The Modern Historic City: Evolving Ideas in Mid-20th-century Britain

Abstract

It is generally considered that ideas in Britain about historic cities, and their appropriate management, changed radically between the period of the Second World War and its aftermath and the end of the 1960s, in reaction to comprehensive redevelopment and with the rise of the conservation movement. Plans produced in the early part of this period have been characterized as representing 'clean-sweep' planning. By the end of the 1960s, it is held, very different ideas prevailed. One of the key articulations cited to represent this shift is the four studies for the historic cities of Bath, Chester, Chichester and York, commissioned to consider conservation issues both in those cities, and in terms of the wider lessons that could be applied elsewhere. This paper analyses the approaches used in conceptualizing and planning for two of these four historic cities, Bath and York, with reference to both the 1960s studies and their 1940s precursors. It concludes that on the whole the 1960s plans for Bath represent a continuation of approach from the 1940s rather than a radical sea change, with the emphasis still firmly on conceptualizing the historic city highly selectively and on proposing high degrees of intervention. Changes are more evident in the plan for York, which heralds a more inclusive and embracing conservation of place.

The ‘spirit of living continuity’? Revisiting the urban vision, methodologies and influence of the Studies in Conservation

“…This paper takes stock of these interpretations. Drawing on archival sources, oral history2 and contemporary commentary as well as the lessons of previous research (Gold, 2004(Gold, , 2007Pendlebury, 2005Pendlebury, , 2006, we offer the first comprehensive overview of the origins, contents and significance of the Studies. The first of this paper's four sections sketches the rationale of the original initiative and outlines its progress through to the Studies' belated publication in early 1969.…”

“…Admittedly the Council took the Study seriously enough to request detailed responses from its Chief Officers and from its Planning and Development Committee, but critics argued that was simply a prelude to using the all-officer report to dismember the Study in Conservation 'sentence by sentence, line by line' (Richards, 1970, 342). Even so, most of the proposals were accepted and the Study continued to provide a benchmark for significant planning cases into the twenty-first century (Shannon, 1996;Pendlebury, 2005). Esher's firm was subsequently engaged to help develop plans for Aldwark, with the replacement of low-grade industrial and commercial uses by new housing within the walls.…”