RUNAWAY RUNWAYS STANSTED
by Bruce Hyatt
The construction of extra runways at any of the London airports is inevitably going to involve wanton destruction of our architectural and landscape heritage. This is certainly so at Stansted. The worst scenario here would sweep away 326 homes, including 64 grade II buildings, a number of which are thatched and timber-framed. The site of medieval Takeley Priory at Warish Hall would go, along with the site of Waltham Manor and the moated Grange.
"These old buildings do not belong to us only... they have belonged to our forefathers, and they will belong to our descendants unless we play them false. They are not in any sense our property to do as we like with. We are only trustees for those that come after us."
William Morris in 1889
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Top Left
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OAKMEADS at Brick End
This 17th century thatched timber-framed house would be severely affected by the greatly increased volume of flights using the existing Stansted runway
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Top Centre
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TILTY CHURCH
8 centuries ago the Cistercians built a monastery here and brought an area of rough Essex heathland under cultivation. The parish church, with its beautiful flowing traceried east window, is all that remains of this complex of medieval buildings. "If work starts at Stansted, the church would find itself on the perimeter, presumably beside a 20 foot electrified fence and acres of wasteland." It would be directly under a flight path.
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Centre
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MUSCOMBS at Great Easton
This 16th century tiled, pargeted, timber-framed house, so typical of the best of the area, would disappear under runway no. 2
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Right
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The sunken lane with deer repesents the narrow country road from Little Easton to Broxted Hill and Brick End
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With acknowledgement to Douglas Kent and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (founded by William Morris). Also to Norman Mead and Peter Riding of Stop Stansted Expansion.
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