westminster abbey and parliament square - Westminster City Council

24WESTMINSTER ABBEY ANDPARLIAMENT SQUARE

Date: 6 September 2008Status:Document ID no:Further Information from:Email:Adopted Supplementary Planning Document962Conservation Area Audit,Department of Planning and City Development,Westminster City Council,64 Victoria Street,London SW1E 6QPconservationareaaudit@westminster.gov.ukDirect Tel: 020 7641 2850/8705/8019Department of Planning and City DevelopmentDevelopment Planning ServicesCity Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QPwww.Westminster.gov.ukCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

PREFACESince the designation of the firstconservation areas in 1967 the CityCouncil has undertaken a comprehensiveprogramme of conservation areadesignation, extensions and policydevelopment. There are now 55conservation areas in Westminster,covering 76% of the City. Theseconservation areas are the subjectof detailed policies in the UnitaryDevelopment Plan and in SupplementaryPlanning Guidance and Documents. Inaddition to the basic activity of designationand the formulation of general policy,the City Council is required to undertakeconservation area appraisals and to deviselocal policies in order to protect the uniquecharacter of each area.Although this process was first undertakenwith the various designation reports, morerecent national guidance (as found inPlanning Policy Guidance Note 15 and theEnglish Heritage guidance documents)requires detailed appraisals of eachconservation area in the form of formallyapproved and published documents.This enhanced process involves thereview of original designation proceduresand boundaries, analysis of historicaldevelopment, identification of all listedbuildings and those unlisted buildingsmaking a positive contribution to an area,and the identification and description ofkey townscape features, including streetpatterns, trees, open spaces and buildingtypes.The second stage involved the productionof conservation area directories foreach conservation area. A directory hasnow been adopted for 51 of the City’sconservation areas and includes copies ofdesignation reports, a detailed evaluationof the historical development of the areaand analysis of listed buildings and keytownscape features.The City is now working on a programmeto prepare conservation area auditsfor each of its conservation areas. Thiswill form the third and final stage ofthe appraisal process. As each audit isadopted as a Supplementary PlanningDocument, it will incorporate the Directoryfor that conservation area.Councillor Robert Davis DLDeputy Leader andCabinet Member for Built EnvironmentGiven the number and complexity ofWestminster’s conservation areas theappraisal process has been broken downinto three stages, the first of which iscomplete. This first stage involved thepublication of General Information Leafletsor mini-guides for each conservationarea covering in brief a series of keycategories including Designation, HistoricalBackground, Listed Buildings and KeyFeatures.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

CONTENTS1 INTRODUCTION2 LOCATION AND SETTING3 HISTORY4 CHARACTER OF THE CONSERVATION AREAGENERALSTREETS AND SPACESARCHITECTUREOverviewRoof ProfilesUnlisted Buildings of MeritLandmark BuildingsVIEWS5 TOWNSCAPE DETAILRailings, Boundary Walls and EnclosureStreet FurnitureShopfrontsPublic ArtHard LandscapingTrees and Soft LandscapingLAND USES6 NEGATIVE FEATURES & ENHANCEMENT7 MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS8 GLOSSARY OF TERMS9 DIRECTORY OF BACKGROUND PAPERS & INFORMATIONSPD Background DocumentsDesignation and Extension ReportsList of listed buildingsOther DesignationsPublications and Further ReadingContactsCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

Table of Figures and IllustrationsFigurePage1 Map: Boundaries of the conservation area 112 Image of Westminster by Wenzel Hollar, 1647 (Copyright, Guildhall Library) 133 Morgan’s Map, 1682 144 Strype’s Map, 1755 165 Illustration of the Palace of Westminster on fire, 1834 176 Ordnance Survey Map, 1870 187 Ordnance Survey Map, 1910 198 Bomb damage to Palace of Westminster 209 The River Thames from Victoria Tower Gardens 2310 View of Clock Tower, Westminster Hall and Parliament Square 2311 Map: Character Areas 2412 Cloisters of Westminster Abbey 2513 Great College Street 2514 Map: Westminster World Heritage Site 2815 Parliament Square with backdrop of the Palace of Westminster 2916 Dean’s Yard 3017 Arched entrance to Dean’s Yard from Great College Street 3018 Curving enclosed form of Great Smith Street 3019 Map: Hierarchy of Streets and Spaces 3120 Map: Approximate Building Ages 3321 Detailing above the Royal Entrance 3422 South elevation of Palace from Victoria Tower Gardens 3423 Palace of Westminster river elevations 3424 Nine-light window to St Stephen’s Porch 3525 View of the Palace from Whitehall 3526 Westminster Hall 3527 Medieval Jewel Tower 3528 View of No 6-7 Palladian style villa, Old Palace Yard 3629 View of St Margaret’s Church with Big Ben in the background 3630 Former Middlesex Guildhall 3631 Middlesex Guildhall porch detailing 3732 Methodist Central Hall 3733 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 3734 Sir George Gilbert Scott’s neo-Gothic buildings viewed across Broad Sanctuary 3735 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and neighbouring No. 11, Great George 38Street36 Institution of Mechanical Engineers 3837 8-10 Storey’s Gate, with No 10 (Clutha House) in the foreground 3838 Edwardian buildings, Matthew Parker Street 3939 Westminster Abbey, North entrance 39CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

40 Henry VII’s Chapel 3941 Westminster Abbey, Hawksmoor’s west towers 4042 Great Cloister East Walk 4043 View from west walk taking in the S-E corner of the Great Cloister 4044 Map: Plan for the Abbey Precincts 4145 The Chapter House from Old palace Yard 4246 Nos 7 & 8 Little Cloisters, Abbey Gardens elevations 4247 Nos 4 & 5 Little Cloisters, Abbey Gardens elevation; Victoria Tower in the 42background48 Stone wall defining southern boundary of Thorney Island 4349 Lord Burlington’s Dormitory Abbey Gardens elevation 4350 Ashburnam House, viewed from Little Dean’s Yard 4351 Nos 2 & 3 Little Dean’s Yard 4452 View of north-eastern corner of Dean’s Yard 4453 Abbey Gatehouse 4454 Nos 20,19 & 18 Dean’s Yard 4555 19 Dean’s Yard 4556 16th century entrance to the Blackstone Tower 4557 18th century entrance to 20 Dean’s yard 4558 17 Dean’s Yard 4659 Church House frontage onto Dean’s Yard 4660 Western elevations to Dean’s yard 4661 Nos 5 & 6 (G.A. Hall: 1897) part of Westminster School 4762 Former Queen Anne’s Bounty Offices 4763 Westminster Abbey Choir School 4764 North side of Dean’s Yard 4765 Passage to Dean’s Yard from Great College Street 4866 Great College Street, looking towards Church House 4867 Church House, Great Smith Street 4868 Orchard House, with the Sanctuary buildings behind 4869 Nos 22-26 Great Smith Street 4970 Former public baths 4971 Former library 4972 Nos 36-40 Great Smith Street 4973 No 35 Great Smith Street 4974 St Matthew’s Church & Clergy House 5075 St Matthew’s and Old Pye House’s eastern facades, St Ann’s Street 5076 Flats fronting Westminster Archive building, St Ann’s Street 5077 Roof profile of N-W corner of Dean’s Yard with Methodist Hall in background 5278 Westminster Abbey roof profile. 5279 Roof profile of Great College Street 5380 Map: Listed and Unlisted Building of Merit 55CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

81 View of Westminster Abbey and its towers set against a backdrop of clear sky 5682 Victoria Tower 5683 Map: Landmarks and Views 6084 Railings to Cromwell Green Visitor Entrance (2007) 6185 Houses of Parliament gates and railings (c 1869) 6186 Gates to Black Rod’s garden 6187 Embankment walls in Victoria Tower Gardens 6288 Railings to Victoria Tower Gardens 6289 Jewel Tower railings 6290 Railings to lawns around St Margaret’s Church and the Abbey 6291 Abbey Gates and railing with ornate lamp columns 6292 Gate from Dean’s Yard to Great Cloister 6393 Medieval stone wall north of Great College Street marking southern boundary of 63Thorney Island and the Abbey Precinct94 Gates to Little Cloisters 6395 Decorative Victorian Gothic railings, No 2-3 The Sanctuary 6396 Wrought iron railing panel, Dean’s Yard 6497 Elegant railings, No 3 Dean’s Yard 6498 Great George Street 6499 Wrought iron railings to former public baths, No.32 Great Smith Street 64100 Replica Palace of Westminster lampstandards 65101 Grey Wornum lampstandard 65102 Listed Nico lantern with two ladder rods, Broad Sanctuary 65103 Lanterns on the Peer’s entrance 66104 Lantern on Westminster Bridge 66105 Windsor lanterns in Dean’s Yard 66106 Lamps to Institution of Civil Engineers 66107 Lamps on Westminster and Lambeth Bridge 66108 Lamps on Middlesex Guildhall 66109 Double aperture pillar box 67110 K2 telephone box 67111 Raised benches in Victoria Tower Gardens 67112 Signage on Great Smith Street 67113 Signage on the former Library 67114 Signage on the former Public Baths 67115 Modern bollards, walkway of Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 68116 Shopfronts to Orchard House, Great Smith Street 68117 No 8 Storey’s Gate 68118 Church House Bookshop 69119 Westminster Arms public house 69120 Churchill statue, Parliament Square 70121 Buxton Memorial, Victoria Tower Gardens 70CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

122 Bas relief from the former Middlesex Guildhall 70123 ‘Knife Edge: Two Pieces’ by Henry Moore 70124 Architectural sculpture over west entrance of Westminster Abbey 71125 Integrated sculpture to Palace facade 71126 Map: Public Realm, Street Furniture, Open Spaces and Statues and Monuments 72127 Granite setts behind Westminster Abbey 73128 Golden Jubilee paved sundial by Julian Bickwell, Old Palace Yard 73129 Paving in Little Dean’s Yard 73130 Granite setts off footways and carriageways of Storey’s Gate 75131 Parliament Square 75132 New Palace Yard 75133 Dean’s Yard central green 75134 Abbey Garden 75135 Map: Land Uses 76136 Parliament Square 79137 Traffic and Tarmac road around Dean’s Yard 80138 Abingdon Street car park entrance 81139 No 2 Little Smith Street 81140 Traffic sign 81141 Street clutter 82142 Bollards 82143 Excessive roof level alterations at 16 Great Smith Steet 82144 Air-conditioning unit to the front of Westminster Abbey 83145 Modern replacement railings and grilles blocking basement lightwell to 10 Great 83George Street146 Security fencing to Speaker’s Green 83147 Barriers to Old Palace Yard 83148 Crowd security measures 84149 Food and drink kiosk outside Abbey 84CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP

1 INTRODUCTION ANDPOLICY CONTEXT1.1 Conservation Areas are ‘areas ofspecial architectural or historic interest,the character and appearance of whichis it desirable to preserve or enhance.’They are areas which are immediatelyrecognisable for their distinctivetownscape.1.2 Section 69 of the Planning (ListedBuildings and Conservation Areas) Act1990 obliges local authorities to identifywhich part of their areas are of specialarchitectural and historic interest. TheCity Council has a statutory duty toreview the character and boundariesof its conservation areas. This Audit isthe third, and final stage of a reviewprocess. The overall appraisal strategyis based upon national guidance foundin both Planning Policy Guidance Note15 and the English Heritage publications:Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisalsand Guidance on Conservation AreaManagement.1.3 The Audit describes both thehistorical development, and characterand appearance of the conservationarea. It identifies and explains importantlocal features such as unlisted buildingsof merit, unbroken rooflines and localviews. In addition the audit also seeks toapply relevant Unitary Development Planpolicies to the local context in order topreserve and/or enhance the characterand appearance of the area.has been carried out in accordance withWestminster’s Statement of CommunityInvolvement. A sustainability appraisaland statement setting out how the publichave been involved in preparation of thedocument is set out in the SPD documentswhich form an appendix to this document.1.5 The Conservation Area Audit forWestminster Abbey & Parliament Squarewas adopted as a Supplementary PlanningDocument by the Cabinet Member forBuilt Environment on 26.09.2009. TheWestminster Abbey & Parliament SquareConservation Area was designated on06 November 1969 and extended on 17November 1987. The designation reportscan be found in the Directory at the back ofthis document.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEThe Unitary Development Plan (UDP)was adopted in January 2007 and is thestatutory document setting out planningpolicies for developing land, improvingtransport and protecting the environmentin Westminster. Relevant policies fromthe UDP are referred to throughout theaudit.1.4 This is a Supplementary PlanningDocument and will supplementWestminster’s emerging LocalDevelopment Framework, as well as thesaved policies in the Unitary DevelopmentPlan, as referred to below. It has beenprepared in accordance with the advicecontained in PPS12 and the Town andCountry Planning (local development)(England) Regulations 2004. ConsultationCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP10

2 LOCATION AND SETTING2.1 Westminster Abbey & Parliament Square Conservation Area is located in the south-eastof the City of Westminster. The northern boundary follows Bridge Street and George Street,skirting the north side of Parliament Square. The western boundary is irregular and leadsfrom Storey’s Gate to Tufton Street via Great Smith Street and St Ann’s Street. The southernboundary runs along College Street and follows Millbank as far Vauxhall Bridge.2.2 The Whitehall Conservation Area lies to the northern side of Bridge Street. The BirdcageWalk Conservation Area extends to the north-west beyond Storey’s Gate. The Smith SquareConservation Area reaches to the south, beyond Great College Street and west of Millbank.To the east the conservation area shares a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth’sSouth Bank Conservation Area which forms part of the setting for the World Heritage Site.2.3 The map at Figure 1 shows these boundaries.Figure 1: Boundaries of theconservation areaCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP11

3 HISTORY3.1 The Westminster Abbey andParliament Square Conservation Area hasa complex history, stretching back over athousand years.Thorney Island3.2 Originally known as Thorney Island,the area was separated from surroundingmarshland by two branches of the riverTyburn. The Tyburn divided at the bottomof today’s Victoria Street. One branch ransouth from there, along the course of GreatSmith Street and west along Great CollegeStreet. This was the line of the original‘mill ditch’ from the Abbey mill. The other,known as Long Ditch, ran north along thecourse of Storeys Gate, turning to join theThames at Downing Street. The extent ofthis naturally moated island is roughly thatof the present day conservation area.Roman / Saxon Occupation3.3 There is evidence that the areawas occupied from the Iron Age and,although situated to the south of theRoman city of Londinium, there havealso been suggestions of Roman activityclose to Thorney Island (See Statement ofArchaeological Significance).3.4 The first substantial evidence ofoccupation of this area, however, datesfrom the Saxon period, from when theearliest religious associations are likelyto date. A charter dated AD 785, fromKing Offa of Mercia, grants land “...to StPeter and the needy people of God in thatterrible place called Westminster...”. 1 Later,St Dunstan, Bishop of London, re-foundeda Benedictine Abbey on the site in AD 957.MedievalStatement of Archaeological Significance3.5 The importance of Westminster asa royal and national centre has much todo with St Edward the Confessor, whowas responsible for the re-building andenlargement of the original Benedictine StPeter’s Abbey c.1050. In order to overseeits construction, he took up residence ina palace next to the Abbey. The Abbeywas England’s first cruciform church andone of the longest and most elaborateRomanesque churches in Europe.3.6 The Norman kings that followedcontinued to strengthen the importance ofthe Palace as a royal residence throughfurther rebuilding of the complex. AfterWilliam the Conqueror, all subsequentmonarchs, except Edward V and VIII, werealso crowned at the Abbey. This created along-standing link between the Abbey andthe monarchy.• The conservation area lies within the Thorney Island Area of Special ArchaeologicalPriority.• There is evidence of early settlement of the site in the Mesolithic period, over 7,000years ago. Subsequent archaeological finds have confirmed the sporadic occupationof the area throughout the prehistoric periods.• The river frontage of the conservation area has exceptional archaeological potential.• The potential for preservation of prehistoric deposits is good. Constant shifting riverchannels have laid down alluvial material which preserves organic remains well.• Tothill Street, to the north of conservation area, may have been a Roman routeleading to a ford at Westminster.• The reuse of Roman building materials in the finds of the Saxon Abbey demonstrateRoman occupation nearby.1: Westminster World Heritage Site Management Plan (2007) : 25CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP12

Figure 2: Image of Westminster by Wenzel Hollar dated 1647 (Copyright, Guildhall Library)3.7 It was during this period that Williamthe Conqueror’s son, William II, builtWestminster Hall (1097). This and theJewel Tower (Henry Yevele: 1365-6), builtto house Henry III’s personal wardrobe,are the only surviving parts of the medievalpalace. The Royal Palace residenceoccupied over 13 acres and consistedof an outer court (New Palace Yard), themiddle court (Green Yard), the inner court(Old Palace Yard) and St Stephen’s Court.3.8 Next to the Palace, the BenedictineAbbey flourished and by the 12th centuryit was the wealthiest religious house inBritain. The Abbey’s land consisted ofroughly 14 acres and was segregated fromroyal land in the 12th century. The Abbeytherefore developed its land independently,creating its own precinct includingcloisters, dormitory, Abbot’s lodgings andAbbey gardens. Major reconstruction ofthe Abbey church took place in 1245 underHenry III resulting in the Anglo-FrenchGothic form that exists today. The LadyChapel, 1220-45, also dates from thisperiod (though was later replaced in 1503-10 by Henry VII’s Tudor Gothic Chapel).3.9 St Margaret’s Church was built inthe northern precinct of Abbey land inthe late 11th century to provide a parishchurch for the growing settlement ofWestminster. The original church of StMargaret’s was remodelled in variousphases but by the 15th century it had falleninto such disrepair that it required almosttotal reconstruction. The present church(c.1482-1523) was rebuilt by RobertStowell. Although it is no longer officiallya parish church, St Margaret’s is todayknown as ‘the parish church of the Houseof Commons’.3.10 The medieval settlement ofWestminster developed around the Abbeyand Palace complex but was initiallysmall, confined to the approach roadsfrom the west and north. Services andtraders associated with the complex beganto colonise the area; an almonry beinglocated to the south of Tothill Street and awool market on Bridge Street. The AbbeyMill was located just south of the Abbeyon Millbank and beyond this, to the southof the conservation area, was the area ofopen ground known as Tothill fields.3.11 The name of the area north ofthe Abbey and St Margaret’s, BroadSanctuary, relates to the ancient areaof religious sanctuary that the AbbeyCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP13

Figure 3: Morgan’s Map of 1682. The presence of Westminster Hall, WestminsterAbbey and its precinct buildings are clearly illustrated on the map.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP14

provided here to certain criminals broughtto trial at Westminster. To the north was acurved lane called Bow Street or ThievingLane. The existence of a safe haven forcriminals meant that this area gained abad reputation, but the legal concept ofsanctuary survived here until the reign ofJames I.3.12 Throughout this time theneighbouring palace, east of Old PalaceYard, developed to become a principalseat of court and government, as well asa royal residence. Edward I held a ‘model’Parliament in Westminster Palace, butafter this time the Lords met in the palaceitself while the Commons resided in theAbbey Chapter House- a situation thatcontinued for three centuries.Early Modern3.13 Only in 1512, when fire destroyedmost of the royal residential area ofthe Palace, did this change. Henry VIIIabandoned Westminster as a residencein 1529 and moved to Whitehall Palace,leaving the Palace of Westminsterto become devoted entirely to theadministration of law and the seat ofParliament. The Commons moved intothe upper chapel of St Stephen’s and theLords into the Queen’s Chamber.3.14 Henry VIII’s Dissolution of theMonasteries (1536-9) saw the surrenderof the Abbey (1539) and the land takenover by the King. The Abbey’s riches werelost and for a number of years the Abbeycomplex stood empty. However, it wasspared destruction after being grantedcathedral status (1540) and subsequently aBenedictine monastery was re-established(1556-9) before Elizabeth I granted itscharter (1560) as a Royal Peculiar (a placeof worship that falls directly under thejurisdiction of the British monarch, ratherthan a diocese).3.15 Westminster School has also alwaysbeen located within the Abbey precinct andis believed to have been founded to servethe Abbey in 1179. The school’s historycan be traced to a mention within theAlmonry buildings, which lay south-westof the Abbey close. In 1461 the premiseswere taken to the east side of Dean’sYard. In the 16th century the school rollexpanded and the college was re-foundedby Queen Elizabeth I, confirming its royalpatronage until it became self-governingunder the Public Schools Act of 1868.3.16 The settlement of Westminster grewand expanded throughout the 16th and17th centuries and by the time of Morgan’sMap of 1682 (Figure 3), the area all aroundthe Abbey, along the river and to the northof the Abbey precinct was densely built up.3.17 To the south of the conservation areadevelopment was slower. Great SmithStreet was laid out in the late 17th centuryby James Smyth, along the old windingboundary of Thorney Island, runningsouth from The Sanctuary. Great CollegeStreet was laid out circa 1720 along theold southern boundary of Thorney Island,which is still defined on the northern sideby the stone wall to Abbey Gardens.Gradually, these streets were alsobordered by houses and gardens as seenon Strype’s Map (Figure 4).3.18 This growth in population put a strainon the area, bringing a need for improvedriver connections. During the first half ofthe 17th century the only way to crosswas via the Horse Ferry, some distanceto the south of the conservation area. Thenew Westminster Bridge was thereforeopened in 1750, designed by CharlesLabelye. By the middle of the 19th century,the bridge was considered structurallyunsound and had to be replaced (1862).However, the provision of a river crossingwas a significant impetus for the area’sdevelopment3.19 Various new streets were laid out atthe same time as the new river crossing.The new Bridge Street, leading fromWestminster Bridge, was continued asCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP15

Figure 4: Strype’s Map 1755CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP16

