Stourport Conservation Area No. 2 Appraisal and Management Recommendations

4.1          Spatial Analysis

The morphology of the area is illustrated in the figure-ground plan, showing buildings and spaces, in plate 4.1 The principal spatial characteristics are:

• The Georgian terraces on High Street, Lombard Street and York Street
• The open spaces of the back land east of High Street and north of York Street
• The small public space in front of the Wesley Methodist Church
• The development along Parkes Passage and Parkes Quay
• The canal
• The detached and terraced houses in Mitton Street and Lion Hill

4.2          Land Uses

The conservation area comprises a mix of uses including residential, retail, office, entertainment and car parking. [Plate 4.2]. The streets on the east side of the conservation area, Lion Hill and Mitton Street are primarily residential, with two public houses. The east side of the conservation area is more commercial. High Street, Lombard Street and York Street are streets dominated by businesses, including shops, cafes, banks and offices. The area in the centre of the conservation area, bordered by High Street, York Street and the canal is primarily residential. Many of the buildings here are post war houses. There are also two small surface car parks in this area, accessed from York Street. The two main public buildings are located in Parkes Passage, the Wesley Methodist Church and the Old School Room. 

4.3          Movement patterns

The main streets are busy traffic routes; High Street, York Street, Mitton Street and Lion Hill. These are heavily trafficked two lane, one way streets, described by Pevsner as a ‘ferocious one-way traffic system’.[Pevsner op cit (p. 618)] The main pedestrian movement is also along these streets, but there are other pedestrian only routes, Parkes Passage and along the east side of the canal. [Plate 4.3].

4.4          Important Green and Natural Spaces

The green spaces are adjacent to the canal. They comprise the War Memorial Garden on the north side of Mitton Street and Villeneuve-le-Roi Gardens on the west side of Lion Hill. Together with the canal, these form a north-south strip of man-made, semi-natural spaces. This acts to divide the conservation area into the residential east and the more commercial west. These are shown in Plate 4.4.

There are relatively few trees in the conservation area, and these are located at the north end of the canal and in the two gardens referred to above. There are mature trees on the east side of the junction of Lion Hill and Mitton Street.

4.5          Views and Landmarks

Attractive and interesting views form a significant component of the area’s special interest. These are illustrated in Plate 4.5. This is not an exhaustive selection of views but is indicative of those which are important.

• High Street looking south along Bridge Street towards the countryside [Plate5.1].
• High Street looking north [Plate5.2].
• York Street looking south over the basins [Plate5.3].
• York Street looking north along the canal [Plate5.4].
• York Street looking west to Bridge Street and New Street
• York Street looking east to Lion Hill [Plate5.5].
• Mitton Street looking west towards High Street [Plate5.6].
• Mitton Street looking east towards the former Congregational Chapel on Mitton Street/Vale Road
• Views of the war memorial garden and Villeneuve-le-Roi Gardens from Mitton Street, Lion Hill and Vale Road [Plate5.7].

Key landmarks in these views include:

• Former Congregational Chapel, Mitton Street/Vale Road  [Plate5.8].
• The Holly Bush public house, Mitton Street (East) [Plate5.9].   
• The Black Star public house, Mitton Street (West) [Plate5.10].
• The Bell public house, Lion Hill [Plate5.11].
• The Swan Inn public house, High Street [Plate5.12].   
• Lower Mitton bridge
• Canal
• HSBC Bank, High Street [Plate5.13].
• The Oakleigh House, 17 York Street [Plate5.14 ].
• The Lock Shop, 18 York Street [Plate5.15].
• The Toll Office, Adjacent to York Street
• The Wesley Methodist Church, Parkes Passage [Plate5.16].
• The Old School Room in Parkes Passage [Plate5.17].

4.6          Dates of Buildings

Many of the buildings in the conservation area date from the early phases of the development of the town, especially in High Street, Lombard Street and York Street. There are also Georgian buildings in Lion Hill. There is a remarkable survival of late 18th century and early 19th century buildings, many of the which are listed. The survival of so many original Georgian buildings is part of what makes Stourport such an important historic town.

18th century/early 19th century

Late Georgian buildings survive in most streets but are concentrated in High Street, York Street and Lombard Street.

19th century

These are mainly located in Lion Hill, Parkes Passage and at the north end of the west side of the High Street.

20th century

There are a few 20th century buildings. The HSBC bank on High Street is a notable inter-war building. Post-war buildings include the Post Office, various other infill developments on the High Street,1 Lombard Street, Parkes Passage and Parkes Quay. 

The dates of the buildings are summarised in Plate 4.6.

Key

1. Former Iron Warehouse (1771)
2. Tontine Hotel (1993)
3. Mart Lane Houses (early 19th C)
4. Angel Inn (18th C) 
5. Warehouses (18th C)
6. Stabling and Lock-keepers Cottage (late 18th C) 
7. Engine House (1805)
8. Joynson's Warehouse (early 19th C) 
9. Clock Warehouse (early 19th C) 

4.7          Heritage Assets - Listed Buildings and Unlisted Buildings of Merit

There are a large number of listed buildings and unlisted buildings of merit in the conservation area [Plate 4.7]. Unlisted building of merit are non-designated heritage assets which make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area. The majority of these buildings are Georgian, from the 1770s to the 1820s. There is a strong presumption that these buildings, whether listed or unlisted, are retained, in order to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.

It should be noted that if a building is not highlighted as an unlisted building of merit that does not necessarily mean that it is of no merit in conservation area terms. There remains potential for further buildings of merit to be identified and the significance of any building should be reviewed in the future if necessary.

See Appendix III for a table of listed buildings in the conservation area, with links to the Historic England website for the list descriptions.