Draft Yealand Conyers and Redmayne Conservation Area Appraisal Consultation

Yealand Conyers and Redmayne Conservation Area was designated in 1981. Whilst is has a Conservation Area Assessment, it has never had a full appraisal.

Conservation Area Appraisals define the special interest (significance) of a conservation area, identify the risks to its character and appearance, review the boundary, are a material consideration and used to inform robust planning decisions and are the starting point for actively managing these significant areas.

We have prepared a draft conservation area appraisal (view in the documents section to the right) for Yealand Conyers and Redmayne and are seeking your views on it.

The Conservation Area’s summary of special interest has been defined as follows:

• A distinctive linear settlement comprising two villages separated by open fields. Both nucleated, though Yealand Conyers is more dispersed, and poly-focal. The open land (parkland and pasture) surrounding and penetrating between these cores is a vital component, as is the contribution of the trees to its setting;
• Located on the eastern side of a limestone ridge within Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, there are long-distance views towards the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and The Forest of Bowland provided by the gaps between the core settlements. This is especially the case in the elevated parts of the conservation area;
• Clearly defined field strips remain, overlooked by the Silverdale Road properties in Yealand Redmayne;
• Dating from at least the medieval period, the two villages retain their agricultural character, Yealand Redmayne especially, with a large number of traditional farm buildings, including farmhouses with attached barns. Yealand Redmayne includes an impressive cluster of C17 farmhouses;
• Characterised by the prevalent use of local limestone for buildings and boundary walls, with slate roofing;
• Yealand Conyers contains a number of grand houses and churches by/attributed to notable architects including the Websters (George and Francis) and Edward Graham Paley;
• Nearby Leighton Hall was a Catholic stronghold during the period of persecution, and priests were regularly hidden there. A catholic mission was established in Yealand Conyers in 1782, followed by the building of E.G. Paley’s St Mary’s in 1852, which remained the only Catholic church in the area until 1926 (Carnforth);
• A key association with the early Quaker movement, as the home of Richard Hubberthorne, one of the Valiant Sixty. Yealand Conyers contains a very early purpose-built meeting house (1692, grade II*), and the earliest in Lancashire. The setting of the Meeting House and burial ground are particularly attractive;
• Evidence of an early C19 flax industry (dressing, spinning and weaving) in Yealand Conyers where a former small mill building and weavers’ cottages can be found; and
• Historical associations with the Gillows family, the Lancaster Rawlinson family, the Waithman family (and John Kendrew), Elizabeth Gaskell, Elfrida Vipont and Sir Fitzroy Mclean

Boundary review and recommendations

It is proposed to extend the conservation area boundary to include the area to the east of Church Lane; the area bounded by Rose Acre Lane, Church Lane, Dykes Lane and the A6.

The buildings within this area are included currently, but not the surrounding open green areas. This is unlike the eastern boundary in the other parts of the conservation area, since for the rest of its length there is a green buffer between the buildings and the boundary. The area proposed for inclusion acts as important setting for the conservation area, as well as the significant group of listed buildings within that area. The view from the A6 is of a pleasing rural group and, importantly, is one of the few views into the conservation area. However, the views across this open land from within the conservation area towards the designated heritage assets and the expansive long-distance views of The Forest of Bowland, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District are also significant.

These suggested boundary changes can be seen on the map to the right of this page.

What is the effect of conservation area designation

Conservation areas help to protect our historic environment and the sense of place which is valued by the local community. Designation provides protection to historic buildings and features in the area to prevent the character from being eroded through demolition and inappropriate development. Further information about conservation areas can be found on the council website(External link).

Public consultation

We now wish to obtain the views of those with an interest in the area on the draft Conservation Area Appraisal and proposed conservation boundary change for the Yealand Conyers and Redmayne Conservation Area. We would welcome comments from the local community and other interest groups on the content of the conservation area appraisal and the proposed boundary extensions. You may wish to provide general comments or respond to the questionnaire.

Before commenting we recommend that you read the draft Yealand Conyers and Redmayne Conservation Area Appraisal which can be found to the right of this page.

Once we have received responses to the consultation, we intend to report to a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet. The City Council will consider all representations, including suggestions for alternative boundary proposals.

The public consultation starts Friday 21 February 2025 and ends 12 noon on Friday 4 April 2025.