Great George Street to St James Park,while Parliament Street was createdjust to the east of, and later completelysuperceding King Street. Abingdon Street,running along the line of an ancient lane toMillbank was also widened and renamedand a mason named Abraham Storeywas responsible for the development ofStorey’s Gate, to the north-west of theconservation area.3.20 Further additions and alterations tothe Palace complex continued throughoutthe 18th century with contributions frommany of the major architects and craftsmenof the day including Nicholas Hawksmoor,James Wyatt and Sir John Soane. Theresult was a somewhat chaotic mixture ofparliamentary and government offices.Victorian3.21 A major fire in 1834 destroyed mostof the Palace, sparing only WestminsterHall and the Jewel Tower (Figure 5). Anational competition followed. The termswere to design and build a New Palaceof Westminster on the same site and ineither ‘Gothic or Elizabethan’ style. Thewinner was Sir Charles Barry, assistedby A.W Pugin, and this was announcedin February 1836. The design wasPerpendicular Gothic in style. This choicewas seen as an early victory in whatbecame known, in the following decades,as the ‘Battle of the Styles’.3.22 Until the 19th century, the areaaround the Abbey and to the eastern partof St Margaret’s churchyard was clutteredwith tenements. An Act of Parliament in1806 allowed the clearing of slums toopen up views of the Palace. After thenew palace had been constructed thisarea was laid out by Charles Barry Junioras Parliament Square in 1868. The newSquare was the site of London’s first trafficsignals (1868) and gyratory system (1926).3.23 Victoria Street was also opened in1852 in order to link Victoria Station withWestminster. This and the laying of theDistrict Line in the late Victorian period ledto widespread change and slum clearancearound Tothill Street.3.24 Many of the changes and newbuildings in the area which date from thisperiod are visible in the 1870s ordnancesurvey map (Figure 6). Various large newbuildings formed significant landmarksin the area. Opposite the Palace, theWestminster Hospital was moved to BroadSanctuary in the 1830s, housed in a largeand prominent Gothic building (demolishedin 1951). The giant Westminster PalaceFigure 5: Illustration of thePalace on fire, 1834CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP17

Figure 6: Ordnance Survey Map of 1870CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP18

Figure 7: Ordnance Survey Map 1910CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP19

Hotel was built the corner of Tothill Street.Another prominent addition to the areaadjacent to this was the Royal Aquariumwhich was opened in 1876 on a large siteat the north eastern end of Tothill Street,where the Middlesex Guildhall / SupremeCourt now stands.3.25 The area of the present VictoriaTower Gardens was cleared in the 1870sand laid out as public gardens by JosephBazalgatte. The site of Old Palace Yardwas levelled in 1895 to open up the view ofthe rear of the Abbey Chapter House andcreate the garden that is there today.3.26 In the southern part of theconservation area, Victorian improvementsof a smaller scale included the first freepublic library in London and the publicbaths, located on the site now occupiedby Westminster Archives (1857). Thepresent building, designed by F J Smith,was opened in 1893 on the opposite (west)side. There was also a men’s hostel atNo.18 Great Peter Street and a Library forthe Blind at No. 35 Great Smith Street.Twentieth Century3.27 The early 20th century saw thedevelopment of a concentration ofinstitutional buildings in the Storey’sGate/ Little Sanctuary area, including theRoyal Institute of Chartered Surveyorsand the Institution of Civil Engineers onwhat became known as ‘engineer’s row’.The L-shaped Matthew Parker Street wasalso laid out in 1909 behind the MethodistCentral Hall to the south of Storey’s Gate.By the time of the 1910 Ordnance SurveyMap (Figure 7), the area had evolved toclosely resemble its current form.3.28 Since the mid-20th century,alterations to the Palace have occurred,though largely in the form of repairs dueto bomb damage and deterioration. AWorld War II bomb in 1941 caused severedamage to the House of Commons,leading to its redesign by Sir Giles GilbertScott.Figure 8: Bomb damage to Palace of Westminsterduring WWII3.29 The architect Grey Wornum wascommissioned to redesign ParliamentSquare (1949-50) in order to facilitate theanticipated traffic generated by the Festivalof Britain (1951). Wornum’s scheme waswell received at the time and he wasawarded the RIBA gold medal for his workin 1952. The scheme capitalised on thedemolition of buildings on Canning Greenwhich enlarged the square to the west bymoving the road on the west side of thesquare further west. This created today’striangular Canning Green, grassing overthe old road. The layout of the square haschanged little since this reconfigurationdue to the range and quality of the originalmaterials used.3.30 Evidence of evolution within the areacan be seen in the modern developmentsto the south-west and to the north, themost notable building being the QueenElizabeth II Conference Centre (1981-6) by Powell and Moya. Although justoutside the conservation area, PortcullisHouse at the corner of Bridge Street andVictoria Embankment was opened inCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP20

2001 and is important to the setting ofthe Houses of Parliament and ParliamentSquare. Designed by Michael Hopkinsand Partners, it houses offices for 210MPs, as well as a number of committeerooms. The building is founded on the newWestminster Underground Station whichwas built as part of the Jubilee Line.3.31 Most of the current conservationarea was designated in 1969, when itformed part of the larger GovernmentPrecinct Conservation Area. In 1987,the Government Precinct was dividedinto smaller areas, one of which was theWestminster Abbey & Parliament SquareConservation Area.3.32 In 1987 much of the conservationarea was inscribed within the ‘Palace ofWestminster, Westminster Abbey, and StMargaret’s Church World Heritage Site’ bythe United Nations Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),recognising the area’s significance havingbeen at the heart of the UK state andChurch of England for almost 1000 years.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP21

Timelinec.960 Construction of the Abbey by Benedictine monks on the area known as ThorneyIsland (the ‘island of thorns’).c.1050 Edward the Confessor re-built and enlarged the Abbey.1066 William the Conqueror crowned monarch and Palace of Westminster becamehis home.1097 William Rufus added Westminster Hall to the Palace.1245 Henry III began the re-build of the Abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as ashrine to Edward the Confessor.1365-6 Jewel Tower added to south-west of the Palace complex by Henry Yevele.c.1394-1402Westminster Hall re-built.1503-10 Henry VII’s Chapel added to replace the 13th century Lady Chapel; it was thegreatest single work of Tudor Gothic.1529 Henry VIII abandoned the Palace as his principal residence and moved to YorkPalace (renaming it the Palace of Whitehall). Subsequently the empty Palacebegan to be used for Parliamentary activity; the House of Commons sitting inthe upper chapel of St Stephen’s Chapel and the House of Lords using theQueen’s Chamber.1539 Following Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536-9) the Abbeysurrendered.1540 The Abbey was given cathedral status by charter thus sparing it from thesubsequent destruction that most English abbeys were subject to.1556-9 Benedictine monastery was re-established.1560 Elizabeth I granted its charter as a Royal Peculiar (a place of worship that fallsdirectly under the jurisdiction of the British monarch, rather than a diocese).Late 17thearly18thLaying out of the streets, including Great Smith Street, Storey’s Gate, GreatCollege Street and Abingdon Street.c.1735 - 1745 The two western towers of the Abbey were constructed by Nicholas Hawksmoor– an early example of Gothic Revival.1750 Opening of the first Westminster Bridge; this was replaced in 1862.1750sCreation of Great George Street, Bridge Street and Parliament Street.1834 Destruction of the Houses of Lords and Commons by Fire. All that survived ofthe original palace was the medieval Westminster Hall.1835/6 Architectural competition for the New Palace of Westminster was announced.Charles Barry’s Perpendicular Neo-Gothic design was chosen as a clearwinner.1852 Clearing of slums and creation of Victoria Street.1868 Charles Barry Junior lays out Parliament Square.1870s-90sCreation of Victoria Tower Gardens and clearing of Old Palace Yard.1890-1915 Redevelopment of area around Storeys Gate and laying out of Matthew ParkerStreet.1941 House of Commons severely damaged by German bombing; re-designed andre-built by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1950.1950 Parliament Square laid out by Grey Wornum.1981-6 Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre constructed on the site of the OldWestminster Hospital.1981-94 Programme of works to the external facades of the Palace.1987 Designation of World Heritage Site and Westminster Abbey & ParliamentSquare as Conservation Area.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP22

4 CHARACTER OF THECONSERVATION AREAGeneral4.1 The Westminster Abbey & ParliamentSquare Conservation Area has a uniqueand complex character. This has beenshaped by its gradual evolution over 1000years and its role as the seat of the Churchand the State.4.2 The townscape of the conservationarea is today dominated by many worldfamouslandmarks and buildings, making ita busy international tourist destination. Yet,there are other distinctive and more hiddenareas beyond this which have a quieterand more private character. The area cantherefore be loosely subdivided into fourcharacter areas, described below andshown on the map at Figure 11.Area 1: Palace of Westminster andVictoria Tower Gardens4.3 The neo-Gothic splendour of thePalace of Westminster dominates theconservation area, and beyond. Standingprominently on the Thames, it is famous forits picturesque composition and delicateroofline of pinnacles and towers. One ofLondon’s most famous sites, it is also thearea’s biggest tourist draw.4.4 The Victoria Tower Gardens, to thesouth of the Palace, provide an attractiveescape from the busy routes around. Thislarge area of green open space enjoys ariver side location, with expansive viewsalong the Thames and to the VictoriaTower.Figure 10: View of Clock Tower (left),Westminster Hall (right) and Parliament Squarein foreground.Area 2: Broad Sanctuary, Storey’s Gateand Parliament Square4.5 Parliament Square is of centralimportance to the area and forms theforeground in the iconic views of thePalace and the Abbey. The central largepublic space also provides a green andopen setting for the surrounding buildings.4.6 Its symbolic importance as theforeground to Parliament is marked by thenumber of statues of famous statesmenlocated around its perimeter. The squareis, however, currently dominated by a highvolume of traffic and congestion within thearea.4.7 To its north-west corner is an areaof large scale late 19th and 20th centuryinstitutional buildings around Storey’sGate. These give a formal character to theopen spaces of the north side of VictoriaStreet, Broad Sanctuary and ParliamentSquare.Figure 9: The River Thames at Victoria TowerGardensCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP23

Figure 11: Character AreasCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP24

Area 3: Westminster Abbey andWestminster School4.8 The Abbey is the other majorlandmark dominating Parliament Square.Along with its precinct buildings, itprovides a contrast to the predominantlylate Victorian and Edwardian buildingselsewhere. Behind the public face ofthe Abbey, however, is the monasticarrangement of enclosed courts andnarrow passages, which have a quiet andprivate character.Figure 12:There aremany attractivehidden spaces inthe conservationarea, includingthe enclosedcloisters ofWestminsterAbbeyFigure 13: Great College Streetbuildings, many of these the result ofVictorian improvements and reform.4.11 The streets of this area have aquieter atmosphere than those aroundthe Abbey-Palace complex and arecharacterised by a sense of enclosure.The scale reduces to the east of the area,moving away from Victoria Street. Thecharacter here is more domestic, stronglyrelated to that of the adjoining SmithSquare Conservation Area.Character Summary4.9 The medieval origins are visiblein the buildings and cloisters, which arerelatively small in scale. WestminsterSchool and Westminster Abbey ChoirSchool are also set to the south of thechurch, in the enclosed spaces of Dean’sYard and Little Dean’s Yard. These usesstrongly influence the character of thispart of the area, described by Pevsner asstrongly resembling a ‘cathedral close’ 2 .Area 4: Great Smith Street/ St Ann’sStreet4.10 The area to the south-west ofthe conservation area feels physicallyseparate to the rest of the conservationarea. Originally outside the Abbey walls,it did not develop till much later and todayits townscape is dominated by a numberof brick Victorian or early 20th century• Built environment which has evolved over1000 years, with buildings of all ages andstyles, set around network of open spaces• Role of area at the centre of Government andChurch• Dominated by World Heritage Site- includingthe Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbeyand St Margaret’s Church• Importance of River Thames to setting.• Public areas around Parliament Square,dominated by traffic• Larger scale governmental and institutional19th and 20th century buildings in the northwest• Quiet enclosed cloisters and courtyards of theAbbey precinct• Late Victorian and Edwardian townscape onquiet streets to the south-west2 Bradley and Pevsner (2003): London 6: Westminster p 200CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP25

World Heritage Site4.12 The Palace of Westminster,Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’sChurch, was inscribed as a culturalWorld Heritage Site in 1987. Thisincludes a significant proportion of theWestminster Abbey and ParliamentSquare Conservation Area (Figure 14).The designation of this group makes themone of 851 buildings and sites worldwideconsidered to have outstanding universalvalue and to be part of the world’s culturaland natural heritage.4.13 The justification for the inscriptionfor the Westminster World Heritage Siteand its architectural, historic and symbolicsignificance is as follows:• The importance, as a group, of the threebuildings of the Palace of Westminster,Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’sChurch• The Palace as a supreme exampleof Gothic Revival and the world of SirCharles Barry and AW Pugin• The surviving buildings of the medievalPalace of Westminster, notably theinternationally important WestminsterHall and the Jewel Tower• Westminster as the site of thedevelopment of parliamentary idealssince the 13th century and as the preeminentsymbol of the democraticinstitution• Westminster Abbey as a majorecclesiastical monument of greatantiquity and beauty• Westminster Abbey as the placeof coronation and shrine of Britishmonarchs since the 11th century andthe place where the nation’s importantstatesmen, poets and other individualsare commemorated• St Margaret’s Church as the church ofthe House of Commons4.14 Therefore the following UNESCOcriteria are met by the WHS:• Criterion (i) represents a masterpiece ofhuman creative genius• Criterion (ii) exhibits an importantinterchange of human values, over aspan of time or within a cultural areaof the world, on developments inarchitecture or technology, monumentalarts, town planning or landscape design.• Criterion (iv) be an outstanding exampleof a type of building or architectural ortechnological ensemble or landscapewhich illustrates (a) significant stage(s)in human history.• Criterion (vi) to be directly associatedwith events or living tradition withideas or with beliefs, with artistic andliterary works of outstanding universalsignificance.4.15 The way in which the WestminsterWHS meets the criteria is set out in theinscription as follows:• Criterion 1 - Westminster Abbey is aunique artistic construction representinga striking sequence of the successivephases of English Gothic art.• Criterion 2 - Other than its influence onEnglish architecture during the MiddleAges, the Abbey has played anotherleading role by influencing the workof Charles Barry and Augustus WelbyPugin at Westminster Palace, in the“Gothic Revival” of the 19th century.• Criterion 4 - The Abbey, the Palace andSt Margaret’s illustrate in a concreteway the specificities of parliamentarymonarchy over as long a period of timeas nine centuries. Whether one looksat the royal tombs of the chapterhouse,the remarkable vastness of WestminsterHall, of the House of Lords or of theHouse of Commons, art is everywherepresent and harmonious, making aCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP26

veritable museum of the history of theUnited Kingdom.4.16 Further information on the uniquequalities and significance of the site whichhave resulted in its designation as ofOutstanding Universal Value, as well askey management objectives, can be foundin the ‘Westminster World Heritage SiteManagement Plan, available to downloadfrom the English Heritage Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk.4.17 It is also recognised by the WorldHeritage Committee that the WestminsterWHS may be revised at an appropriatetime and any application will need to beundertaken through the Department forCulture Media and Sport in consultationwith stakeholders.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEThe designation highlights theoutstanding international importanceof the site which should be a keymaterial consideration to takeinto account when determiningplanning and listed building consentapplications. Great weight is placedupon the need to protect them forfuture generations.Policy DES16 is the relevant UnitaryDevelopment Plan policy relating tothe World Heritage Site and statesthat permission will only be grantedfor developments that protect andconserve the character, appearance,setting and ecological value of theWorld Heritage Site.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP27

Figure 14: The extent of the World Heritage SiteCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP28

Streets And Spaces4.18 The historic street layout and therelationship of built form to open spacedefine the overall framework of an area.Within this framework, the fine grain of thetownscape, including sizes of plots andbuilding lines are important in establishingthe pattern and density of development.This has a significant impact on thecharacter of an area, dictating the scaleof development and level of enclosure oropenness.4.19 The pattern of streets and spacesin the area was not planned, but hasdeveloped as a result of the gradualhistorical evolution of the area. The currentlayout strongly relates to the originalmedieval buildings and ancient landownership of the area. It was also stronglyinfluenced by the course of the RiverTyburn. However, there have also beensignificant changes, levelling and wideningof ancient roads in subsequent years,particularly during the Victorian era.4.20 At the heart of the conservationarea, Parliament Square and specificallyits central garden, provide a large areaof public open space, initially formed bythe clearance of houses in the Victorianera. Main roads lead into the centre ofthe area from each corner- Victoria Streetfrom the south east, Whitehall from theFigure 15: Parliament Square with backdrop ofthe Palace of Westminsternorth, Westminster Bridge from the eastand Abingdon Street/ Millbank from thesouth. These streets have a high volumeof traffic throughout the day, meaning it is acongested and animated space.4.21 Parliament Square was created toopen up and enhance the setting of theHouses of Parliament and surroundingbuildings. At the centre, Grey Wornum’sscheme provides a clearly definedlandscaped area, which bleeds andconnects with surrounding spaces, suchas Canning Green, Broad Sanctuary, StMargaret’s Churchyard, Cromwell Greenand New Palace Yard. The major publicbuildings and landmarks around thesquare and adjoining streets are largein scale but many are set back from thestreet and fronted by areas of green openspace. This provides a sense of separationfrom the major traffic routes.4.22 To the north-west of the areathe institutional buildings occupy largeplots and these enclose and shield thecomparatively narrow streets (MatthewParker Street and Storeys Gate) in thissection of the conservation area.4.23 The large open space of VictoriaGardens, to the west of Victoria Tower, wascreated as part of Victorian improvementsand slum clearance and provides asheltered public garden and an escapefrom the adjacent busy roads. The gardensare enclosed by an abundance of plantingto the roadside and by the Thames tothe east. Opposite this is the smaller,more open space of Abingdon Gardens;a modern space, created above anunderground carpark and bounded by themedieval walls of the Abbey precinct.4.24 Although not visible from much ofthe conservation area, the river to the eastis also extremely important as the largestopen space in the area, providing anexpansive and open setting for the Palaceand long views into and out of the area.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP29

4.25 In contrast to these large publicspaces, to the south there is also a richvariety of small, enclosed and semi-hiddenspaces, as well as intimate courtyards,not all of which are open to the public butwhich retain the original medieval layout ofthe area.Figures 16:(above) Dean’sYard and Figure17 (Left) Archedentrance to Dean’sYard from GreatCollege Street4.26 Dean’s Yard, immediately to thesouth of the Abbey, is the largest of theseenclosed spaces and has a remarkablycalm atmosphere. Accessed througharched openings from Broad Sanctuaryand Great College Street, this enjoyablespace has a semi-private charactershielded from the busy streets beyond.4.27 Other smaller enclosed and intimatespaces form some of the most interestingtownscape experiences including the Greatand Little Cloisters of the Abbey, LittleDean’s Yard and Abbey Gardens. Otherintimate spaces include the numerouscourtyards and riverside terrace of thePalace itself, although these are notgenerally publicly accessible.Figure 18: The curving enclosed form of GreatSmith Street4.28 The area around Great Smith Streetand Little College Street are also moreintimate routes characterised by a senseof enclosure. Here there is a circuitousstreet pattern, roads set along curving linesfollowing the original route of the Tyburn.Buildings generally front directly onto thestreet and there is a continuous buildingline, with few open gaps.4.29 For the purposes of the ConservationArea Audits, the Council has defined threecategories of routes or spaces accordingto a combined analysis of their scale, levelof enclosure and the function they performwithin the area. These are defined asPrimary Routes and Spaces; SecondaryRoutes and Spaces; Intimate Routes andSpaces. The map at Figure 19 shows thehierarchy of routes and spaces within theWestminster Abbey and Parliament SquareConservation Area.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEDominant street patterns and thecharacter of spaces should be respectedand where historic patterns remain,these should be protected and reflectedin any proposed schemes. PoliciesDES 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and DES 12 should beconsulted.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP30

Figure 19: Hierarchy of Streets and SpacesCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP31

ArchitectureOverview4.30 The conservation area has anextremely large and diverse range ofbuildings, dating from the 12th centuryto modern times. The majority of theseare listed, many designed by some of themost famous architects of their time, andoverall the built fabric is of exceptionalquality and interest. Yet, whilst its majorlandmarks and public buildings may seemto dominate the area, buildings of all erasand styles contribute to its character,each providing an insight into the differingphases of its development.4.31 The earliest buildings are withinWestminster Abbey and its environs and atWestminster Hall. The complex of courtsand cloisters surrounding the Abbey andDean’s Yard retains a medieval character,with many early, rubble-stone buildings,which formed part of the original monasticcomplex. Many of these have, however,undergone various alterations and, inparticular in Dean’s Yard, there are anumber of larger scale 19th and early 20thcentury buildings.and Abbey tend to employ neo-Gothic orneo-Tudor detailing.4.34 South of Dean’s Yard is an areaof predominantly brick buildings, manydating from the late Victorian period butintersepersed with some larger 20thcentury buildings. The boundaries of thisnorth-eastern part of the area are formedby the backs of the buildings in Dean’sYard.4.35 The wide range of building types,styles and materials described abovemakes a significant contribution to thearea’s character.4.36 A map showing approximate buildingages in the conservation area can befound at Figure 20. It should, however, berecognised that many of the buildings inthe area, especially in the Abbey Precinct,incorporate elements from various differentperiods. Following this map, buildings aredescribed individually in more detail.4.32 The entire eastern part of the area,divided by Abingdon Street/ St Margaret’sStreet, is dominated by the giant scaleand exuberant architecture of theVictorian Gothic Palace of Westminster.Westminster Hall is less prominent intownscape terms, but forms the foregroundin views from Parliament Square. This,along with the Jewel Tower, is of greathistoric significance and provides animportant reminder of the original form ofthe medieval Palace.4.33 The north-western part of theconservation area contains a number ofmonumental institutional buildings withlarge footprints and a strongly Edwardiancharacter, many in Bath or Portland stone.With some notable exceptions, thosebuildings in closest proximity to the PalaceCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP32

Figure 20: Approximate Building AgesCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP33

