Draft Bicester Conservation Area Appraisal November 2009

9.2 Church PrecinctThis area includes the Church of St.Edburg and cemetery, the Old Vicarage,Church Terrace and those parts of ChurchLane and Church Street which front thechurchyard.This area contains townscape of highquality, including some early 17th centurybuildings, and provides the 2nd and 3rd ofthe sequence of linked views towardsMarket Square. Most of the buildingswithin this area are listed.Moving east, the tower of the church of StEdburg comes into view, dominating thecluster of buildings below, the roadcurving gently between the buildings. Thisview characterises the small market townand suggests a smaller scale settlementthan the present day Bicester. Overheadpower lines obtrude into this view.The church dominates this zone largelydue to the presence of mature trees in thechurchyard. These trees make a visuallink across Church Street to thevegetation in the grounds of no. 1 and 2Church Street and contrast with theMarket Square which is treeless. TheRoman Catholic Church and the formerBaptist Chapel contribute to theecclesiastical character. The southernpart of the cemetery relates visually to thePingle and the sounds of children playingboth there and at the adjacent St Edburg’sPrimary School contrast with the sound oftraffic in Church Street. This opentownscape enables views to be enjoyedfrom Pingle Drive of the church towerwhich have remained unspoilt forcenturies. From the churchyard theMarket Square is on a direct line of visionvia Causeway.Views of St Edburg’s primary schoolViews towards the church of St. EdburgChurch Street viewed from the Church of St Edburg showing the Old Courthouse and Police Stationin the centre. This row of buildings have high quality facades indicating that when they were built thiswas the main route to London35