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Writtle Green Site Analysis: CAD Assignment 1

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tory

Lime Tilia

Oak Quercus robur

Weeping Willow Salix babylonica

Scrub

Writtle is a traditional English village situated in the borough of Chelmsford in Essex, 2 miles to the west of the busy main town of Chelmsford and 28 miles north-east of London. It is one of the largest parishes in Essex covering an area of 4463 acres (once the largest in Essex). The village is centred around a green with a duck pond surrounded by houses and shops many of which are listed. The area around the village centre is mainly arable with a horticultural university to the north. Writtle village is protected as a conservation area which has a set of guidelines for buildings and many other features. (Calculator 2012)(Writtle Village 2012) In 2007 the total population was 5632, the total households 2268 with an average population density of 1.3 people/acre. (Crown Copyright, 2007)

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The underlying bedrock of Writtle Green is London clay and chalky boulder clay, the ‘Essex till’. This is prone to seasonal water-logging and has impeded drainage. Soil tends to shrink and crack when drying out and swells when wet. The underlying geology of Writtle is tertiary and marine Pleistocene formed 600,000 years ago during the Pleistocene Ice Age. EDI (2003)The land is highest in the north of the site: +40.000 and descends towards the east with low points at the pond: +30.500. The mean maximum temperature range is 5 °C to 8 °C during the winter months and 19 °C to 22.5 °C in the summer. The wind direction is usually south or south-west from the Atlantic, this then moves to the west. In Spring time north-east wind blows in due to high pressure from Scandinavia.Met office (2012), Climate Data (2000),

Spring Wind Direction

Wind Direction

SunriseSunset

1:4,0000 50 100 150 20025Meters

jClimateLegend

Wind Direction

Sun

Afternoon Shadow N

LegendConservation Area

Grade_1

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buildingsjN

1:2,500

0 50 100 150 20025Meters

May 20, 2012 15:26Scale 1:100000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 m

@ Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2011. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

May 20, 2012 15:31Scale 1:100000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 m

@ Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2011. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

May 20, 2012 15:32Scale 1:100000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 m

@ Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2011. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

1880

1930

1970

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All Saints Church Source: (All saints, 2012)

Village Hall

Rose and Crown Pub

Writtle United Reformed Church

Writtle Library and Post Office

Toilets

Petrol Station

Wheatsheaf Pub

Funeral Directors

Buildings and FeaturesLegend

buildings

Special buildings

Retail

war memorial

bus stop

bench

trees

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Jubilee Garden

Jubilee GardenLegend

Jubilee Garden

war memorial

Special buildings

Retail

buildings

bus stop

bench

trees

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1:1,000

Ecol

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Elizabeth Lister

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ads Community GardenCirculation

LegendParking

High Car Circulation

Medium Car Circulation

Bus Circulation

Pedestrian circulation

bus stop

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1:1,500

Map of Britain, source: (England Map, 2012)

Map of Writtle, source: (Google Earth, 2012)

Map of Writtle Parish modified in GIS, source: (Writtle Design Statement, 2004)

Map of Essex, source: (Essex, 2010)

Writtle has a rich history thought to be the birth place of Robert de Bruce whose family lived in the Hunting lodge which is now on the site of Writtle College. The lodge is one of the most important historic sites in the village built in 1211.Writtle comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘Writolaburna’ which translates as ‘bubbling, purling stream’. (Owen, 1995) It has a traditional village green originally name ‘Greenbury’ and duck pond named wear pond which is one of 14 in the parish created originally to serve as a watering place for cattle. The water flows into the pond from pipes connected to a large canal system in the garden of Motts house adjacent to it. Writtle was recorded extensively in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was one of the largest manors in both population and territory suggesting its administrative importance. It’s population of 153 in 1086 increased in the fifteenth century to 620, it was in this period that many of the buildings around the green were constructed. (Newton 1970)

An early map of Writtle 1880 showing buildings centred around the village green. Source: (Digimap, 2012)

Writtle 1930 showing the new Agricultural College in the north and some development in the south. Source: (Digimap, 2012)

Writtle 1970 showing the rapid development of the village and the growth of Chelmsford to the East. Source: (Digimap, 2012)

The Maltings Source: (Lister, 2012)

Motts House Source: (Lister, 2012)Map illustrating the conservation area protecting Writtle Village including the Grade I and II listed buildings.Source: Adapted from (Digimap, 2012)

Buildings were constructed around the green many of which are now listed. The Maltings is a reconstruction built in 1930 of an earlier malting house joined to the three cottages around the village pump. The earliest building in the village is All Saints Church built around 1230 although references to the priest at Writtle were recorded in the Domesday book.Aubyns built around 1500 as a hall-house and is now a timbered house with a parterre garden. Motts built in 1590 the largest house around the green still has original Jacobean chimney stacks. In the 1960’s there was rapid expansion of the village including two schools. (Owen 1993) (Newton 1970)

Aubyns House Source: (Lister, 2012)

Characteristic Features Source: (Lister, 2012)

Writtle Library and Post Office Source: (Lister, 2012)

Writtle United Reformed Church Source: (Lister, 2012)

The Rose and Crown PubSource: (Lister, 2012)

Writtle Village Hall Source: (Lister, 2012)The Bus ShelterSource: (Lister, 2012)

Graham’s on the Green Source: (Lister, 2012)

Bin and bench Source: (Lister, 2012)

The buildings surrounding Writtle are a mix of residential and retail including a Public Library (used to be a boys school), a United Reformed Church, a pub, a funeral directors, a pharmacist, a florist, restaurants and a Village Hall. The green itself has a bus shelter, 22 benches, 15 bins, 2 dog bins and an assortment of different street-lights. There is a Writtle Parish Council notice board close to the pond for local news and posters.

