The Hadleigh SocietySep 1988
Newsletter Index Up Sep 1988 Nov 1988 Dec 1988

 

NEWSLETTER — SEPTEMBER 1988

PLANNING

FOOTPATHS

WALK

BRICKS

1855 GAZETTEER

HADLEIGH SOCIETY AWARD

PLANNING INTO THE 1990 ‘s

The following submissions have recently been made to Babergh District Council in respect of their draft plan for the future of Hadleigh.

Representations from the Hadleigh Society

In general we support the affirmations and proposals of the plan, but there are aspects of which we are critical - chiefly because there is a lack of positive planning for the future growth of the Town’s population.

On P.43 it is stated that "Towns rather than villages are most likely to be able to absorb major housing development without adversely affecting the environment."

We maintain that in Hadleigh the environment is already threatened by development, and the high ratio of district housing provision planned to take place here will bring a rapid deterioration. WE STRESS THE RECOGNISED PRINCIPLE THAT THE PROTECTION OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS DEPENDENT UPON THE DIVERSION OF THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM BUILT-UP AREAS.

PERSISTENT PRESSURE must be placed upon the Highway Authority to draw up and implement positive policies to relieve traffic from the centre, and to improve access to the Town from/to the A.12. Our suggestions are

1) Introduce a one-way system in the High Street, providing loading bays where required.

2) Reduce immediately the weight limit of vehicles admitted to Benton Street to 3 tonnes, except for access.

3) Provide Benton Street with a relief road, and the Town with improved access to the A.12, either via Clay Lane and Pond Hall (Industrial) Estate), or via Wilson’s and Station Road coal yard.

4) Planning gains must be sought from developers, in particular from thoae in the East and South-East of the Town, to contribute to the cost of such improvements.

FURTHER PEDESTRIANISATION is pointless in the present two-way traffic situation in the Town centre. Whatever decisions are taken about traffic management we would prefer a policy of pedestrian priority with restricted access in areas such as Church Street, and a positive plan for pedestrian management in the Conservation area.

SHOPPING. We agree that "The shopping function remains one of the most important." But we maintain that the increase in the catchment population does already give rise to major pressure for a "modest" shopping scheme to improve the quality and range of goods available. The car park site of the Post Office is one alternative: Magdalen Road car park, with a store located above the cars, is another and possibly better. The re-location of the lorry park could be a planning gain.

HOUSING between Duke Street and Market Place. Land in Hadleigh’s Town centre is too valuable for car garaging! parking, but Town centre dwellings require garage space. Provision in an undercroft is one solution.

There is urgent need for housing for Hadleigh’s prospective first-time buyers: but these should be via a housing association to avoid the abuses experienced elsewhere.

COMMUNITY HALL. There is no way by which the Town Hall/ Guildhall complex can be made adequate for the social needs of a rapidly expanding town; even less so when East House is closed. ADEQUATE ACCESSIBLE AND MODERN ACCOMMODATION FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES MUST HAVE HIGH PRIORITY. Co-operation with the County Education Committee in the planning and provision of dual-use school facilities could, in the long run, be the most economical and generally beneficial way of providing for these needs.

CONSERVATION. We entirely agree with the statement of intent and, insofar as they concern Hadleigh, with the detailed proposals. However, we must state that, in our opinion, THE CONSERVATION AREA IS UNDER CONSTANT THREAT THROUGH IGNORANT DESTRUCTION, AS WELL AS THROUGH INAPPROPRIATE INTRODUCTIONS. The street scene, of national importance, and the many details which have survived, both inside and outside its buildings, require the supervision of an architecturally trained member of staff. Such a person would be capable of producing a much needed design guide. Furthermore, unless planning intentions, especially in such a sensitive area, are consistently supported, this environment cannot but deteriorate.

FOOTPATHS REPORT - from John Holborn

No. 35 The bridge over the River Brett at the Sewage works has now been rebuilt.

No. 36. Notices of appeal over diversion in the vicinity of Layham Road Sports ground have been erected by Babergh District Council.

No. 38 A recent sign has been erected by the side of the road in Corks Lane leading to Toppesfield Bridge and the Riverside walk "PRIVATE RD ACCESS TO BRICK KILN FARM ONLY" and the footpath sign at the other end has been bent indicating that the public route towards the same area from the opposite direction was through the town!

At our request, Suffolk County Councils Central Area Surveyor has dealt with both matters; the owner of the farm is to add the words "PUBLIC FOOTPATH ONLY" to his sign, and the location is to be marked later by a Public Footpath sign erected by the Suffolk County Council. The misdirected sign at the other end of this path has been moved to its correct position and an added sign attached to the same post indicates that Holbecks Lane (PP 37) is also a public footpath.

No. 34 (Benton End Farm to Lower Layham Road) Agreement with the local farmer over the type of bridge to be built over the River Brett should shortly be confirmed. Suffolk County Council will then rebuild the river bridge at this point, opening up a route that has not been used for several years.

HADLEIGH WALK - SUNDAY 9th OCTOBER

Walkers are invited to gather at 9.30 a.m. at the Market Place when leaders will take parties on routes previously selected. The object is to cover all the footpaths shown on the Definitive Map of Hadleigh area; note what paths have been blocked; need attention or been illegally diverted. When the survey, initiated by the Hadleigh Town Council, has been completed, a report will be prepared, after which the necessary recommendations will be made to the Highways Department of the County Council. It is understood that Funds are available to erect Way-Mark signs.

It is hoped that as many members of the Hadleigh Society as possible will take part. The average length of each walk is not expected to exceed 5 miles.