The Palace of Westminster4.37 Dominating the conservation area,the Palace of Westminster is not only oneof the most famous landmarks on London’sskyline, it is also of great significance as amasterpiece of 19th century Gothic Revivaland a national symbol of government. Thewhole complex, including the medievalWestminster Hall, is Grade I Listed (see listdescription at end of document).4.38 Designed by Charles Barry, withdecorative detail by A.W.N Pugin, theVictorian palace was built between 1840and 1869, following a major fire in 1834.Tudor Perpendicular in style and axialin plan, it is constructed in a distinctivesand-coloured magnesian limestone fromAnston in Yorkshire. Later repairs havebeen undertaken using limestone fromRelton.however, combines the symmetry of theriver front terrace, with the asymmetry ofthe major vertical accents: Victoria Tower,the Clock Tower (Big Ben), the CentralTower (St Stephen’s Tower) and a series ofsmaller turrets and pinnacles which projectabove the roof line.4.41 On the west side, facing Old PalaceYard, is the Victoria Tower, a majesticstructure rising to 323ft (98.4 metres) andtopped by large pinnacles. At the time ofits construction, it was the tallest buildingin the world and the grand vaulted RoyalEntrance is located at the base (Figure21).4.42 The Central Tower was originallyFigure 21: Detailing above the Royal Entrance4.39 The Perpendicular Gothic detailing,including rhythmic buttresses, open andblind tracery and a wealth of sculpture,carved foliage, crockets, pinnacles andfinials, is a result of Pugin’s contribution tothe design. There are over three hundredstatues of monarchs, consorts and bishopsadorning the external elevations, many bythe sculptor J Thomas.4.40 The riverfront elevation has asymmetrical composition with twoprojecting end pavilions. The massing,Figure 22: South elevation from Victoria TowerGardensFigure 23: River elevationCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP34

Figure 24: Nine-light window to St Stephen’sPorchFigure 26: Westminster HallFigure 25: View from Whitehall including BigBendesigned to act as a great chimney for bothvitiated air and smoke from open fires, butyet was designed as a great Gothic Spirerising 300 ft in the air. The Peers’ entranceand St Stephen’s entrance (Figure 24) arelocated below the central section.4.43 The Clock Tower of Big Ben, at aheight of 316ft (96.3 metres, is the world’slargest four-faced chiming clock andwas designed by Barry based on Pugin’sdesigns for Scarisbrick Hall in Lancaster.4.44 The oldest surviving part of thePalace is the spectacular WestminsterHall (originally 1097-99; remodelledin 1394-1401 by Henry Yevele) andseamlessly incorporated within theVictorian palace. The hall contains one ofEurope’s largest medieval unsupportedroofs.Around Parliament Square, BroadSanctuary and Old Palace YardFigure 27: Medieval Jewel Tower4.45 The buildings and spaces adjacent tothe Palace do not form an architectural setpiece,but were mostly developed followingslum clearance in the area. The buildingsare therefore in a variety of styles andfrom various dates. Materials do, however,create an overall feeling of consistencyto the townscape, with many buildingsconstructed in Bath or Portland stone.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP35

4.46 To the northern side of the Square,the buildings lie within the WhitehallConservation Area, but nonethelesshave a significant impact on ParliamentSquare and its character 9see WhitehallConservation Area Audit for further detail).4.47 Across from the Palace and aroundOld Palace Yard is an informal groupingof buildings of different ages and styles.The rear of the properties surrounding theAbbey Precinct, including those around theGreat and Little Cloister, form the backdropto this area. These are described in moredetail in the section on the Abbey.4.48 The only other remaining part ofthe medieval Palace, the 14th centuryGrade I listed Jewel Tower (Henry Yevele:1365-6) and its quay, is located here.Figure 28: View of No 6-7 Palladian style villa,Old Palace YardIt is a scheduled ancient monument. L-shaped and three-storeys, it is constructedof squared ragstone with some ashlarat lower levels. The building’s overallappearance is not completely medievaldue to changes made by the Office ofWorks (1718-19) including enlarged roundarchedwindows dressed with Portlandstone, and a plain parapet (see listdescription in the directory).4.49 To the south of the yard, no. 6-7 isearly Georgian in style and in Portlandstone. It dates from 1754-6, is Grade II*listed, and stands out as one of the fewbuildings in the area from the period. It isdesigned to resemble a Palladian villa, witha central pediment.4.50 In front of the Abbey is the smallerSt Margaret’s Church, which is Grade Ilisted (c. 1482-1523) and the only pre-Reformation parish church remaining inWestminster. The tower, heightened andpartly rebuilt by John James in 1735-7, isan important example of Gothicism of thetime (see List Description in Directory); itforms the foreground in many views of theAbbey.4.51 The north-western corner of theconservation area, the buildings aroundStorey’s Gate and Broad Sanctuary,form a coherent group and include anumber of institutional and governmentalbuildings, built in the early 20th century.These are of grander scale and detail,Figure 29: View of St Margaret’s Church withBig Ben in the backgroundFigure 30: Former Middlesex GuildhallCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP36

Mawson and SHK Architects.Figure 31: Middlesex Guildhall porch detailingreflecting both their function as importantpublic or civic buildings and their locationopposite Parliament. All occupy large plotsbut use a variety of architectural styles andmaterials.4.52 The buildings around BroadSanctuary each form freestanding,individual architectural entities. The formerMiddlesex Guildhall, fronting ParliamentSquare, is by J.G.S Gibson & Partnersand dates 1912-13. It is in Portland stoneand is Grade II* Listed. It combines ArtNouveau curves with Gothic motifs anddetailing, with a Gothic tower forming thecentrepiece of the front elevation. It hasmuch sculptural decoration of interest, byH.C. Fehr (see townscape detail). At thetime of writing it was under conversion intothe UK Supreme Court by Fielden and4.53 The Methodist Central Hall onStorey’s Gate (Lancaster & Rickards,1905-11) is also Grade II* listed. Alsoin Portland stone, it is in a flamboyantViennese Baroque style, contrasting withthe mainly Gothic buildings nearby. Thehall is near square in plan and topped bya giant leaded dome. The grand entrancefrontage to the west has channelledstone and giant Corinthian orders. It hasa significant amount of carving, notablythe hieratic angels over the entrance (seetownscape detail).4.54 Between these two buildings, theunlisted Queen Elizabeth II ConferenceCentre dates from 1985 and is the lastmajor work by the famous postwarFigure 33: Queen Elizabeth II Conference CentreFigure 32: Methodist Central HallFigure 34: Sir George Gilbert Scott’s neo-Gothicbuildings viewed across Broad SanctuaryCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP37

architectural firm Powell, Moya andPartners. In concrete and steel, the fullheightglazing and slatted aluminiumscreens bind the design together.4. 55 Across the road, the terrace ofbuildings on the southern side of BroadSanctuary are by Sir George Gilbert Scottand date from 1852-4. These adopt aneo-Gothic/ Tudor style and incorporatethe entrance into Dean’s Yard through agatehouse. Faced in Bath stone, the twosides are asymmetrical and varied in roofprofile, with crenellated parapets to oneside and gables to the other. Turrets framethe gatehouse. The rear of these buildingsface onto Dean’s yard, which is describedlater.Figure 36: Institution of Mechanical Engineersthis stretch. It is listed Grade II*.4.58 Nos. 8-10, tall offices for MiddlesexCounty Council (A.C Blomfield & A.JDriver: 1930) are constructed in artificialstone using stripped Beaux Arts style.The Grade II listed Institution of CivilEngineering, Great George Street (JamesMiller: 1910-13) is a monumental neo-Classical building in Portland stone. Anextension to the south-east was madeduring refurbishment in the 1980s (BDP:Figure 35: Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors and neighbouring No. 11, GreatGeorge Street4.56 The stretch of buildings along GreatGeorge Street includes a number ofinstitutional buildings of a similar, largescale. The Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors (Alfred Waterhouse, 1896-8),located in the east corner of ParliamentSquare, is Grade II listed and is the onlyred brick building fronting ParliamentSquare. In Franco-Flemish style, it isdressed with Ancaster stone.4.57 No.11 is now incorporated into theneighbouring Surveyors’ premises and is ofan earlier date serving as a reminder of thescale of buildings which previously linedFigure 37: 8-10 Storey’s Gate, with No.10(Clutha House) in the foreground and No.9Westminster Arms to the centre)CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP38

1988-91).4.59 Set behind these larger scalebuildings, on the west side of Storey’sGate is a group of buildings with a slightlydifferent character. Here are a number ofsmaller scale 19th-20th century buildingsin brick and occupying smaller plots, datingfrom the late 19th early/ 20th century.No. 8, is in bright red brick with Flemishgables (W. Gilbert Scott: 1882) and No. 9as does the height of the vault with its twotiers of flying buttresses.4.63 The Abbey’s various sections datefrom the 12th, 14th-16th and early 18thcenturies. Yevele’s Perpendicular designfor the west front and porch is very similarto his Westminster Hall design, slightlyFigure 38:Edwardianbuildings onMatthew ParkerStreetWestminster Arms, is the only public housein the area.4.60 Finally, on Matthew Parker Street area number of simply detailed Edwardianoffice buildings in red brick with stonedetailing, now mostly converted toresidential use.Figure 39: Westminster Abbey: North entranceWestminster Abbey4.61 The other major landmark in theconservation area and on ParliamentSquare is Westminster Abbey, the tallest ofany English church at 225ft (68.6 metres).Its internal length, when including HenryVII’s Chapel, is 511ft (155.6 metres).4.62 The Abbey is derived from theFrench plan, Geometrical Gothic stylewith aisles, 11-bay nave, transepts andchancel with ambulatory and radiatingpolygonal chapels. The buttresses andflying buttresses, as well as windows withbar tracery, all suggest French influences,Figure 40: Henry VII’s Chapelprojecting between buttresses which alignwith aisle arcades.4.64 Henry VII’s Lady Chapel (1503-10),CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP39

at the east end, has boldly modelled latePerpendicular detailing. It has a nave,aisles and five radiating east chapelsand a spectacular fan-vaulted roof. Tothe exterior, this is expressed throughthe flying buttresses which are highlydecorative and form a prominent structuralmotif spanning to the clerestory. The roofarea. The cloisters and squares aresurrounded by many early buildingsconstructed for the monastic precinct andwhich adjoined the Abbey. These have nowbeen incorporated within later structures,particularly those for Westminster School.Although not all publicly accessible, thebuildings are nonetheless visible fromthroughout the conservation area. Principalbuildings of the Abbey precinct areillustrated in Figure 44.4.67 Immediately adjacent to the Abbey isthe Great Cloister (John Palterton: 1363-5). Building here began c.1245-50 in thenorth-east corner and was completed in1366 with the construction of the south andwest walls, (restored by Blore and Scott).Each of the four cloisters is approximately100 feet in length, with various enclosingwalls and structures around.4.68 A number of interesting buildingsFigure 41: Westminster Abbey, Hawksmoor’swest towersline has a broad, panelled parapet.4.65 Two centuries later a further additionwas made to the Abbey when the westerntowers (left unfinished from medievaltimes) were completed, to a design byNicholas Hawksmoor. These west towers(1745) blend Gothic verticality withBaroque detailing.Figures 42-43:(right) GreatCloister East Walk;(top) View fromwest walk taking ins-e corner of GreatCloistersThe Abbey Precincts4.66 Within the precincts of the Abbey aresome of the most attractive spaces andgroups of buildings within the conservationCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP40

Figure 44: Plan of the Abbey PrecinctsA: Henry VII ChapelB: The Chapter HouseC: St Faith’s ChapelD: Pyx ChapelE : MuseumF: St Dunstan’s ChapelG: Infirmary ChapelH: Canon HousesI: Jerusalem Chamber and College HallJ: The GatehouseK: The Chapter House, 20 Dean’s YardL: Ashburnam HouseM: Turle’sN: Burlington’s DormitoryO: 2-3 Little Dean’s YardP: 1 Little Dean’s YardQ: 19 Dean’s Yard and Blackstole TowerR: 18 Dean’s Yard, Hospice of Treasurersand Monk BailiffS: 17 Dean’s YardU: 21 Dean’s YardV: The SanctuaryW: 1 Dean’s YardX: 3 Deans Yard, former Queen Anne’sBounty OfficesY: Westminster Choir SchoolZ: 5-6 Deans YardCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP41

Figure 45: The Chapter House from Old PalaceYardare located to the east of the cloister. St.Faith’s Chapel (c.1250) abuts the southtransept. Adjacent to this, the ChapterHouse, (Henry of Reynes: c.1245-53, laterrestored by Scott) is built on an octagonalplan in geometrical Gothic style (Figure45).4.69 The Dormitory range, terminating inremains of the Reredorter, lies south ofthe Chapter House flanked initially by partof the east Cloister Walk and continuedby the Dark Cloister. This now housesthe museum and the rest of the dormitoryrange, at first floor level, is now occupiedby Westminster School. This was refacedin brick by Benjamin Wyatt in 1814 andlargely rebuilt after war damage. Some11th century detailing survives, such asthe Norman doorway in the west wall andoriginal window in the east wall.Figure 46: Nos 7&8 Little Cloisters, AbbeyGardens elevationpresent cloister arcade dates from 1680-1and is 5 bays by 5, with ashlar piers andsegmental arches with original wroughtiron gates.4.72 The Chapel of St Katherine is themajor surviving part of the Infirmaryeast of the Cloister; the ruined nave andsouth arcade survive in the garden of thelodgings. The lodgings and offices datefrom the later 17th century incorporating14th century masonry, with a fragment ofthe 11th century east wall of the reredorterin the south-west corner. The Clerk ofthe Works office is in the 14th centuryChamberlain’s store, and No. 5 includesthe Infirmarar’s Hall. All lodgings are late17th century above the foundations andwere badly damaged in World War II and4.70 On the east side of the Dormitoryprojects the early 16th century St.Dunstan’s Chapel and the Dark Cloister,the vaulted passage between the survivingwalls of the Reredorter and the Dormitory.The latter is 11th century, with a late 14thcentury wall on the west side with a longtimber window of 20 mullioned lights intoLittle Dean’s Yard.4.71 The late 14th century Little Cloisterwas the site of the monastic infirmaryand is now surrounded by lodgings andthe remains of the infirmary chapel. TheFigure 47: Nos 4&5 Little Cloisters, AbbeyGardens elevation; Victoria Tower in thebackgroundCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP42

considerably rebuilt above ground floors.4.73 The Little Cloister area leads to theCollege (or Infirmary) Garden which isoverlooked by the backs of the buildingsaround the Little Cloister and the buildingsof Westminster School. At the southernend are two brick Canon’s Houses, nowoffices (J.L. Pearson: 1882). These arein restrained Tudor-Gothic style, in redbrick with stone dressings, slate roofsand stone mullioned and transomed ironframed casement windows. The main andmore elaborate elevations face north intoit is in Portland stone, with a copper roofand a long main front facing east ontoAbbey Gardens. Known as “College” it wasBurlington’s first public building (See listdescription in Directory).4.75 To the rear, this adjoins LittleDean’s Yard. An enclosed and privatespace surrounded by the buildings ofWestminster School - a haphazard mixtureof brick buildings most dating from theFigure 50: Ashburnam House, viewed from LittleDean’s YardFigure 48: Stone wall defining southernboundary of Thorney Islandthe gardens, with a plainer but similar rearsouth elevation behind precinct wall.4.74 Burlington’s Dormitory (1722-30) isthe Grade I listed former school dormitory;Figure 49: Lord Burlington’s Dormitory, AbbeyGarden elevation17th and 18th centuries but built on andincorporating earlier buildings.4.76 Ashburnham House (1662) is asubstantial, 3-storey town house to thenorth of the yard in red brick with stonedetailing and sash windows, a partialrebuild of the late 14th century prior’slodgings. It has shallow projecting wings.The symmetry of the building only datesfrom 1930 and the second floor was addedc.1848. Medieval masonry is exposed onthe west side; the original hipped roof,two-storey appearance survives to the rearelevation.4.77 Nos. 2 & 3, House of the Master ofthe King’s Scholars (R.W.F. Brettingham:1789-90) is Grade I listed, withneoclassical frontage. A symmetricalcomposition, which originally included therebuilt no. 1, it is constructed in yellowstock brick with stucco basement and slateroof to no. 2, while no. 3 is tiled.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP43

origins in original rubble walls, stonetracery and the irregular groups of smallwindows and openings. The other sidesof the Yard are more late Victorian andEdwardian in character, most using neo-Gothic detailing.Figure 51: Nos 2 and 3 Little Dean’s Yard4.78 Other buildings around the yard areVictorian and include no. 1 Little Dean’sYard, a Grade II listed school house, (1896by Sir T.G. Jackson) in neo-late Jacobeanstyle in red brick, with tiled roof and Turle’s(Pearson: 1883-4) to the east, neo-Tudorand in brick.Dean’s Yard4.79 Dean’s Yard is a large, enclosedspace, surrounded by buildings relatedto the Abbey and Westminster School. Tothe eastern side, many of the buildingsare medieval and, although substantiallyaltered and ‘Victorianised’, show theirFigure 53: The GatehouseFigure 52: View ofnorth-eastern corner ofDean’s YardCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP44

4.80 Perhaps the most attractive groupingof buildings is in the corner immediately tothe south of the Abbey. These date fromthe 14th century and are in a mixture ofrubble stone, with some brick and muchlater alteration.the Chapter Office) has rubble stoneground floor with small Gothic windowsirregularly grouped and an attractive 18thcentury Gothic doorway with fanlight andside lights (Figure 57). Upper levels are ofmostly 18th century brick construction.4.81 The former Abbot’s house forms thenorth-eastern corner, with an entrance tothe Great Cloister through the gatehouse.It has a 3 storey crenellated tower overthe arched entrance with an 18th centurygate. The rubble walls are stone dressedand were much restored in the Victorianera by Scott.4.82 Nos. 19 & 20, located on the easternside of the Yard, were the Cellarer’sBuilding and Guest House of the Abbey,built c. 1388-91. These have alsoundergone much alteration. No. 20 (nowFigure 56: 16th century entrance to theBlackstone TowerFigure 54: Nos. 20, 19 & 18 Dean’s YardFigure 57: 18th century entrance to 20 Dean’sYardFigure 55: 19 Dean’s Yard4.83 No.19 - the Guest House - wasadapted for Westminster School in 1461.At the north end is the Blackstole Towerwhich has a carved 16th century paneabove the arched entranceway (Figure 56).This joins onto a 5 bay brick back rangewith flush sashes, added in the late 17thcentury.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP45

4.84 No.18, also late 14th century, wasoriginally the hospice of the Treasurer andMonk Bailiff. It is rubble-faced and was re-Gothicized when adapted for the school in1886. The left bay is in the form of another,broader crenellated tower with a vaultedpassageway leading to Little Dean’s Yard.A small brick-built addition stands on thenorthern side, with an inserted Venetianwindow and open-well staircase, c.1765.4.85 Adjacent to this, no. 17 (1807-9) isa restrained Georgian building in yellowstock brick, built as a canon’s house. Toits south some 14th century stoneworkis visible, incorporated into the return ofChurch House.Figure 59: Church House frontage onto Dean’sYardinto Great College Street.Figure 58: 17 Dean’s Yard4.87 On the western side of the Yard thereis a mixture of neo-Georgian and neo-Tudor 19th and 20th century buildings.Westminster Abbey Choir School is thetallest of these at Nos. 3b-4 (A.G Wallace:1913-15). It is in bright red brick, withsimple stone tracery detailing and tall brickchimneys.4.86 Church House (Sir Herbert Bakers& Scott: 1936-40) is quite different incharacter. It has a more monumentalpresence; its long elevation occupies theentire southern side of the Yard. Behindthis, the building occupies a large sitebounded by Great Smith Street, LittleSmith Street and Tufton Street. It has abrick façade above flint-faced ground floor.Its triple arched entrance porch sits belowa pediment, reminiscent of the 1750shouse formally here. To the far left of thesite is a chapel, with big round-archedwindows above an arched passage leadingFigure 60: Western elevations to Dean’s YardCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP46

Figure 61: Nos. 5 & 6 (G.A Hall: 1897), part ofWestminster School are red brick and are of Free-Jacobean styleFigure 63: Westminster Abbey Choir School4.88 No.3, former Queen Anne’s Bountyoffices (Edward Blore: 1847-8) is in yellowgault brick with crenellated roofline, stonetracery detailing and square bay windows.This was extended to the right (c.1937)serving to replace all but 2 bays of SirGiles Gilbert Scott’s Neo-Gothic No. 1,built as a school boarding house in 1862.Further extension in 1899-1900 wascarried out by H & P Currey.4.89 On the north side of the yard, is therear of Gilbert Scott’s buildings to BroadSanctuary (see above for description).No. 21, the former Chapter Clerk’s House(Blore: c.1847) is also Neo-Tudor in style,with a porch decorated with Burgesianangel corbels.Figure 62: Former Queen Anne’s Bounty OfficesFigure 64: North side of Dean’s YardGreat College Street/ Great Smith Streetarea4.90 The small area to the southwestof the conservation area, around GreatSmith Street, contains a mixture of mostlylate Victorian and Edwardian buildings, inbrick and terracotta. A number of buildingshere, including the public library, bathsand school, were originally built as partof Victorian improvements, for civic andphilanthropic purposes.4.91 The backs of buildings to Dean’sYard, described above, line the easternedges to this part of the conservation area,with the vast neo-Georgian Church Housebeing particularly dominant, forming awall of red brick to one side, with variedbuilding line and large arched openings tothe ground floor helping to reduce its scale.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP47

