ALMOST two dozen sites in North Somerset now enjoy ‘heritage asset’ status after a fresh list was unveiled.
North Somerset Council (NSC) has revealed 22 historic sites being added to its Local Heritage List following assessment of community nominations.
The list is a collection of heritage assets not protected as listed buildings or scheduled monuments but are important in terms of local distinctness.
Planning applications for development submitted on places on the list receive additional scrutiny around the heritage and significance of the site and area , the council said.
“People can nominate local heritage assets and areas significant to local communities and the history of North Somerset at any time,” a spokesperson went on.
“Nominations are then assessed by the council’s Heritage and Design team alongside an independent panel of heritage experts.
“Any eligible places are then added to the Local Heritage List at least once a year.”
A King’s Drain steel railway bridge in Portishead, built in 1905 for the Weston, Clevedon, and Portishead Light Railway
Nominations come from local interest groups, town and parish councils, and members of the public, and can be made based on reasons including aesthetic, communal, historical or evidential value.
Sites adopted to the North Somerset Local Heritage List submitted between January and November 2024:
- Banwell: the Methodist Chapel; and the Old Fire Station
- Congresbury: the Methodist Church; and The Old Inn pub building, which was part of Congresbury Manor and can be dated to 1569
- Nailsea: the old library in Somerset Square
- Portishead: original fencing and decorative gates from the Portishead Power Generating Station; King’s Drain steel railway bridge built in 1905 for the Weston, Clevedon, and Portishead Light Railway; The Poacher pub, dating back to the early 17th century; the Methodist Church built in the late 1880s; Moose Hall, built as a Union Chapel in the 1840s
- Wrington: two lime kilns in Prestow Wood, evidenced to be in use in 1840, and one being the only example recorded in North Somerset with a gothic arch over the front combustion chamber
- Yatton: a rare oval Royal Mail post box on the High Street, one of only 75 in existence, an experimental batch featuring a slot for post at one end and a machine for dispensing stamps at the other.
- Banwell: the Old Malt House, High Street; 20 East Street; 24-26 Castle Hill
- Clevedon: Littlemead, Walton Road
- Congresbury: Yeo Meads and Yeo Bank, High Street
- Portishead: The Saltings, Woodlands Road; Avon View, West Hill; Nore Lodge, Nore Road; and Down House, Down Road.
Banwell Methodist Chapel has been added to the North Somerset list. Picture: Google
John Crockford-Hawley, Heritage and Regeneration Champion at NSC, said: “A Local Heritage List is a way for communities to celebrate the unique history that makes an area special. It’s therefore vital that people continue to use their voice to help us identify key sites that require protection.
“It’s so encouraging to know that we now have more than 60 entries on the list. I encourage people to send in their nominations now for other places they feel should be added.”
The list was created in 2021 as part of Weston-super-Mare’s Heritage Action Zone programme and supported by Historic England.
There are now 65 assets on North Somerset’s Local Heritage List. The first round contained 14 properties, with 30 more added after subsequent rounds in 2022 and 2023.
The World War II anti-aircraft battery in Sheepway, Portishead, was added to the Local List in 2022 but has since been removed as it has now been designated as a national scheduled monument.
While not listed by the Secretary of State, the status is deemed an important part of the county’s heritage by NSC, due to its architectural, historic, or archaeological significance.
The Old Inn, Congresbury, has made the list. Picture: North Somerset Council
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