EDENFIELD
Listing Failed - July 2003 Unfortunately our major attempt at having this building listed failed. Since then there have been three planning applications. The first was an architect designed plan for a new block of flats alongside the house, and a conversion of the rest. This was hit by the Fylde BC ban on development of further units. Since then there has been an application for the refurbishment of the cottages, and they are now for sale. The third, apparently after a change of ownership, is for 14 flats. It involves the removal of the important carved stone pillars in the hall into the courtyard, which would be covered, and the loss of the grand main entrance. Recently the owner put up a sign advertising accommodation for DSS/ asylum seekers, but it was quickly removed – as it needed planning consent. We consider that a good architect could create 10 prestigious flats in Edenfield, without ruining its character. We hope to see them one day, but at present the building is in danger and two fireplaces have been stolen already. A number of local hoteliers have shown interest in the building, but have been outbid by the speculators A case for listing - January 2003 The owners of this 37-bedroom hotel are the Furnishing Trades Association, who have run it since 1956. They have decided to dispose of it, and there is a risk that developers will try to demolish it, although consent is required as it is in a Conservation Area. Part of the Fairlawn site is being taken down, and Fosbrooke House is being re-developed, both nearby properties. Below is the submission put together for sending to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (the listing authority), and also sent to other interested bodies, such as the Victorian Society and English Heritage. Our application was supported by the Rt Hon Michael Jack MP and the Lytham Heritage Group. The Result We were informed by the DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport) at the beginning of April that, on the advice of the English Heritage Inspector, it had decided not to 'list' Edenfield. We now wait to see who has bought it and what they plan to do with it. The last paragraph of the Inspector's report does give us hope, however, that the house will not be demolished:- "Edenfield
stands within a Conservation Area, and is thus protected from demolition
without the consent of the local planning authority. It has been
recognised as a locally significant asset by its inclusion within
the Avenues Conservation Area, the character of which the local
authority consider to be worthy of preservation and enhancement.
Although there is no significant new information on which to base
a listing recommendation, the excellent documentation provided by
the Lytham St Annes Civic Society demonstrates what a significant
local asset Edenfield forms, and why its continued presence is so
important to the area's future". The plans submitted
in September 2003 for the redevelopment of the site involve the
demolition of the conservatory, the removal of large parts of woodland
habitat, and the carving up of the interior to make sure everyone
has a view but with no respect for the important features we have
recorded. The proposals are for 14 flats in the converted main building,
and a new build of a further 8 . There is little respect shown for
the house or site. No respect for the heritage of our town. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Case For Listing HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The small town of Lytham on the north bank of the Ribble estuary underwent great social change with the advent of sea bathing to the area in the early years of the 19th century. It became the resort of choice for the wealthy industrialists of East Lancashire, and many smart houses were built. The area to the west of Lytham centre and St Cuthbert's church was developed in a different way from the rest of the town. Rich entrepreneurs built south-facing villas with superb views, and they could walk onto the dunes through gates from their lawns. They are the only properties in Lytham which lead directly on to the dunes, with the main road, Clifton Drive, to the rear. Further west lay only sandy beaches and huge dunes, in the direction of what would later become Blackpool. The houses were the most exclusive on the coast - a little distanced from the town, set in their own grounds, and with lodge houses and cottages for servants. The owners had farms nearby to provide them with fresh produce, and were great patrons of the arts. They commissioned many paintings from budding artists, at least one of whom, Richard Ansdell, built a house nearby, and there seems to have been the possibility of an artists colony developing. Each of the houses in the group gave its name to one of the avenues which were later developed on the landward side (see 1893 O.S. map). Over the years, their large sites (with the exception of Edenfield) have been filled with flats, bungalows and other houses. Four have been demolished. The area is now a Conservation Area.