Figure 65 (above): passage toDean’s Yard from Great CollegeStreetFigure 66 (left): Great CollegeStreet, looking towards ChurchHousestreet-scene. Moving towards SmithSquare the architecture has a moredomestic, neo-Georgian character.4.93 Forming the corner, and of a smallerscale, the Grade II listed No 14, OrchardHouse is in red brick and terracotta. Thisadjoins the Sanctuary Buildings, a largemodern atrium block (Gibberd, Coombes& Partner: 1988-92) built behind fourretained elevations at nos 16-26. Theseinclude: nos. 16-18 (H.J.S Abrams: 1919-20), originally built for the Labour BoardFigure 67: Church House, Great Smith Streetelevation4.92 The west side of Great Smith Streetis also lined by relatively tall buildingsof 6-7 storeys to the Victoria Street end.These are in a range of free Victorianstyles and follow the curving line of thestreet, dropping off in scale to the south.A number have attractive cut brick andmoulded terracotta decoration. Althoughlarge in scale, the modelled fronts andvaried roofs and gables add to a variedFigure 68: Orchard House, with the Sanctuarybuildings behindCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP48

stone dressings. These incorporate originalsignage and to the baths, there are reliefsof swimmers by Henry Poole, linking thebuilding to its previous use.Figure 72: Nos36-40 GreatSmith StreetFigure 69: 22-26 Great Smith Streetand Office of Works and in red brick. No.20 (Trehearne & Norman: 1925), in yellowstone, and finally nos. 22-26 Park House(Palgrave & Co: 1904) in pink terracottamade by Hathern, and with muchsculptural decoration (Figure 69).4.94 Particularly attractive are nos. 30-32,the former Public Library and Baths (F.JSmith: 1891-3), which are in red brick with4.95 In contrast, nos. 36-40 (c.1725) aresimple 3-storey houses in yellow stockbrick, with Georgian detailing whichstrongly resembles those in the adjoiningSmith Square Conservation Area.4.96 Opposite these, WestminsterMansions, is a typical Edwardian mansionblock in red brick.This is split withfrontages to Little Smith Street and GreatSmith Street. Between these, no. 35,(S Tatchell: 1925-7), has a simple, neo-Georgian façade, with stone-faced groundfloor and was formerly the National Libraryfor the Blind.Figures 70-71: (top)former public baths;(left) former publiclibrary4.97 To St Ann’s Street and the corner withGreat Peter Street, there is an attractiveFigure 73: 35 Great Smith StreetCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP49

group of Victorian buildings around StMatthew’s Church. The church is GradeII Listed (George Gilbert Scott: 1849-50)and in Gothic Revival style, using Kentishragstone. Following a fire in 1977 a smallerchurch was created (Donald Buttress:1982-4).4.98 Clergy House, located on the cornerof St Ann’s Street and Great Peter Streetis also Grade II listed (John Oldrid Scott:1891). Red brick and gabled, the buildingis an example of a form much associatedwith High Church parishes.4. 99 Next to this, St Matthew’s PrimarySchool (W.R Gritten: 1858) is a typicalVictorian church school, in stone and ofGothic design. The attractive Old PyeHouse, 15-17 St Ann’s Street is also part ofthe school, in red brick with a glazed brickground floor.4.100 In addition, there are a numberof relatively large late 20th century brickbuildings to St Ann’s Street and thecorner with Great Peter Street includingthe Salvation Army and the WestminsterArchive Centre (Tim Drewitt: 1992-5),which replaced the back of the swimmingbaths on Great Smith Street. These makea neutral contribution to the area.Figure 76:Flats frontingWestminsterArchive Building,St Ann’s StreetFigure 74: St Matthew’s Church & Clergy House(right)Bridges4.101 Finally the conservation area alsoincludes a stretch of the River Thamesand two bridges are partially within theconservation area.4.102 The current Westminster Bridgedates from 1862 and is a road and foottraffic bridge over the River Thamesbetween Westminster and Lambeth. It hasseven arches and is in wrought iron, withGothic detailing by Charles Barry. It is theoldest bridge in the central area of the riverThames.Figure 75: St Matthew’s and Old Pye House’seastern facades on St Ann’s Street4.103 The bridge is predominantly greenin colour, matching the colour of the leatherseats in the House of Commons, which ison the side of the Palace of WestminsterCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP50

nearest the bridge. In contrast, the red ofLambeth Bridge matches that of the seatsin the House of Lords.4.104 Lambeth Bridge, opened in 1932,has a five span steel arch, designed byengineer George Humphreys and architectSir Reginald Blomfield. It is a road trafficand footbridge. There are obelisks to eitherend which are surmounted by stone pinecones, known to be a symbol of hospitalityfrom Roman times.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEAny proposal should take into accountthe character of its context. Policies,DES 1 a should be consulted on theprinciples of Development, DES4 forinfill development and DES5 should beconsulted on alterations and extensions.Original architectural features, materialsand detail are vital to the architecturalquality of individual buildings andthe character of the ConservationArea. Policy DES 9 C encouragesreinstatement of missing traditionalfeatures to the original design detail andmaterials.Other relevant Supplementary PlanningGuidance and Documents are notedthroughout the audit.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP51

Roof Profiles4.105 Roof profiles are fundamental to thearchitectural character of any building orgroup of buildings and, as such, contributeto the character and appearance ofconservation areas. Alterations at rooflevel, including extensions, terraces,telecommunications equipment and roofplant, can have a negative impact on this.4.106 The Westminster Abbey andParliament Square Conservation Areacontains some world famous roofscapes.The majority of buildings are uniquearchitectural compositions, with highlydistinctive roof profiles which are integral totheir design.4.107 The Palace of Westminster, inparticular, has a famously picturesqueroofscape of spires and turrets, with theClock Tower and Victoria Tower formingthe most prominent vertical elementsagainst the sky. Its silhouette is visible inmany long views along the Thames andthroughout the conservation area.4.108 St Margaret’s Church, WestminsterAbbey and the adjoining chapels andcloisters have equally intricate and delicateGothic roofscapes. The Abbey’s two westtowers give it its distinctive profile andthe roofline to Henry VII’s Chapel to therear is especially ornate. The tower of StMargaret’s forms the foreground to manyviews of the Abbey and Palace.4.109 Many of the other Victorianand Edwardian public buildings in theconservation area also have distinctiveroof profiles. These are generally in neo-Figure 77: Roof profile of N-W corner of Dean’sYard with Methodist Hall in backgroundFigure 78: Westminster Abbey roof profileCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP52

Gothic or neo-Tudor styles, some withcrenellated parapets and turrets, or otherswith distinctive Flemish style gables.4.110 There has been a substantialamount of upward alteration throughouthistory, in particular to many of the Abbeyprecinct buildings. This has created adistinctive roofscape, in part derived fromthis mixture of ages and styles. Manyof the subsequent alterations to thesebuildings are of interest in their own right.4.114 Roof clutter, such as railings,antennae and satellite dishes, can alsohave a significant and detrimental impacton the character of an area, affecting bothshort and long distance views. Carefulconsideration should be given to thesiting of such equipment to minimise itsvisual impact. All such equipment shouldbe located away from the front facade ofbuildings or other locations where is maybe visually prominent.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEFigure 79: Roof profile of Great College Street,where the majority of buildings already havemansard extensions4.111 The unique character of theroofscapes in the conservation areameans the majority of properties withinWestminster Abbey and ParliamentSquare Conservation Area represent thetypes of buildings where roof extensionswould be difficult to accommodate, withoutcompromising the area’s distinctiveroofscape.Policy DES6 highlights instances whereroof extensions and other roof structuresare unlikely to be acceptable withoutproper justification.Further advice is given in the publication‘Roofs: A Guide to Alterations andExtensions on Domestic Buildings(1995). ‘Mews, a Guide to Alterations’explains how these policies apply inmews-streets.4.112 Furthermore, the very highproportion of listed and landmark buildingsin the conservation area means roofs areparticularly sensitive to alteration. Theroof form, structure and materials of listedbuildings are very often of interest, and thefabric of many of the roofs within this areais likely to be of interest.4.113 Roof coverings consistent withthe date of the parent building shouldalso be retained wherever possible. TheCouncil will discourage the use of modernmaterials such as concrete tiles or artificialslate as they rarely meet the high quality,appearance or longevity of traditionalnatural materials.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP53

Unlisted Buildings of Merit4.115 The conservation area containsmany buildings of exceptional quality andinterest. A very high proportion of theseare on the statutory list of buildings ofspecial architectural and historic interest, asignificant number being listed the highestgrades, Grade I and II*.4.116 There are, however, a number ofmore modest unlisted buildings, whichalso contribute to the character and qualityof the local townscape. They are definedin the audits as ‘Unlisted Buildings ofMerit’. By definition these buildings andstructures are considered to be of valueto the character and appearance of theconservation area and their demolition orunsympathetic alteration will normally beresisted.4.117 The largest group of unlistedbuildings can be found in the GreatCollege Street, Great Smith Street andSt Ann’s Street area. Here there are anumber of attractive Victorian and early20th century buildings, which are goodexamples of their type, for exampleWestminster Mansions, typical Edwardianmansion blocks, and St Matthews Primaryschool, a small Victorian church school.4.118 In the north-western corner ofParliament Square, there are a number ofunlisted buildings. Of particular interest isthe Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centreby Powell and Moya, built in 1985 and oneof the few high quality modern additionsto the area. On Matthew Parker Streetand Storey’s Gate there is a group of welldetailed brick buildings from the Edwardianera, the Westminster Arms being perhapsthe most notable of these.4.119 There are also some buildingswhich are neither considered to detractfrom nor to enhance the character of theconservation area. These are identifiedas making a neutral contribution. Theseare buildings which are of limited interestarchitecturally, or those that do not relatewell to the character of the rest of theconservation area. Only one building withinthe conservation area has been identifiedas negative (see negative features, below).4.120 The following buildings have beenidentified as unlisted buildings of merit.These are shown on the map at Figure 80.••••••••••Queen Elizabeth II Conference centreNos. 8-10 Great George StreetNo. 9 Westminster Arms, Storey’s GateNo.10 Storey’s GateNos. 2 &3 Matthew Parker StreetNos. 26A, 26, 29A, 29 & 30 GreatCollege StreetNos. 20-46 Westminster Mansions,Great Smith StreetNos. 28-32 & No. 34 Community Centre,Great Smith StreetSt Matthew’s Primary School 16-18 OldPye StreetOld Pye House, Nos.15-17 St Ann’sStreetA full list of listed buildings and listdescriptions for Grade I buildings can befound in the Directory, at the back of thisdocument.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEPolicy DES9 B states that permissionwill not normally be given for proposalswhich involve the demolition orsubstantial demolition of buildings whichcontribute positively to the character andappearance of the conservation area.Permission will only be granted whereit can be demonstrated that the existingbuilding cannot be repaired or adaptedso as to extend its useful life and that theproposed development will preserve orenhance the character or appearanceof the area. The requirement may bebalanced against the City Council’s otherpolicy objectives.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP54

Figure 80: Map showing Listed and Unlisted Buildings of MeritCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP55

Landmark Buildings4.121 Landmark buildings are those thatdue to their height, location or detaileddesign stand out from their background.They contribute significantly to thecharacter and townscape of the area,being focal points or key elements inviews.4.122 Westminster Abbey and thePalace of Westminster, includingWestminster Hall, are internationallyrecognised landmarks, synonymouswith London, and the UK in general.Their significance relates to their scale,architecture and symbolic function at thecentre of national life. They are also widelyvisible in views across London and formthe focus of numerous protected views(see below). These buildings are someof only a small number of such buildingsworldwide. The whole of the Palace ofWestminster has been identified as alandmark, although individually the ClockTower and the Victoria Tower are perhapsthe most prominent elements.4.123 In addition to these buildings ofinternational landmark significance, thereare other buildings in the conservationarea which form the focus of views ofnational or local significance. Many ofFigure 82: Victoria Towerthese are significant public and institutionalbuildings, with grand scale and detailing,which makes them stand out as landmarks.These include:• Methodist Central Hall. The giantdomed roof of Methodist Central Hall isa prominent feature in the conservationarea, visible in many views.• Former Middlesex Guildhall. Nowthe seat of the UK Supreme Court,the Middlesex building is a largefreestanding building, prominently sitedon Parliament Square, with its Gothicroofline and tower.• St Margaret’s Church. With its Gothictowers, St Margaret’s Church is visiblein many views in the conservation area,forming the foreground to views of theAbbey and the Palace of Westminster4.124 Landmark buildings are also shownon the map at Figure 83.Figure 81: View of Westminster Abbey and itstowers set against a backdrop of clear skyCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP56

Views4.125 Views make an importantcontribution to our appreciation ofWestminster’s townscape and historiccharacter. Important views areprotected at both regional and locallevel. Designated Views of London-widesignificance are identified by the Mayorof London in the View ManagementFramework. The City Council has alsoidentified two categories of views:Metropolitan and Local. These aredescribed in the relevant policies of theUnitary Development Plan.4.126 The Palace of Westminsterforms the focus of many of the Mayor’sDesignated Views. The followingsignificant views identified in the ViewManagement Framework affect the Palaceof Westminster.London Panoramas2B.1 Parliament Hill: east of the summitlooking towards Palace of Westminster4A.2 Primrose Hill: the summit lookingtowards Palace of WestminsterRiver Prospects15A.1 Waterloo Bridge: the upstreampavement - close to the Lambeth Bank- looking at Palace of Westminster15A.2 Waterloo Bridge: the upstreampavement - close to the City ofWestminster bank - looking at Palace ofWestminster17A.1 Golden Jubilee/Hungerfordfootbridges: the upstream bridge - close tothe Southwark bank - looking at Palace ofWestminster17A.2 Golden Jubilee/Hungerfordfootbridges: the upstream bridge - close tothe City of Westminster bank- looking atPalace of Westminster18A.1 Westminster Bridge: the upstreampavement - at the centre of the bridge- looking towards Palace of Westminsterand Lambeth Palace.19A.1 Lambeth Bridge: the downstreampavement - at the centre of the bridge -looking towards Palace of Westminster19A.2 Lambeth Bridge: the downstreampavement - close to the Lambeth bank -looking towards the Palace of Westminster21A.1 Jubilee Gardens: betweenWestminster and Hungerford bridges- south of the London Eye - looking at thePalace of Westminster22A.1 Albert Embankment: betweenLambeth and Westminster bridges- approaching from Lambeth Palace -looking towards Palace of Westminster22A.2 Albert Embankment: betweenLambeth and Westminster bridges - axialto and looking at the Houses of Parliament22A.3 Albert Embankment: betweenLambeth and Westminster bridges - at thetop of the steps onto Westminster Bridge- looking at Palace of Westminster4.127 Metropolitan Views include bothviews from Westminster to other boroughs,and views of Westminster’s mostsignificant landmark buildings.4.128 There are many views of theWestminster Abbey and ParliamentSquare Conservation Area some of whichare considered to be of metropolitanimportance, due in part to its status as aWorld Heritage Site. The ‘MetropolitanView’ arrows on the map indicate thegeneral location of the view point andthe direction of the view but becauseof the number of potential view pointsand the wide sweep of the views, itis not appropriate to tightly define theMetropolitan Views of the World HeritageSite. The following Metropolitan Viewshave been identified:View 13: Palace of Westminster from HydePark (Serpentine Bridge)CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP57

View 14: Palace of Westminster fromLambeth Palace Road/ Albert EmbankmentView 15 A & B: Palace of Westminster fromQueen Elizabeth II WalkwayView 16: Palace of Westminster fromGolden Jubilee BridgeView 17: Victoria Embankment towards thePalace of Westminster Clock TowerView 31 B: Whitehall views southView 32 A & B: Trafalgar Square fromoutside the National Gallery and from itsTerraceView 37: Houses of Parliament fromParliament SquareView 38: Westminster Abbey from TothillStreet/ Victoria Street and Broad SanctuaryView 40: Big Ben Clock Tower from thebottom of Constitution HillView 42 B: Westminster Bridge lookingupstreamView 43 B: Golden Jubilee Bridge lookingupstream4.129 In addition to the MetropolitanViews, there are many views within theWorld Heritage Site and conservation areaof local importance. Whilst these LocalViews may be less familiar, they are allsensitive, important views. The followingLocal Views have been identified:Local View 1: Methodist Hall, TheSanctuary, main west doors and towersof Westminster Abbey & St Margaret’sChurch viewed from Broad SanctuaryLocal View 2: Westminster Abbey’s Towersfrom Tothill Street/ Victoria Street cornerLocal View 3: Westminster Abbey from thenorth side of Victoria StreetLocal View 4: Westminster Abbey andParliament Square from the sanctuaryLocal View 5: Methodist Hall from outsideWestminster AbbeyLocal View 6: Guildhall Hall andWorld Heritage Site from lawn outsideWestminster AbbeyLocal View 7: World Heritage Site fromnorth gate of Westminster AbbeyLocal View 8: World Heritage Site fromwest side of Parliament SquareLocal View 9: World Heritage Site fromcorner of Great George StreetLocal View 10: World Heritage Site fromnorth-west corner of Parliament SquareLocal View 11: World Heritage Site fromwest side of Parliament SquareLocal View 12: World Heritage Site fromsouth-west corner of Parliament SquareLocal View 13: World Heritage Site fromthe west side of Parliament Street atjunction with Parliament SquareLocal View 14: World Heritage Site fromthe east side of Parliament Street atjunction with Parliament SquareLocal View 15: Whitehall and the WorldHeritage Site from the north-east corner ofParliament SquareLocal View 15: World Heritage Site fromnorth east corner of garden in ParliamentSquareLocal View 16: World Heritage Site fromnorth gate of Westminster AbbeyLocal View 17: Westminster Abbey and StMargaret’s Church from south east cornerof garden in Parliament SquareLocal View 18: Parliament Square andWestminster Abbey and St Margaret’sChurch from north entrance to the Housesof Parliament on east side of ParliamentSquareLocal View 19: Houses of Parliament fromeast end of St Margaret’s ChurchCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP58

Local View 20: Westminster Abbey and StMargaret’s Church from the east side of StMargaret’s StreetLocal View 21: Houses of Parliament fromapse of Westminster AbbeyLocal View 22: Westminster Abbey Chapel,Westminster Hall and Old Palace Yardfrom outside No 6-7 Old Palace YardLocal View 23: Victoria Tower from outsideJewel TowerLocal View 24: Jewel Tower, St Stephen’sPorch, Westminster Hall and VictoriaTower viewed from Abingdon GardensLocal View 25: Dean’s Yard viewed fromporch of Church House looking northLocal View 26: Dean’s Yard viewed fromnorth-west cornerLocal View 27: Great Cloisters from southwestcornerLocal View 28: Burlington Dormitory andsouthern buildings of Little Cloisters fromsouth-westerly corner of Abbey GardensLocal View 29: Little Cloisters from DarkCloistersLocal View 30: Victoria Tower and southernfacade of Palace, and river embankmentfrom Victoria Tower GardensLocal View 31: Victoria Tower and thesouthern facade of Palace, Victoria TowerGardens, the River Thames and the SouthBank Conservation Area (Borough ofLambeth) from river embankment.Westminster BridgeLocal View 36: North entrance ofWestminster Abbey from north gateLocal View 37: Great College Street,including the Thorney Island boundarywall, viewed from the corner of LittleCollege Street4.129 Views and the special qualitiesof existing views can evolve and beenhanced and new views of importanceto the conservation area created. Wherenew views of value are created these willbe identified and managed in the samemanner as existing identified views.4.130 These views are shown on the mapat Figure 83.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEIn the Unitary Development Plan policyDES15 seeks to protect Metropolitan andLocal views. The application of policiesto protect strategic views is set out inthe UDP at DES 14. DES9 F seeks toprotect the setting of conservation areas,having regard to local views into and outof the area.Reference should also be madeto the Greater London Authority’sView Management Frameworkand Westminster City Council’sSupplementary Planning Document onMetropolitan Views.Local View 32: Victoria Tower Gardens,the River Thames and the South BankConservation Area (Borough of Lambeth)from Lambeth BridgeLocal View 33: Palace of Westminster fromLambeth BridgeLocal View 34: View up river fromWestminster BridgeLocal View 35: View down river fromCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP59

Figure 83: Landmarks and ViewsCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP60

5 Local Townscape Detail5.1 Other features and details in thetownscape also contribute to a sense oflocal distinctiveness. These can range fromdistinctive boundary treatments and streetfurniture, to trees and hard landscaping.Individually and collectively they contributeto the overall quality of Westminsterstreetscape as well as enhancing individualareas of character within the City.Railings, boundary walls & enclosures5.2 Railings and boundary walls cancontribute significantly to the character ofa conservation area. They add interest andvariety of scale in the street scene andprovide a sense of enclosure, separatingspaces of differing character and oftenmarking the boundaries between publicand private spaces.Figure 84-5: (Above) Railings to Cromwell GreenVisitor Entrance (2007) by Architects DesignPartnership. (Below) Houses of Parliament gatesand railings (c.1869). Portland stone and castiron. Gate piers with gablet-spire caps.5.3 Within the conservation area thereis a wide range of railings and boundarytreatments of interest, many of which arelisted.5.4 The boundary gates and railingsaround the Palace of Westminster areintegral to its character. Highly ornateGothic gates and railings (c.1860-67)surround the New Palace Yard end of thePalace; these were designed by E M Barry,son of Charles Barry. Set on a low wall andbetween giant Portland stone piers withgablet spire caps, the railings are in castand wrought iron. These are individuallylisted Grade I.5.5 To the southern end of the Palace,the gates to Black Rod’s Garden arealso listed Grade I and are set betweenoctagonal gate piers with Gothic ironwork.Around the rest of the Palace there is alow stone wall fronting Cromwell Greenwith new railings (Architects DesignPartnership: 2007).5.6 The eastern river front of the Palacewas pushed out into the Thames from1840, with river gate entrances and a longFigure 86: Gates to Black Rod’s GardenCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP61

ailings and gates fronting Victoria TowerGardens (Figure 88) and plain spike railingto the Jewel Tower (Figure 89). Railingsto 6-7 Old Palace Yard are in wrought ironwith urn finials.Figure 87: Embankment walls in VictoriaTower Gardens5.8 The spaces around the Abbey andSt Margaret’s Church also have a rangeof railings and boundary treatments ofinterest. The lawns to the north of StMargaret’s Church are edged with original18th century Portland stone obelisksFigure 88: Railings to Victoria Tower GardensFigure 89: Jewel Tower railingsFigure 90: Railings to lawns around St Margaret’sChurch and the Abbeycentral terrace, and an upstanding granitedwarf wall articulated by Grade II listedlamp standards (Barry: c.1848-1860);these form the edge to Victoria TowerGardens (Figure 87). Post war anti-floodmeasures have blocked the gates andcaused the terrace wall and its platforms tobe raised.5.7 Other railings in the vicinity are moresimply detailed, including the 20th centuryFigure 91: Abbey Gates and Railings with ornatelamp columnsCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP62

painted in red and gold with a centrallantern (Figure 92).5.10 To the south of Abbey Gardens,the ancient land lines of Thorney Islandare marked by heavy medieval stonewalls. The wall of the Abbey Precinct islisted Grade I (c. 1374) and constructedin Kentish Ragstone, with ashlar belowmarking the original high tide level. Variousarched doorways lead through from GreatCollege Street to the gardens themselves.Within the Abbey precincts, there areattractive wrought iron gates to the LittleCloisters (Figure 94).Figure 92: Gate from Dean’s Yard to GreatCloisterFigure 93: Medieval stone wall north of GreatCollege Street marking southern boundary ofThorney Island and the Abbey Precinct.piers, with cast iron railings betweenthese. They are listed Grade II. Frontingthe Abbey are more decorative Gothicrailings. The central gate is painted in red,gold and black, with two lanterns to eitherside (Figure 91). These date from 1882,possibly by W D Caroe. The same detailcan be found to the railings to the rear ofthe Abbey.5.9 The ornate gate leading into theGreat Cloisters from Dean’s Yard is alsoFigure 94: Gates to Little CloisterFigure 95: Decorative Victorian Gothic railings,No 2-3 The SanctuaryCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP63

