Save Roman Southwell - Plan for Roman site opposed

Town councillors have objected to fresh plans for housing on the former Church Street site of The Minster School, Southwell.

Southwell Heritage Trust wants the site, where archaeologists have found a Roman villa said to be of national importance, to become a heritage park.

There were calls, at a meeting of Southwell Town Council planning committee, for Newark and Sherwood District Council to deal with the park proposal at the same time as the homes application.

The application is for nine homes, and proposes that the key archaeology be preserved in situ and not built on.

A Saxon burial ground has also been found at the site and could provide a link between the Roman occupation of Southwell and the minster cathedral.

The Southwell committee, whose comments are forwarded to the district council, objected to the homes for five main reasons.

These were the prematurity of the application, the proposed design and layout, the impact on the archaeology, the impact on views of the minster, and the absence of lower-cost housing.

The committee chairman for the night, Mrs Beryl Prentice, said the heritage trust application should be dealt with by the district council at the same time as the homes plan.

She said, and colleagues agreed, the homes plan was premature, because allocations mapping development in the district were being assessed by a planning inspector and the outcome wasn’t known.

Mr Peter Harris said it wasn’t a consideration as to whether the applicant made money from the sale of the homes or not.

He said that what branded the application a joke was the fact it was being suggested the homes would sell for £600,000 when he thought they would achieve seven figures.

Mr Harris said: “I am opposed to this application because I fundamentally don’t think it is appropriate to have this level of development in what is essentially now an open space.

“Any other town with an adjacent cathedral wouldn’t get significant development. Having said that district council planners seem keen for this site to be developed.”

A member of the public, Katie Todd, of Church Street, feared the application could bring flooding.

She said in 2007 30-40 properties were affected and recent deluges had led to worry of a repeat.

Another resident, Mr Peter Kent, said at 21/2 storeys high, the houses would be massive and views of the minster would be affected.

 

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Plan-for-Roman-site-opposed

Event - Titanic SOS man helped save lives (Louthwell/Lowdham)

A wireless operator hailed a hero for his part in the operation to pick up survivors from the Titanic could be honoured with a plaque in his native Nottinghamshire.


The first SOS call from the Titanic was received by wireless operator Mr Harold Thomas Cottam, 21, of Southwell

Mr Harold Cottam — a little-known son of Southwell who later lived in Lowdham — was just 21 when he was first to pick up the Morse code distress call from the stricken liner.

Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, which hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage on the night of April 14/15, 1912.

About 1,500 men, women and children perished in the icy waters, but Mr Cottam’s fast actions are credited with saving hundreds of lives.

Mr Cottam, who was born on Church Street, Southwell, and attended the Minster Grammar School, was working on the SS Carpathia, a passenger steam ship sailing from New York City to Fiume (then in Austria-Hungary, now Rijeka, Croatia).

On receiving the SOS call, he woke the skipper, Captain Arthur Henry Rostron, who ordered the vessel to steam to Titanic’s aid.

It was three hours before the Carpathia reached Titanic, which had already sunk.

Despite the terrible loss of life, experts agree if it was not for Mr Cottam, who lived in Lowdham for many years before his death in 1984, aged 93, many of the 705 survivors would have also perished.

On the three-day trip back to New York after the tragedy, Mr Cottam worked with barely any sleep sending wireless messages to survivors’ loved ones.

Among the messages was one to his mother, Mrs Jane Cottam, which read: “Am safe and well. Detained in New York for Senatorial exhibition.

“Am leaving for Washington tomorrow. Home as soon as possible. Love from Harold.”

On the ship’s arrival in New York, Mr Cottam was hailed a hero with a headline in the New York Times reading: “Boy Wireless Saved Them. Rescues Resulted From Cottam’s Untiring Devotion To Duty.”

Maritime historian Mr Graham Anthony, of Cambridge, hopes to have a plaque in memory of Mr Cottam erected in Lowdham in June, and is also looking to have one at The Minster School, Southwell.

Mr Anthony said: “There are some 700 memorials to Titanic people around the world, but not a single one to 21-year-old Harold Thomas Cottam.

