2.3 Heritage and Conservation

RE: RAYLEIGH TOWN CENTRE ISSUES AND OPTIONS CONSULTATION

Thank you for consulting the Historic Environment Branch regarding the Rayleigh Town Issues and Options. Whilst this document includes a section on 'Heritage and Conservation', this principally relates to issues regarding the conservation area and the built environment with little reference to the significant archaeological resource surviving as below ground deposits within the historic medieval core of Rayleigh. It is essential that this document includes reference to these important deposits as they form an essential part of the history of the town and its development.

It is recommended that an additional section be added into 'Heritage and Conservation' to specifically address the archaeological element of the Historic Environment. A suggested wording is:

The Historic Environment lends significant character to settlements such as Rayleigh and can provide a positive template for new development. It can also play a key role in creating a 'sense of place' and identities as existing towns/settlements are enhanced. It is important the protection, promotion and enhancement of the historic character and extensive surviving archaeological deposits associated with the development of historic Rayleigh are fully considered so that the adverse impacts of future development can be minimised. Any developments within the town centre and its immediate hinterland will need to fully consider the cultural assets and the high potential for the survival of significant archaeological remains.

To ensure that the historic environment is appropriately considered within this document the following changes to the existing text are recommended:
(changes in brackets)

2.3.3 Holy Trinity Church, (Rayleigh Mount) and the windmill are (distinctive) local landmarks

2.3.2 (and the Rochford District Historic Environment Characterisation Project)

2.3.3 Rayleigh is an attractive (medieval) market town with a strong (cultural) heritage and a number of attractive and (important) listed buildings

The Rayleigh Historic Town Assessment and the (Rochford District Historic Environment Characterisation Project both highlight the extent and character of the heritage/cultural assets within historic Rayleigh. The medieval street pattern including the remains of the market place close to the church, the wide High Street and the castle survive well. Archaeological investigations within the castle and historic town have uncovered a high potential for wide ranging deposits dating from the early medieval period onwards. Both the surviving medieval town morphology and the buried archaeological deposits are particularly sensitive to change.)

2.3.4 The Rayleigh Conservation area (designated in 1969 and extended in 2009 - see Figure 9) covers the historic centre of the (town) and also takes in Rayleigh mount (the site of the (Motte and Bailey Castle)), a scheduled ((remove ancient,)) monument, on a spur to the north west of the High Street. the conservation area was designated partly in response to rapid development taking place in the High Street. The Rayleigh conservation area identifies some of the key features in Rayleigh, including:

* 24 listed buildings in the historic town area of Rayleigh, all of which are grade ii listed except Holy Trinity Church which is grade II*.

* The most notable of the listed buildings are the Holy Trinity Church, the Windmill (19th century),Kingsleigh House (18th century red brick building on the High Street which has been converted into offices) and Francis House (now Lloyds Bank on the High Street)

* (The core elements of the original medieval street pattern/morphology of the town and its association to the castle still remains legible today)

* Rayleigh has an exceptionally wide High Street (a feature of its development as a market town in the medieval period), presided over at one end by Holy Trinity Church (and the remains of the market place).

* Rayleigh mount, the site of a Norman castle, given to the National Trust in 1923 and designated a scheduled ((remove ancient)) monument. Rayleigh Mount is a site of national importance because it (survives as one of the earliest Motte and Bailey Castles in England. Built between 1066-86) it is one of the very few castles mentioned in Domesday. (The castle lost its importance in the 13th century, was used as a stone quarry for the construction of Hadleigh Castle,) a Royal Stud and latterly a farmyard. It is now a key area of open space and (is a popular venue) for recreational purposes.

* A High Street which consists largely of 20th century buildings but also (includes significant buildings from the late medieval and post medieval periods ( 16th-18th centuries) which represent an important historic, archaeological and architectural resource, which continue to contribute the towns historic character and sense of place.)

2.4.1 The Y shaped High Street, (incorporating a fossilised market place at its northern end,) remains intact ............

Section 4 Options

(The introduction of new/mixed uses within the town and particularly the option levels 2 and 3 at the Police Station/Somerfield, Rayleigh Mount and Mill, Rayleigh Lanes and Websters Way sites will need to consider the potential survival of extensive urban archaeological deposits, particularly in the area of Rayleigh Mount and Mill and the impacts the any futures development will have upon this resource.)