5.11 The buildings to the north and westsides of Dean’s Yard have a mixture ofrailings. Particularly attractive are thoseto the rear elevation of Sir George GilbertScott’s Sanctuary buildings, on the northside of Dean’s Yard (Figure 95). Theseelaborately detailed iron railings are byW.D Caroe. Adjacent to this is a delicatewrought iron railing panel above the stonewall (Figure 96).Figure 98: Great George StreetFigure 96: Wrought iron railing panel, Dean’sYardFigure 99: Wrought iron railings to former publicbaths, No.32 Great Smith Streetfrom the Victorian era including the formerpublic library on Great Smith Street andWestminster Mansions.Figure 97: Elegant railings, No.3 Dean’s Yard5.12 The variety of railings surroundingbuildings in the rest of Dean’s Yard alsocontribute to its character. The railings tothe west are all restrained and elegant inform with a mixture of arrowhead, spearand urn detailing to finials. There areoriginal railings to no 17.5.1 Railings and boundary wallsare less characteristic of other partsof the conservation area, particularlyin the southwestern corner of theconservation area, where buildings tendto front directly onto the street, with nointervening boundary treatment. Railingsdo however front some of the buildings5.14 There are also some attractiveoriginal railing in the northern part of theconservation area on Great George Street.This includes 19th century spearheadrailings to no. 11 and Edwardian railings tothe Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.The Institution of Civil Engineer’s is frontedby a stone bottle balustrade detail.5.15 Other decorative ironwork of interestincludes a number of original cast ironhoppers with date stamps.The City Council will seek to preserveand repair boundary features of interest.Council policy in respect of these isDES7 C & D and further guidance canbe found in the design guide ‘Railingsin Westminster: A guide to their Design,Repair and Maintenance.’CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP64

Street Furniture5.16 Westminster has a fascinatingcollection of historic street furniture,some of which is listed. The appropriatemaintenance and protection of this isimportant, as is the need to preventmodern street clutter from detracting fromits setting.5.17 Lamps, signage and other smallelements of street furniture foundthroughout the Westminster Abbey andParliament Square Conservation Area addconsiderable interest and variety to thestreet scene. The majority of this is of highquality; much of it co-ordinated and basedon traditional forms and painted in black.5.18 There is also a large amount of listedstreet furniture within the conservationarea, some dating from the Victorianera. Much of this is of significant historicinterest in its own right.Figures 100-102: ReplicaPalace of WestminsterLampstandards (above), GreyWornum Lampstandard(left), Listed Nico Lanternwith two ladder rods, BroadSanctuary (below).5.19 The conservation area has a rangeof different lamp standards, many of whichare listed individually. The table belowshows a complete list of the location andstyle of listed lampstandards.Location Number Date DescriptionCentral green ofDean’s Yard10 Midc.19thCast iron slender lampstandards. Nico lanternswith decorative crestingBroad Sanctuary 5 Midc.19thPosts slightly enriched with lanterns of the Nicostyle with decorative cresting.No.5A andChurch House3 Mid/laterc.19thCast iron, plain shafted in Windsor style withsquare bases and square finialed lanterns.New PalaceYard, Houses ofParliamentSt Margaret’sChurchyard14 c.1860-67 Cast iron with fluted and foliated shafts with crownfinialed globe lantern.6 Midc.19thCast iron. Slightly enriched shafts above squarebases and with circular lanterns and ornamentalcresting; still gas lit.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP65

5.20 The lamps around the Palace ofWestminster were an integral part of itsdesign. Sir Charles Barry’s decorativecolumns are located around the immediatePalace surrounds and are of distinctivedesign, topped with globe lanterns andcrowns. Originals are located aroundNew Palace Yard with replicas aroundOld Palace Yard (Figure 100). There arealso a number of listed Nico and Windsorlampstandards, most of these locatedaround the Abbey precincts.5.21 In other parts of the conservationarea, lamp standards tend to be thetall Parliament Square Grey Wornumlampstandards, which were designed aspart of the setting out of Parliament Squareby George Grey Wornum in the 1950s(Figure 101). These now form a prominentfeature within the conservation area.5.22 Throughout the area, there are alsoa number of attractive wall-mounted lightsand lanterns, often integral to the originalbuilding design. This includes the mid 19thcentury Windsor lanterns on the walls atthe entrance to Dean’s Yard (Figure 105)and the more flamboyant, octagonal,Gothic lanterns to the exterior facade ofthe Palace of Westminster (Figure 103).5.23 The lamps to both WestminsterBridge and Lambeth Bridge are also ofinterest. Westminster Bridge has tripleheaded cast iron Victorian lamps, whilst toLambeth Bridge, there are double lanternsto stone obelisks and between these singlecast iron lamps, supported by a fish motif.5.24 Finally, a number of Edwardianbuildings also have wall-mounted lanternsof interest, including those to the MethodistCentral Hall and the unusual GlobeFigures 103-105: (top from left to right) lanterns on the Peer’s entrance, lantern on Westminster Bridge,Windsor Lanterns in Dean’s Yard and Figures 106-108 (bottom left to right), lamps to Institution ofCivil Engineers, lamps on Westminster and Lambeth Bridge and lamps on Middlesex GuildhallCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP66

lanterns on bronze bases to the Institutionof Civil Engineering (Figure 106-108).5.25 Other small features of interestinclude traditional red pillar letter boxes.Oval double aperture models are foundin various locations, see Figure 126, andthese provide a familiar and attractiveelement to the street scene.5.26 A number of rare red K2 typetelephone boxes (originally designed byGiles Gilbert Scott in 1926) are locatedalong Great George Street, just north ofthe conservation area, and contribute tothe character of the street scene aroundParliament Square.There are a number of locations within theconservation area where original signagehas survived. This greatly adds to thecharacter of the area.5.28 At the top of Great Smith Street thereis an old sign with directions to the library,baths and Church House high up on thewall by the junction with Victoria Street(Figure 112).5.29 There are terracotta and brick reliefpanels to many Victorian buildings. Theformer Bath House and Library retainattractive decorative relief panels above5.27 Street name inscriptions and signscan also be of interest, giving an insightinto the history and prior uses of buildings.Figures 112-114: Signage on Great Smith Street,above and below to the Public Baths and LibraryFigures 109-110: Double aperture EIIR pillarletter box (top left); K2 Telephone box; (top right)Figure 111: Raised benches in Victoria TowerGardensCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP67

their entrances, indicating their formerfunction and there is also an inscriptionbuilt into the side of the MiddlesexGuildhall which is taken from the formerTothill Fields Bridewell.5.30 Bollards are another common formof street furniture within the conservationarea, though most are modern. There are alarge number around the Queen ElizabethII Conference Centre and Methodist Hall,Figure 116: Shopfront to Orchard House, GreatSmith StreetFigure 115: Modern bollards, walkway ofQueen Elizabeth II Conference Centremost Westminster style bollards. There arealso bollards to Dean’s yard, with the crestof the Abbey.5.31 Most other street furniture in the areais modern, including signage, bus stops,traffic bollards and poles; in places thesecontribute to a congested street scene.(See Section 7: Negative Features).Policy DES7 B intends to protect thesehistoric and characteristic features of thestreet scene.Shopfronts5.32 Shopfronts, including well-designedcontemporary ones, can be of greatimportance in contributing to the characterFigure 117: No. 8 Storey’s Gateand appearance of both individualbuildings and the conservation areaas a whole, and can be of historic andarchitectural interest in their own right.5.33 The conservation area has historicallybeen dominated by ecclesiastical orgovernment related buildings, and there isnot therefore a strong retail presence in thearea.5.34 The most attractive shopfront in thearea is no longer in use as such but formsthe ground floor to Orchard House, with anattractive glazed brick surround; its timberdisplay windows are set between pilasters(Figure 116).5.35 Also presumably once a shopfront butno longer in use as such is the ground floorto no. 8 Storey’s Gate (Abbey Buildings).5.36 There are also several otherCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP68

uildings to the north of the area, it has awell detailed timber shopfront, set betweenpilasters with large scrolled consolebrackets.5.39 The City Council seeks to retainoriginal shopfronts and shopfront detailwherever possible and new signage shoulduse materials and detailing sympatheticto the age and style of the building andconservation area.Figure 118: Church House Bookshopsmall shops related to the Abbey- theWestminster Abbey tourist shop and theChurch House Bookshop on the corner ofLittle and Great Smith Street. Both are welldetailed, though not of particular historicinterest.5.37 There are also some formershopfronts, no longer in use to the base ofOrchard House on Great Smith Street.5.38 The conservation area has only onepublic house, the Westminster Arms, atno. 8 Storey’s Gate which dates from 1913.Located amongst the various institutionalPOLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEThe relevant City Council policyconcerning historic shopfronts andthe design of new ones is DES5 C.Reference should be made to thedesign guide ‘Shopfronts, Blinds andSigns: A Guide to their Design’ (1990)and ‘Advertisement Design Guidelines’(1992). Guidance specific to pubs andcafes can be found in ‘Food and DrinkPremises’Public Art5.40 Westminster has a high concentrationof public art, both in its streets and openspaces, and integrated into its buildings.5.41 Westminster Abbey and ParliamentSquare Conservation Area has aparticularly interesting collection of publicart, the area having been an importantsite for sculptural commissions in Britainwell into the 19th century. There are manystatues to famous statesmen and women,politicians and kings. Due to the volumeand importance of public art within the areaan Appendix has been created at the backof this document, with full descriptions andimages of all those listed below (specificlocations can be seen at Figure 126):Figure 119: Westminster Arms public houseCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP69

Figure 120:Churchill statue onParliament SquareParliament Square Gardens:1. Sir Winston Leonard SpencerCHURCHILL (1973) by Ivor Roberts-Jones[Grade II]2. Field Marshall Jan Christian Smuts(1956) by Epstein - [Grade II]3. Henry John Temple 3rd ViscountPalmerston (1871-6) by Thomas Woolneron a plinth by E.M. Barry - [Grade II]4. Lord Edward George GeoffreySmith Stanley, 14 Earl of Derby (1874) byMatthew Noble with reliefs on the base byHorace Montford- [Grade II]Figure 122: Bas relief from the former MiddlesexGuildhall5. Earl of Beaconsfield BenjaminDisraeli (1883) by Mario Raggi - Grade II6. Sir Robert Peel (1877) by MatthewNobel- [Grade II]7. Nelson Mandela (2007) by ColinPatterson8. David Lloyd George (2007) by GlynWilliamsCanning Green:9. George Canning (1827-32) by SirRichard Westmacott - [Grade II]10. Abraham Lincoln (1920) by AugustusSaint-Gaudens - [Grade II]Westminster Hall:11. Oliver Cromwell by Sir William HamoFigure 121: Buxton Memorial, Victoria TowerGardensFigure 123: ‘Knife Edge: Two Pieces’ by HenryMooreCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP70

Thornycroft (1899)Old Palace Yard:12. George V (1947) by William ReidDick and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott13. Bronze statue of King Richard I(Coeur-de-Lion) by Baron Carlo Marochetti(1851)Abingdon Gardens:14. Abstract bronze ‘Knife Edge: TwoPiece’ by Henry MooreVictoria Tower Gardens:Other Buildings:5.42 As well as the vast variety ofsculptures and monuments within theconservation area there is a significantamount of architectural sculpturespecifically on the Houses of Parliamentand the former Middlesex Guildhall.5. 4 Many of the Victorian andEdwardian buildings throughout the areaincorporate attractive relief panels. Thisincludes those to the Public Baths andbuildings on Great Smith Street.15. Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst (1930) byA.G Walker16. The Burghers of Calais (1915) byAuguste Rodin17. Buxton Memorial Fountain (1865)by S.S Tuelon; this commemorates SirThomas Fowell Buxton (1786-1845) MPfor Weymouth, who fought for the abolitionof slavery in the British dominions andelsewhere and in 1824 became leader ofthe anti-slavery party.Broad Sanctuary:18. Sir George Gilbert Scott’s Monument(1859-61); a red granite column, witha shaft –ring from which hang shields,a large Gothic capital, a lantern-crosson top and a statue of St. George anddragon; it stands to commemorate thoseof Westminster School who fell during theCrimean War. St George is by J.R. Claytonand the four monarchs in niches below byJ. Birnie Philip.Abbey Gardens:19. Crucifixion by Enzo Plazzotta (1981)given in 1993.20. Four Weather Figures by GrinlingGibbons with Arnold Quellin, from Wren’sgreat altar of 1686 for King James II’s newCatholic chapel at Whitehall PalaceFigures 124 & 125: Examples ofarchitectural sculpture; (above)over west entrance of WestminsterAbbey; (right) integrated sculptureto Palace facade.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEPolicy DES 7 A in the UDP encouragesthe provision of public art in associationwith all large development proposals.The Westminster Statues andMonuments SPD provides furtherguidance on statues and monuments inWestminster. This identifies a saturationzone in which the maximum number ofstatues acceptable in townscape termshas been reached.Westminster Abbey and ParliamentSquare Conservation Area fallswithin this saturation zone; as such,applications for new statues in theconservation area are unlikely to beacceptable.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP71

Figure 126: Public Realm, Street Furniture, Open Spaces and Statues and MonumentsCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP72

Hard Landscaping and Original StreetSurfaces5.44 Traditional surface treatments suchas setts and paving can also be importantelements in the townscape of an area.Paving, if well-designed, maintained andin high quality materials, contributes tothe character of an area, providing thebackdrop to the surrounding buildings.5.45 There is a considerable amountof historic street surfacing still intactthroughout the Westminster Abbey andParliament Square Conservation Area.This adds significantly to the overallcharacter of the area.Figure 128: Golden Jubilee paved sundial byJulian Bickwell, Old Palace YardFigure 127: Granite setts behind WestminsterAbbey5.46 Particularly noteworthy are theentrances, forecourts and enclosedcourtyards of the Palace entrancesincluding New Palace Yard and BlackRod’s Garden, all with a variety of historicalpaving, specifically granite setts and Yorkstone slabs. St Stephen’s Entrance has asmall York stone paved entrance forecourt.5.47 A Golden Jubilee paved sundial byJulian Bickwell is located in Old PalaceYard (west) and acts as a focal point onaxis with the Portland stone statue ofGeorge V (1910-35).5.48 The Abbey precincts also retainsome areas of historic street surfacing.In Dean’s Yard, there is some York stoneFigure 129: Paving in Little Dean’s Yardto the perimeter footways and the centrallawn is defined by granite sett channelsand granite kerbs. There are also threedecorative coal hole covers to the northernend of Dean’s Yard.5.49 Little Dean’s Yard also retains largeareas of original stone paving and somegranite setts. There is an area of attractiveoriginal granite setts to Abbey Close,behind the Abbey (Figure 127).5.50 More modern but attractive surfacingis located on the northern side of BroadSanctuary, by the Queen Elizabeth IIConference Centre. Here there is abattered granite perimeter wall and‘cobbled’ granite setts around routesincluding the footways and carriageway ofStorey’s Gate.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP73

5.51 The majority of the rest of theconservation area has a mixture of modernsurfacing, with some granite kerb stonesand areas of York stone paving.form part of an historic planting scheme oran estate layout.5.54 Trees and green landscapingcontribute significantly to the character ofthe area. Grass in particular is a widelyappreciated material which forms thesetting for the world heritage site (seemap, Figure 126),Figure 130: Granite setts off footways andcarriageways of Storey’s Gate5.52 Areas which retain historic or modernstreet surfacing of high quality are shownon the map at Figure 126.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEUDP policy DES7 E seeks to promotegood quality paving materials by theCouncil and in private schemes.For guidance on best practice relatingto both street furniture and public realmworks, the Westminster Way is theCouncil’s emerging public realm manual.Trees, Soft Landscape &Gardens5.53 Trees and soft landscaping are vitalto the quality of urban environments inboth visual and environmental terms. Theycontribute significantly to the characterand appearance of conservation areasand the local townscape, providing a softedge within urban landscapes, as well asbringing environmental benefits. Often asingle tree can provide a focal point, whilstavenues or a group of mature trees mayFigure 131: Parliament Square5.55 Parliament Square is an area to thewest of New Palace Yard originally createdby Charles Barry (1868) and redesigned byGrey Wornum in the 1950s. It consists of acentral square grassy island, surroundingroads and Canning Green. Its significanceis acknowledged through its Grade II listingand its status as an English HeritageRegistered Historic Park and Garden. Thecentral island is a landscaped area at thecentre of the wider Parliament Squarearea. It is mostly grass with an ‘L’ shapedpavement of Portland stone extendingfirstly on a north/south axis from oppositethe north door to Westminster Abbey,across to the other side of the islandand then running west/east. There areseven fine mature London plane trees,which predate the Grey Wornum schemearranged at roughly equal intervals alongthe full length of the raised Portland stonepaved areas, while a raised planted arearuns adjacent to the west/east pavementon its south, with two Catalpa trees.5.56 Canning Green - is an area of raisedlawn and the setting for the statues ofCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP74

Canning and Abraham Lincoln. It is alsoincluded in the English Heritage Registerof Historic Parks and Gardens entry forParliament Square. Soft landscapingincludes three London Plane trees and anarea of lawn.5.57 The northern side of BroadSanctuary is the landscape design ofPowell and Moya (part of the compositionof the Queen Elizabeth II conferencecentre in 1986)- it is a raised lawn withbattered granite perimeter wall and severalPlane trees.5.58 Around the Abbey and St Margaret’sChurch, there are also large areas ofgrass, lined to the Parliament Square/Broad Sanctuary side with ten largeLondon planes around its perimeter.5.59 Victoria Tower Gardens- the largestarea of green open space within theconservation area is located beside theThames, framed by the river embankmentgranite wall and stretching from thesouthern facade of the Palace down toLambeth Bridge. It was originally laidout as a Victorian metropolitan publicspace and has an abundance of matureLondon Plane trees around open lawnsand flowerbeds. The area also has a smallchildren’s playground to the south andshrubs and lawns around the perimeter ofthe garden. It is on the English HeritageRegister of Historic Parks and Gardens,Grade II.5.60 Speaker’s Green - a low levellawn with a public underpass leading toWestminster Underground Station. Thelawn fronts the River Thames to the eastand Westminster Bridge to the north, andfurthermore forms an important setting for‘Big Ben’.5.61 Cromwell Green - this low levellawn is the setting for Cromwell’simposing statue. The lawn sits adjacent toWestminster Hall and is bounded to thewest and south by a low stone wall.Figure 132: New Palace Yard5.62 Black Rod’s Garden is hardlandscaped but bounded by shrubbery anda mature tree border to Victoria TowerGardens to its south.5.63 New Palace Yard - is an ancientspace dating from the medieval period.However, the present layout dates from1977. The main focus is the fountain,erected for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee,based on the medieval fountain onceon this site. The layout is formal withdecorative Indian Bean trees, lawns andgranite setts.5.64 To the western side of Old PalaceYard, adjacent to the Chapter House andFigure 133: Dean’s Yard central greenJewel Tower there is a small area of Greenopen space. Abingdon Street Gardens(or College Green) - this is a lawned areaCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP75

south of the Jewel Tower and oppositeBlack Rod’s Garden and Victoria Tower.The current landscape was laid out in the1960s when an underground car park wasestablished.5.65 Dean’s Yard - a courtyard with alarge lawn, ringed with mature chestnuttrees.5.66 The Abbey Gardens are locatedto the south of Little Cloisters. This is alarge enclosed green area with brick pathdividing two expansive lawns, boundedby Lord Burlington’s dormitory, buildingsof the Little Cloister to the north and astone boundary wall to the south. Thereare many trees in the garden, visible fromoutside the Abbey precinct.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEUDP policy ENV 16 seeks to protecttrees which make a significantcontribution to the character andappearance of a conservation area.Advice on trees and their protectionis given in the City Council designguide: ‘Trees and Other Planting onDevelopment Sites.’Figure 134: Abbey Garden5.67 There are also a number of streettrees in the conservation area. A few CrabApples can be found on St Ann’s Streetwhile some Chinese Privet are on GreatPeter Street.5.68 All trees within conservation areasare protected and the City Council must begiven six weeks notice of any intention tofell or lop a tree.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP76

6 Characteristic Land Uses6. 1 Land uses also contribute significantlyto the character and appearance of aconservation area. These not only have adirect influence on the building typology ormake-up of an area but also on the nature,atmosphere and use of the public spacesand streets. Particular uses may be ofhistoric importance and will have dictatedthe evolution of an area.6.2 The character of the Westminsterand Parliament Square ConservationArea has very much been shaped by thecontinuity of historical uses in the area andconcentration of large scale public andinstitutional buildings housing institutions ofthe United Kingdom.Parliamentary Uses.6.3 For almost a thousand years,Westminster has been the seat of nationalgovernment. The present day Palace ofWestminster, accommodating the Housesof Commons and Lords, has the mostsignificant impact on the area’s character,bringing in many people, both as a largeemployer and a tourist attraction.6.4 The area provides the setting formany ceremonial events, such as the StateOpening of Parliament, while the regularpresence of television crews on AbingdonGardens and campaigning protesterscontribute to a sense of being at the centreof national events.6.5 The proximity to Parliament meansthat many other governmental functionsand offices are also located in the vicinity.A number of government departmentscan be found in the southwestern part ofthe conservation area along Great SmithStreet. Other institutions include the newSupreme Court within the MiddlesexGuildhall and the European Commission inthe UK.Ecclesiastical Uses.6.6 Westminster Abbey has greatsignificance in the spiritual life of thenation, with long historical links to theCrown and state. Many of the buildingsin the conservation area are owned bythe Dean and Chapter of the CollegiateChurch of St Peter and the Abbey is thefocus for ceremonial occasions, such ascoronations, or memorial services andmusical recitals. Associated pageantand presence of the clergy, all form animportant part of the character of the area.6.7 Other prominent churches in thearea include St Margaret’s Church, whichis the Parish Church for the Houses ofParliament, and Methodist Central Hall, thecentre of Methodism in Great Britain. Thesmall St Matthew’s Church is located to inthe southwest of the conservation area.6.8 Finally, Church House occupies alarge block with frontages to Dean’s Yardand Great Smith Street and has a majorimpact on this part of the conservationarea. It is the headquarters of the Churchof England and houses the Archbishops’Council and all its Boards and Council, aswell as of the Church of England PensionsBoard and the National Society. It is themeeting-place of the General Synod ofthe Church of England and includes aconference centre, Publishing House andChurch bookshop.Educational Uses6.9 Within the conservation area,ecclesiastical buildings are also linkedto schools, two historically associatedwith the Abbey: Westminster Schooland Westminster Abbey Choir School.Westminster School has a long historyin the area, but is now independent andoccupies a large number of buildingsaround Dean’s Yard. Both schools haveboarders and therefore include residencesand dining rooms as well as classroomsand offices.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP77

