Conservation Plan PDF

Conservation
plan for November 26
rehabilitation 2009
and restoration
Relating to:
“The Chestnuts House”
4CSS604: Building Adaptation &
398 Hoe Street
Conservation.
Walthamstow By Anthony Sixtus Onoh
London
Conservation plan for rehabilitation and restoration: Chestnuts House, 398 Hoe Street London 2
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Contents
1. Identification photograph...................................................................................3
............................................................................................................................. 3
2. Introduction....................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Understanding the building: brief history....................................................6
2.2 General description......................................................................................8
3 Relevant policies and statutory constraints........................................................9
4 Photographic survey.......................................................................................12
4.1 Attic storey...............................................................................................12
4.2 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for the Attic floor
......................................................................................................................... 16
Overall Heritage Importance: High................................................16
4.3 2nd floor..................................................................................................... 17
4.4 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for the 2nd floor
......................................................................................................................... 26
4.5 First floor.................................................................................................... 27
4.6 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for the 1st
floor.................................................................................................................. 39
4.7 Cellar.......................................................................................................... 40
4.8 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for the cellar...50
5. External photographic survey..........................................................................51
4.1 Roof ........................................................................................................... 51
4.2 Facade........................................................................................................ 53
References.......................................................................................................... 59
Appendix 1: Drawing, plans and sketches..........................................................60
Appendix 2: Historic photographs and records...................................................61
Appendix 3: More photographic survey..............................................................62
4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

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1.Identification photograph
1. Front view of the building taken in 1865 (source: Building archives CLC,
Walthamstow, London)

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2. Present front view of the building.
3. Back view of the building with the path that led to the lake
A B
C D
4. Present back view of the building

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5. Carriage entrance to the chestnuts house (1865)
6. Present vehicle entrance from Hoe street

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2.Introduction
The essence of this conservation plan is to provide a sound basis for the
decisions to be taken about the future use and management of this building and
help the Heritage Authorities in processing the Listed Building Consent for works
proposed by the prospective owners. This will be achieved by prior
understanding and full analysis of the present condition of the historical features
of the mentioned building.
2.1 Understanding the building: brief history

Much of Hoe street south of Marsh Street belonged in 1699 to the Conyers
family. Situated south of Grosvenor house on Hoe Street is the Chestnuts house.
This three-storeyed building survives as the finest and least altered of
Walthamstow’s earlier 18th-century mansions1.
Map 1: ordinance survey of Walthamstow in 1840. Source: British History website.
1
www.British-history.ac.uk

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Chestnuts house is a large red-brick 18th century Georgian house with

extensive open grounds at the back, left and front of the building. The main
building is a three-storeyed mansion which included the attic. Joined to the right
of the building is a two-storey building formerly known as the stable block. The
buildings are connected by a long internal corridor that starts from the first floor
lobby to the end of the stable block. It also has a huge cellar.
The building is famous not only for when it was built but also by the many
wealthy families that have owned it in over 250 years of its existence. Historians
were not certain whether the current building foundation was the one built in the
17th century when Blanche Staveley and Mr John Claypoole (son-in law of Oliver
Cromwell, late Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland) lived there after
the death of Lancelot Staveley (late husband of Blanche)in 1670. It was recorded
that the house was extensively (if not wholly) rebuilt between 1743 and 1747 by
Thomas Allen of the Great Ormond Street2.
1743-1919: The rebuilding by Thomas Allen between 1743 and 1747 was
recorded on a rainwater head on the front of the building where the two dates
were given together with the initials: A – which stands for the surname Allen, the
initial T - for Thomas and “C” for Catherine his wife
7. The rainwater head with the heading
From June 1815, Peter Berthon moved into the building. He was a supplier to the
forces during the war. He was forced to leave the building for a smaller premise
when he was ruined by the end of the war and the wrecking of a convoy of his
ships in Portugal in 1816.
Other wealthy families that lived there include:
• William Hankey, a city banker till 1836 then Mr Powell, city commercial
merchant of mincing lane and active founder of Ruskin College Oxford. He
2
Bimonthly News from Vestry House Museum, Walthamstow

