Category: Arts & Crafts

On Tuesday 10th November, I went to Warrington New Town for an afternoon seminar about Garden Cities and Suburbs – looking back at the successes and forward to the future. Driving there through the stunningly autumnal parkways of the new town reminded me about the enormous social progress that came out of the Arts and Crafts movement. Josh Tidy, curator of Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, spoke about the historic legacy of the first garden city.

The new towns, bigger successors to the original three Garden Cities of Letchworth, Welwyn Garden City and Wythenshaw, now lead the country in their growth and success with Warrington and Milton Keynes being the top of the pack. The place is such a civilised world away from the squalor of Victorian Britain. Edgar Wood would have been inspired! The event was organised by the Town and Country Planning Association, the successor of the original Garden Cities Association.

David Morris

“Edgar Wood’s grandest design would have transformed part of Manchester and transformed it gloriously with a capital G. During research for a new book Lost & Imagined Manchester, coming out this week, Jonathan Schofield came across a scheme by Wood that if it had been built and somehow survived would have made excursions to Port Sunlight from Manchester redundant. This would have been the garden village/model village par excellence for the North of England, indeed, of anywhere in the country, complete with art gallery, public baths, meeting hall, extensive gardens, fountains, churches and a school.” Jonathan Schofield

FULL REPORT AND IMAGES HERE

Trafford Borough Council planning service is proposing to remove the Conservation Area status given in 1986 to ‘Halecroft – the former house, then council Offices and now commercial office that stands in Halecroft Park, Hale Road, Hale. The public are invited to comment on the proposal, which is part of a broader planning review of Trafford’s Local Plan.

Designed in 1890, ‘Halecroft’ is Edgar Wood’s first masterpiece, a flamboyant Arts and Crafts beauty. It is listed grade II* and is described in the listing as “an excellent example of Wood’s earlier work largely expressing the ideals of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the vernacular revival.” The house is sited at the northern end of its large grounds, which includes mature trees an early Arts & Crafts garden designed by Wood. It is a popular place for local people.

While the listing would remain in place, the conservation area status is being removed as part of sweeping changes proposed for South Hale Conservation Area. The reasons are given in an appraisal of the conservation area and appear to be poorly stated. The Edgar Wood Society has joined the Friends of Halecroft Park in objecting to the change. The conservation area protects the broad character and appearance of Halecroft, the park and the wonderfully wooded street scene. The assemblage would be significantly less protected against intrusive housing or other development as a consequence of the proposed change.

If you wish to comment on the proposal, simply email strategic planning at Trafford with your views strategic.planning@trafford.gov.uk

To download a pdf of the draft appraisal click on South Hale Conservation Area Appraisal. Trafford Council’s strategic planning service web page is here

Edgar Wood Society has acquired a small archive of original material on Barcroft, 193 Bolton Road, Marland. This is an Edgar Wood designed Arts and Crafts house of 1894. Today, it is listed grade II, and although altered, is in good condition. It can be seen from the main road between Heywood and Rochdale.

It was built for an artist friend, Benjamin C. Brierley who, like Wood, was a member of the Rochdale Art Society. He is remembered for a series of paintings of local old halls and for being an important member of the Co-operative Movement. After Barcroft, Brierley helped to fund Marland Church, one of Wood’s radical church designs, now sadly demolished. Then, in 1911, he and his family emigrated to Western Australia and became a pioneer farmer.

The house is interesting for its vernacular inspiration and having an open plan layout, something quite advanced in 1894. It has a large central chimney and, originally, big stone roofing flags (now replaced). Inside, the vernacular informs the planning with just two multi-purpose rooms accounting for all the non-service ground-floor functions. A  ‘hall’ combines the functions of  entrance hall, staircase and sitting room, while a large living space containing an inglenook and a square corner bay window serves as dining room, study and drawing room. The authentic-looking inglenook closely resembles that at Tonge Hall, Middleton, with a fire-window and a heavy bressummer supporting two large farmhouse-style beams.

Anthony Cosgrove showed the archive to society members after a successful committee meeting.

If you love Christopher Whall’s Arts & Crafts windows, such as those in Middleton’s St. Leonard’s Church (as above), you will appreciate this new film which explains very practically what he and the other Arts & Crafts glass designers were trying to achieve. If you then want to know even more… you can buy the book!

The publisher’s post is here.

The Arts and Crafts House: Then and Now – 27 June 2015 to 13 September 2015

If you are down in the Midlands, this art exhibition at Compton Verney, Warwickshire is worth a visit. This Palladian house is an odd location for an Arts & Crafts exhibition but that simply makes it more interesting!

The Art Fund site has more information.