Cuckoo Lane Local Heritage Listing Nomination
Under a new process, it is now possible to nominate local heritage assets – this is the original, unedited application form made for Cuckoo Lane between The Old Headington Conservation Area and Headington Hill Conservation Areas made on 23/05/2013
Page down past the checkbox section below for a brief discussion of of the basis for the application – this was done in haste at the time.
Many thanks as ever to Stephanie Jenkins and her excellent web site at:
This Page: http://bit.ly/1en3n8f
More background on Cuckoo Lane can be found in my article on Malchair and eighteenth century Headington on this site at:
| Name and location of your candidate heritage assetCuckoo Lane between Old Headington Conservation Area and Headington Hill Conservation Area, (Blue) Boundary Stone in Woodlands Road (Yellow dot as marked) |
| 1. WHAT IS IT? Is it one of the following? | Tick |
| a building or group of buildings | |
| a monument or site (an area of archaeological remains or a structure other than a building) |
X |
| a place (e.g. a street, park, garden or natural space) |
X |
| a landscape (an area defined by visual features or character, e.g. a city centre, village, suburb or field system) |
X |
| 2. WHY IS IT INTERESTING? Is it interesting in any of the following ways? | Tick / Rank |
| Historic interest – a well documented association with a person, event, episode of history, or local industry | |
| Archaeological interest – firm evidence of potential to reveal more about the human past through further study | |
| Architectural interest – an example of an architectural style, a building of particular use, a technique of building, or use of materials | |
| Artistic interest – It includes artistic endeavour to communicate meaning or use of design (including landscape design) to enhance appearance | |
| What is it about the asset that provides this interest?Cuckoo Lane or “Oxford Waye” follows the route of the original field track from Oxford to Headington and is still largely intact as a footway except at location suggested for local listing or Conservation Area enlargement | |
| 3. WHY IS IT LOCALLY VALUED? Is the interest of the asset valued locally for any of the following reasons? | Tick / Rank |
| Association: It connects us to people and events that shaped the identity or character of the area | |
| Illustration: It illustrates an aspect of the area’s past that makes an important contribution to its identity or character |
X |
| Evidence: It is an important resource for understanding and learning about the area’s history |
X |
| Aesthetics: It makes an important contribution to the positive look of the area either by design or fortuitously |
X |
| Communal: It is important to the identity, cohesion, spiritual life or memory of all or part of the community | |
| How is the asset locally valued as heritage?See below | |
| 4. What Makes its local Significance special? Do any of the following features make the heritage significance of the asset stand out above the surrounding environment? | Tick |
| Age … Is it particularly old, or of a date that is significant to the local area? |
X |
| Rarity … Is it unusual in the area or a rare survival of something that was once common? |
X |
| Integrity … Is it largely complete or in a near to original condition? |
X (see below) |
| Group value … Is it part of a group that have a close historic, aesthetic or communal association? |
X |
| Oxford’s identity … Is it important to the identity or character of the city or a particular part of it? |
X |
| Other … Is there another way you think it has special local value? | |
| How does this contribute to its value? | |
Cuckoo Lane On Line of Woodlands Road
Map
Cuckoo Lane Between The Conservation Areas
General
Cuckoo Lane is a green corridor (green above) connecting Headington near Old High Street/North Place to Marston Lane/St Clements, historically ending at Pullen’s Lane, however another footpath goes down Headington Hill to Marston Lane, and is currently referred to as “Cuckoo Lane”
Sections form an integral part of the Headington Hill Conservation Area and the Old Headington Conservation Area which has an extension in recognition of its importance.
Its importance has been noted in the site DPD for the John Radcliffe Hospital, and both the Old Headington and Headington Hill Conservation Area appraisals.
Conservation Area protection provides area protection, but does not adequately reveal the historical significance of historically significant ways such as the river Thames, canals and in this case, a green way linking two formerly separate communities.
“Slicing and dicing” parts ancient ways into separate conservation areas militates against developing an understanding of their heritage significance as routes rather than areas.
Cuckoo Lane is delineated by the following heritage structures:
- Boundary Stone at Marston Road (HER below)
- Boundary Stone in Woodlands Road (1892) Unlisted
- Possible waymarker stone currently a corner stone in the wall of Monkton Cottage at the end of the original way.
The Corpus Christi Map shows the Oxforde Way seems to show it going directly to the junction Monkton Cottage/Croft/North Place, which is the most direct, and logical, route.
The enclosure map of 1805 shows it on its current route, however the old route would have run nearby the existing enclosure marked in black, continuing an almost straight route.
Cuckoo Lane Possible Original Route on 1805 Map
Cuckoo Lane appears on the Corpus Christi map of 1605 and the Jefferies Map, on the former as “Oxforde Way” ending at Pullen’s Lane in the West, and Old Headington approximately at North Place/Old High Street junction, with another lost branch (Lost Cuckoo Lane on map) going from the current junction of Woodlands Road/Sandfield Road and narrower, better defined, way lead directly over the grounds of the current John Radcliffe Hospital to the junction of the northern branch of The Croft at the junction of Osler Road at the point where it descends into the village, an almost direct route from the former St Clements Church at the “The Plain” to St Andrews.
At the former Sandfield Road junction the base of a structure of a hard stone such as granite is visible of indeterminate age – the may have been a waymarker at the split of the ways.
Character
The section requested for listing is little more than an attractive avenue of particularly mature beech trees which appear to continue those lining the north side Cuckoo Lane at the John Radcliffe Hospital, although it does contain a boundary stone and possible base of a waymarker.
The value is in linking the two Conservation Areas to reveal the historical significance of Cuckoo Lane as an asset in its own right.
Cuckoo Lane Nominated Area Looking West At Woodland’s Road
Cuckoo Lane Boundary Stone on Woodlands Road
Cuckoo Lane Looking To Headington School Section and to Headington Hill Conservation Area
Listing Requests
This is a request to either:
- Extend both Conservation Areas to meet at the Boundary Stone
- Locally List the area to effectively accomplish the same
- List the Boundary Stone, although it is relatively recent (1892)
Additional Information
http://www.headington.org.uk/history/headington_hill/cuckoo_lane.htm
HER Record – Milestone at Marston Road
District Type Parish
Oxfordshire Oxford District Authority
National Park: Not applicable to this List entry.
Grade: II
Date first listed: 28-Jun-1972
Date of most recent amendment: Not applicable to this List entry.
Legacy System InformationThe contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System: LBS
UID: 245251
Asset GroupingsThis list entry does not comprise part of an Asset Grouping. Asset Groupings are not part of the official record but are added later for information.
List entry DescriptionSummary of Building
Legacy Record – This information may be included in the List Entry Details.
Reasons for Designation
Legacy Record – This information may be included in the List Entry Details.
History
Legacy Record – This information may be included in the List Entry Details.
Details
INSCRIBED STONES 1. 1485 Highway stones Stone at the junction of Marston Road and the footpath to Pullen’s Lane SP 50 NW 24/742 II 2. Stone, probably Cl7. Inscribed ‘esheding – ton way’ the rest illegible. This stands on the line of the old City boundary and may in fact be connected with that. This was the pre-1881 boundary of the City.
Listing NGR: SP5287006625
Selected Sources
Article Reference – Author: LF Salzman – Title: The Victoria History of the County of Oxford – Date: 1957 – Journal Title: The Victoria History of the Counties of England – Volume: 5 – Page References: 259
National Grid Reference: SP 52870 06624
Saving Headington's Heritage 