Draft Bicester Conservation Area Appraisal November 2009

The buildings are often single storey andthe spaces small scale, complex andintimate compared to Sheep Street.Several of the yards link Sheep Street tocar parking areas and this, together withoutdoor displays and cafes, creates alively character.The accesses from Sheep Street to theseareas adds significantly to the character ofthe town by retaining the historicsettlement pattern. Although few of theoriginal back yard buildings remain thescale mimics those that would have oncestood in these areas. Wesley Lane has aslightly different character with a moreinformal atmosphere created byvegetation in planters and small bedsadjacent to the enclosing buildings. Thestructures here are more historic thanthose in lanes to the south and appear todate from the 18th and 19th centuries.The buildings sit close together giving astrong feeling of enclosure. The entrancesto Deans Court and Evans Yard fromSheep Street are through carriagewayentrances, Deans Court in particular thenwinds, creating deflected views, beforeemerging into very open ground in theform of car parking to the rear.Entrance to lanes along Sheep StreetEntrances to Evans Yard and Deans CourtDeans CourtThe lanes and yards area has an almostcontinuous flow of pedestrians during theday due to forming lines of desirebetween car parking and Sheep Streetshopping. This lively character isenhanced by small cafes and shops liningthe lanes. However at night some lanestake on a slightly threatening nature dueto lack of lighting and therefore could bebetter lit.The entrance to Crumps ButtsThere is very little vegetation in thischaracter area. The buildings span the17th to the 20th century and vary greatlyin style and material, although aselsewhere brick and limestone rubble aremostly used. Render is less prevalent, thesimpler buildings to the rear being morelikely to be lime washed historically.44Aesthetically pleasing enclosed character ofWesley Lane