LOCAL HERITAGE ASSETS - SURVEY
Datchet has nearly 40 Grade-II listed buildings and monuments which are of national importance but a Neighbourhood Plan provides the opportunity to create a list of heritage assets which are of local importance. These can be a site, monument, building, place (such as a street or cemetery), an area or landscape. They should be of value to this and future generations because of their heritage significance, for architectural, historic, archaeological, or artistic reasons, for their association with important people or past events, or because they contribute positively to the character and appearance of the area.
For Datchet, subject to further consultation with residents and discussion with proprietors, initial suggestions for local heritage assets have included: Montagu House (the library), the old St Mary’s School buildings, the 1930s’ garage by Mays Green, the Manor Hotel, the pharmacy frontage, the Greens and their monuments, and the WWI crucifix on London Road. While these may be some of the more obvious candidates for local listing, we are also interested in the less obvious. Local distinctiveness may lie in the commonplace, such as a letterbox, as much as it does in the rare and spectacular.
For Datchet, subject to further consultation with residents and discussion with proprietors, initial suggestions for local heritage assets have included: Montagu House (the library), the old St Mary’s School buildings, the 1930s’ garage by Mays Green, the Manor Hotel, the pharmacy frontage, the Greens and their monuments, and the WWI crucifix on London Road. While these may be some of the more obvious candidates for local listing, we are also interested in the less obvious. Local distinctiveness may lie in the commonplace, such as a letterbox, as much as it does in the rare and spectacular.
Which heritage assets would you protect for future generations?
In the ‘What’s Important to You?’ survey in 2020/21, published in The Link magazine and online, we asked you to list buildings, places, monuments or structures (not already Grade-II Listed) which you think contribute positively to the character and appearance of Datchet.
This is what you told us. (Where there are numbers alongside a nomination, this indicates the number of people who suggested that building or monument. If it is already Grade-II Listed, this is indicated in square brackets.)
Village centre and High Street
This is what you told us. (Where there are numbers alongside a nomination, this indicates the number of people who suggested that building or monument. If it is already Grade-II Listed, this is indicated in square brackets.)
Village centre and High Street
- Chemist x 11
- Village monuments x 7
- All properties surrounding The Green x 6
- The Library/Montagu House x 5
- The MG garage x 3
- The Manor Hotel x 2
- St. Mary's School x 2
- Flats adjacent to MG garage (Club Buildings).
- Royal Stag pub x 2 [listed]
- Old Council Offices [listed]
- Tudor houses x 2 [listed]
- The Bridge x 2 [listed]
- St Mary's Church x 2 [listed]
- The green opposite Costa.
- Village Green
- The shops in the village centre x 3
- Buildings in the High Street x 5 [some listed]
- Numbers 33-39 The High Street
- River Front x 3
- The railway cottages
- The large multisided Thames Water pumping station
- Denholm
- The Dutch House
- The Little Dutch House
- Cedar House [listed]
- The small bridge with the tree growing on at the pointed corner of the Sabatini Land.
- Datchet Rec
- Allotment cottages
- St. Augustine's Church x 2
- The village notice board by the mini-roundabout
- 29 Slough Road
- Datchet House, London Road [listed]
- James Cottages, opposite graveyard
- WWI memorial crucifix
- Victorian houses along Montagu Road
- Little chapel in Ditton Park [listed]
- The scout hut, Green Lane
- Golf Club, Buccleuch Road
- All
- Don’t think we should be overly protective - Tesco and Costa for example have both significantly improved the village
- Don’t know x 4
Next steps
This list will evolve. Alongside your nominations, the DNP team is looking at other sources such as the Historic Environment Register. RBWM has a record of notable non-listed buildings, and the Conservation Area Appraisal includes buildings worthy of note. DNP consultant, Janet Kennish, a local historian and author of many books about Datchet and the Datchet History website, is also contributing suggestions and we welcome further suggestions and evidence from residents.
The next step is to assess which of these proposals meet the criteria for a Local List of Non-Designated Heritage assets. There are formal processes to follow. Creating a local list requires community involvement and lots of research to provide supporting evidence. You can find the draft assessment form here.
This process will take several months, or more, so our intention is to cover some NDHAs in the Datchet Neighbourhood Plan and continue to add to a Local List with RBWM support. The DNP will go to a public referendum and The Local List will be assessed by an independent panel to ensure that the nominations meet the required criteria and that there has been conformity in the decision-making process.
Once the DNP and Local List are adopted by RBWM, the value to the community of these heritage assets will be taken into account, helping to inform planning decisions in a way that conserves and enhances local character and identity. Designation does not change permitted development rights but it raises the profile of an asset to developers and councils when planning applications are submitted, particularly for demolition. Details will also be submitted to Berkshire Archaeology which manages the Historic Environment Register and keeps a record of important local buildings.
The next step is to assess which of these proposals meet the criteria for a Local List of Non-Designated Heritage assets. There are formal processes to follow. Creating a local list requires community involvement and lots of research to provide supporting evidence. You can find the draft assessment form here.
This process will take several months, or more, so our intention is to cover some NDHAs in the Datchet Neighbourhood Plan and continue to add to a Local List with RBWM support. The DNP will go to a public referendum and The Local List will be assessed by an independent panel to ensure that the nominations meet the required criteria and that there has been conformity in the decision-making process.
Once the DNP and Local List are adopted by RBWM, the value to the community of these heritage assets will be taken into account, helping to inform planning decisions in a way that conserves and enhances local character and identity. Designation does not change permitted development rights but it raises the profile of an asset to developers and councils when planning applications are submitted, particularly for demolition. Details will also be submitted to Berkshire Archaeology which manages the Historic Environment Register and keeps a record of important local buildings.
Listed buildings in Datchet
There are nearly 40 buildings and structures in Datchet which are Grade II Listed by Historic England. For more details, please see the Historic England website. These include:
- Around The Green: St Mary’s Church, Old Council Offices, 1&2 Manor House, Manor Cottage and Manor Green Cottage, The Bridge, The Royal Stag, Costa (formerly The Morning Star), War Memorial, Milestone.
- London Road: Church Cottage, Datchet House and wall.
- High Street: 6 & 8 High Street, Goodwyn House, The Hall House, Little Dene, St Helen’s Cottage, The Post House, Old Bridge House.
- Windsor Road: Datchet Lodge.
- Horton Road: The Lawn, Cedar House, 17, 17A and 19 (Astracot) Horton Road.
- Lawn Close: The Lawn Icehouse.
- Ditton Road: Cemetery Chapel and Lodge.
- Riding Court Road: Riding Court Farmhouse.
- Southlea Road: Wall at Southlea Farm.
- Ditton Park Road: Ditton Farmhouse, Granary and Barn; Ditton Manor (various structures) park and garden.