The earliest house to be built along this stretch of the coast was Fairlawn, built by James Eden of Bolton in 1846. A pair of houses, Edenfield and Fairfield, were built in the grounds of Fairlawn in 1862. Within a period of less than ten years they had been extensively re-modelled to form a single house of magnificent proportions. Edenfield is the only house in this area which retains its original site plan. The house itself is complete, as are the cottages, the landscaped gardens and the grotto. It is the only house unspoilt by later additions. There are no extra buildings intruding on the site. By 1871 Edenfield was lived in by Thomas Threlfall, a prosperous wine merchant from East Lancashire. The family endowed St Paul's church, Fairhaven, not far away, and there is a memorial to them there. After the First World War, the house became a school for girls, run by the Robertshaws. There were about 30 boarders and 50 day pupils. They did 'drill' on the lawn. Edenfield became a residential hotel, run by Mrs Prinnett, after the school closed in 1930. Since 1956 it has been run as a convalescent home, then a country-house hotel, by the Furnishing Trades Association. The house and its grounds have been well maintained over the years. The external fabric of the house is in excellent condition, and has been sympathetically cared for. Thr house is now being put up for sale and we fear that demolition will be requested.
The integrity of the site as a whole is an important element in the significance of this building as it is one of the few remaining villas without any significant additions, in single occupancy and within its original plot of approximately three acres.
EXTERNAL ELEVATIONS The three-storey house is brick built with a slate roof, the bricks are hand-pressed and of a delicate rose colour.
There is extensive use of stone in the detailing, with elegant stone bays and intricate arched heads to the seaward bay windows. The stone bays to the side elevations are simpler in their detailing, as are the stone surrounds to all the windows on the more major elevations. Stone cills are used throughout. To the rear of the building, and within the courtyard area where there are no stone surrounds, there is chamfered brick detail to the jambs which maintains the overall elegance of detail in this house. There is a substantial stone plinth-line detail which continues along the major elevations. The majority of the windows have been replaced with double glazed timber vertical sashes which mirror the original windows closely. There are a few of the original windows to the rear of the property, particularly within the inner courtyard area. It is very apparent from the seaward elevation (south-west) that the house was originally built as a pair.
The matching outer bays and adjacent windows are typical of semis of this era. The main entrance doors were originally located to the side of each house, typical of this location, to avoid the worst of the wind blowing from the sea. Now, only the south-east entrance remains as the north-westerly entrance was re-modelled to provide an entrance from a large conservatory added at that time.
The conservatory has been well maintained and the original arched cast iron structure remains, as does the pulley arrangement installed to raise and lower a fan in the bay and open the windows..
There is a small pool in the centre. This conservatory is an excellent example of its type, remaining unaltered and in outstanding condition. A point of interest, with regard to the seaward elevation, are the modifications to the roof profile. From early aerial photographs it is apparent that the houses were originally constructed with four matching gable dormers. These would all have been similar to the dormers still remaining on the south-east and north west elevations.
However, at some point, perhaps due to re-roofing, these dormers were initially replaced with dormers similar to those in existence today. Photographic records show that this second pair of dormers was also removed and only recently reinstated (circa 1997). It is interesting to note that the original dormer gables provided a far more imposing façade than the rather diminutive versions there today.
The rear wings to the house, a matching pair, are of simple utilitarian design (see photo 6), as are the outbuildings and the cottages.
THE INTERIOR The house is of three storeys, with a substantial cellar area. The ground floor level of the house is raised so as to give clear views of the sea from all the principal reception rooms. This also provides good lighting to the extensive cellar areas. It is interesting to observe the significant re-modelling, particularly on the raised ground floor, which results in the interior looking as though it was built as a single house.
There are three attractive stained glass windows, the central one with a gothic arched head. Inscriptions on the two side windows read: 'Soft stillness and the night become touches of sweet harmony'' and 'The morning has gold in its mouth'
The recess is off-centre and is located in what was probably originally a cloaks/wash area, being located directly under the large open water tanks on the roof above. The tanks are still there today, and the rain water from them was used until quite recently for flushing WCs. Another key feature of the remodelling was the creation of a gallery above the hallway, below the original pair of roof lights, which are stained glass panels with a flower design in pale blues and yellows. The change enabled the original party wall to be replaced by a structural gothic arch which brings the two properties together in a sympathetic manner. The columns and archway in the south-east (main) entrance may also have been introduced at this time, or perhaps this area acted as the model for the new recess.
Interestingly the stone carving on the column heads is less wild than in the recess ie. stylised flowers. There is, however, no evidence that columns such as these existed in the north-west entrance, and it is highly unlikely that they would have been removed. Therefore, it is probable that all the columns were part of the remodelling process. An ornate tiled floor was also inserted.
