Report title:
Single Storey, Twentieth-Century Dwellings in the High Weald: A preliminary investigation based on the eastern High Weald.
pdf 20th century single storey dwellings (3.23 MB)
Status and date:
Final Report; November 2011
Research purpose:
An investigation of the historical significance of single storey dwellings in the eastern High Weald.
Research aim(s):
- To provide an introductory overview of this topic.
- To identify a range of types of single storey dwellings, setting their historic context and the general housing policy is also discussed for the period.
- To understand the settlement history of the High Weald.
- To understand how settlement history can inform management and policy and opportunities for further research.
Research findings:
The frequency of single storey buildings varied considerably between the parishes. Completely absent from some parishes such as Etchingham to parishes such as Rolvenden where they played a much for positive role in the development of the settlement pattern. The research determined such wide variations reflect differences in their tenurial structure and history. These differences could be further investigated as part of a more detailed piece of work.
AONB Unit comment:
Whilst this study was never designed to be a detailed settlement characterisation - it has provided us with a useful overview of single storey dwellings in the High Weald. Twentieth century housing development is a little-studied era in terms of settlement understanding, but one which this research finds contributes significantly to the overall character of settlement in the AONB. It also can tell us a lot about the social history of the AONB as many of these dwellings were built for a specific purpose.
With increasing pressure from development, the demolition of many single storey dwellings often replaced with large family homes, is changing the character of settlement in certain parts of the AONB. This research was commissioned to understand more about these changes and what impact they may have overall on settlement character.
All of this understanding furthers our knowledge of settlement evolution and character in the AONB, and covers a modern era we had previously not explored. This additional work provides us with a truly comprehensive set of evidence about buildings dating from the earliest preserved examples right up to post war developments.
Commissioned by:
High Weald AONB Joint Advisory Committee (JAC)
Commissioned from:
Dr. Brendan Chester-Kadwell
Funded by:
High Weald AONB Joint Advisory Committee (JAC)