Conservation Areas in Harborough district - Shawell Conservation Area

The village of Shawell lies along a long rectangle of roads at the bottom of a shallow valley. The centre of the rectangle is an important open space of pasture with a stream running through it. There are very few buildings within the rectangle, the notable exception being in the centre where the 18th century Shawell Manor and farmstead sit alongside the stream adjacent to where the stream flows out of this rectangle.

The Conservation Area includes the central rectangle north of but incorporating the Manor House; it extends southwards to incorporate all the buildings outside the rectangle including the important group of Shawell Manor and farmstead, the Church, and the well preserved motte of a former mediaeval castle.

The character of the Conservation Area is the straggling grouping of buildings around this rectangular open space, mainly along the western side. The buildings are of a variety of ages from the 17th century onwards, and include brick timber framing with mud and brick infill; both thatch and clay tile are used and remain. The buildings include houses, cottages and former farmsteads such as Rose Cottage. Notable are the walls in the area, of red brick with blue copings. This is most evident by the Manor House where the stream runs close to the road in a narrow green and is backed by such walls.

The church is hidden among trees at the southern end of the village in a historic grouping of church, manor and castle; the present settlement has developed away from this core towards Lutterworth.

Shawell Conservation Area map