Heritage Introduction by Andrew Gerrard (Resident & Volunteer)

Objectives

We hope to discover broadly when the Dell was originally created, by whom and for what purpose. It was in effect an old quarry or a similar industrial site, and we are interested to find as much information about its function and the relationship with immediate area. The site has long been disused and colonised by trees and other plants; we do not expect to locate any historical artefacts but we will nevertheless keep a watchful eye as we clear the scattering of household rubbish and some undergrowth.

Modern map evidence

Five editions of large scale Ordnance Survey mapping have been reviewed.

1882: The area we think of as The Dell is depicted as three parcels of land totalling 4.413 acres. The eastern boundary is the South Avenue driveway for much of its length; otherwise the general shape is very similar to what we have today but extending further south on the eastern side of Chapel Lane. There is no housing along the western side of South Avenue and Western Avenue does not appear at all. The Dell at this date is shown as a mixed conifer and deciduous woodland.

A most promising source is Janet Smith, a noted Thorpe historian and long term resident of the South Avenue and Stanmore Avenue area. Mrs Smith has some aerial photographs from early 20th century and some later ones of the road dating from her childhood. She recalled, on the telephone, how she had walked across The Dell from South Avenue to school, she remembers another route northwards along the western boundary and also recall a brief army encampment during the second war. She has a wealth of local information and, very interestingly, she knew of a pub on Chapel Lane called The Limeburners.