A HISTORY, GAZETTEER, AND DIRECTORY OF SUFFOLK IN 1855

Further extracts from Paul Garrod

HADLEIGH COUNTY COURT DISTRICT comprises Stoke-by-Nayland, and 23 parishes in Cosford Union and seven in Samford Union, The Court is held at the Town Hall.

Wm. Gurdon Esq., is the judge; Richd. Almack Esq., of Long Melford, clerk;

Richd. Newman, jun., Esq., assistant clerk; Wm. Neck, of Colchester, high bailiff; and Mr. Robt. Faiers, sub-bailiff.

Hadleigh parish is in five MANORS, of which the following are the names and Lords:- HADLEIGH HALL, the Rev. J.C.Safford and Rev. John Francis, who hold it as trustees of the late Rev. J.Jermyn, to whom it was leased by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury; HADLEIGH, J.H.L.Anstruther, Esq., TOPPESFIELD HALL, and COSFORD HALL, the Rev. Rd. Daniel; and POND HALL, C. and R. Kersey; but a great part of the soil belongs to other proprietors, the largest of whom are the Drapers’ Company, London; Sir J.R.Rowley, Bart, and Wm. Strutt and J.C.Archer, Esqrs. POND HALL, 1 1/2 mile E. of the town, was formerly a seat of the D’Oyly family, one of whom was created a baronet in 1663, but they left here more than two centuries ago, and the hall is now a farm—house. PEYTON HALL, a farm—house 1 mile N. of the town, is supposed to have been a seat of the Payton family; and on the south of the parish, at a distance of from 1 to 2 miles, are the farms of Benton—end, Kateshill, &c., near MASON’S BRIDGE. J.F.Robinson, Esq.. the steward of many manors in this neighbourhood, resides at HADLEIGH MALL, and has a good collection of paintings.

MORE ABOUT BRICKS - from Roger Kennell

Over the last few months readers of this newsletter may recall reading my A. B . C. of Hadleigh Bricks, where for each letter of the alphabet some term or feature about brickwork was described and illustrated.

The writing of this alphabet allowed me to indulge in my interest (or obsession as some might say) of brickwork and to encourage others to look and understand what they see in brickwork in our surroundings that has been built down the centuries. Appreciative comments that I received show that at least the alphabet was read, and coupled with your Editors plea for more copy, I have been persuaded to develop one letter ‘B’ into a series on the different Bonds that can be seen in the Town.

"But I thought they were just brick walls". This is a comment I have often heard after I have given some explanation that there are many combinations in which the sides (the stretcher) and the ends (the header) of a brick can appear in a wall. These different combinations of stretchers and headers are collectively known as bonding and there are some twenty-eight different bonds each of which has its own name. The purpose of bonding is to give varying degrees of strength, decoration or economy in the use of brick to the various requirements of different walls.

Eleven different bonds can be seen from the public highways of Hadleigh, and in the subsequent issues of this Newsletter each of these eleven bonds will be described and illustrated together with some examples for you to look for in the Town.

A twelfth bond related to a well known brand of tea must not be confused with the brick bonds to be given, but may be beneficial in its own right to those just returning from discovering the brickwork of Hadleigh.

THE HADLEIGH SOCIETY AWARD

This award will be made in recognition of "Outstanding improvements to, or conservation of, Hadleigh’s buildings or environment.

It will be an individual framed commendation.

Nominations for the award should

bulletbe sympathetic with their surroundings
bulletintegrate with their surroundings
bulletdisplay a high quality of workmanship
bulletbe an example of good practice

The award will not necessarily be made each year, but there may be more than one award in a year.

Nominations are invited from members with a closing deadline of 1st January, the nominations will be considered by the Executive Committee, if necessary with the benefit of appropriate expert advice, and any awards will be made at the Society’s AGM.

Nominations for the award should include written comments and reasons for the nomination together with supporting evidence and should be sent to the Chairman, Hadleigh Society, 106 High Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk to arrive before the above closing date.

W.E.A. EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION COURSE

THE ENGLISH HOUSE A.D. 900 to 1900

TUTOR ROGER FINCH

The course will be concerned with the houses around us, the sort we live in, not stately homes this time. Examples will be drawn from East Anglia and particularly fom Hadleigh. A study will be made of the different materials used, how our homes were built, how they developed and the ways in which they were changed. Not even the knobs, knockers and loos will be forgotten.

Fee ; £12.50 (Concession rate £10.00)

Registered unemployed people will be very welcome to attend at no charge whatsoever.

Enrolment may be made at the class meeting which commence on WEDNESDAY 28th SEPTEMBER and will continue for 10 weeks each Wednesday evenings at HADLEIGH HIGH SCHOOL from 7.30p.m. to 9.00 p.m. each session.

For further information ‘phone HINTLESHAM 235.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

SEPTEMBER 28th Talk by Mark Bailey on "Mediaeval Suffolk" at East House George St. Hadleigh from 8 p.m. (See Poster for details and displaying please)

OCTOBER 9th Hadleigh Footpaths walkabout starting from the Market Place Hadleigh at 9.30 a.m.

18th History Group * meeting at 106 High St Hadleigh from 7.30 p.m.

26th Environmental Group*meeting at 3 Church St, Hadleigh from 7.30 p.m. *THIS WOULD BE AN IDEAL TIME TO JOIN A GROUP AND ANY SOCIETY MEMBER INTERESTED IS CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND

OCTOBER 22 - 26th Presentation by Pamela Oldroyd - "Glimpses of the past in Aldham The Library High St. Hadleigh (daily 10-7.30p.m. Sun. from 2.30pm Admission : FREE

Editor: Jim Betteridge **** 823991