| Abstract: |
Prior to proposals for the redevelopment of 114 Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, Greenlane Archaeology was commissioned to carry out a heritage assessment for the property. This provides information about the history of the building so that a better understanding of its development can be obtained and that can be used to assess its significance. The settlement of Kirkland, at the southern end of the medieval town, is recorded in the Domesday Book and became the centre of a Norman Barony in the later 11th century. The seat of the Barony may have been the early post-conquest motte and bailey castle at Castle Howe. The later development of Kendal in the medieval period shows deliberate town planning, with burgage plots extending to the rear of properties fronting onto Highgate, Stricklandgate, and Stramongate, all of which converge on the market place.
The site at Highgate occupies part of an east/west aligned plot to the west side of Highgate, clearly shown on Todd’s map of 1787. It is recorded as owned by ‘Mrs Greenhow’ on Wood’s map of 1833 and a 'G R Greenhow' on Hoggarth’s map of 1853. This is likely to be the same Greenhow family who built at least two other properties nearby on Highgate in the late 18th and early 19th century. The maps show that the footprint of the buildings at the east end of the site changed little throughout the 19th and 20th century and the west end of the plot, in particular, has seen very limited development. Identifying the occupiers and uses of the building is difficult because of the lack of street numbering used in the census returns, but it was certainly occupied by a William Granger, an organist and piano teacher, by at least 1901 and until at least 1910. The 1910 valuation confirms that William Granger was resident there at this time and also that the Greenhows still owned the site.
The site visit revealed that the building is three storeys with a cellar and a two storey outshut to the rear probably originally comprising two small cottages. Although in poor condition in many areas due to historic fire damage and water ingress, the property retains a number of early or original features and architectural details, on the upper floors in particular, which probably relate to its original construction. These include fireplaces, cornices, window casements and shutters and alcoves with decorative surrounds.
Although not listed the property is within the Conservation Area for Kendal, has numerous neighbouring listed buildings and a nearby Scheduled Monument. The area also has some potential for below-ground archaeological remains to be present within the yard/garden to the rear, which has apparently never been developed. Given that the building is considered to be structurally unsound and it is intended to demolish it, it is recommended that a more detailed archaeological building recording is undertaken to mitigate for the loss of historic fabric this would cause. |
