Conservation Areas in Harborough district - Allexton Conservation Area

Allexton is a very small village just south of the A47 Leicester to Uppingham road with a cluster of buildings close to the entrance avenue of Allexton Hall. The character of the Conservation Area derives from the relationship between the village, the parkland meadows to the north and Allexton Hall to the west. The village gives the impression of an estate village with cottages set back from narrow greens and having the Church and the Rectory apart. The buildings are mainly of ironstone and their grouping around the green is one of the village’s attractions. A number houses have been built within the village recently which give substance to the core area.

The Conservation Area lies to the south of the Eye Brook and includes the village, the cluster of buildings by the road bridge across the Eye Brook, some pasture land on the east side of the village and Allexton Hall with its immediate grounds. The neo-tudor ironstone lodge cottages at the A47 entrance to Allexton Hall lie outside Harborough District and so are excluded. The listed Allexton Hall and its grounds are included in the Conservation Area as there is a strong visual and historic relationship between the Hall and the village. The inclusion of the gardens and park to the Hall gives a context to the Hall and will give protection to the many fine trees.

The parkland meadowlands north of the village alongside the Eye Brook include the earthwork remains of the mediaeval moated manor which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. These meadows are bounded to the west by two fine lime tree avenues to Allexton Hall. To the east the meadows contain a new lake and have been planted with trees. The area narrows to the road bridge across the Eye Brook where there is an attractive collection of vernacular brick buildings overlooking the Eye Brook and its bridge.

The tiny village is on a twisting cul-de-sac off a minor road. The Church and former Rectory lie between the minor road and the village. These buildings along with the new house at Retreat Farm are visible from the minor road (the new house in red brick at the end of main street is visible for six months of the year). The diminished mediaeval Church itself lies half hidden by surrounding trees and in its churchyard set back from a road bend with no direct frontage.

Allexton Hall itself is also set apart from the village, it is hidden by trees and lies some 200m from the village from which it is approached by a lime avenue within the park. Allexton then presents three small distinct parts, all secluded, linked to each other and set in a countryside of parkland and pasture with woods and trees.

Allexton Conservation Area map