6.10 The quiet, cloistered atmosphereof Dean’s Yard and Little Dean’s Yardderives both from the associations withthe Abbey and the continued school use.The presence of Westminster scholars hasbeen a feature of the area since 1179, andforms part of the unique character of thearea.6.11 To the southwest of the area, thesmall St Matthews Primary school wasalso established as a Church School, nextto St Matthew’s Church.Other Public and Institutional Uses6.12 A number of other large-scaleinstitutional and public buildingssignificantly influence the character of thearea. This includes various headquarters ofprofessional associations on Great GeorgeStreet, including that of the Royal Instituteof Chartered Surveyors and Institution ofCivil Engineer’s on what became knownas ‘engineer’s row.’ The Queen ElizabethII Conference Centre is another importantfacility in this part of the conservation area.6.13 Its proximity to Parliament hasalso attracted a number of think-tanksand lobbying organisations to the area,including the Adam Smith Institute andPolicy Exchange.6.14 The area around Great Smith Streetwas historically occupied by a numberof late Victorian civic and philanthropicbuildings, which have mostly beenconverted to other uses. Public usesremain here in the form of the AbbeyCommunity Centre and the WestminsterArchives Centre.Public and Tourist Sites6.15 Tourism has a significant impact onthe character of the area. WestminsterHall, Westminster Abbey and the JewelTower are all visitor attractions, bringingmany tourists into the area. This hasresulted in the need for associated facilitiesincluding ticket booths and barriers(see Section 7: Negative Features &Enhancements).Residential6.16 Whilst the majority of the area isdominated by public and institutionalbuildings, there are also some pockets ofresidential accommodation. The area tothe south-west of the conservation areain particular has a number of residentialbuildings. This includes WestminsterMansions and the Salvation ArmyHostel. There is also some residentialaccommodation in flats on Matthew ParkerStreet.Other uses6.17 Commercial and retail uses arenot characteristic of this conservationarea, and there are very few shops andrestaurants. The exceptions are theWestminster Arms on Storey’s Gate anda restaurant in the former public library onGreat Smith Street6.18 Much of the conservation area ismade up of open spaces, as outlinedabove. The green open spaces and theriver are vital to the character of the area.6.19 Transportation and a concentrationof major routes also has a significantimpact on the character of the area (seeSection 7: Negative Features)6.20 The conservation area is locatedwithin the Westminster Central ActivitiesZone and the Thames Special Policy Area.A map showing ground floor land uses canbe found at Figure 135.POLICY & FURTHER GUIDANCEThe City Council will consider thecontribution of existing and proposeduses to the character, appearance andsetting of the conservation area. DES9 Eis the relevant UDP policyCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP78

Figure 135: Land UsesCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP79

7 NEGATIVE FEATURES &ENHANCEMENT7.1 Negative features are thoseelements which detract from the specialcharacter of an area and therefore presentan opportunity for change. This caninclude both small features and largerbuildings and sites. It may be that simplemaintenance works can remedy thesituation, or in some cases there may bean opportunity to redevelop a particularsite.7.2 The Westminster Abbey andParliament Square Conservation Area hasan exceptionally high quality of built fabric,with relatively few negative elements.However, the high profile of the area, andsignificant volume of traffic and visitors,means that there are significant pressureson the area, some of which have adetrimental impact. Certain features withinthe conservation area are also consideredto detract from the special character of thearea. Specific areas and buildings, as wellas more general features which detractfrom the character of the area, are listedbelow:Sites and Buildings7.3 Parliament Square. Althoughof key importance to the setting of theWorld Heritage Site and a RegisteredHistoric Park and Garden in its own right,it is perhaps one of the most significantnegative features in the conservation areadue to the quality of the experience in thepublic realm around Parliament Squareitself.7.4 Parliament Square suffers from thehigh volume of traffic on routes around it.This has an adverse effect both on peopleusing the square, especially the centralarea, and on the surrounding buildings,thus detracting from the visual amenityof the area and hampering access to itscentre.7.5 Few pedestrians visit the centralsquare, largely due to the lack ofcrossings. As a consequence, although ithas the potential to provide an importantviewing place for the World Heritage Siteand surrounding buildings, the area issignificantly under-used.7.6 In addition to issues of traffic andaccess, the quality of the public realmin Parliament Square is not in keepingwith the importance of the location. Thelandscaping is, in places, in poor conditionand the square is paved with a patchworkof different materials. Dark and palenatural stone survive from Grey Wornum’slayout, but these have been patched withill-matched stone or concrete slabs andpoured concrete repairs. Along the southof the square standard large unit concretepaviours have been used, while a smallpatch at the north east corner has newhigh quality York stone paving.7.7 The public realm and trafficproblems of Parliament Square are beingaddressed through discussions betweenthe GLA, Transport for London and theCity of Westminster (See ManagementProposals).7.8 Deans’ Yard. Cars also marrthe character of Dean’s Yard. Parkingsurrounds the central lawn and detractsfrom the views across this attractive space(Figure 137).Figure 136: Parliament Square7.9 Abingdon Street Car Park. TheCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP80

Figure 137: Traffic and Tarmac Roads aroundDean’s YardFigure 139: No. 2 Little Smith Streetsympathetic redevelopment of this site forresidential use.Figure 138: Abingdon Street car park entranceAbingdon Street Underground car park andits entrance have a negative visual impacton this important area of open space.The utilitarian design, and associated carpark signage are not in keeping with thecharacter of the area.7.10 2 Little Smith Street. There arefew individual buildings which detractfrom the appearance of the conservationarea. The exception is No. 2 Little SmithStreet. This is a modern building in brickand white render occupying a cornerplot. It is of bland design, poorly detailedand maintained, particularly at groundfloor level. The rendered wall and garagedoors to the corner of Tufton Street createa bleak, featureless ground floor. Atthe time of writing, consent has recentlybeen granted for the demolition and more7.11 Riverside Terraces The two riversideterraces to the front of the House ofParliament have striped red and greenawnings detracting from the appearanceof the Palace of Westminster in viewsacross the river. Their design is currentlyunder review by the Parliamentary EstatesDirectorate.7.12 Setting of the Conservation Area.Buildings and development adjacent tothe conservation area also have an impacton its character. The large scale buildingsalong Victoria Street have a significant andsometimes detrimental impact on viewsout of the conservation area. The bulk ofScotland Yard and the BERR Building inparticular are visible from many parts ofthe conservation area.Other Features7.13 Public Realm/ Street Clutter. Insome part of the conservation area therehas been a proliferation of street clutter,including signs, lighting, traffic signals,CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP81

handrails and security equipment . Asimplified and consistent design strategywould be a great improvement for users ofthe area and for the setting of the importantlisted buildings. A modern telephone boxon Storey’s Gate, by the Queen ElizabethII Conference Centre, is also inappropriateto its context.such as inappropriately sited aerials,telecommunications equipment andrailings, has impacted on the roof profile ofthe area and ultimately the area’s specialcharacter7.14 Poor street signage is a majorFigure 143: Looking from Dean’s Yard, the roofsof 16 Great Smith Street forming the backdrop7.17 As with all additions to buildings,careful consideration should be givento the siting of such equipment, so as tominimise its visual impact.Figure 140-142: Street clutter, including bollards,railings, illuminated traffic bollards, traffic signsand random polesconcern within the conservation area andhas a significant effect on the character ofthe street scene.7.15 There is also a mixture of pavingmaterials throughout the area, with modernconcrete slabs, Tarmac and incrementalalterations giving untidy results in places.7.16 Roof Level Alterations. In anumber of locations to the southwestof the conservation area, poorlydetailed roof extensions and roof clutter,7.18 A large and poorly detailed roofextension at 16 Great Smith Street hasa negative impact on the middle groundviews of the listed buildings, viewed fromDean’s Yard and from surrounding streets,including Great Smith Street and Old PyeStreet. The additional roof storeys addheight to buildings already out of scale withthe buildings of Dean’s Yard, and a rooftopenclosure above this forms an evengreater intrusion.7.19 Plant and Air conditioning. Thecareless placement of external plant andair conditioning equipment, as well asstreet clutter such as traffic signs andsignalling equipment, can have a negativeimpact on individual buildings and thewider street scene. The careful sitingand choice of materials and colours cansignificantly reduce their impact.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP82

Westminster there are a large numberof concrete and metal security barriersand fencing. These are detrimental to thecharacter of the area.7.22 Security cameras and associatedpoles, wires and clutter also detract fromthe area. There are a large number ofpole-mounted cameras outside the Palaceof Westminster, and a number of camerasare also attached to individual buildings.Figure 144: Air-conditioning unit to the front ofWestminster Abbey7.20 Other minor building alterations.Other buildings in the conservation areahave also had minor alterations. On 8-10 Great George Street and Great SmithStreet the basement lightwells havebeen covered with heavy metal grilles,which detract from the appearance of thebuilding.Figure 145: Modern replacement railings andgrilles blocking basement lightwell to 10 GreatGeorge Street7.20 Security Measures Securityconcerns have necessitated additionalphysical security measures in recent years,many of which have a negative impact onthe appearance of the conservation area,particularly at the Palace of Westminster.7.21 To the front of the Palace ofFigure 146-147: Security fencing to Speaker’sGreen and barriers to Old Palace Yard7.23 Visitor management. The highconcentration of visitors to the WorldHeritage Site also means that there is alarge volume of visitors.7.24 The need for queuing assistance hasled to temporary barriers to the Palace ofWestminster. These unattractive modernstands, especially in front of WestminsterHall, create foreground clutter, whichdetracts from the appreciation of theCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP83

POLICY AND FURTHER GUIDANCEThe City Council will take appropriatesteps to ensure the preservation andenhancement of its conservation areas.Schemes for the improvement andenhancement of conservation areaswill be encouraged and initiated wherepossible. Any proposal will be judgedagainst policies DES1 and DES9.Figure 148: Crowd security measuresarchitectural quality of the buildingsbeyond. These are, however, due to bereplaced when the new Visitor Receptionbuilding on Cromwell Green is opens inSpring 2008.7.25 The placement of kiosks andsecurity huts in and around the WorldHeritage Site detract from the setting of themany listed buildings in the area.Figure 149: Food and Drink kiosk outside AbbeyCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP84

8 Management ProposalsGeneral8.1 It is expected that the effective management of the Westminster Abbey andParliament Square Conservation Area can, for the most part, be met through an effectivepolicy framework and the positive use of existing development control and enforcementpowers. The analysis of the character and appearance of the conservation area withinthis audit therefore identifies those elements the Council will seek to protect, as well asnegative features which may present opportunities for change or enhancement.8.2 The strategic importance of this conservation area means that many otherorganisations are actively involved in its protection. As such, there is already a largeamount of documentation in place relevant to the management of the conservationarea, published by various organisations. Of particular importance is the World HeritageSite Management Plan for the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey includingSt Margaret’s Church, published 2007. These existing documents, along with theconservation area audit, will provide the framework for management of the area.8.3 Each section of the audit is linked to relevant policy guidance, which the Councilwill use in the future management of the area. Other statutory designations and existingcontrols in place to manage the conservation area are listed in the Directory, which followsthis section. This includes a list of guidance, Supplementary Planning Documents andplanning briefs relevant to the management of the conservation area.Management/ Ownership Responsibilities8.4 For Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square, shared ownership and responsibilityfor different public open spaces means partnership working is particularly important.Parliament Square is owned by the Crown and managed by the Greater LondonAuthority. The areas around the Abbey and St Margaret’s Church are owned andmanaged by the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St Peter. Canning Greenand Victoria Tower Gardens are managed by Royal Parks Agency. Abingdon StreetGardens is managed by Westminster City Council. A list of statues and monuments isincluded in the Appendix, including details of those responsible for their maintenance.ProposalsIn addition, the following table provides a list of actions the council will take relatedspecifically to those features identified as ‘negative’ in Section 7.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP85

Table of proposalsIssue/ FeatureParliament SquareActionWork in partnership with the GLA, Transport for London and otherrelevant bodies to promote improvements to the quality of theexperience of Parliament Square.Work to develop and agree a framework for action regarding theenhancement of Parliament Square and improved access to thecentral garden are in discussion.Promote improved signage for the conservation area and WHS.Pressures onthe specialarchitectural,and historicalsignificance of theWorld HeritageSiteWork in partnership with all organisations involved in themanagement of the World Heritage Site, using the forum of theWorld Heritage Site Steering Group.Implement relevant sections of the World Heritage Site ManagementPlan and consider its objectives when assessing developmentproposals, including:• Care and protection of the historic fabric. The Sitemust inevitably undergo frequent repairs and maintenanceprogrammes. Careful consideration must be taken prior to anyworks being undertaken to ensure potential impacts do notadversely affect the WHS.• Preservation of the setting and iconic views. There is currentlyno buffer zone which would help to sustain the special qualities ofthe setting of the WHS. Large development beyond the boundarymay pose risks to the WHS. Any changes in style or backdropshould be carefully considered to ensure the preservation of theiconic value of the site.Have regard to other relevant documents including the Palace ofWestminster Conservation Plan, produced by the ParliamentaryEstates Directorate.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP86

Setting of theConservation Areaand Protection ofViewsWork with English Heritage in the development of their DynamicVisual Impacts study for the World Heritage Site.Develop and adopt Westminster City Council’s emerging SPD onMetropolitan Views.Regular reviews of the existing views will be carried out and anynew views of importance to the character or appearance of theconservation area will be identified, characterised and managedin line with this conservation area audit, the Local DevelopmentFramework, Westminster City Council’s Metropolitan Views SPDand where necessary the GLA’s London View ManagementFramework SPG.SecurityAny new proposals for development adjacent to the conservationarea should be of a high design quality and have regard to its impacton the setting of the conservation area.Careful consideration should be given to the design and sitingof new security structures and equipment, wherever possibleintegrating this into the design of new or existing street furniture.Wherever possible this should be sited, coloured and designedto minimise its visual impact and meet the high standards of theremainder of the public realm.The removal, redesign or re-siting of poorly designed securitymeasures will be encouraged.Impact of trafficand parkingThe large volume of traffic within the area undermines the visitorexperience and visual appeal of the area. Work with partnerorganisations to improve traffic management and landscaping tomitigate negative impact throughout the areaUnsympatheticsites and infilldevelopmentHigh quality schemes for redevelopment/ enhancement of sitesidentified as negative will be encouraged.Any new proposals for infill development should be of a high designquality and reflect the historic plot widths, predominant scale, andarchitectural detail of adjoining buildings within the conservationarea. Applications should include an analysis of the character andappearance of the conservation area, making reference to findingswithin the audit.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP87

Public Realm/Street FurnitureDe-cluttering initiatives to be promoted to reduce street clutter andpromote consistent approach to street furniture design.Original street furniture and historic street surfacing of interestidentified in the audit is to be retained as part of any future streetworks or landscaping schemes.Pavement surfaces should be maintained as part of an overall andongoing maintenance programme throughout the conservation areato ensure that both the historic fabric and character of the area ispreserved.Clutter caused byinappropriate sitingof services andother equipmentsuch as plant andair conditioning,flues and wiresRemoval, re-siting and re-housing of any redundant pipework,wires and alarms to be sought as part of any new development orrefurbishment proposals.Update and prepare new guidance on Plant and Air Conditioningto encourage awareness of best practice.Enforcement action to be taken to secure the removal ofunauthorised accretions where possible.Roof clutter andinappropriateextensionsImprovements to inappropriately detailed roof extensions to beencouraged as part of any future redevelopment proposals. Thisincludes the removal/ re-siting of unnecessary and redundant roofclutter.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP88

9 GLOSSARY OF TERMSAcanthus - CantedAcanthusA plant with thick, fleshy, scallopedleaves used on carved ornament such asCORINTHIAN and COMPOSITE CAPITALSand other mouldingsAccretionsA gradual build-up of small additions andlayersAediculeThe framing of a door, window, or otheropening with two columns, PIERS orPILASTERS supporting a GABLE, LINTEL,plaque or an ENTABLATURE and PEDIMENTArchitravesThe lowest of the three main parts of anENTABLATURE or the moulded framesurrounding a door or windowArt DecoFrom the Paris Exposition Internationaledes Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes,1925. An early 20th century movement inthe decorative arts, architecture and fashion.Considered to be an opulent, eclecticstyle, influenced by a variety of sources.Characterised by use of materials such asaluminium and stainless steel and the useof bold forms, sweeping curves, CHEVRONpatterns and sunburst motifsArt NouveauMeaning ‘New Art’. A movement thatemerged at the end of the 19th century, whichadvocated the use of highly-stylized natureas the source of inspiration. Correspondinglyorganic forms, curved lines, especially floral orvegetal.Arts & CraftsA major English aesthetic movement, at itsheight between 1880 - 1910. Inspired by thewritings of John Ruskin, a reformist movementsearching for authentic and meaningful stylesas a reaction to the machine-made productionof the Industrial Revolution. Its best knownpractitioner is William Morris, who foundedthe SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OFANCIENT BUILDINGS.BalconettesA small projecting balcony from a wall,enclosed by railings or BALUSTRADE, moredecorative rather than functionalBaroqueAn architectural style of the 17th and 18thcenturies characterised by dramatic andexuberant decoration, using expansivecurvaceous forms, large-scale and complexcompositions. Used in palaces, churches andnational buildings as a means of creatingemotional involvement and a dramaticimpression.BayA vertical division of the exterior of a buildingmarked by fenestration, an order, buttresses,roof compartments etc.Bay WindowAn angular or curved projecting window.Beaux ArtsTranslated as “Fine Arts”. A classicalarchitectural style taught at the Ecole desBeaux Arts in Paris 1885-1920. Dependedon sculptural decoration along conservativemodern lines, using French and ItalianBAROQUE and Rococo formulas with animpressionistic finish.Bottle BalustradeA assemblage of bottle shaped mouldedshafts in stone supporting the COPING of aPARAPET or the handrail of a staircase.Butterfly RoofA roof formed by two gables that dip in themiddle, resembling butterfly’s wings. The roofswere particularly popular in Britain during the19th century as they have no top ridges andwere usually concealed on the front façadeby a parapet. The roof gave the illusion ofa flat roof, an essential part of CLASSICALarchitecture, but accommodated Britain’s wetclimate.ButtressA mass of masonry or brick-work projectingfrom or built against a wall to give additionalstrength.CanopyA projection or hood over a door, window etc.CantedArchitectural term describing part, or segment,of a façade which is at an angle of less thanCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP89

Cantillevered - Curtain Wall90° to another part of the same façade.CantileveredA horizontal projection (e.g. a step, balcony,canopy or beam) supported by a downwardforce. Without external bracing and appearsto be self-supporting, cantilever constructionallows for long structures without externalbracing.CapitalThe head or crowning feature of a column.CartoucheAn ornamental panel in the form of a scrollor sheet of paper with curling edges, usuallybearing an inscription and sometimes ornatelyframed.Casement WindowsA metal or timber window with side hingedleaves, opening outwards or inwards.Cast IronAn iron-based alloy containing more than2% carbon. The molten iron is poured into asand cast or mould rather than hammered intoshape by a blacksmith. The allows for regularand uniform patterns and a high degreeof detail to be represented. The finishedproduct is chunkier, though more brittle, thanWROUGHT IRON.ChevronA type of moulding forming a zigzag pattern.Chimney StackMasonry or brick-work containing several flues,projecting above the roof and terminating inchimney pots.ClassicalA revival or return to the principles of Greek orRoman architecture and an attempt to returnto the rule of artistic law and order. Begun inBritain c. 1616 and continued in successivewaves up to 1930s.Coade StoneAn artificial cast stone with a mottled surface,invented in the late 18th century and usedup to the early 19th century for all types ofornamentation.Coal Hole CoverA circular, metal or wooden plate covering ahole in the pavement where domestic coaldeliveries were dropped into a vaulted bunkerbeneath the pavementColonnadeA row of columns carrying an ENTABLATUREor archesCompositeA mixed order combining the scroll-likeornament of the IONIC order with the leaves(ACANTHUS) of the CORINTHIAN order.ConsoleAn ornamental bracket with a curved profileand usually of greater height than projection.CopingA capping or covering to a wall, either flat orsloping to throw off water.CorbelA projecting block, usually of stone, supportinga beam or other horizontal member.CorinthianOne of the CLASSICAL orders, which is anenriched development of the IONIC CAPITAL.Featuring stylized ACANTHUS leaves, whichsometimes appear blown sideways. Unlikethe DORIC and IONIC column capitals, aCorinthian capital has no neck beneath it, justa moulded ring or banding. The Corinthiancolumn is almost always fluted.CorniceIn classical architecture, the top projectingsection of an ENTABLATURE. Also anyprojecting ornamental moulding along thetop of a building, wall, arch etc., finishing orcrowning itCrestingAn ornamental ironwork finish along the top ofa screen, wall or roof.CupolaA dome, especially a small dome on a circularor polygonal base crowning a roof or turret.Curtain WallA non-load-bearing wall, which can be appliedin front of a framed structure. Manufacturedfrom a variety of materials such as aluminium,steel and glass; with sections to includeCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP90

