Physical Influences
Geology
7.13.1
Most of the area is undivided lower and middle Jurassic limestone
and clays, with rubbly inferior Oolitic Limestone capping the
topmost part of the Poets’ Corner area. The lowest part of the area
has lias clays with gravel terraces leading down to alluvium close
to the river.
Landform and Drainage Pattern
7.13.2
The ground lies between 18m above sea level at Dorset Close and
rises to 114 m by Byron Road. The main slope faces approximately
north west although it is convoluted in parts so that the aspect
changes slightly either way. The area north of the railway line is
relatively level but other parts, notably the Poets’ Corner area of
Bear Flat, is quite steep.
7.13.3
There are no natural watercourses on the surface.
Land Use and Buildings
Land Use
7.13.4
The commonest land use is residential as the area originally housed
the workers for the many works along the riverside such as Stothert
and Pitt. There are two commercial centres, one at Bear Flat and
the other at Moorland Road. Each serves the local community and has
specialist shops which draw custom from a wider area.
Building Form and Heights
7.13.5
Terraces are by far the most significant building form and much of
the area is dominated by long lines of workers’ terraces. The
terraces of the Poets’ Corner area are larger with more elaborate
detailing corresponding to wealthier families. Around Upper
Oldfield Park and Bloomfield Avenue there are larger detached and
semi-detached houses. The area also includes larger C18 three
storey town houses.
7.13.6
The consistency of building form extends to heights and most are
two storeys without basements or habitable attics. Some of the
larger housing types have attics and a few of the largest are three
storeys.
Building Age
7.13.7
The area features C18 buildings on Beechen Cliff Road, Devonshire
Buildings, Holloway and parts of Wellsway. However the majority of
houses in the area are mid to late C19 and even early C20. The
density of the C19 terraces means that there are no areas of
extensive modern housing but there are smaller infill development
and many houses have modern extension where space allows. The
largest modern area is by the Bear Flat shopping centre where
extensive bomb damage from the Second World War was cleared and
redeveloped.
Materials and Architectural Details
7.13.8
The details of the terraces often corresponded to the status of the
original occupant. Exposed party walls where terraces step down
hills are a feature of much of this area.
Materials
7.13.9
Bath stone is common but pennant is seen either as whole walls or
as string courses. There are a number of brick buildings. Roofs
tend to be concrete tile but natural and artificial slate is quite
frequently seen as well.
Streets and Civic Spaces
Street Pattern
7.13.10
The area includes the historic southern approach road into the
city. Part of this, Holloway, is no longer a through road, although
it is a well used pedestrian route into the city centre. The C19
terraces have created a grid of linear streets following the built
form. Even where slopes are present roads are straight and do not
follow contours. This gives the area a strong feeling of regularity
and order verging on the oppressive. Occasionally a straight road
points to a landmark in the distance, such as Beckford’s Tower.
Density and Degree of Enclosure
7.13.11
The area is generally very densely developed with few open spaces
relative to its population. In the Oldfield Park area the tight
front gardens and small rear gardens increase the apparent and real
density. The area feels correspondingly closed in, as the views out
are limited. Higher up the enclosure is less as the slope allows
views to surrounding hillsides over the houses.
Vitality and Tranquillity
7.13.12
This is a busy area and traffic is a feature especially near the
commercial centres, yet away from the main roads it is peaceful.
The shops are bustling with pedestrian activity and have a vibrant
feel. Most areas are dominated by car parking.
Materials and boundary treatment
7.13.13
The small front garden is common to a great many of the terraces,
the larger houses tend to have slightly bigger gardens both front
and back. Stone walls are by far the commonest boundary many with
simple pillars for gateposts. Bath stone and pennant copings and
pier cappings are common. Wrought iron gates are common to these
front gardens though there are also wooden ones.
Influence of Vegetation and Open Space
Trees, Shrubs and Open
Space
7.13.14
Oldfield Park has a notable absence of trees either along the
streets or in the front gardens which adds to the regimented
feeling of the area. However there are more open spaces
around and behind the terraces where large trees can be seen and
have a small softening influence on the area.
7.13.15
There are several public and semi public open spaces that locally
have a significant impact. These are allotment gardens, public
parks and St James’ Cemetery.
7.13.16
In the Oldfield Park area there is a strong contrast between the
public street space and the rear gardens. The former is hard and
dominated by road and pavement the latter is enclosed by the
housing and so rarely seen from public areas. Here ‘greenness’ is
also supplied by the Linear Park. This is a well used public space
along the former Somerset and Dorset trackbed where the embankments
have become covered in scrub and ash / sycamore growth.
7.13.17
Bear Flat and the Poets’ Corner area has a much softer appearance
as there are front gardens with mature trees and shrubs in them.
Most importantly here there are numerous street trees which help
tie together the open spaces to provide a much more lush and
verdant atmosphere.
Features, Landmarks and Views
7.13.18
The area has relatively few landmarks as there is such a
consistency in the built form. St James’s Chapel in the cemetery is
one as is the splendid St Alphege’s Roman Catholic Church though
their effect is localised. A more unusual one is the large Polar
Bear on the Bear Flat pub. Beechen Cliff has a strong presence in
the area and is seen from much of it, as well as being a feature in
views from many other parts of the city.
7.13.19 There
are fine views to Georgian gems such as the Royal Crescent and also
to the Lansdown ridge line. There are also views to the Tumps and
Bloomfield Crescent which form the northern backdrop to this area.
In lower parts of the area, it is more enclosed and inward
looking.
Cultural Influences
Historic Uses
7.13.20
The whole area was open fields before the industrialisation of the
city in the C19. The houses were constructed for workers and their
families and many of the facilities such as schools also date from
this time. The better housing higher up the slope would have been
occupied by managers and other professionals such as school
teachers and doctors.
