Letter: New Railway Bridge Would Damage the Setting of Historic Buildings

Published on: 28 Jun, 2019
Updated on: 28 Jun, 2019

The proposed route of the new Ash flyover or bridge. Image courtesy GBC.

From David Weller

In response to: Ash Residents Express Doubts and Fears Over New Rail Bridge Plan

As an occupant of one of the oldest inhabited houses in England, namely Ash Manor/Old Manor Cottage, I have grave concerns about the impact of the proposed railway bridge.

Ash Manor and Old Manor Cottage are Grade II* listed buildings, this puts them in the top 6% in the country. Associated buildings are Grade II listed. The bridge would be detrimental not only to the setting of this historical group of buildings but also will cause increased light and noise pollution and lower air quality.

Our ancient house was listed in the Doomsday Book, inhabited by the Saxon Lord Azor, later by eight Kings of England: Edward ll who constructed the Moat, Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, later Henry VIII and Edward VI, who traded it with St Mary’s College Winchester for hunting grounds near Hampton Court.

Additionally, there being no remains whatsoever found of Henley Manor, there is a strong belief that Henley and Ash Manor are one and the same building, but this is unsubstantiated.

Ash Manor House

In the Gatehouse Gazetteer Ash Manor is Listed as a “Palace” and a “ Fortified Manor House” with earthwork remains.

Ash Manor after the royal ownership was inhabited by several well known and famous people. William Spode, grandson of Josiah Spode of Spode Potteries, Maurice Kelly, of Kelly’s Directories, who committed suicide at the house after his bankruptcy. Later, in the 20th century, it was the home of Major and Mrs Boon. He became the organiser of the Grand National, and Mrs Boon a well known international show jumper.

During his residency, Maurice Kelly identified and exorcised the resident ghost. The ghost was said to be Lord Henley, bastard son of Henry Vlll. Henley was imprisoned in the house after objecting to his father’s dissolution of the monasteries. An American medium, Mrs Garret, identified Lord Henley and claimed to have convinced him that he was, in fact, dead, allowing him to depart the house and look for his son who was killed in the French wars and his wife who was pinched by Lord Buckingham.

The Manor House sits on 15 inches of flint foundations over 300 feet of clay, normally extremely unstable, but due to ground water, the clay has remained stable over the centuries as has the house and its associated moat and ponds, which, incidentally, through the driest of summers never dry up.

The proposed bridge would come within 200 yards of this highly graded and designated heritage asset. Foundations of the bridge and of proposed housing within the given proximity could alter the water table threatening the very existence and stability of not only these heritage buildings but also of neighbouring properties.

The very council who adopted the Local Plan are now proposing to deviate from it. The National Planning Policy Framework and the Local Plan both state that the views to and from the Manor House must be protected. The claimed public good that would be provided by the bridge is dubious and there are many public dangers which should be weighed against it.

There were seven possible routes for the bridge identified but the proposed route is the second most damaging to the heritage asset. No regard has been shown to respect this valuable historic building, which is irreplaceable and no respect for the laws of this land which were put in place to protect our National Heritage.