West Wiltshire District Council’s Warminster Town Centre Conservation Area Character Assessment, Informative Document, Consultation Draft/Cabinet Draft, of December 2006, includes the following notes:
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Focused on the main trade routes and market centre of the town, the Warminster Town Centre Conservation Area, has developed a varied character, generally focused around the uses, which have been dominant during different periods, and the uses that are dominant today.
In order to identify the key features that characterise the conservation area and its townscape, the conservation area has been separated into five character areas. These are loosely based on the predominant uses and identities associated with these parts of the town:
One – Market Centre – this area includes the main retail centre and covers the majority of the medieval market.
Two – Secondary Retail Area – centred on George Street and Silver Street, this area portrays the characteristics of a secondary retail area, with a considerable number of residential buildings and less commercial emphasis than in the Market Centre.
Three – The Original Settlement – Centred on Church Street and stretching down from the Minster, this area is thought to be the original location of the town in the 9th century. It now includes land and buildings relating to Warminster School and has St. Deny’s Church at its head in the vicinity of possibly an earlier Saxon church.
Four – Residential Area 1 – Portway is characterised by residential properties and although originally identified in the 13th century. Today it forms the edge of the Georgian and Victorian settlement.
Five – Residential Area 2 – West Street and Vicarage Street form part of one of the earliest routes through the town.
As part of the character analysis of the conservation area, the urban design of the town and the historic buildings within it will be considered in greater detail.
This is not designed to be a comprehensive account of all the town’s notable buildings, but does include a selection of the salient architectural features, including significant non-listed buildings. Whilst the majority of buildings within the conservation area make a positive contribution to its character and appearance, it is possible to identify certain buildings that play a particularly important role in contributing towards that character. Their importance may be derived from their historic associations, architectural interest, technological innovations or a combination of these factors.
There are over 351 separate entries for the town centre in the Warminster Town Statutory List for Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. Portway House is a Grade I, 8 are Grade II* and the rest are Grade II. There is also a map of the conservation area that indicates where all the listed buildings are located. Buildings of Local Interest have also been identified during the course of the survey work. These, together with the listed buildings referred to above, are all indicated on a map within the appendices. The criteria for assessing local interest buildings are also provided as an appendix to this report.