Worcester and Gloucester; a comparative study of urban expansion in two provincial cities between 1870 and 1939
The local authority building records of Worcester and Gloucester, two provincial county towns, were used to illustrate how aspects of urban development revealed by other research were evident in provincial towns between c.1870 and 1940. Local economic activity influenced the timing of building cycles, the extent and timing of which were discernible from the sequence of architectural styles used. The vernacular architecture of each town before 1914 had its own character. Development was influenced by the pre-existing pattern of land division, and by decisions taken by individual landowners when selling land for development. Gloucester Corporation was a major landowner, and the control exerted over local authorities by central government in the mid 19th century resulted in a distortion in the pattern of development around that city. Local building practice did not change dramatically after the introduction of bye-laws in 1858 because house types and street layouts used in both towns conformed with the byelaw requirements well before 1858. The scale of housebuilding projects was smaller than in other towns researched, and speculative builders did not operate far from their base before 1914. Qualified architects
Dunleavey, Janet Wendy
Urban growth
Worcester and Gloucester; a comparative study of urban expansion in two provincial cities between 1870 and 1939. The local authority building records of Worcester and Gloucester, two provincial county towns, were used to illustrate how aspects of urban development revealed by other research were evident in provincial towns between c.1870 and 1940. Local economic activity influenced the timing of building cycles, the extent and timing of which were discernible from the sequence of architectural styles used. The vernacular architecture of each town before 1914 had its own character. Development was influenced by the pre-existing pattern of land division, and by decisions taken by individual landowners when selling land for development. Gloucester Corporation was a major landowner, and the control exerted over local authorities by central government in the mid 19th century resulted in a distortion in the pattern of development around that city. Local building practice did not change dramatically after the introduction of bye-laws in 1858 because house types and street layouts used in both towns conformed with the byelaw requirements well before 1858. The scale of housebuilding projects was smaller than in other towns researched, and speculative builders did not operate far from their base before 1914. Qualified architects
worcester comparative study urban expansion provincial cities local_authority building record worcester provincial county_town use_illustrate aspect urban_development reveal evident provincial_town local economic_activity influence time building cycle extent timing discernible sequence architectural_style use vernacular architecture town character development influence pre_existing pattern land_division decision_take individual landowner sell land development corporation major landowner control exert local_authority central_government result distortion pattern development around city local building practice change dramatically introduction laws house type street layout use town conform requirement well scale project small_town research speculative builder operate far base qualified architect