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lived there till 1854
• John Francis Holcombe Read: a 6ft.2in man, born in Jamaica. A composer,

music director, leader in education, social and artistic amenities, chairman
of the stock exchange, magistrate, vice president of the Royal College of
Music and Director of the Great Eastern Railway and six other companies.
During his lifetime, he made and lost three fortunes and died a poor man3.
• Sir Henry Green also lived there. He is the father of Charles Green,
managing director Orient Steamship company (later renamed P&O
navigation company) and captain of Essex County Cricket Club from 1883
– 1888.
• The house and land were sold to Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway
Company, who carried their line through the property at the rear of the
house before selling it to a Building Society that later, re-sold it to Essex
County Council.
1919-2009: The building underwent its’ major re-adaptation under the Essex
County Council when it was used as a branch of its Lunatic Asylum and on the
18th of January 1919 the Earl of Warwick opened it as a commercial and trade
school for girls. This was later converted to part of South Essex technical college
in 1938 before becoming a community learning and skills centre, its current
status.
2.2 General description

The main building is a four storey building including the lobby attic storey
and the cellar, linked to the right with a two-storey building (formerly a stable
wing) with similar treatment and blind relieving arches
The external walls are stock red bricks, used also to highlight windows, doors
and wall edges and separation between floors. Some 19th and 20th century bricks
has been used to rehabilitate the external faced and some areas towards the
rear of the building need re-pointing
The facade also has segmental headed windows, sashes and thick glazing bars
and a semicircular window above pediment to attic.
An early 19th century central pedimented door case with Doric pilasters with a
late 20th century door4 stands in front of the building.
An open-well oak staircase with turned balusters and special details stands well
positioned in the middle of the lobby, while another modest staircase for the
servants is hidden inside the distribution of the building.
3
Some Walthamstow Houses
4
http://lbonline.english-heritage.org.uk/Login.aspx

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Internal walls are made up of original Georgian load bearing brick walls and
Victorian timber walls for partitioning.
Internal decoration: though the building has been re-adapted and refurbished
various times some original decorative features still stands like the paved stair
hall, centre chandelier hanging on the ceiling in the centre of the stairway, the
high rococo ceilings, furnaces in the rooms, stucco floral plasterworks on the
stair walls and ceilings and decorative cornices moulded to the ceilings.
The interior doors are all 19th century doors except a huge door in the cellar that
could be dated to the 17th century.
The building has a huge cellar, demarcated into two with only one area
accessible for general use (the other half was sealed with bricks and mortar). It
has two stair cases: one that leads to the attic via the modest stair case and the
other that links with the exterior through the front facade. It also has a
semicircular cheese and wine storage cellar and various ducts
The roof is a pitched tiled roof to parapet. The slates and the chimney heads
have been changed since the original construction. Lead was used for the water
gutters and cast iron head for water collection.
3 Relevant policies and statutory constraints
“It has been most truly said that these old buildings do not belong to us only; that they have
belonged to our forefathers, and they will belong to our descendants unless we play them false.
They are not in any sense our property, to do as we like with. We are only trustees for those that
come after us.” William Morris 1889
The above quote reflects why historic buildings are protected. Historic buildings
are graded and listed, before they can get that special statutory protection
against vandalism and speculation ensuring that its history and features are
preserved and future re-use or adaptation goes in conformity with the local and
national policies and guidance. Different policies in place to achieve this include:
• Planning policy guidance 15: provides government policy for the

identification and protection of historic buildings etc. This policy will be
replaced by a new revised version called PPS15 (planning policy statement
15) but the objectives remains the same.
• Unitary development plan (UDP): this policy is under review and will
be replaced by the Local Development Framework (LDF). It still remains
the council guideline on planning applications, permission, listed buildings
etc
• Planning (listed Buildings and Conservation Area) Act 1990:

provides specific protection for buildings and areas of special architectural
or historic interest.

