Physical Influences
Geology
7.15.1
The area can be divided into three bands. The highest part consists
of greater Oolitic Limestone that continues across the Bathampton
Down plateau. The upper slopes below the limestone consist of clay
of the Fuller’s Earth Series. This marks the steeper and often
unstable slopes that continue around the wooded slopes at the edge
of Bathampton Down. The lowest part occupied by Cleveland Walk and
King Edward’s School consists of another band of Oolitic
Limestone.
Landform and Drainage Pattern
7.15.2
The area is mainly steeply sloping with a level change of 110m. The
principal aspect is west, towards the city centre. In places there
are glimpses of distant undeveloped slopes.
7.15.3
The only significant drainage feature is a spring in the grounds of
Oakwood House. This stream joins others to become the Smallcombe
Brook that eventually feeds into the Kennet and Avon Canal near
Abbey View Lock.
Land Use and Buildings
Land Use
7.15.4
The area is mainly residential with houses built beside the main
roads of Bathwick Hill, North Road and Cleveland Walk. King
Edward’s School is at the northern end of the area.
Building Form and Heights
7.15.5
Along Bathwick Hill and North Road the commonest building form is
detached housing. There is a mixture of semi-detached and detached
houses elsewhere. Short terraces are rare but significant.
Buildings are mostly two storeys with, more rarely, three storeys
in parts of Bathwick Hill.
Building Age
7.15.6
There is a range of building ages from C18 through to late C20. The
most recent buildings include estates and infilling sites between
older buildings.
Materials and Architectural Details
7.15.7
Bath stone is the main building material with reconstituted stone
used for most postwar development. The distinctive architecture of
the Regency and Goodridge designed villas are a particular feature
of the area. Slate is the predominant roofing material for much of
Bathwick Hill while natural clay tiles are widely used
elsewhere.
Streets and Civic Spaces
Street Pattern
7.15.8
The street pattern is characteristically curvilinear whether
climbing the hills or running along the contours.
Density and Degree of Enclosure
7.15.9
The housing is generally of low density as the houses are sited
within large gardens. Walls, hedges, garden trees and shrubs give a
generally enclosed character to the area.
Vitality and Tranquillity
7.15.10
The area has a tranquil character for most of the time,
particularly along the canal which forms the western boundary of
the area. Traffic on the main roads is intermittent and therefore
the level of tranquillity can quickly change.
Materials and Boundary Treatment
7.15.11
Bathwick Hill has pennant stone paving and kerbs while elsewhere
tarmac with concrete kerbs is prevalent. One side of North Road has
a grass verge butting up to the carriageway with no pavement or
kerb.
7.15.12
Hedges and Bath stone walls are both characteristic boundaries with
the proportion of each changing from one part of the area to
another. Stone walls are a particularly strong feature of Bathwick
Hill and parts of North Road.
Influence of Vegetation and Open Space
Trees and Shrubs
7.15.13
Trees and shrubs are key features of the area. Houses often have
large gardens with mature trees that provide year round interest.
Cleveland Walk also has mature street trees including horse
chestnut. The tree cover visually connects the area to Bathwick
Wood at the edge of Bathampton Down as well as providing a lush
green character down the slope as far as the recreation ground near
the city centre.
Open Space
7.15.14
Private gardens and the grounds of King Edward’s School provide
most of the open space in the area. Space for trees and between
buildings is most significant to the character of the area. The
area is also bounded by open countryside to the north and
south.
Features, Landmarks and Views
7.15.15
Trees are important features within the area whether as woodland,
in groups or as individual specimens. The area includes a number of
buildings of special architectural interest.
7.15.16
This area features a particularly attractive stretch of the canal,
from the basin to Cleveland House, which straddles the canal.
It offers a tranquil experience and great variety in character. The
canal basin, locks and bridges are important aspects of the canal
environment.
7.15.17
Walls, hedges, trees and buildings enclose most of the area. There
are, however, important views over the city and to distant
undeveloped slopes mostly glimpsed between houses.
Cultural Influences
Historic Uses
7.15.18
The land was originally agricultural. It had a number of quarries
along North Road that are evident in the resultant landform and in
place names, most obviously Quarry Road. The grandeur of C19
residences is evident from both the buildings themselves and their
designed and well ‘treed’ gardens. The Kennet and Avon Canal,
particularly Sydney Wharf, was a focus of industrial activity in
the past. Today it is a very popular leisure resource; used
by boaters and the former towpath by walkers and
cyclists.
