Page 5 - Ickford NP Sustainability Heritage Assessment

BUILT HERITAGE ASSESSMENT : ICKFORD : VISION FOR ICKFORD 5

Built Heritage Assessment
ICKFORD

Summary In summary
In summary
In summary
In summary
In summary
Ickford is a small rural settlement set in open countryside to the The landscape around Ickford is predominantly flat pastoral
north of the River Thame. It lies close to the small village of landform, with small and medium sized fields with good
Worminghall to the west, although it retains a separate identity. hedgerow retention. Tree cover is strongest close to the
Ickford is an example of a polyfocal settlement that grew up around settlement and watercourses. The church is a focal point at
two manors, it was predominantly an agricultural community, as the edge of the village and there are good footpath links,
evidenced by the number of former farmhouses and agricultural particularly to neighbouring Worminghall, which falls
buildings that survive in the village. This appraisal is concerned within the same landscape character area. The village has
with the special architectural and historic interest of the area. retained a strong historic character; vernacular buildings
are a feature, as are the stone bridges over the River Thame.
Water courses play a dominant role within the
Location and Context
Location and Context
Location and Context
Location and Context
Location and Context
landscape, particularly the River Thame which forms the
Ickford village is located in the southern part of Aylesbury southern boundary to the area. This, together with a
vale, very close to the border with Oxfordshire. It lies number of tributaries, means that the village often sits on
approximately eleven miles south west of Aylesbury, and an island surrounded by flood water during times of high
four miles west of Thame, and is close to the M40. Although rainfall. The geology is mostly river terrace and alluvium
well connected geographically to nearby towns, limited fill, with some areas of limestone marl to the west and
public transport has led to an over reliance on the motor Kimmeridge clays to the south east.
car to reach employment and shopping centres such as
Oxford, Thame and Aylesbury and further afield to London General character and plan form
and the Midlands.
The village contains a primary school, a shop, a public The village is generally linear in form along the three main
house and a church. There are a limited number of roads that make up the centre. This linearity is best seen
businesses within the village. along Bridge Road and to the northern end of Worminghall
Road
The older parts of Ickford are concentrated in four main
Landscape setting
Landscape setting
Landscape setting
Landscape setting
Landscape setting
areas: Little Ickford, Church Road, Worminghall Road, and
The key source of information on landscape character is around the Sheldon Road. Bridge Road junction. The
the Aylesbury Vale District Council and Bucks County majority of historic buildings in the village are located in
Council Aylesbury Vale Landscape Character Assessment. these areas and are covered by conservation area
This goes into some depth about the area around Ickford, designation. The four historic areas have been linked by
identified as ICT8 – Ickford Pastoral Vale. Full details can modern 20 century infilling, particularly to the north of
th
be found here: Sheldon Road.
http://old.buckscc.gov.uk/media/1976489/LCA-812-Ickford- Note on the Conservation Area:
Pastoral-Vale.pdf The conservation area was designated in 1991, and a brief appraisal
document was produced by AVDC.

VISION FOR ICKFORD – NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
www.visionforickford.co.uk