Conservation plan for rehabilitation and restoration: Chestnuts House, 398 Hoe Street London10
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• The building standards BS: 7913 1998: this is a guide to the principles
of the conservation of historic buildings’. It provides guidance on the
principles that should be applied when proposing work on historic
buildings.
• The Building Regulation Act: this legislation covers both the technical
standards that need to be met and the procedures that need to be
followed5. One of the spiky issues in this legislation is the Part L which is
about improving the energy efficiency of the building. The English
Heritage believes this could be achieved where and to the extent that it is
practically possible, provided it does not prejudice the listed building6
The planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) Act 1990 made it clear
that no person shall execute or cause to be executed any works for the
demolition of a listed building or for its alteration or extension in any manner
which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic
interest, unless the work is authorised7.
The Waltham Forest council went on to say they will not permit uses,
alterations and extension that would be detrimental to the appearance, historic
interest or setting of the building but will encourage its sympathetic
rehabilitation, insisting that the designs or alterations be of respect to the period
and style of the original building8.
What this means is that consent is required by law before any alteration or
demolition can be made to the building. The Act (1990) went further by declaring
it a criminal offence punishable (if convicted) by imprisonment, fine or both,
should any work be done to the building without authorisation. To obtain the
necessary approvals, a listed building consent application needs to be filled and
submitted to the local authority together with other documents like:
• Certificate of ownership ( to identify who owns the building)
• A plan which identifies the land to which the application relates, drawn to
an identified scale and showing the direction of North9
• Plans and drawings as are necessary to describe the existing and

proposed works to be done
• Design and access statement (if required) and
• The appropriate fee
5
The Building Regulation
6
The English Heritage
7
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
8
Waltham forest Unitary Development Plan
9
National requirement list: Waltham Forest

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Final decision of approval by the local authority could be vetoed by the English
Heritage. This organisation takes care of the national archaeological and
historical heritage.

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4 Photographic survey
4.1 Attic storey
Flat batons were

used to fix
plywood to the
wood beams
supporting the
roof creating a
segmented
ceiling.
Same mechanism
was not applied to
all the ceilings as
others were
simply plastered
4 Attic ceiling
Shelved and
plastered ceiling
with a decorative
bud in the
middle.
The shelving
increases the
height of the
ceiling and
makes better use
of the pitched
roof
5 Attic ceiling with flower bud

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A 19th century
timber and glass
non-transitable
void installed in
the roof to
improve the
illumination
inside the attic
6 Attic void
7 Evidence of leakages from the roof

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8 Wood beams in the attic
The 20th century

W.C facility
located at the
attic.
Featuring the tank

supported with a
cast iron.
Ventilation
mechanism
installed on the
window glasses.
9 Toilet in the attic

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The attic storey

distribution does not
only comprise of wide
office spaces and linking
corridors but also a
sizeable storage area for
water and its
distribution pipes.
10 Water storage in the attic
11 Attic Floor space

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4.2 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for

the Attic floor
Heritage
Importance
Walls Plain plaster with simple mouldings, probably 20th M

century
Wall Nil save for simple moulded skirtings M

Panelling
Ceiling Shelved ceiling and atrium H
Ceiling Baton ceiling and 1 no. 19th century stucco deco M

Features
Doors 19th century internal doors L
Windows Three panes by two panes high 18th century M

window
Fixtures & Mid 20th century wall heater. Toilet with cast iron L
Fittings support
Other Water deposit L

Items
Floors Timber floor covered with a carpet M
Overall Heritage Importance: High

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4.3 2nd floor

The second floor is at the present made up of 8 large rooms in the main building
and 5 office rooms in the reserved wing. A long corridor runs from the lobby to
the last office room. Recent redevelopments in the building have restricted
original features in the building to only four rooms in the 2nd floor. They will be
referred to as rooms 13, 14, 15 and 16. Other rooms’ photographic survey will be
included in the appendix
Typical hood on
top of the door
frames. Each
door has a
different
design.
The first door

on the left leads
to the study
rooms, offices
and servants
stair.
12. 2nd floor lobby
Batons crossed
in a rectangle
shape on the
ceiling board.
The cornice
decoration on
the 2nd floor
lobby is
different from
the ones on the
4css604: Building Adaptation & rooms and on
Conservation
the stair-well.
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13 lobby cornice detail
18th century timber framed

window traditional steel
hinges and support during
inclination. Shows clear signs
of deterioration
14.1

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14.
2
14.
3
14 2nd floor lobby window details

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18th century
Marble slab with
clear signs of
deterioration,
moulded round
the chimney
front.
Panelled and
plastered walls.
Far right:
moulded
cornice on top
of the door
frame
18th century
simple cornice
on the ceiling
Below: Flat
plastered
15 2nd floor room 16. Chimney

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16 2nd floor room 16 ceiling cornice detail
17 2nd floor room 15. chimney

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18 2nd Room 15 panelled wall
19 2nd floor room 15 Emergency and fire exit way inside the room