“It was his diligence and skill that picked up the SOS call and it was his courage to alert his captain.

“Without Harold Thomas Cottam there would have been no story because everyone would have frozen to death.

“In my opinion he is the most important person in the whole of the Titanic saga, and that is why we should be celebrating his achievements.”

The chairman of Southwell Town Council, Mr Roger Dobson, said he was previously unaware of Mr Cottam’s connections to the town but thought he should be recognised.

Mr Dobson said: “It’s a lovely story and it will definitely be something I raise with the local history groups.”

Mr Cottam served on several more ships before going on to work at the ROF Gun Factory in The Meadows, Nottingham.

Despite becoming a hero he tried to avoid the limelight.

Nottinghamshire Archives has a Titanic display this month documenting those from Nottinghamshire related to the disaster, including Mr Cottam, and three men who were missing presumed dead.

The men working on board at the time were William Moss and Albert Edward Lane, both saloon stewards, and William Ewatt Caunt, a grill cook.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Titanic-SOS-man-helped-save-lives

Save Roman Southwell - Housing next to Southwell Roman settlement site rejected

Proposals to build houses next to a Roman settlement site in Nottinghamshire have been rejected by councillors.

Caunton Properties Ltd submitted plans to build 29 properties on Church Street in Southwell.

Officers had recommended that Newark and Sherwood District Council should approve the application.

More than 3,000 people, including several high-profile academics, signed a petition against the development.

Southwell Town Council also objected to the plans.

'Rare remains'

The district council planning committee voted to refuse the application on 8 November on the grounds of design and density of houses proposed.

The site is next to what could be one of the largest Roman villas in the UK, according to Dr Will Bowden, an expert in Roman archaeology.

The University of Nottingham lecturer said the discovery of "rare" remains dating back to the 7th or 8th Century made the site "wholly inappropriate" for development.

Campaigner Peter Kent said he was "highly delighted" with the outcome of the planning meeting.

"We want to develop the entire area as a heritage park, tying in Southwell Minster and the Archbishop's Palace which already has lottery funding to develop as an area of outstanding heritage," he said.

Caunton Properties Ltd was unavailable for comment.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-15655165

Save Roman Southwell - Homes rethink rejected

Councillors have reiterated their opposition to plans for housing on a site of national historic significance, despite a surprise suggestion they should support the scheme.

Mrs Sue Rodgers told colleagues on Southwell Town Council’s planning committee that the archaeology at the former Church Street site of The Minster School was better left in the ground, and she proposed they support the application for homes.

Caunton Properties Ltd wants to build 29 homes on the site, where excavations have found nationally important Roman remains.

The planning committee previously unanimously objected to the suggested housing, and discussed the matter again because of amendments to the planning application.

Mrs Rodgers, a member of Nottinghamshire County Council’s archaeology team, said she did not believe the site should be excavated further.

“As far as I’m concerned archaeology is much safer left in the ground than it is dug up and any archaeology is the destruction of the layers built up over time.

“What the developer is planning would significantly protect the remains and all the buildings put up would have very detailed archaeological mitigation against them, and if anything was found then building would stop.

“Much as we would all like to see archaeologists in there over the next 20 years carefully digging away to see what’s down there I think it is safer where it is.

“It’s going to go completely against the grain but I propose we support the application.”

Mrs Rodgers said the town should be concentrating on tracking down archaeology that was excavated in 1959 and had been lost over the years.

Mr Roger Dobson said the council should again submit its very strong objections.

He said: “The area is totally unsuitable for housing as it is in an outstanding area of heritage surrounded by outstanding heritage with the minster, the archbishops’ palace and the prebendal houses.”

He thought more of the site should be excavated to possibly reveal more about the link between the Roman occupation of Southwell and the building of the minster.

He said: “Why should we leave a story that is capable, with more archaeology over the years, of being told.

Mr Peter Harris said if the plans were for land near any other cathedral in any other area they would be immediately rejected.

