About the Ashwell Conservation Area
The Ashwell Conservation Area covers about 51 hectares and was designated by North Hertfordshire District Council in 1968. Inside the boundary are 71 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 7 Grade II*, 63 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Mary, Grade I.
What changes inside the conservation area
Conservation areas are “Article 2(3) land”. You keep most permitted development rights, but these are removed or tightened.
- Rear extensionElsewhere: 3 m · 6 m with PANo 6 m / 8 m prior approval
- Two-storey extensionElsewhere: 3 mNeeds planning permission
- Side extensionElsewhere: Half the widthNeeds planning permission
- Loft conversionElsewhere: 50 m³Needs planning permission
- Garden roomElsewhere: 2.5 m high by boundariesNot beside the house
- PorchElsewhere: 3 m²Same limits
- Solar panelsElsewhere: 0.2 m projectionSame limits
- Air source heat pumpElsewhere: 1 unitNot facing the road
- Fences, walls and gatesElsewhere: 2 m · 1 m by a roadSame limits
- External claddingElsewhere: Matching materialsNeeds planning permission
- Tree workElsewhere: No notice6 weeks’ notice to the council
- Demolition (over 115 m³)Elsewhere: AllowedNeeds planning permission
Limits for a semi-detached house under the GPDO 2015. An Article 4 direction can remove more.
Listed buildings in the conservation area
Any work affecting these needs listed building consent, inside or out. Each links to its entry on the National Heritage List.
- Church of St MaryGrade I
- 57, 59 and 61 (Day’s Bakery), High StreetGrade II*
- Bear HouseGrade II*
- DucklakeGrade II*
- Forresters CottageGrade II*
- Jessamine HouseGrade II*
- Rose and Crown Public HouseGrade II*
- Town House (ashwell Museum)Grade II*
- 1 and 5 West EndGrade II
- 1 Mill StreetGrade II
- 14, Lucas LaneGrade II
- 18-24, Swan StreetGrade II
- 2 and 4, Gardiners LaneGrade II
- 2, Mill LaneGrade II
- 29, 31 and 33, Mill StreetGrade II
- 34, Lucas LaneGrade II
- 37 and 39 Mill StreetGrade II
- 39, West EndGrade II
- 4 and 6, Mill LaneGrade II
- 5, Gardiners LaneGrade II
- 53, High StreetGrade II
- 56, High StreetGrade II
- 73, High StreetGrade II
- Alder CottaceGrade II
Show all 71 listed buildings ↓All 71 listed buildings
- Ashe CottageGrade II
- Ashwell BuryGrade II
- Ashwell Further Education CentreGrade II
- Ashwell Stores and Number 72 (including Attached Rear Barn)Grade II
- Ashwell War MemorialGrade II
- Bacon's House and Number 84 (including Attached Outbuildings)Grade II
- Barn adjoining number 4Grade II
- Barn at DucklakeGrade II
- Barn at Rear of Three Tuns HotelGrade II
- Barn range at Farrow's Farm, 30 metres west of No 4 (farmhouse)Grade II
- BeamsGrade II
- Chain CottageGrade II
- Chantry HouseGrade II
- Cheney CottageGrade II
- Christy's CornerGrade II
- Cob WallGrade II
- Digswell Manor (including Outbuildings at Rear)Grade II
- Dixies Farmhouse and DixiesGrade II
- Dovecote at Dixies FarmGrade II
- Granary Adjoining South Corner of DucklakeGrade II
- Granary at Westbury Farm, Immediately East of FarmhouseGrade II
- Guild HouseGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk Adjoining the Rose and Crown Public HouseGrade II
- Lychgate and Adjoining Churchyard WallGrade II
- Mulberry Tree CottageGrade II
- Pin Cottage and Numbers 12 and 16Grade II
- Plait HallGrade II
- Smithy CottageGrade II
- Spring HouseGrade II
- Sring CottageGrade II
- Swan HouseGrade II
- The CottageGrade II
- The GreenGrade II
- The MillGrade II
- The Old CottageGrade II
- The OrchardGrade II
- The RectoryGrade II
- The Three Tuns Hotel Public HouseGrade II
- Tombstone in New Cemetery to Mary Morwenno Bolitho, Wife of Philip Le Grand GribbleGrade II
- Tombstone in New Cemetery to Wolverlry Attwood FordhamGrade II
- Tower Cottage (including Attached Rear Outbuildings)Grade II
- Two BrewersGrade II
- Village Lock-Up in Garden of Number 20Grade II
- Vine CottageGrade II
- Wayside CottageGrade II
- Westbury FarmhouseGrade II
- Woodlands (including Rear Attached Barns)Grade II
Streets in the conservation area
Streets with listed buildings inside the boundary. Boundaries often split a street — check your exact address.
The council’s appraisal
WEBAshwell Conservation Area AppraisalNorth Hertfordshire District Council’s description of the area’s character — what planners look at when you apply.Open on council site ↗Nearby conservation areas
Boundary and listed buildings from North Hertfordshire District Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.