3.0 EVOLUTION OF THE SITE THROUGH HISTORICAL MAPS

Transcription

1 EVOLUTION OF THE SITE THROUGH HISTORICAL MAPS The following set of maps, in chronological order, illustrate the gradual development of the area from the 18 th century onwards. Figure 3.1: Roque Map. 3.1 Kensington was largely undeveloped up to the beginning of the 18 th century. The Roque Map on the left illustrates the already pronounced curve of the lane which was to become the current Kensington Church Street. At that time it may have been simply referred to as Church Lane as it connected small settlements, which arose around the parish of St. Mary Abbots and around Notting Hill Gate, from the early 17th century. Very little development is visible on either side of the lane, with orchards extending to the west and a brick manufacturing area located to the east. The approximate location of where the current site is today is marked in red. Figure 3.2: 1829 Cruchley Map. The Survey of London (vol.39) states that prior to the arrival Kensington High Street s retailing boom, around the mid 1800s, most trading and manufacturing activity around Kensington High Street was on a small and local scale, with the exception of a successful candle-making business owned in turn by the Wheble, Kendall, Tucker and Smith families from about 1765 until From around the mid 18 th century the manufacturers occupied properties close to the present Barkers site on Kensington High Street. When the firm finally disappeared in 1974, it was known as Francis Tucker and Company. 3.2 The 1829 Cruchley Map on the right illustrates how the area had begun to be developed in the early 19th century. The north portion of the curved street, which was then called Church Lane, was renamed Silver Street. On the west side of Silver Street terraces of dwellings were built along Peel Street, and a large reservoir was constructed by the West Middlesex Water Works Company for the supply of water both to Kensington and the parts of St. Marylebone which were becoming increasingly populated. The red dot indicating where the site is today illustrates that at that time it is likely the plot had not yet been developed. The alignment of the street and its junction with what is now called Kensington Mall created an already ambiguous urban grain. 5

2 Figure 3.4: 1888 drainage plan of No.1 Vine Cottage, which corresponds to the southern portion of the site plot. Figure 3.3: 1862 Ordnance Survey Map. 3.3 The 1862 Ordnance Survey Map called Edge Terrace and had irregularly shaped yards to the rear and side of them. The (above left and left) illustrates change in geometry appears to be an attempt to relate the buildings to the Silver Street grain. how the site plot on Silver Street Local records name the two dwellings as No.1 and No.2 Vine Cottage. The plot on which they had been built on and seemingly stood was also referred to as Vine Place. The Metropolitan Railway cut across the area, to occupied the west of the site, leading to the demolition of sections of established terraces. by two properties. These did not appear to have 3.4 any direct association with the On the right of this page is an 1888 drainage plan of No.1 Vine Cottage, which corresponds to the southern portion of the site plot. Basement level vaults would have extended beyond adjoining terraces on the then the building line on the street but were invisible at street level. 6

3 Figure 3.5: 1894 Ordnance Survey Map. 3.5 The 1894 Ordnance Survey Map illustrates Figure 3.6: 1896 Kensington Parish Records plan of the eastern building line of the site plot. 3.6 The 1896 Kensington Parish Records plan of the eastern building line of the site plot, was how the site plot infilled some of the original submitted to the LCC to confirm the building line for Vine Place (where the site is today) yard areas with further development. Sites to further to disputes which arose from the occupiers and neighbours. The blue indicated the north and south remain of a small grain with areas considered for potential development but which were deemed as beyond the set short kinks in the street definition, providing building line by the Superintending Architect of Metropolitan Buildings. a series of facets facing Silver Street, which define a graduated serpentine delineation. 7

4 Figure 3.8: 1935 Ordnance Survey Map. Figure 3.7: 1914 Ordnance Survey Map The layout of the plot in the 1914 Ordnance Survey The 1935 Ordnance Survey Map shows the Map appears to have remained unchanged. Directly layout of the site plot as altered with the terrace of to the south of the site, the profile of the streetline properties numbered 145 to 149 (odd) replacing between Edge Street and Peel Street has been the previous buildings on the site. It seems the altered by the footprint of a new block on the western north portion of Silver Street lost its name and side of Silver Street. It was built around 1907, on the the numbering of the new buildings followed on eastern end of the south side of Edge Street; small from the southern portion of the street, such that dwellings were replaced by Campden Hill Mansions Church Lane now extended all the way to Notting designed by the architect William G. Hunt. Hill, under the new name of Church Street. 8

5 Figure 3.9: The 1945 Bomb Damage Map and key Figure 3.10: 1962 Ordnance Survey Map. The 1945 Bomb Damage Map shows that the 3.10 The 1962 Ordnance Survey Map shows the site buildings on the site itself did not suffer any plot as clear, in preparation for the building of the major damage resulting from WWII bombing, current building. To the north of the plot, the road although the dark colours on some nearby widening and related development towards the properties illustrates that the area did come Notting Hill end of the street are clearly visible. under attack. 9

6 Figure 3.12: 1996 Ordnance Survey Map. Figure 3.11: 1975 Ordnance Survey Map The 1975 Ordnance Survey Map shows the 3.12 current building as completed, with a large area The 1996 Ordnance Survey Map shows little significant change from the 1975 issue. of pavement surrounding the property. 10

7 3.13 The current map at fig 3.13 shows that the urban condition remains the same as in Conclusion The area around the site has developed in an unplanned way. Its informal layout arises from the gentle curves of the original Church Lane. During the mid 19th century the small plots negotiated the curvature to create an intricate but regular street definition. As the plots were enlarged and street widening took place, the alignment of the west street wall became less congruent. The construction of the current building on the development site further eroded the street definition by adhering to an inappropriate rectilinear geometry derived from the grid of the hinterland. Figure 3.13: Current Ordnance Survey Map. 11