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20 room 14 wall panel, chimney and cornice detail
21 room 14 forged steel lock close to the chimney

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22 room 13 wall/ceiling detail
23 room 13 chimney detail

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24 2nd floor corridor
25 2nd floor corridor windows

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4.4 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment

for the 2nd floor
Heritage
Importance
Walls Plain plaster with simple mouldings, probably M

20th century
Wall Panelled walls with moulded door hoods M

Panelling
Ceiling Generally plastered 18th century cornices H
Ceiling Baton ceiling , few original cornices M

Features
Windows Three panes by four panes high 18th century H

window
Fixtures & Mid 20th century wall heater. Toilets, wash basins L
Fittings and 20th century fire and electrical fittings
Other 18th century forged steel safe guard L

Items

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4.5 First floor

The 1st floor is made up of the lounge, six rooms, a big kitchen and a wide
corridor that leads to the right wing section, made up of an extra four
rooms. It also has two different toilets and two stair cases. The lounge,
the main stair way and one of the rooms will be assessed here, while
photographic survey of the rest will be attached to the appendix.
26 1st floor lounge, showing entrance door
27 1st floor lounge showing stair to 2nd floor and entrance door(right) to the rooms

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28. 28.2
1

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28.
3
28 1st floor Lobby cornices

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29 Picture of the stair way (1865) showing the turned staircase and the stucco floral
plasterworks
30 Present view of the stair way

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31.1: 18th century

Exceptional oak twisted
balustrade detail
31.2: 18th century

exceptional curved oak stair
arms rest detail.

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31.3 31.4
31 Stair case features(1-4)

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32 stucco floral plasterwork on the stairway (1)
33 Stucco floral plasterworks on the stair walls (2)

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34 stair way details with the chandelier
35 floral details (1)

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36 Details of the floral plasterworks (2)
37 more stair and floral details

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38.1 38.2
38.3 38.4
38 1st floor room 1: stucco floral plasterworks

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39 19th century timber window shutters closed
40 19th century timber framed window shutters opened

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41 Broad corridor that connects the lobby, other rooms and kitchen to the right
winged building
42 The ring winged stable block building corridor

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4.6 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment

for the 1st floor
Heritage
Importance
Walls 18th century stucco floral on the stairway H
Wall Panelled walls with moulded door hoods M

Panelling
Ceiling Generally plastered 18th century cornices H
Ceiling Baton ceiling, generally few original cornices M

Features
Windows Three panes by four panes high 18th century H

window
Fixtures & Mid 20th century wall heater. Toilets, wash basins L
Fittings and 20th century fire and electrical fittings
Other 18th century oak turned balustered stairway, H

Items marble panelled chimneys

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4.7 Cellar
Though the cellar has under gone many transformation, it still has some
special features left in the likes of the cheese vault, a visible area of the
mixture of red brick and timber to strengthen the support of the load bearing
walls, the coal storage duct and a timber frame door and hinge that dates
back to the 19th century. The cellar has two stair ways; one that connects to
the outside parking bay used for introducing stocks into the building without
going through the lobby and the other, which connects the cellar with the
servant’s room in the attic.
43 stretched corridors that leads to several rooms in the cellar

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44 stock red bricks used in building the load bearing walls, strengthened with
timber
45 entrance from the exterior to the cellar

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46 Vault and alley way that leads to nowhere with a small entrance at the
staircase above.
47 The coal delivery and storage duct

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48 The length of the duct
49 The concrete slab
50 Recent rehabilitation works shown by the use of concrete beams

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51 Curved roof cheese storage
52 Recent use: power house

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53 Brick paved floor of the cellar
54 An original timber frame in poor condition

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55 some original timber hinge
56 heavy timber door frame details

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57 steel round locally moulded bolt
58 Manufactured rectangular bolt

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59 Timber framed protector with metal bars

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60 Stair case linking the cellar to the attic
61 Stair leading to the permanently sealed area of the cellar

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4.8 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for

the cellar
Heritage
Importance
Walls Stock red bricks M
Wall Poorly plastered L

Panelling
Ceiling Recent installed ceiling boards L
Ceiling Nil L
Features
Doors 1 no. 18th century door. Rest is 20the century M

doors
Windows Nil L
Fixtures & Nil L

Fittings
Other Cheese storage and ducts L

Items
Floors Brick paved M
Overall Heritage Importance: Low

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5. External photographic survey

