Protecting Box Heritage
An invitation to say which sites in Box, Rudloe and local areas you think are important
Jonathan Parkhouse, on behalf of Box Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. All photos courtesy Jonathan Parkhouse.
An invitation to say which sites in Box, Rudloe and local areas you think are important
Jonathan Parkhouse, on behalf of Box Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. All photos courtesy Jonathan Parkhouse.
Rudloe Manor, an example of a Listed Building
How heritage features are protected
Nationally important historic buildings and archaeological sites are protected by formal designation as Listed Buildings and Scheduled Monuments. Thus St Thomas's and St Christopher's churches, the manor houses at Rudloe and Hazelbury, the entrance to the Box Tunnel and over 200 other historic structures are Listed Buildings, whilst the Roman villa in the centre of Box village and the Blind House are Scheduled Monuments. These designations impose specific consent processes for changes which affect them, and the impact upon the historic or archaeological significance of such sites must be taken into consideration when changes are proposed.
Nationally important historic buildings and archaeological sites are protected by formal designation as Listed Buildings and Scheduled Monuments. Thus St Thomas's and St Christopher's churches, the manor houses at Rudloe and Hazelbury, the entrance to the Box Tunnel and over 200 other historic structures are Listed Buildings, whilst the Roman villa in the centre of Box village and the Blind House are Scheduled Monuments. These designations impose specific consent processes for changes which affect them, and the impact upon the historic or archaeological significance of such sites must be taken into consideration when changes are proposed.
The Blind House, Box; an example of a Scheduled Monument
What about other features important to our heritage?
There are other assets of local importance that are not designated nationally, but whose contribution to local character and distinctiveness merit consideration when decisions which affect them are made. Many of these are places which form the backdrop to our daily lives and contribute to the distinctiveness of where we live, and we would miss them if they were demolished or developed insensitively. Protection of these locally important sites is made possible by the use of 'Local Lists'. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, local heritage assets are a material consideration in planning decisions that directly affect them, or their setting. Local Lists don't impose additional consent requirements (such as Listed Building Consent or Scheduled Monument Consent) but inclusion on such a list informs planning decisions so as to conserve and enhance local character. In other words, the planners have to take notice.
There are other assets of local importance that are not designated nationally, but whose contribution to local character and distinctiveness merit consideration when decisions which affect them are made. Many of these are places which form the backdrop to our daily lives and contribute to the distinctiveness of where we live, and we would miss them if they were demolished or developed insensitively. Protection of these locally important sites is made possible by the use of 'Local Lists'. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, local heritage assets are a material consideration in planning decisions that directly affect them, or their setting. Local Lists don't impose additional consent requirements (such as Listed Building Consent or Scheduled Monument Consent) but inclusion on such a list informs planning decisions so as to conserve and enhance local character. In other words, the planners have to take notice.
The Candle factory, Quarry Hill, which produced the candles used in the construction of the Box Tunnel: a locally significant but undesignated site
How we can protect other locally important heritage assets on Box Parish
We now have an opportunity to create a list of locally important heritage assets for the entire parish of Box, as part of the Box Parish Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan will cover the entire parish and all of the settlements within it as well as the extensive open countryside. It will ensure that the community has a role in planning, by flagging up the issues which are important to us.
How you can help us
So, what are the locally important sites which are important to you which you think should go on the list? Historic England have produced guidance on the criteria for inclusion on local lists, which covers buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas, historic parks and gardens or other designed landscapes.[1] Buildings or sites should exhibit at least one of the following characteristics: rarity, representativeness (of a particular architectural period or type of site), architectural interest (for example in terms of design, materials or construction), townscape/landscape value (such as buildings or structures that contribute to the view), group value (groups of assets with a clear visual, design or historic relationship), artistic interest, historic association (with an event, important person or group), or archaeological interest (sites which potentially hold evidence of past human activity worthy of investigation at some point in the future). Candidates include the candle factory on Quarry Hill, which made a crucial contribution to construction of Brunel's Box Tunnel, the remaining boundary stones which indicated the historic boundaries between Box and Ditteridge parishes, and the WW2 pill box protecting the approach to Box Tunnel … but there will be others!
We now have an opportunity to create a list of locally important heritage assets for the entire parish of Box, as part of the Box Parish Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan will cover the entire parish and all of the settlements within it as well as the extensive open countryside. It will ensure that the community has a role in planning, by flagging up the issues which are important to us.
How you can help us
So, what are the locally important sites which are important to you which you think should go on the list? Historic England have produced guidance on the criteria for inclusion on local lists, which covers buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas, historic parks and gardens or other designed landscapes.[1] Buildings or sites should exhibit at least one of the following characteristics: rarity, representativeness (of a particular architectural period or type of site), architectural interest (for example in terms of design, materials or construction), townscape/landscape value (such as buildings or structures that contribute to the view), group value (groups of assets with a clear visual, design or historic relationship), artistic interest, historic association (with an event, important person or group), or archaeological interest (sites which potentially hold evidence of past human activity worthy of investigation at some point in the future). Candidates include the candle factory on Quarry Hill, which made a crucial contribution to construction of Brunel's Box Tunnel, the remaining boundary stones which indicated the historic boundaries between Box and Ditteridge parishes, and the WW2 pill box protecting the approach to Box Tunnel … but there will be others!
Milestone on London Road; unlike other historic milestones within the parish, this one is not protected by formal Listing
What we are asking you to do
If you would like to nominate a building, site or structure for the List of Locally Important Heritage Assets, please let us know by emailing boxparishnp@gmail.com, with the words 'Local Heritage' in the subject line by the end of January 2023. It would be very helpful if you could tell us the name of the site, where it is (an ordnance survey grid reference, 'what3words' reference or a sketch map would be especially helpful), a photograph if you have one which you are happy to share (we won't use it without your permission), and a sentence saying how the site meets the significance criteria noted above.
Details of sites which are already protected, either as Listed Buildings or Scheduled Monuments may be found here http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/historic-buildings-listing.html and here https://historicengland.org.uk (the latter site includes a searchable map and is automatically kept up-to-date). Remember that it’s the sites and structures which are not on these lists, but nevertheless important to you, that we want to hear about. We will of course be contacting the owners of all the sites concerned before the list is formally adopted, to seek their views and comments. Over to you.
If you would like to nominate a building, site or structure for the List of Locally Important Heritage Assets, please let us know by emailing boxparishnp@gmail.com, with the words 'Local Heritage' in the subject line by the end of January 2023. It would be very helpful if you could tell us the name of the site, where it is (an ordnance survey grid reference, 'what3words' reference or a sketch map would be especially helpful), a photograph if you have one which you are happy to share (we won't use it without your permission), and a sentence saying how the site meets the significance criteria noted above.
Details of sites which are already protected, either as Listed Buildings or Scheduled Monuments may be found here http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/historic-buildings-listing.html and here https://historicengland.org.uk (the latter site includes a searchable map and is automatically kept up-to-date). Remember that it’s the sites and structures which are not on these lists, but nevertheless important to you, that we want to hear about. We will of course be contacting the owners of all the sites concerned before the list is formally adopted, to seek their views and comments. Over to you.