Stourport Conservation Area No. 1 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 openness of the basins and the riverside
• The surrounding Georgian development on Bridge Street, York Street and Mart Lane
• The Georgian buildings on the edge of the basins
• The Georgian housing in Severn Side
• The large industrial buildings in the Cheapside area, along the north bank of the River Severn
• The new housing development east of Mart Lane, south of Lichfield Street, around the Lichfield Basin
• The open spaces along the river, outside the conservation area, to the west and south.

(Note: The new development currently under construction on Severn Road to the east of the conservation area is not shown in Plate 4.1).

4.2          Land Uses

The conservation area comprises a mix of uses including leisure, boat-related, residential, light industrial or warehousing, retail, eating and drinking, and car parking. [Plate 4.2]. The basins feature boat repair and hire businesses, and canal boat moorings. The Stourport Yacht Club occupies the Clock Warehouse between the Upper Old Basin and the New Basin. The riverside areas include the fairground on the east side of the bridge and children’s play area to the west of the bridge.

The streets on the west and north side of the basins, Bridge Street, York Street and New Street, are commercial streets, with shops, public houses, cafes and restaurants at ground floor level (mainly on Bridge Street) and some residential uses on upper floors. The east side of the conservation area is a largely residential area comprising Georgian terraces and modern development around the Lichfield Basin (circa 2006). The exception to this is the industrial area in the southeast corner of the conservation area on the north bank of the River Severn, the site of the Vinegar Factory and a number of modern warehouses.

The main car parks are on the west side of the town, south of the council offices (the civic centre) on Martins Way. There is a smaller car park at the west end of Raven Street. These are just to the west of the conservation area. In the conservation area there is a car park on the west side of the Engine Basin, east of the bridge, and one further north, on the east side of Bridge Street. There is also a small car park on the north side of the Tontine Hotel.  

4.3          Movement patterns

The basins have a significant impact on movement within the conservation area. The main streets are Bridge Street to the west, New Street and York Street to the north, and Mart Lane to the east. The busiest traffic streets are Bridge Street and York Street. Mart Lane is a cul-de-sac and is for local traffic only. The quality of Bridge Street and York Street, and to a lesser extent New Street is diminished by the through traffic. Lichfield Street is a residential street which runs from Mart Lane to Cheapside. It is not a busy traffic route. Waterfront Views is another cul-de-sac which provides access to the parking at the rear of properties on the south side of York Street. [Plate 4.3].

There is also private vehicular access, Waters Edge, to the new residential development around the Lichfield Basin, and to the development on the south side of Lichfield Street, Larch Way, both of which are accessed from the west side of the northern end of Cheapside.

There are a number of pedestrian routes through the conservation area which are important in terms of movement patterns and also historically. Engine Lane links Bridge Street to the basins where there is a network of walkways across the green spaces adjacent to the lower basin, the Tontine Hotel and the River Severn. Along the river bank is a walkway which extends from west of the bridge and links to the south end of Severn Side and the west end of Severn Way. This continues along the river’s edge, beyond the eastern end of the conservation area to cross the River Stour and continues south eastwards. Cheapside joins Severn Way on the west side of the former vinegar factory.

On the east side of Mart Lane there is another pedestrian route which runs east wards to join up with Cheapside. This is an historic route which ran along the north side of the former Cheapside Basin, which was replaced by the gas works in the 19th century, both of which no longer exist. There is a path which runs down to the river from the middle of this route, on the east side of the Angel Public House.

On the south side of the River Severn is a path which runs along the river bank, on the north side of the open playing fields, outside the conservation area.  

4.4          Important Green and Natural Spaces

The area benefits from many mature trees, green spaces and natural areas, primarily adjacent to the river and these give the area a green, semi-rural setting, in contrast to the town to the north. These are shown in Plate 4.4.

Key features and spaces include:

• The gardens west of the bridge, including the children’s playground
• The grassy spaces in the lower basin area and south of the Tontine Hotel
• The open water of the upper basins, including Lichfield Basin to the east of Mart Lane
• The riverside walk on the north bank of the Severn (Severn Way)

There are relatively few trees in the conservation area, and most of these date from the post-war period. They are primarily located in the area in front of the Tontine Hotel and around the lower basins, along both banks of the River Severn and River Stour, and on the east side of the Angel public house on Severn Side. There are no street trees in Bridge Street, New Street, York Street or Lichfield Street.

4.5          Views and Landmarks

Attractive and interesting views form a significant component of the areas special interest. Because of its generally low lying and open nature the area around the river and the basins means that there are a great number of views across the area. These are illustrated in Plate 4.5. This is not an exhaustive selection of views but is indicative of those which are important.

• From the south side of the Severn looking north
• From the Bridge – looking north along Bridge Street
• From the Bridge –looking north across the fairground and the basins
• From the Bridge – looking east and west along the Severn
• Bridge Street looking north towards High Street
• York Street and New Street – looking east and west
• Views in all directions across the upper basins to the river and to Bridge Street / York Street and Mart Lane
• From the east end of York Street looking south, along Mart Lane and over the basins
• Lichfield Street – looking east and west
• Views in all directions from the bridge on Mart Lane
• Views along the riverside – looking east and west

Key landmarks in these views include:

• Stourport bridge and the causeways
• The Tontine Hotel
• The basin buildings including the Clock Warehouse and former Iron Warehouse/Canal Maintenance Building
• York House on York Street
• The Bridge Inn on Bridge Street
• The Angel Inn on Severn Side
• The Vinegar Factory

Plates 4.6 to 4.10 show some of the important views and landmarks in the conservation area.

4.6          Dates of Buildings

Many of the buildings in the conservation area date from the early phases of the development of the town. 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.

The earliest development dates from the 1770’s and includes the Upper Old Basin, the Tontine Hotel, the Iron Warehouse (Maintenance Building and Lock Keepers Cottage) and York House on York Street. The Bridge Inn at the north end of the bridge was built circa 1790 and Bridge Street, Raven Street, New Street, 19-21 York Street, Mart Lane, the Tontine Hotel stables and Lichfield Street were all built circa 1800. The Clock Warehouse and Severn Side were developed slightly later in the 1820’s. [Historic England List Descriptions]

There are relatively few Victorian or early 20th century buildings, except for the industrial riverside development. There are later 20th century residential and replacement industrial buildings in the eastern part of the conservation area, east of Mart Lane and along the riverside. There are a small number of post-war buildings in Bridge Street (especially on the east side), New Street and York Street. The dates of the buildings are summarised in plates 4.11 and 4.12.

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, including the basins, buildings and walls [Plate 4.13]. 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.