The external survey will include the facade and the roof and some special
features. Other information will be included in the appendix.
4.1 Roof
62 stable block roof
63 Slates on the roof

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64 Slates with lead gutter
65 Chimney tops

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4.2 Facade
Rehabilitation
work recently
carried out on
the facade
Facade of the
right wing
bearing cast
iron support
preventing the
wall from
falling apart
66 Facade of the right wing
67 Stitch up at the rear of the building

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68 External entrance to the cellar.
69 External windows covered with brick walls

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70 18th century sash window
71 Victorian windows

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71 Cast iron floral protector
72 Rear facade of the building with cast iron rain water collector (circled)

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73 State of some of the bricks
74 Re-pointed wall

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75 External fire stair case in front of the building
76 External fire exit stair case at the left of the building

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References
1. 'Walthamstow: Introduction and domestic buildings', A History of the
County of Essex: Volume 6 (1973), pp. 240-250. URL: http://www.british-
history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42775&strquery=chestnuts house.
Date accessed: 28 October 2009.)
2. Bimonthly News from Vestry House Museum, Walthamstow, Essex E17
Vestiges number 47, page 1, 1962/1963
3. Some Walthamstow Houses
Walthamstow Antiquarian Society
Official Publication No. 12, 1924
4. http://lbonline.english-heritage.org.uk/Login.aspx
Accessed: 28/10/2009
5. Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
Link: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/ukpga_19900009_en_2#pt1-ch1-l1g1
6. http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/buildingregulations/
Accessed : 17/11/2009
7. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/ign_partl_buildingregs.pdf
8. Waltham Forest Unitary Development Policy (2006)
Page 147, Paragraph 8.74 & 8.78
http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/udp-chapter8-built-historic-envir-feb07.pdf
Accessed on 17/11/2009
9. National requirement list
Waltham Forest Council
Link: http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/national-requirement-lists-feb08.pdf

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Appendix 1: Drawing, plans and sketches

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Appendix 2: Historic photographs and records

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Appendix 3: More photographic survey

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Conservation

plan for November 26

2.1 Understanding the building: brief history....................................................6

2.2 General description......................................................................................8

3 Relevant policies and statutory constraints........................................................9

4.1 Attic storey...............................................................................................12

Overall Heritage Importance: High................................................16

4.3 2nd floor..................................................................................................... 17

4.5 First floor.................................................................................................... 27

5. External photographic survey..........................................................................51

4.1 Roof ........................................................................................................... 51

Appendix 1: Drawing, plans and sketches..........................................................60

Appendix 2: Historic photographs and records...................................................61

Appendix 3: More photographic survey..............................................................62

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

2. Present front view of the building.

4. Present back view of the building

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

5. Carriage entrance to the chestnuts house (1865)

6. Present vehicle entrance from Hoe street

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

2.1 Understanding the building: brief history

Map 1: ordinance survey of Walthamstow in 1840. Source: British History website.

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

Chestnuts house is a large red-brick 18th century Georgian house with

7. The rainwater head with the heading

Other wealthy families that lived there include:

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

lived there till 1854

• John Francis Holcombe Read: a 6ft.2in man, born in Jamaica. A composer,

2.2 General description

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

3 Relevant policies and statutory constraints

• Planning policy guidance 15: provides government policy for the

• Planning (listed Buildings and Conservation Area) Act 1990:

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

• Certificate of ownership ( to identify who owns the building)

• Plans and drawings as are necessary to describe the existing and

• Design and access statement (if required) and

• The appropriate fee

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

Flat batons were

5 Attic ceiling with flower bud

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

7 Evidence of leakages from the roof

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

8 Wood beams in the attic

The 20th century

Featuring the tank

9 Toilet in the attic

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

The attic storey

10 Water storage in the attic

11 Attic Floor space

4css604: Building Adaptation & Conservation

4.2 Conclusion: Conservation Plan Heritage Asset Assessment for

Walls Plain plaster with simple mouldings, probably 20th M

Wall Nil save for simple moulded skirtings M

Ceiling Shelved ceiling and atrium H

Ceiling Baton ceiling and 1 no. 19th century stucco deco M

Doors 19th century internal doors L

Windows Three panes by two panes high 18th century M