Mrs Lyn Harris said she accepted the archaeology would be safer in the ground, but was concerned if houses were built the archaeology could be disturbed by home-owners building small extensions or conservatories.

Mrs Kate Ashworth thought it would be more pleasant to maintain the land as an open space.

Newark and Sherwood District Council will decide the application.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Homes-rethink-rejected

Save Roman Southwell - Opposition to homes remains (Southwell)

A heritage group has reiterated its opposition to plans to build homes on a site that contains Roman remains.

Southwell Heritage Trust has written to Newark and Sherwood District Council to oppose the latest amended application to build 29 homes on the former Church Street site of the Minster School.

It claims the site is of archaeological significance and has tourism potential.

It contains Roman and Saxon remains, which experts believe could be of national importance.

The development has yet to be discussed by the district council but has been discussed by Southwell Town Council’s planning committee several times. The amendments were due to be discussed by its planning committee last night.

The town council is asked to give comments on the application each time it is amended before it goes to the district council.

In a letter to the district council, the heritage trust’s chairman, Mr Roger Dobson, said the group continued to have strong objections to the plans despite the latest amendment, which outlines a mitigation strategy to protect the archaeological remains.

He said: “We continue to maintain that this very important heritage site is totally unsuitable for housing development and therefore no acceptable archaeological mitigation strategy is possible in the circumstances.”

Mr Dobson said the group believed English Heritage and Nottinghamshire County Council played down the tourism and economic regeneration benefits for the district if the site was made into a heritage park.

He said: “Most experts agree that the site is situated in an area of outstanding national heritage and that vital links between Southwell Minster and the Roman villa would be lost if housing development was to take place.

“In recent years a unique Roman wall has been discovered and significant Anglo Saxon burials.

“As less than 10% of the site has been investigated it is reasonable to assume that more important discoveries could be made.”

The heritage group wants to see the site incorporated into an outstanding heritage area including nearby Southwell Minster, the archbishop’s palace and prebendal houses on Church Street.

They would like the site landscaped with interpretation boards explaining the location of the remains and their significance and possibly the creation of a visitor centre.

The group believes the site could become a tourist attraction.

from: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Opposition-to-homes-remains

News - Calls to protect 'rare' Roman Southwell

A university lecturer is calling for the rejection of a plan to build houses next to the site of a Roman settlement in Nottinghamshire.

Caunton Properties Ltd, who were unavailable for comment, want to create 29 homes on Church Street in Southwell.

Dr Will Bowden said the discovery of "rare" archaeological remains dating to the 7th or 8th Century made the site "wholly inappropriate" for development.

Newark and Sherwood District Council will consider the plan after 28 June.

The site is next to a scheduled monument - potentially one of the largest Roman villas in the UK, according to the University of Nottingham lecturer.

An investigation of the area the planning application covers found a Roman wall and archaeological remains.

'Incredibly rare'

English Heritage recommended that a substantial part of the redevelopment should remain as green space, with any remains preserved.

Dr Bowden and a number of academics, including the director of the Association for Roman Archaeology, Bryn Walters, and Revd Prof Martin Henig of Oxford University, said the English Heritage judgement does not go far enough.

"The discovery of remains, of probably Christian inhabitants, dating to the late 7th or 8th Century on the development site represents the period between the Roman villa and Minster," Dr Bowden said.

"Having this continual sequence of occupation - the villa, the burials and the Minster - is incredibly rare and arguably unique for a Roman villa in the UK."

He added: "There is something very unusual going on at Southwell, and it is potentially of a rarity that would make its partial excavation in a development context wholly inappropriate."

The academics have joined with several local history societies in an attempt to mobilise a mass campaign in support for keeping the remains in place.

Members of Southwell Town Council unanimously agreed to object to the plans and the council chairman Mr Roger Dobson called for residents to join the Save Roman Southwell campaign.

Campaigners would like to see the development site included in the town's central heritage area which includes the Minster, the Archbishop's palace and the villa itself.

"We can develop a strategy for researching and using the site to bring Roman Southwell to life for the citizens of Nottinghamshire," said Dr Bowden.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-13083692