Draft Bicester Conservation Area Appraisal November 2009

8.8 Features of Special InterestA large part of Bicester’s special interestrelies on the historic settlement pattern, inparticular the burgage plot widths ofindividual buildings and rear serviceyards . However more specific features ofspecial interest within the ConservationArea include the Church of St Edburg andchurchyard, buildings remaining from thePriory and stone boundary walls. Thereare datestones on The Six Bells Inn(1682) and The Swan Inn (EME 1681)and no’s 9 and 11 Church Street (TNI1676). No 47 Market Square has a fourstorey turret with ogee cupola dated 1698.Sheep Street properties display fireplaques, bay windows and multi-gabledfrontages. The Old Court House and otherhouses retain their boot scrapers.Wrought iron signs remain at the KingsArms, London Road and The Swan,Church Street. There are listed K6telephone kiosks in the Market Square.8.9 Carriageways, pavements, lanes,footpaths and rear yardsTarmacadam has replaced traditionalcarriageway and footway materials almosttotally throughout the central area. Rearservice yards are either limestone hoggin,if in low key use, brick or tarmacadam.Stone kerbs have mainly been replacedby concrete.Sheep Street was surfaced in a mix ofbuff and pale pink brick as part of thepedestrianisation scheme completed in1994. The access to Dean’s Court is alsosurfaced in brick paviours.Remnants of earlier floorscape may befound within some alleyways e.g. stonesetts and pitching under the coachingarch at the Kings Head, stone setts andirregular stone blocks between no’s 17and 18 Market Square and blue squarestable block pavers in the Courtyard,Launton Road.Stone setts at the Kings HeadNo. 47 Market Square with ogee cupolaIrregular stone blocks on Market SquareK6 telephone kiosksPaviours in access to Dean’s Court30