Parish of Olveston Design Statement
Olveston, Tockington, Old Down, Ingst, Lower Hazel, Awkley
3. The Character of our villages
Space

3.2 Traditional built form

Most of the older buildings are predominantly vernacular or agricultural in nature and traditionally constructed of stone walls under clay tiled roofs. They can be generally divided into two general type forms - ‘simple’ or ‘refined’.

Simple buildings10
are typically small with low roof lines and irregular plan forms, often sited to maximise the potential of their constrained plot for the production of food. These buildings are unassuming and constructed from randomly coursed local stone often roughcast rendered.

Wall openings generally have oak lintels and occasionally brick details with painted casement windows. Boundary walls are constructed from local stone with large irregular capping stones. All materials were locally sourced. Most historic and all agricultural buildings in the Parish could be described as 'simple'.

Refined buildings11
are typically larger, grander, more assertive and set in gardens laid out for pleasure rather than food production. These buildings are formally planned within grounds which usually front directly onto the highway. Exterior treatment is either smooth render or exposed good quality local stone. Wall openings are carefully detailed, often stone or brick dressed, with painted sash windows. Boundary walls are constructed from local stone with carefully articulated 'cock & hen' or dressed stone capping, occasionally topped by decorative iron railings. Imported specialist materials were frequently incorporated.

Site topography, garden shapes and sizes and the proximity to neighbouring properties have helped to give each building and each settlement its own distinctive character. In steeply sloping areas, such as Church Hill, Olveston, buildings jostle for space, while in flatter areas, such as The Street, Olveston, a more harmonious form has resulted from continuous facades and well defined boundary walls. Towards the edge of the villages houses are set further apart within generous grounds, such as on Old Down Hill. Towards the centre houses are often joined together. Being close to relations, school, shops, church and water was essential in the days of foot transport.

To ease construction and minimise the use of expensive materials ‘simple’ buildings were originally only one room deep with low floor to ceiling heights. As a consequence rooflines are generally low which gives an overall impression that development in the Parish is of a small scale. Only a few buildings, such as Hill House, the White Hart and the Old Vicarage in Olveston; Grove House in Tockington and Old Down House extend above two storeys and form focal points.

Roofs were generally pitched at 45o to maximise the roof space for habitation and covered with overlapping clay pantiles topped by a round tiled ridge running from chimney to chimney. Occasionally, Welsh slate was used on ‘refined’ buildings with hipped roofs replacing the gable end typical of the area. Doors and windows were symmetrically arranged where possible. Glass was extremely expensive, so window sizes tended to be small.

A significant degree of gentrification took place during the Georgian period with many ‘simple’ properties ‘upgraded’ to reflect the style of the day. The process continues today with properties enlarged or altered in response to current needs and aspirations. The challenge, which this Design Statement addresses, is to enable change but in a way which retains local character.

10. ‘Simple’ buildings are frequently vernacular or agricultural in nature
11. ‘Refined’ buildings may have started life as ‘simple’ buildings and have been gentrified
Space
Lower Tockington Road, Tockington
Haw Lane, Olveston
Church Hill, Olveston
Church Hill, Olveston
Web Design: Zeroface