Further minor modifications of the floor layout have taken place over the years, principally on the first and second floors to create bedrooms with en-suite facilities. The rear regions of the house have also been modified in part to create a functional service area for the hotel. THE RECEPTION ROOMS There are four main reception rooms, all with magnificent views of the sea. These rooms remain intact, with the majority of the original cornicing, skirting boards and architraves. Two of the ceiling roses are original and two are modern substitutes. The only original fireplace would appear to be in the current dining room. It is of simple design and is made of a pinkish/mauve marble.
The fireplace overmantel in the current sitting room has been retrieved from the billiard room and placed in the sitting room within a new panelling. Photos dated 1994 show this fireplace in the cellar, and it has been re-polished since that date. The new insert is a modern Victorian copy. The only other fireplace of note on the ground floor is in the entrance hall, in the recess formed by the main staircase. This appears to be a later addition, as it has an oak overmantel with a tiled insert which would appear to date from the 1930's. It is, however, an attractive addition to the entrance area.
Another original feature is the main staircase, which is constructed from pine and five years ago was stripped of its cream paint and French polished. Even though the colour is probably lighter than the original, the condition of the woodwork is outstanding for a house of this age. The entrance hall and ground floor rooms retain their character and appeal, and bear witness to the outstanding location which made the town of Lytham so attractive to the wealthy industrialists of the north. There are few of these properties surviving intact, which makes the retention of those few remaining so important. THE FIRST FLOOR The overall corridor layout of the first floor remains intact. The modifications, which have taken place over the years, involve the insertion of en-suite bathrooms into what were originally very large bedrooms. The view from the seaward facing bedrooms is outstanding, and a series of very attractive rooms has latterly been available to residents of the hotel. The original cornicing, skirtings and architraves are in evidence wherever the original layout is untouched. There are a number of original fireplaces in the bedrooms.
THE SECOND FLOOR The dormers, re-inserted in the 1990's, were those thought at the time to be of the original design. Obviously, the original roof space, with the gabled dormers, was used for servants accommodation when the property was used as a private house. There are several exposed beams and trusses to be seen within the walls of the bedroom areas recently created. THE CELLARS The cellars remain today almost as built, with only a few breaks in the party wall to give access to all areas from each side. The cellars still house the original stone slabs for food preparation, ovens and a billiard room with panelling and an original corner storage unit for balls, etc. The original cast iron hinges and catches also remain, even though the original doors have long since been replaced with modern fire doors. This area, being the least important, is the least changed and still feels like two properties. The cellar, however, has been kept dry and damp-proofed, and is in excellent condition. THE GROUNDS The original layout of the grounds is principally intact, including a grotto, and the walled kitchen gardens (one of which is now used as a car park). There is an extensive sunken lawned-area between the house and the dunes. As with many of these villas, the lawn is at dune level, surrounded by a haha arrangement to allow the level of the ground around the house to be raised locally whilst retaining the majority of the lawned area at the original level. This gives the added benefit of protection from the prevailing wind.
There are extensive woodland areas to the sides of the house. The gateway to the dunes is in local vernacular style.
The terrace area has been re-laid and the concrete balustrading is a relatively recent addition. SUMMARY It is considered that the listing of this house is important. It is one of the few remaining villas, built during the second half of the nineteenth century, which has remained in single occupancy, within the original plot and with outbuildings, staff quarters and layout intact. It was cleverly remodelled as a single dwelling from a pair within ten years of its initial completion. The house itself bears witness to the outstanding location and provides extensive, well-proportioned accommodation for modern day requirements. The house has been well maintained over the years and the quality of many of the interior features belies their age. It is important that this example, typical of many originally in the area, should be retained both for the architectural quality of the house itself and for the important role that it plays within the 'Avenues' Conservation Area. Gradually, houses of this type are being demolished, even within Conservation Areas. It is important that a property of such significance should be listed to prevent the further erosion of the character of the Conservation Area. It is important to retain an excellent example of a mid-Victorian seaside villa, which, along with the houses on the West Beach and East Beach, provides Lytham with a key element in the visual impact of this seaside town.
Lytham St Annes Civic Society, January 2003 |