Dentill - Gothicwindows and spaces between.DentilMeaning ‘tooth’. A small square decorativeblock used in series in CORNICES.DoricOne of the CLASSICAL orders. Doriccolumns historically stood directly onto theflat pavement without a base; fluted andtopped by a smooth CAPITAL that carried anENTABLATURE.Dormer WindowA window placed vertically in a sloping roofand with a roof of its own. Name comes fromFrench ‘to sleep’.DressingsStone worked to a finished face, whethersmooth or moulded, and used around anangle, window or any feature.EavesThe under part of a sloping roof overhanging awall.EdwardianEdwardian period refers to the reign ofKind Edward VII, 1901–1910, although issometimes extended to include the period upto the start of World War I in 1914.English BondA method of laying bricks so that alternatecourses or layers on the face of the wall arecomposed of headers (end) or stretchers (longedge) only.EntablatureThe upper part of an order consisting ofARCHITRAVE, FRIEZE, and CORNICE.FaienceA type of glazing used on ceramics.FanlightA window, often semi-circular, over a door,in Georgian and Regency buildings, withradiating glazing bars suggesting a fan. Orany window over a door to let light into theroom or corridor beyondFasciaThe wide board over a shopfront, usuallycarrying its nameFenestrationThe arrangement of windows in a building’sfaçadeFestoonA carved ornament in the form of a garlandof fruit and flowers, tied with ribbons andsuspended at both endsFinialA vertical mounted spike, sometimes withformal ornament, used on railings and on topsof buildingsFlemish BondA method of laying bricks so that alternateheaders (end) and stretchers (long edge)appear in each course on the face of the wallFlutingShallow, concave grooves running vertically onthe shaft of a column or PILASTER.FriezeA decorative band running between theARCHITRAVE and CORNICE.GableThe upper portion of a wall at the end of aPITCHED ROOF. Can have straight sidesor be shaped or crowned with a PEDIMENT,known as a Dutch Gable.Gauged brickBrick moulded, rubbed or cut to an exact sizeand shape, for arches or ornamental workGault brickBrick made from Gault Clay – an uncommonclay which, when fired, produces light, almostbuff, blue brick.GeorgianThe period in British history between 1714 -1830 and the accession of George I and deathof George IV. Also includes the RegencyPeriod, defined by the Regency of George IVas Prince of Wales during the madness of hisfather George III.GothicA style of European architecture, particularlyassociated with catetrals and churches, thatbegan in 12th century France. The styleemphasizes verticality, with expanses of glass,pointed spires, flying BUTTRESSES, ribbedvaults, pointed arches and sculptural detail.The style focused on letting more light to enterCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP91

Grille - Pilasterbuildings than was possible with older styles.A series of Gothic revivals began in mid-18thcentury England and continued into the 20thcentury, largely for ecclesiastical and universitybuildings.GrilleA fretted metal band, often in shopfronts, toallow for the flow of air.HeterodoxA six sided feature.Hipped RoofA roof with sloped instead of vertical ends.IonicOne of the CLASSICAL orders. The Ioniccolumn is characterised by paired scrolls thatare laid on the moulded cap of the column.ItalianateDescribes the style of villas which developedin England as a result of the PicturesqueMovement of the 1840s. A rebellion againstthe CLASSICAL styles of architecture. Thestyle includes lavish exterior ornamentationsuch as extended CORNICE mouldings,QUOINS, PORTICOS and floral designs.KeystoneThe central stone of an arch, sometimescarved.LightwellA shaft built in to the ground to let light into abuilding’s interior at basement level, allowingbelow-ground rooms windows and natural light.LoggiaA gallery open on one or more sides,sometimes pillared.Mansard RoofTakes its name from the French architect,Francois Mansart. Normally comprise a steeppitched roof with a shallower secondary pitchabove and partially hidden behind a PARAPETwall. The design allows extra accommodationat roof level.Mansion BlockA type of high-density housing used in theVictorian era. Exteriors were often red brickwith elaborate stone decoration.MewsA block or row of stables with livingaccommodation above, and subservient togrander buildings with which they were pairedand serviced.MezzanineA low storey between two higher ones.ModernismA cultural movement that emerged in Francebefore 1914, rejection of ‘traditional’ formsof art and architecture and a celebration ofprogress. The most commonly used materialsare glass for the façade, steel for exteriorsupport, and concrete for the floors and interiorsupports. Floor plans were functional andlogical and the style became most evident inthe design of skyscrapers.ModillionA small bracket or CONSOLE of which aseries is used to support the upper part of aCORNICE.MullionsA vertical post or upright dividing a window orother opening.Oriel WindowA window which juts out from the main wall of abuilding but does not reach the ground. Oftensupported by CORBELS or brackets.ParapetA low wall, placed to protect from a suddendrop – often on roofs.PedimentA CLASSICAL architectural element consistingof a triangular section or GABLE found abovethe ENTABLATURE, resting on columns or aframing structure.Pentelic MarbleA pure white, fine grain marble quarried fromthe Pentili mountain range in Greece.PierA solid masonry support or the solid massbetween doors and other openings inbuildings.PilasterA shallow PIER or rectangular columnprojecting only slightly from a wall and, inCLASSICAL architecture, conforming with oneCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP92

Pitched Roof - Stock Brickof the orders.Pitched RoofA roof consisting of two sloping halves thatform a peak in the middle where they meet.PolychromyTerm used to describe multiple colours in oneentity, especially used during VICTORIAN era.Used to highlight certain features or façades.PortcullisA GRILLE or gate historically used to fortifythe entrances to medieval castles. It appearsfrequently as an emblem in heraldry.PorticoA roofed space, open or partly enclosedforming the entrance and centre-piece of thefaçade of a building, often with detached orattached columns and a PEDIMENT.Portland StoneA light coloured limestone from the Jurassicperiod quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset.Queen AnneA revival style popularised in the 1870s byRichard Norman Shaw. Used broad historicprecedents, combining fine brickwork,TERACOTTA panels, limestone detailing,ORIEL windows and corner towers,asymmetrical fronts and picturesque massing.QuoinsDressed stones at the corners of buildings,usually laid so their faces are alternately largeand small. From the French word coin meaningcorner.RomanesqueThe dominant style of the 11th and 12thcenturies until the emergence of GOTHIC.Characterised by clear easily comprehendedschemes. Adopted as a revival style in the 19thcentury.RusticationMasonry cut in massive blocks separated fromeach other by deep joints. Used in lower partsof exterior walls. Effect often imitated usingSTUCCO renders.Sash WindowA window formed with sliding glazed framesrunning vertically.SoffitThe exposed underside of any overheadcomponent of a building.StallriserA key element in a traditional shopfront,usually wood, which protects the lower part ofthe shopfront and encloses the shop windowand entranceStuccoPlasterwork or an exterior render, oftenfinished to imitate fine stoneworkTerracottaFired but unglazed clay with a distinctivelyorange/red colour.TerraceA row of attached houses designed as a unit.TriglyphsBlocks separating the square spaces in aDORIC FRIEZE.Tripartite WindowsA window formed of three elements.TurretsA small and slender curved tower.TuscanOne of the CLASSICAL orders. A stockysimplivied version of the DORIC order. Thecolumn has a simpler base and was unfluted,while CAPITAL and ENTABLATURE arewithout adornments.Venetian WindowsA window with three openings, the central onearched and wider than the others.VictorianPeriod often defined as the years of QueenVictoria’s reign, 1837-1902, though the ReformAct of 1832 is often taken as the start of thisnew cultural era.Wrought IronMade by iron being heated and plied bya blacksmith using a hammer and anvil.Predates the existence of CAST IRON andenjoyed a renaissance during the revivalperiods of the late 19th century. Wrought ironis not as brittle as cast and seldom breaks.Stock BrickThe most commonly used type of building brickCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP93

York Stonefound in London. Its distinctive colour and softappearance comes from the yellow clay theyare made from, found in Kent. In the Londonatmosphere they weather down to a greyishblack colour.York StoneA natural stone used traditionally in for paving,laid in large slabs or ‘flags’.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP94

8 CONSERVATION AREADIRECTORYDesignation and Extension ReportsList of Buildings of Special Architecturaland Historic MeritOther DesignationsDesign Guides and Planning BriefsFurther ReadingCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP95

Designation and Extension Reports(info to be inserted)CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP96

Listed BuildingsThere is a particularly rich mix of listed buildings and structures within the ParliamentSquare Conservation Area, as set out in the audit. There are 83 in total, of which 33 arelisted Grade I, five are listed Grade II* and 45 are listed Grade II. A list of listed buildings isset out below and list descriptions for Grade I buildings are included in the following pages.(infor to be inserted in final version).CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP97

TQ 3079 NW andSW 92/57101/124.2.58GVCITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY SW1Westminster Abbey (TheCollegiate Church of StPeter) (Formerly listedunder General)IAbbey church. Edward the Confessor’s church of c.1050-65, rebuilding begun by HenryIII, 1245; the chancel, transepts and 5 bays of nave completed by 1269; new naveand west front 1375-1400 by Henry Yevele master mason, completed 1506, excludingthe upper part of the west towers; Henry VII Chapel begun as new Lady Chapel 1503,completed as Chantry chapel c.1512, probably by Robert and William Virtue; the westtowers 1735-40 by Hawksmoor; major C18 and C19 restorations by Wren, Henry Keene,James Wyatt, Benjamin Wyatt, Blore, Sir George Gilbert Scott and J. C. Pearson, asSurveyors to the Fabric; “anti-scrape” preservation introduced by Micklethwaite andLethaby. Reigate stone with Huddlestone stone for Henry VII’s Chapel. Geometricalgothic, exceptionally French in plan with aisled, 11-bay nave, transepts and chancel withambulatory and radiating chapels, and French in the height of the vault with its 2 tiers offlying buttresses. Specifically English in the distinguishing feature of a full gallery insteadof a triforium and in the way in which Yevele’s nave respectfully continues the style of theHenry III work. Yevele’s Perpendicular appears on the west front and porch, very similar tohis Westminster Hall design. Henry VII’s Chapel has boldly modelled Late Perpendiculardetailing. The west towers have Hawksmoor’s individual blending of Gothic verticality withBaroque details. Interior has Purbeck marble piers and shafting; quadripartite vaulting withridge rib and bosses; transverse and tierceron ribs introduced in nave, with Perpendiculardetails to the bosses in Yevele’s work. Stained glass: a few reset C13 fragments,otherwise C15/C16; C18, C19 and C20; cosmati pavements in feretory and Presbytery,etc. Exceptional furnishing and unique collection of monuments and sculpture, etc. TheAbbey is the English St Denis and Reims in one, a unique embodiment of church, stateand crown, and national mausoleum.R. C. H. M.W. R. Lethaby 1906 and 1923 London. Vol I; N PevsnerCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP98

TQ 3079 SW101/1224.2.58CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY SW1(Abbeyprecinct and Westminster School)No. 18 Dean’s YardG.V.ISchool house with archway through to Little Dean’s Yard. Later C.14 origin, part of thewest range of the Abbey buildings and originally Bailiff’s Guest House, taken over bythe Grammar School in 1461 with subsequent alterations and much rebuilding in 1886probably by T.G. Jackson(?). Stone rubble with ashlar dressings, slate roof. Tudor-Gothicised in 1886. 3 storeys. 8 windows wide, the left hand entrance “tower” bay broaderand taller. Late C.14 archway to left with tierceron vault leads through to Little Dean’s Yard;to its right a pointed arched doorway with drip mould altered as 2—light window. 2 and3-light mullioned casement windows with cusped heads to lights.; The “tower” has 1st floororiel with pierced-work parapet. The elevation is” finished off with crenellated parapet, thetaller section of the “tower” with a corner polygonal turret. Similar features to rear elevationto Little Dean’s Yard.R.C.H.M. .Westminster School; L.E. Tanner.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP99

TQ 3079 SW101/524.2.589.1.70G.V.CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY SW1(Abbeyprecinct and Westminster School)The Great Cloisters, including StFaith’s Chapel, The Chapter House,The Parlour, Nos 1 and 2 ‘ TheCloisters, The Dark Cloisters andDormitory with the Chapel of St Dunstan(‘School’ and Busby LibraryIAbbey precinct buildings, partly in school use. C.ll and C.12 remains; Henry Ill’s midC.13 rebuild; C.14 and C.16 work; and C.17 to C.19 alterations and restorations for theCollegiate Church and School, with war damage repair/rebuilding. Principally stone withReigate stone and Purbeck marble for C.13/C.14 work, brick for some of C.17 and lateralterations; slate, tile and leaded roofs. The Cloister begun c.1245-50 in north-east -corner-, contemporary with the church, completed in 1366 with the-construction of thesouth and west walls; restored by Blore and Scott. Quadripartite vaults for the last phase;blind arcading to walls and traceried windows to the garth between buttresses. St. Faith’sChapel abuts the south transept and was built c.1250, 2 bays to west and one to east,very fine blank arcading and rib-vaults with head-corbels; a gallery on tunnel vault at westend formerly linked with the Dormitory over the Chapter House vestibule and the nightstair in the south transept. The Chapter House of c.1245-53 (restored by Scott) opens offthe east Cloister walk via inner and outer vestibules; very pure Geometrical Gothic, builton an octagonal plan, over crypt, with central cluster-shaft pier carrying rib-vault (rebuiltby Scott); innovatory, large 4-light, quatrefoiled and foiled-circle-crowned windows (cfthe nave at Amiens and the virtually contemporary Sainte Chapelle); flying buttressesadded C14; leaded. tent-lantern roof on iron frame by Scott; mid C13 tiled pavement ;blank, Purbeck shafted, arcading with the remains of mid C14 painting; Clayton and Bellglass. Nos. i and 2 The Cloisters on the south side of the south Cloister walk running westthrough to Dean’s Yard, incorporate from east to west, remains of the C.ll Abbey Refectory,the Abbey Song School o,f c.1192, and the north end of the C.14 Cellarer’s Building;sections of the north and east walls of the Refectory backing the south Cloister walk areexposed south to the garden of Ashburnham House, Little Dean’s Yard q.v.; the lower partof the wall of C.ll stonemasonry with arcading, the upper part early C.14 with tall, blocked,transomed Y-traceried windows. To the west Nos. 1 and 2 the Cloisters flank the south sideof the Parlour, now the passage continuing the south Cloister walk into Dean’s Yard: oflater C.14 build, in 2 parts each of 2 bays with tierceron vaults; above, what was probablythe Abbot’s Camera; rubble walls stone dressed with gable end tiled roof to eastern halfwith partly original windows, 2 to north and one in east gable end; the western half muchrebuilt C.18/C.19 in upper parts, has front to Dean’s Yard with 3 storey crenellated towerover Parlour entrance, extending to south with lower 3-storey, 3-window wide range: thenorthern part of the Cellarer’s Building (see also No. 20 Dean’s Yard, Broad Sanctuary);large shafted 2 centred arched doorway, with C, 18 gate, to the Parlour, large 2-light Y-tracery window above and 2 and 3 light mullioned windows to right. The Dormitory range,terminating in remains of the Reredorter, lies south of the Chapter House flanked initiallyby part of the east Cloister walk continued by the Dark Cloister. The Dormitory retains itsCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP100

later C.ll vaulted undercroft with the Pyx Chapel at the north end and the remainder usedas a Museum; at the north end of the range the C.I3 Day-stairs give access, off the southeast corner of the Cloister, to the Chapter Library fitted out c.1620 like a college librarywith presses with some strapwork cresting, the heavy, plain, hammerbeam roof probablyC.14. The rest of the dormitory range at 1st floor level is now occupied by “School” ofWestminster School, refaced in brick by Benjamin Wyatt in 1814 and largely rebuilt afterwar damage;it nevertheless incorporates C.ll features with Norman doorway in west walland window remains in east wall; at the south end and partly incorporating remains of theReredorter, is the Busby Library of c.1655-60, rebuilt after war damage (for staircase andgateway to “School” and Busby Library, see Little Dean’s Yard); on the east side of theDormitory projects the early C.16 St. Dunstan’s Chapel above which is a chamber withsquare headed Perpendicular windows and a C.18 Venetian window; the outer east wallof the Dormitory is partially exposed inside the adjoining school gymnasium with blockedmedieval windows of different shapes and date. The Dark Cloister is the vaulted passagebetween the surviving walls of the Refectory and the Dormitory, C.ll contiguous with a lateC.14 wall on the west side with a long timber window of 20 mullioned lights, debouchinginto Little Dean’s Yard.R.C.H.M.London ^ol I, N PevsnerCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP101

TQ 3079 SW101/924.2.58(excludingChapel) 9.1.70(Chapel only)G.V.CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY SW1(Abbeyprecinct and Westminster School)Little Cloisters: Lodgings Nos 1, 2, 2A,2B and 4 to 7 consec. with the Clerk ofthe Works Office and the remains of theChapel of St Catherine.ICloister, lodgings and remains of Infirmary chapel. Late C.14 Farmery cloister on siteof C.12 Infirmary with remains of c.1170 Chapel of St. Katherine, the cloister arcade ofc.1680-81 and the lodgings and offices later C.17 rebuilds incorporating C.14 masonry,and badly damaged in World War II and considerably rebuilt above ground floors. Stone,C.17 and C.20 brickwork, tiled roofs. The Farmery cloister is approached by a tunnelvaulted C.11 passage from the Dark Cloister. The c.1680-81 arcade has ashlar piers andsegmental arches with original wrought iron railings and good wrought iron gate to garth.The Chapel of St. Katherine is the major surviving part of the Infirmary east of the cloisterwith a c.1371-72, clustered shaft, 2-centred arched doorway off the east walk into the ruinsof the chapel (standing in the gardens of the lodgings) with nave and aisles of which thesouth arcade and part of the south aisle wall with Norman windows survive. The lodgings,Nos. 1 and 2, 2A, 2B in the north range and Nos. 6, 7 and 8 in the south, incorporateC.14 stonework to ground floor giving on to cloister and to east, with a fragment of theC.ll east wall of the Reredorter in the south west corner; the Clerk of Works Office is inthe C.14 Chamberlain’s store and No. 5 includes the former Infirmarer’s Hall. Late C.17and architraved doorways into cloister. Upper floor and roofs with pedimented dormers,rebuilt post-war in late C.17 manner with heavy wooden eaves cornice. No. 4, abovemedieval foundations, essentially later C.17; dark red brick, tiled gable and roof. L plan. 3storeys and basement. 3 window wide north wing; south front 5 windows wide to AbbeyGarden; recessed glazing bar sashes under flat gauged arches; interior retains panellingand cornices with closed string, turned baluster staircase (No. 3 lodging rebuilt after wardamage). See also Precinct Wall entry.R.C.H.M.London Voll; N PevsnerCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP102

TQ 3079 NWand SWQo/co;ioi/7 ;(east side)5.2.70 Houses ofParliament,G.V.CITY OF WESTMINSTERPARLIAMENT SQUARE, SW1The Palace of WestminsterIHouses of Parliament with the surviving parts of the Palace of Westminster.Westminster Hall 1097-99, remodelled 1394-1401 by Henry Yevele with HughHerland, carpenter; St Stephen’s Chapel “crypt”, probably c.1292-97 and c.1320; StStephen’s Cloister and chantrey chapel 1526-29 (considerably restored afterWorld War II bomb damage; Houses of Parliament (the New Palace of Westminster).1835-60 by Sir Charles Barry with detailing, interior decoration andFurnishings by A W N Pugin; offices against side of Westminster Hall, 1888 byJ L Pearson; House of Commons and Lobby rebuilt after World War II bombing.Stone with slate roofs and galvanised cast iron plate roofs to Barry’s workwhich also has an internal fireproof construction of iron joists and brickjack-arches. Cruciform, axial spine plan and massing by Barry combining symmetryon the river front terrace with the asymmetry of the major vertical accents:Victoria Tower, Big Ben and the central fleche and turrets above the roof line.Pugin’s particular Contribution the Perpendicular Gothic detailing of rhythmicbuttresses and bay windows, the close panelling with open and blind tracery andthe wealth of sculpture, carved crockets, pinnacles and finials. Great vaulted-Royal— Entrance at^foot of^Victoria_ Tower; Lords entrance with buttressed,pinnacled porch in centre of Old Palace Yard range; St Stephen’s Po’fcgatehouse across south end of Westminster Hall (giving access to cross-axis ofPlan; north entrance to Westminster Hall with great window above and crocketedfinialed gable flanked by square battlemented towers (restored 1820); 3gateways in E M Barry’s cloister-arcade to east range of New Palace Yardterminating in virtually free-standing clock tower of Big Ben. Perpendicularfenestration with shallow oriels. The riverside terrace has cast ironornamental lamps on the buttress-piers of the Embankment wall. Interiors:Westminster Hall has vast hammerbeam roof of exceptionally early date andscale and outstanding late C14 figure sculpture flanking dais arch; St Stephen’sChapel “crypt”. though much restored, retains perhaps the earliest survivinglierne vault; Pugin’s interiors are the best preserved and most completeexample of the quality and ideals of his secular decoration including alldetails and furnishings and are combined with a complete programme of mid C19“and early C20 wall paintings;” (Loose items of furniture;. not covered by listing.)The Houses of Parliament; M H PortR C H MHistory of the King’s WorksSurvey of London: Vol XCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP103