Map of Britain, source: (Coastal guide, 2012)

Map illustrating buildings and features of Writtle Green. Source: Adapted from (Digimap, 2012)

Map illustrating sun and wind direction and after-noon shade accross the site. Source: Adapted from (Digimap, 2012)

Climate Data for Writtle, source: (Met Office, 2012)

Highest ground+40.000

Lowest ground+30.500

+35.000

The habitats of Writtle Green include a thriving duck population who serve a vital role stopping the pond from stagnating due to the constant circulation. Birds found in and around the pond include heron Ardea cinerea, Godfrey the Greylag Goose Anser anser, Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos and Moorhen Gallinula chloropus. RSPB (2012)

Writtle green is laid to lawn. There is an area of scrub to the south-west of the pond including species of bamboo and hawthorn. There are perennials planted around the north edge of the pond. Daffodils have been planted around the base of trees and there is an area of annual bedding around the war memorial. The trees are deciduous and most are mature.

Oak Quercus rubra

Silver Birch Betula pendula

Black Alder Alnus glutinosa

Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum

Bedding plants: (Lister, 2012) Daffodils and Lime tree Source: (Lister, 2012)

Alder Source: (Lister, 2012) Duck Source: (Lister, 2012)

Top: pond, Left-Godfrey the Goose, above-Mallard, Dove Source: (Lister, 2012)

Tree Map Source: Adapted from (Digimap and CAD, 2012) Plant references

Circulation Map showing different circulation patterns within the site: Adapted from (Digimap, 2012)

Map of major roads from London to Colchester through Chelmsford. A=Writtle - closest A roads are A414 and A12. Source: (Google Earth, 2012)

The final decision as to where to have the community garden is based on differ-ent factors:• The chosen area is away from mainstream traffic therefore it should be a more peaceful space.• The Green has a focal point in the north-west corner: ‘Writtle Village sign’ and a focal point in the east corner: ‘War Memorial’ I therefore feel a garden with a focal point in the south-west corner will balance the green.• The area is not used as much as the main green so will feel more private.• The garden will be shaded for half of the day but will recieve afternoon sun.• The main green is used for sports and recreation and so is unsuitable for a garden area due to high circulation.• The garden will be created with materials in keeping with the village and will be sunken so as not to obstuct views.

Writtle Village sign erected in 1980 to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Source: (Lister, 2012)

War Memorial (erected in 1920 to commemorate the 54 dead from the village in both wars) Source: (Lister, 2012)

Map showing area for Community Garden. Source: Adapted from (Digimap, 2012) All Saints. (2012) Church Photo [www document]. www.allsaints-writtle.org.uk (Accessed May 2012).Climate Data (2000) European Climate Assessment [www document]. www.eca.knmi.nl (Accessed May 2012).Coastal guide. (2012)British map [www document].www.coastalguide.org (Accessed May 2012).Digimap (2012) Writtle. EDINA Digimap [online] Available through: Writtle Agricultural College (Accessed May 2012).Distance Calculator (2012) Writtle [www document]. www.distance-calculator.co.uk (Accessed May 2012).EDI (2003) Essex Landscape Character Assessment [www document]. http://www.the-edi.co.uk/downloads/1introductionclassification.pdf (Accessed May 2012).England Map (2012) map [www document]. www.mytripolog.com (Accessed May 2012).Essex Weddings. (2010) Essex Map [www document]. www.essexweddings.com (Accessed May 2012).Google Earth. (2012) Writtle [www document]. maps.google.co.uk (Accessed May 2012).Lister, E. (2012) Feild visit photographs, April 2012Met office (2012) Regional Climates [www document]. www.metoffice.gov.uk (Accessed May 2012). Newton, K. C. (1970) The Manor of Writtle: London. Phillimore.Ordinance Survey. (1880)(1930)(1970). Writtle, 1:10000. EDINA Digimap [online] Available through: Writtle Agricul-tural College (Accessed May 2012). Owen, G. (1993) Writtle a Village of Distinction: Chelmsford. Blueprint PublicationsOwen, G. (1995) Writtle in the Past: Chelmsford. Blueprint PublicationsRSPB (2012) bird identifier [www document]. www.rspb.org.uk (Accessed May 2012).Tree Guide (2012) Trees [www document]. www.british-trees.com (Accessed May 2012).Wiki, (2012) Writtle [www. Document] en.wikipedia.org (accessed May 2012) Crown Copyright (2007) Writtle Ward (Licence Number: C02W0003023) Chelmsford: Chelmsford Borough Council : HMSOWrittle Design Statement, Reproduced from Ordnance Survey (Licence Number LA077496), (2004). Writtle Parish. Chelmsford: Chelmsford Borough Council Writtle Village (2012) Writtle Society [www document]. www.writtlevillage.com (Accessed May 2012).

Location of Community Garden. Source: (Google Earth, 2012)

References