can be found in Building in Context(CABE) and New Development in HistoricAreas (English Heritage).ArchaeologyMost settlements contain archaeologicalevidence which helps to explain their originsand the way of life of former inhabitants.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 27Bibliography and referencesBartie’s Postcards website, www.bartiesworld.co.ukBasford, H. V. (1980) The Vectis Report: a survey of Isle of Wight Archaeology. IOW Council,Newport:Basford, H. V Historic Parks and Gardens of the Isle of WightConservation Studio, (2005) Ryde Inner Core, Townscape Heritage Initiative. Ryde DevelopmentTrustBrannon George (1849). Picture of the Isle of Wight, Project GutenbergCommunities and Local Government. (2010). Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5)Communities and Local Government, English Heritage & Department of Culture, Media & Sport(2010). Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5), Historic Environment Practice GuideEnglish Heritage (2006). Guidance on Conservation Area AppraisalsEnglish Heritage (2006). Guidance on the Management of Conservation Area AppraisalsHistoric Ryde Society (HRS) website, historicrydesociety.comIsle of Wight Council. Historic Landscape Characterisation Data BaseIsle of Wight Council (2004). Ryde Public Realm StrategyIsle of Wight Council. Historic Environment RecordIsle of Wight Council (2009). Town Centres Health Check StudyKelly’s Directories (1886, 1891, 1904)Kökeritz, H. (1940). The Place Names of the Isle of Wight (Nomina Germanica 9), Appleberg,UppsalaLloyd, D. W & Pevsner, N (2006). The Buildings of England: Isle of Wight, Yale University Press,New Haven & LondonMynors, C. (2006). Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments (4th Ed.), Sweet &MaxwellOffice for National Statistics, 2001 Census dataPlanning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990Ryde Heritage Society (including Ryde Cemetery) WebsiteWhitehurst, D & Murray-Smith, J (2003). A Character Assessment of Ryde, IOW Council & RydeDevelopment TrustMaps—Ordnance Survey:1st Survey 1862, published 18642nd Edition 1896, published 18973rd Edition 1907, published 19084th Edition 1939, published 1939AcknowledgmentsThanks to Richard Smout (County Archivist), Roy Brinton (Ryde historian) and Vicky Basford (Isleof Wight Gardens Trust.

Ryde, St John’s Conservation Area Appraisal 28Appendix A—Boundary description Start at the junction of the Strand, Appley Rise, East Hill Road and West Hill Road. Turn west and follow the boundary between no.1 West Hill Road and Stone Cottage andSalsette Court on the Strand. Turn south and follow the rear boundaries of nos. 1 to 67 (odd) West Hill Road. Turn east and continue along the boundary between nos. 67 and 69 West Hill Road. Turn south and continue along West Hill Road to meet the junction of West Hill Road andAlexander Road. Turn south west on to Alexandra Road, until no. 40 Alexandra Road. Turn north east and cross Alexandra Road and continue along Great Preston Road(including Gassiot Green). Continue to no. 21 Great Preston Road and turn north across Great Preston Road. Continue north along the eastern boundary of Oakfield Primary School. Turn north west and continue along the northern boundary of Oakfield Primary School. Turn north east and continue along the rear boundaries of nos. 21, 19, 17 and 15Alexandra Road. Turn south east and follow the boundary lines between nos. 6 and 7 Sadlers Close. Turn east and follow the southern boundary of nos. 7 and 8 Sadlers Close. Turn south and continue along the boundary between no. 9 Sadlers Close and nos. 14, 16& 18 High Park Road. Turn east and continue along Sadlers Close to meet High Park Road. Turn north and continue along High Park Road to no. 9 High Park Road. Turn east and follow the boundary between no. 9 High Park Road and Highfield Court, HighPark Road. Turn north and follow the rear (eastern) boundary of no. 9 High Park Road to meet thesouthern boundary of no. 7 High Park Road. Turn east and continue along the boundary of no. 7 High Park Road and nos. 14 and 16Marlborough Road. Turn north and continue along Marlborough Road to meet the junction of MarlboroughRoad and Appley Road. Turn east and continue along Appley Road, past Irwin Lodge House. Turn south and continue along the boundary between Irwin Lodge House and the OldStables. Turn east and continue along the rear boundary of the Old Stables, Appley Coach Houseand Appley Cottage. Turn north and continue along the boundary of Appley Cottage to Appley Road. Cross Appley Road and turn west along Appley Road to Appley Upper Lodge. Turn north and cross Appley Road and continue north along the eastern boundary ofAppley Upper Lodge. Turn west and continue along the northern boundary of Appley Upper Lodge to meetAppley Lane. Turn north and continue along Appley Lane to the junction of path ways south west ofMiddle Lodge. Turn east and continue along the southern boundary of Middle Lodge. Turn north and continue along the eastern boundary of Middle Lodge. Continue north and rejoin Appley Lane, continue along Appley Lane to the junction ofAppley Lane and North Walk. Turn north west and continue along North Walk to junction of North Walk and Canoe LakeRoad. Turn west and continue along Canoe Lake Road (south of Canoe Lake) to the traffic islandat the junction of Canoe Lake Road, the Esplanade and Appley Rise. Turn south and continue to start point of the junction of the Strand, Appley Rise, East HillRoad and West Hill Road.