In the entry for:TQ 3079 SW101/105.2.70CITY OF WESTMINSTEROLD PALACE YARD, SW1 (south side)No. 7 (including former no. 6) (formerlylisted under nos. 6 and 7)G.V.IPair of town houses. C1754-6, built as residences and offices of Clerks of the Parliaments,with alterations of 1793-4. Original design traditionally attributed to John Vardy, the designhas been identified with an elevation in a folio of drawings associated with Isaac Wareand other Office of Works architects. 1793-4 alterations now attributed to Sir John Soane.Portland stone front,left side rendered, brown brick to other elevations with patches ofstock brick. Slate roof with rendered chimneys tacks. Astylar Pall-idian elevation with aunified composition. 3 storeys, basement and dormered attic. 7 windows wide with 3-window pedimented centre break. Paired central doorways, one now a window. Groundfloor windows and doors all semicircular arched and set in similarly arched recesses withimpost band creating blind arcade effect. Piano nobile 1st floor has recessed glazing barsashes in architrave surrounds, those to centre break with pediments and blind balustersbelow sills. Square 2nd floor windows. Oculus in pediment. Lead rainwater heads. Theground floor is rusticated with plat band over. Bracketed cornice and pediment, blockingcourse. Wrought iron area railings with urn finial standards, probably C20 replacements.Interior has vaulted vestibule, attributed to Soane, with lions’ head masks as corbels.Semi-circular fanlight and double doors. Further vaulted passage behind with paired lions’head masks and circular plaque with head of Medusa and acanthus leaves. Late CIS wellstaircase to right hand side with’2 iron balusters to each step and mahogany handrail.Left hand staircase identical except for 1st to 2nd floor flight which retains original 1750sstaircase with turned balusters and column newel posts. Basement has quadripartite vaultwith tooled impost blocks. Ground floor right room has mid C18 panelling with dado railand marble fireplace with wooden ovolo moulding and blank panel. Cornice with ovolomoulding. 6 panelled door. Ground floor rear right room has has late C18 marble fireplacewith four-leaved square paterae. Similar cornice with square paterae. Ground floor rear leftroom has late CIS marble fire place with triglyph frieze and panel with wreath, 2 crossedstaffs and flowers. Moulded cornice. Cambered alcove. First floor front right room hasLate CIS marble fireplace with triglyph frieze, panel with urn and oval paterae and wheatear drops. Mid CIS modillion cornice and ovolo moulding. Rear right room has late C18marble fireplace with oval medallions, leaves and pilasters.Mid-CIS dado panelling andovolo moulding. Circular vestibule with curved late CIS 6 panelled door, curved end doubledoors with fanlight. Front left room has late CIS marble fireplace, cornice with triglyphsand medallions with 2 figures. Double door. Rear left room has late CIS stone fireplacewith fluted pilasters, triglyph frieze, panel depicting seated Britannia leaning against a lionand greeting heroic youth laden with baggage and three-masted ship in the background.Cupid to left leans against wheat stack. Cupid to right with barrel. Cornice of roundels andanthemions. 6 panelled door with surround of 6-petalled flowers. Second floor has 6 plainmarble fireplaces.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP104

(History of the Kings’ Works, vol v; Howard Colvin ed. Catalogue of British Drawings forArchitecture etc. in American collections; John Harris.Richard Hewlings,“Nos 6/7 Old Palace Yard, Westminster; Interim report, 14 August 1992.)Signed by authority ot theSecretary of StateDated: /£>T A ELLINGFORD A Higher Executive Officer in the Department ot National HeritageTQ 3079 SW 101/11CITY OF WESTMINSTEROLD PALACE YARD, (south side)SW15.2.70The Jewel House (or Tower) of the Palace of WestminsterG.V.Royal Treasure House or repository forming the south west corner of the former PrivyPalace. 1364-66, by Henry Yevele, with windows and parapet renewed 1718-19.Principally stone rubble with Portland stone dressed windows. L plan tower, with northpolygonal stair turret. 3 storeys. Entrance in re-entrant angle. Round arched windows inthe Hugh May (Windsor) or Vanbrugh manner. Interior has tierceron vaults in basementsimilar to those of the former Cellarer’s Building No. 20 Dean’s Yard, Broad Sanctuary, q.v.1st floor has C.17 brick vaulted strong room with iron door dated 1621.History of the King’s Works; Howard Colvin ed.Archaeological Journal, 1964 .L1S4-CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP105

TQ 3079 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY, SW1101/1 (A322Y PRECINT ANDWESTMINSTER SCHOOL)24.2.58No. 18 Dean’s YardG.V.ISchool house with archway through to Little Dean’s Yard. Later C.14origin, part of the west range of the Abbey buildings and originallyBailiff’s Guest House, taken over by the Grammar School in 1461 withsubsequent alterations and much rebuilding in 1886 probably byT.G. Jackson(?). Stone rubble with ashlar dressings, slate roof.Tudor-Gothicised in 1886. 3 storeys. 8 windows wide, the left handentrance “tower” bay broader and taller. Late C.14 archway to left withtierceron vault leads through to Little Dean’s Yard; to its right a pointedarched doorway with drip mould altered as 2—light window. 2 and 3-lightmullioned casement windows with cusped heads to lights.; The “tower” has1st floor oriel with pierced-work parapet. The elevation is” finished offwith crenellated parapet, the taller section of the “tower” with a cornerpolygonal turret. Similar features to rear elevation to Little Dean’sYard.R.C.H.M. .Westminster School; L.E. Tanner.168TQ 3079 SW 101/ 1324.2.58G.V.CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY, SWl (ABBEY PRECINCT AND WESTMINSTER SCHOOL)Little Dean’s Yard: Ashburnham HouseISubstantial town house: Commonwealth, shortly before 1662; attributed to John Webb;partial rebuild and refacing of the later C.14 Prior’s Lodging of which the masonry structureand the kitchen and hall walls are incorporated; west wing added 1910. Red brick C.17facing to the C.14 rubble walls, tiled hipped roof. 3 storeys. 7 windows wide grouped as5-window centre with 2—window projecting wings. Central square headed doorway inCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP106

plain rusticated surround with panelled door and fanlight; semicircular arched doorwayto right hand east wing. Recessed glazing bar sashes under flat brick arches. Stone platbands to each floor and stone cornice below Portland stone parapet with terracotta urns.Internally the plan is not symmetrical because of need to accommodate the medieval workpartly exposed on the west side and in kitchen; of the fine C.17 interior the most strikingfeature is the staircase rising approximately on square plan in spacious open well top litby a large lantern and dome, very ingeniously adapting the irregularities of the site: theclosed string stair with substantial baluster and panelled newels rises in 4 irregular flightsbetween landings, the upper part of panelled walls articulated by fluted Ionic pilasters withattached Ionic columns and free standing column at head of stairs; richly stuccoed ceilingwith scrolls and flower-enriched garland to large oval opening into lantern clerestory with4 windows and balustrade with dies surmounted by groups of 3 slender columns carryingcornice with rich garland beneath shallow dome - a lantern gallery treatment reminiscentof Francois Mansart and unique in Britain for its date; heavily carved doorcases withsegmental pediments and rich acanthus scrolls; the main 1st floor room also has a stuccoceiling with oval garlanded centre at right angle to the facade. For the exposed remains ofthe Refectory in the garden see the Great Cloisters, Broad Sanctuary.R.C.H.M.London Voll, N PevsnerDictionary of British Architects; Howard Colvin.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP107

TQ 3079 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER LITTLE DEAN’S YARD,SW1101/13See under Broad Sanctuary, SW1.TQ 3079 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY, SW1101/17 (ABBEY PRECINCT24.2.5817 Dean’s YardG.V. IAND WESTMINSTER)Westminster School headmaster’s house. Late C.I 8 rebuild of monastic-school buildings.Yellow stock brick, slate roof. 3 storeys, basement and dormered attic. 4 windows widewith 2 blind windows flanking left hand tripartite window. Entrance to left with panelled doorand blind “side lights” framed by architrave pilaster strips with roundel capping blocks,moulded cornice doorhead and semicircular fanlight overall with delicate radial glazingpatter; small doorway with fanlight adjoining. Recessed glazing bar sashes under flatgauged arches, stone sills. Parapet with stone coping. Cast iron geometric pattern balconyacross 1st floor. Cast iron area railings with urn finials, flanking lamp brackets and linkextinguishers. Interior retains most of original mouldings, cornices etc., and good originalgeometric staircase with wrought iron balustrade.R.C.H.M.Westminster School; L.E. Tanner.TQ 3079 SW 101/1824.2.58G.V.CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY, SWl (ABBEY PRECINCT AND WESTMINSTER SCHOOL)Little Dean’s Yard: Nos 2 and 3IHouse of the Master of the King’s Scholars. No. 2 built and No. 3 remodelled 1789-90 byR.W.F. Brettingham as a symmetrical composition originally including the rebuilt No. 1.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP108

Yellow stock brick with stucco basement, No. 2 with slate roof. No. 3 tiled. Neoclassicalastylar front. 3 storeys, basement and dormered mansards. Each house 3 windowswide with No. 2 as original centrepiece of composition pedimented. Central entrancesapproached at right angles by arched steps, doorways square headed and architravedflanked by pilasters carrying bracketed cornice-hoods, panelled doors and patternedfanlights.. Recessed glazing %ar sashes under flat gauged arches, the outer windows^tripartite. Stone modillion cornice and parapet, the pediment over No. 2 containing lunettewindow. Bracketed lamp of Nice type over No. 2.Westminster School; L.E. Tanner. R.C.H.M.176TQ 3079 SW101/199.1.70G.V.CITY OF WESTMINSTERBROAD SANCTUARY, SWl (ABBEY PRECINCT AND WESTMINSTER SCHOOL)Little Dean’s Yard: No 4 (‘College’ of Westminster School)ISchool dormitory. 1722-30 by Lord Burlington, badly damaged in World War II, restored1947. Stone, coppered roof. Severe astylar design with restrained use of Palladian motifs.Long range with main front facing east on to Abbey Garden. Originally 2 storeys (floorinserted to upper storey 1906) with ground floor open as a “piazza”. 15 bays long and3 bays deep. Entrance and stair bay built out in brick with stone dressings and quoinsto north end of range. Semicircular arched doorway flanked by stone pilasters carryingarchivolt; panelled doors with wrought iron fanlight grill. Main east front arcaded groundfloor “piazza” with square piers, enclosed and provided with windows in 1846. The upperpart, the dormitory, lit high up by square architraved windows with piano nobile levelhaving, originally, blind niches with alternating segmental and triangular pediments, cutopen as windows by T.G. Jackson in 1895 (intermediate floor inserted 1906). Pseudoparapet below niches. Entablature with modillion cornice and pulvinated frieze. “College”was Burlington’s first public building and marks the opening victory of his campaign againstempirical classicism of the Wren school.R.C.H.M.Westminster School; L.E. Tanner.Earls of Creation; James Lees Milne.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP109

kerEducation and SkillsWorks and Pensionsn HouseILL STREEThapelySTREETptist1 to 241 to 291 to 29GH11Alec WizardHouse71404Playground94a301 to 84Abady House1669Estate2527Bank1 to 2923Orchard(site of)B18 (PH)9438271926D18F3.3m6Storey's Gate Shaft20TCBsSt Matthews C of EPrimary SchoolVestry Court521731618Underground Railway20MONCK STREETTheOld RosePlayground1536PHPH86BM 3.67m85ST ANN'S413151aSt Mathew'sChurchClergyHouse20311Storey's GateLodge149Central Buildings1GreatAlmonry(sit e of)4.7mHORSEFERRY ROAD35 to 41Edric House841 to 843483 to 728 to 122MethodistHall3.8mLBSanctuaryBuildingsEdward AlsopCourt3.8m4.5mInstitution ofMechanicalEngineers6BankArchive CentrePAGE STREET33Playground181ElSub Sta8332124PHBank106784.2mLB4aPark House5LB4.3m3.6mLittleAlmonry5(sit e of)215a6224b234CommunityCentreFry BuildingHouseClub82532161 to 72Benne tHM TreasuryBM 5.79m5.2mPCs1Cheyney Gate(site of)4.8m423Institution of CivilEngineers1Home Office31PostsBM 3.41mQueen Elizabeth IIConference Centre354.7mLB3.7mSanctuary Church(site of)743.9mMemorialMemorial3The Elms(sit e of)47 to 5841 to 49128 10Gateway(sit e of)Mansions20 to 464.0m7531(PH)96 to 76LB1Dean's YardChurch HouseArms5.0mLBWestminster16Church23.8mMARSCabinetOffice21LB14164824MarySumnerHouseRomney House107ROMNEY STREETCourt793.2m105St John's24112017154.6mBelfry(site of)BM 5.13m119a3.4m4854RomneyHouseTowerBlackstoleTower(remains of)2226ChapelMagistratesCourtMagistrates' Court2937TCB12ofMiddlesexGuildhalThe CloisterGateway(remains of)53 55MagistratesCourt1957a573557b1HM Treasury29a21141StatueTCBStatueWestminster Abbey316720823214Great CloistersLittle Dean'sYard19WestminsterSchool29554.5m537364.8m12PO51St John'sGardens30119403762 64Fn4962 to 64StatueGuildhall(site of)StatueStatueLittleSanctuary(site of)36232221344732564.7m1418GayfereHouse54174.7mTCB'sStatue12Co legeHouse19Gatehouse(site of)17144COWLEY STREET52BM4.95m50ROMNEY STREETDean BradleyHouse44 to 6030131145Dean Bradley House1aFnStatueChapterHouse2LB1174.4m24781056St John's(Concert Hall)7 to 9PHPARLIAMENTSQUAREPillarsTCB'sBM 5.93mThorneyIslandStatueHigh Tower(site of)BM 4.72mSt Margaret'sChurchThe Close4Abbey Garden1064.7mLB3Poets' C orne rLi tle Cloisters131211109874.9m1PAGE STREET8StonesDWDW1 to 79 to 1214 to 16North Court9WarMemorial4.0mTCB'sStatue4.6mMoatBM 4.90m5710BM5.06m55.5mStreetSubwayPalace YardGate(site of)4.4mGateway(site of)Old Palace Yard7TowerAbingdonGardensCar ParkTCBsTransportHouseHORSEFERRY ROADHorseferryHouseOLDPALACEYARD3239381DW124.6m11Gateway(site of)StatuePalace of Westminster(site of)4.7mChurchCommisioners'Offices17Bank13LBStatue2Ergon HouseErgon House47BM 4.89m212a2b41413104.9mLBWestminster HouseKings BuildingsBank13.6m4LBTank5D FnStatue4.6m7Woolstaple(site of)Westminster Station(London Underground)Portcullis HouseBRIDGE STREETNew Palace YardSt Stephen's Porch4.0mCromwell HouseImperialChemicalHouseWard BdyCRVictoriaTowerTCBs94.5m11 to 12Fountain(site of)The CryptChance lor'sCourtStatue6.4m6.4mClock Tower(site of)Gateway(site of)Star Chamber(site of)5.4mFBStatueP ers'RoyalCourtThe Victoria TowerGardens7.3mNorman ShawBuildingSouthCourtMemorialWestminsterStairs(site of)Speaker'sCourtBM 8.21mShingleSubwaySpeaker's GreenMudDWStoneMudMudMudDWMudStatueMLWMLWDW10.4mBM 9.12mWestminster Pier9.3mMLW11.7m10.7mCR10.4mNavigati(FixedOTHER DESIGNATIONSAdjacent Conservation AreasWestminster Abbey & Parliament Square Conservation Area shares its eastern boundarywith the Borough of Lambeth’s South Bank Conservation Area.The Whitehall Conservation Area lies to the north side of the conservation area while theBirdcage Walk Conservation Area extends to the north-west beyond Storey’s Gate. TheSmith Square Conservation Area is located to the south, beyond Great College Street andwest of Millbank.Archaeological Priority AreasMuch of the conservation area is covered by the Ludenwic and Thorney Island Area ofSpecial Archaeological Priority, as shown on the map below.OLD QUEEN STREETLewisham StreetMATTHEW PARKER STREETSTOREY'S GATELong Ditch(course of)TCBsPostsPostsPostsGREAT GEORGE STREETGREAT GEORGE STREETBroad SanctuaryPostsTHE SANCTUARYWestminster AbbeyCabinet O ficeLITTLE SANCTUARYThe Royal InstitutionChartered SurveyorsLITTLE GEORGE STREETBroad SanctuaryWestminster AbbeyPARLIAMENT STREETST MARGARET STREETCANON ROWThe Whiteha l(site of)Westminster Ha lCloisterStarCourtStateO ficers'CourtChamberCourtHouses of ParliamentCommons'InnerPeers' Court I nerCourtCommons' CourtTe raceTe raceDW Mean High WaterMLWHouses ofParliamentRiver ThamesWestminster BridgeGL Asly Const BdyMap showing area ofSpecial ArchaeologicalPriorityartment of Trade and IndustryRCHARDWestminsterAbbeyChoir School 3bThe JewelDW MLWGREAT SMITH STREET16 to 20ABINGDON STREETBlack Rod GardenMudAbbey Orchard Street1 to 29 1 to 29STREET15 to 17Mo rison Court1 to 23WestminsterTUFTONLITTLE SMITH STREETSTREETSt Edward's21aBARTON STREETGREAT COLLEGE STREETMean High WaterGL Asly Const BdyChurchCCLWBM 4.58mWestminster MansionsGREAT PETER STREETLITTLE COLLEGE STREETRiver ThamesLORD NORTH STREETGAYFERE STREET41 to 511 to 42Tufton Court5 119 to 23 27ShingleTUFTON STREETMILLBANKSMITH SQUAREBM 4.35mDEAN STANLEY STREETMARSHAM STREETBenne t's YardDEAN TRENCH STREETSMITH SQUARENobelHouse43 to 61Magistrates'81 to 85DEAN BRADLEY STREETImperialChemicalHousePlayground25 to 31BankBM 5.31mLambeth BridgeDEAN RYLE STREETBM 4.40m1 to 141 1 to 141Victoria Tower Gardens (South)Map produced by Corporate GIS TeamFor reprints or enquiries contactEugene Brown ext. 2350Date: January 2007 / Map Reference: 2160THORNEY STREETDesignated ViewsSee main audit text- ‘Views and Landmarks’CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP110

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Regulation 7 DirectionsNoneArticle 4 DirectionsNoneLondon SquaresDean’s Yard (see map below) is protected under The London Squares Preservation Act of1931. The act was introduced to provide for the preservation of certain squares, gardensand enclosures of London. The existence of which was considered to be of great benefiton the amenities provided and by the advantages to health. The provisions of the Act areto ensure the use of the squares only as ornamental garden pleasure grounds or groundsfor play, rest or recreation and to prevent any building or other structures or erection onor over any protected square except such as may be necessary or convenient for or inconnection with the use and maintenance of the squares for the authorised purposes.Registered Historic Parks and GardensParliament Square and the Victoria Tower Gardens (see map below) are registeredas Grade II* historic gardens. The register was complied by the Historic Buildings andMonuments Commission for England to identify and safeguard gardens and parks whichby reason of their historic layout, features and architectural ornaments make them ofspecial historic interest. Although no statutory controls follow from the inclusion of a siteon the register the effect of proposed development on a registered park or garden or itssetting is a material consideration in the determination of a planning application.Grade I Sites of Borough ImportanceCollege Garden and the courtyard of Great Cloisters (see map below) are considered tobe sites of Grade I Borough Importance for nature conservation.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP112

PUBLICATIONS & SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATIONWestminster Publications, Policies and Design GuidesUnitary Development PlanWestminster’s Planning Policies are set out in the adopted City of Westminster UnitaryDevelopment Plan January 2007. This can also be viewed on the Internet at: www.westminster.gov.uk.Design Guides and PublicationsOther Westminster City Council publications, produced by the Department of Planningand City Development are listed below. These are available from One Stop Services (seeaddresses under ‘contact details’) or can be viewed on the Westminster City Councilwebsite.1. Conservation areas: A Guide to property Owners2. Development and Demolition in Conservation Areas3. Inclusive Design and Access4. Design Matters in Westminster – Supplementary Planning Guidance on creatingGood City Architecture5. A planning guide for Food and Drink Premises6. Guidelines for the placing of tables and chairs on the highway7. Boardwatch- A Guide to the Design and Display of estate Agents Boards8. Shopfronts, Blinds and Signs.9. Advertisement Design Guidelines10. Design Guidelines for Shopfront Security11. Railings on Domestic Buildings in Westminster12. Roofs: A Guide to Alterations and Extensions on Domestic Buildings13. Conservatories: A Guide to Design and Planning Procedures.14. Satellite Dishes: A Guide to Installation, Siting and Design15. A Guide to the Siting of Security Cameras and Other Security Equipment16. Public CCTV Systems – Guidance for Design and Privacy17. Designing out Crime in Westminster18. Façade Cleaning - The removal of soiling and paint from brick and stone facades19. Stucco: A Guide to its Care and Maintenance.20. Lighting Up the City - A good practice guide for the illumination of buildings andmonuments21. Plant and Air Conditioning Equipment - Guidance notes on applications for planningCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP114

permission22. Public Art in Westminster23. Trees and Other Planting on Development Sites24. A Brief Guide to Planning Enforcement25. Repairs and Alterations to Listed Buildings26. The Listing of Historic Buildings: A Guide for Owners and Occupiers.27. Mews: A Guide to Alterations28. Metropolitan Views in Westminster.29. English Heritage: Seeing History in the ViewAdvice on Sourcing Professional Advice and Building Materials for HistoricBuildingsFor lists of specialist historic buildings consultants, building contractors and specialistsuppliers of building materials, the Building Conservation Directory can be viewed on-lineat: www.buildingconservation.comFurther ReadingLocal HistoryCONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP115

WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL CONTACTS LISTGeneral Planning InformationTo find out if a property is listed or in a conservation area or is affected by a Regulation 7or Article 4 Direction and to obtain copies of design guidance or planning application formsor to report a breach of planning controlTel: (020) 7641 2513Fax: (020) 7641 2515E-mail: PlanningInformation@westminster.gov.ukOr write to:South Area Planning TeamDevelopment Planning ServicesDepartment of Planning and City DevelopmentWestminster City CouncilCity Hall, 64 Victoria Street,London SW1E 6QPOne Stop ServicesWhere you can view or purchase the Council’s Unitary Development Plan and otherdocuments giving advice on access and design matters. The address is:62 Victoria Street, SW1 (Open 8.30am - 7pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday &Friday; 9am - 1pm Saturday)TreesFor advice on trees, planting, works to trees and tree care and Tree Preservation Orders,tree planting programmes and greening policies:Tree SectionEnvironment and Leisure DepartmentWestminster City CouncilCity Hall, 64 Victoria StreetLondon SW1E 6QP Tel: (020) 7641 2618 or Fax: (020) 7641 2959Further InformationFor contacts regarding other frequently used services refer to the City Council’s booklet ‘A-Z Guide, Your Guide to Council Services’ available from One Stop Services, Libraries andCouncil Information Points or by contacting: Tel: (020) 7641 8088 or Fax: (020) 7641 2958CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP116

Conservation Area AuditDepartment of Planning and CityDevelopmentWestminster City Council64 Victoria StreetLondon SW1E 6QPThe City Council also makes availablemany documents in Braille, on tape andin large print. If you require any of theinformation contained in these documentsin one of these alternative formats pleasecontact: (020) 7641 8088.CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT | WESTMINSTER ABBEY & PARLIAMENT SQUAREP117