Case Study: How We Made Cobblestones Accessible

What was the project about?

The 16th-century Temple Newsam Estate near Leeds attracts thousands of visitors every year to enjoy its Tudor-Jacobean heritage, Chippendale furniture collection, and the impressive grounds, landscaped by Capability Brown.

But navigation through the estate to reach the house was unclear for visitors arriving on foot or by cycle, and inaccessible for many people using mobility aids.

In particular, the bumpy surface of the cobblestone area outside the entrance of the house acted as a major barrier for less able visitors. It led to a pinch point as visitors continued their journey to the eastern wing.

There was also no coherent path for people who arrive on cycles. As a result, many visitors made their own routes along muddy tracks or narrow walkways, many of which converged on the cobbled area north of the House.

Link to the National Cycle Network

The walking, wheeling and cycle trust wanted to help more people access Temple Newsam House from the south, linking National Cycle Route 66 to the Trans Pennine Trail (route 67) — a popular long-distance, mainly traffic-free path between Southport and Hornsea.

The Estate saw this as an opportunity to improve the active travel route through the grounds for visitors on foot, mobility aids, or cycles.

Wheel Walk Cycle Trust acts as custodian for the National Cycle Network — over 12,000 miles of routes, many of which are traffic-free. The charity works across the UK to improve the quality and accessibility of the Network.

Wheel Walk Cycle Trust worked with Temple Newsam Estate to create a clearly-signed, accessible walking, wheeling, and cycling path, starting at the cobbled area in front of the House, and stretching through the grounds of the estate.

The finished 400-metre path is the first phase of a wider ambition to create a new, traffic-free route on the National Cycle Network connecting communities between Killingbeck and Rothwell, in East Leeds.

Who did we work with?

We worked with Temple Newsam Estate and Historic England on the new path. The charity took advice from the landscape architect firm reShaped about techniques to make accessible cobblestones, while maintaining their character. It was all possible thanks to £1.1 million in funding from National Highways’ Designated Funds programme for this project and future development of the route.

What were the aims/objectives?

Temple Newsam Estate had identified the cobbled area outside Temple Newsam house as a barrier for many different user groups, including people on foot and bicycle. The bumpy surface was a problem for people using wheelchairs, and the area could become congested.

While many visitors liked to travel to the Estate by bicycle, there was no clear cycle route through the estate.

The Estate wanted us to resolve these issues while working within the constraints of a heritage environment.

How was this approached?

It was the first time we had tried to create a wheelchair-friendly path over cobblestones, in keeping with a heritage setting.

The accessibility work on the National Cycle Network often focusses on removing barriers along former railway lines or canal towpaths, and creating a wider path with a smooth surface. Cobbles were new territory.

Their team took expert advice from reShaped landscape architects, who had created accessible paths on the cobblestones at Liverpool Waterfront.

Making smooth cobbles

The team employed a contractor to re-lay the cobblestones along a 28-metre strip through the area. They grouted between the stones, then used a ‘vacuum-assisted diamond grinder’ to file down the cobblestones. The result was a smooth, accessible strip of path running through the cobbled area outside Temple Newsam House, which maintained the attractive look of cobblestones without the bumps.

The cobbled strip connected to a path which followed the lines of a former carriageway that ran south of the house and linked to the East Avenue. The path had been grassed over in the 1970s.

As a team, we decided it would be perfect to reinstate this for 21st-century travel on foot, mobility aids and cycles.

The route was completed on 20 July. It runs from outside Temple Newsam House, through the Estate to the South entrance at Pontefract Lane. It also connects with National Route 66 in the North entrance.

Leeds City Council's Highways team installed a new signalised crossing at Pontefract Lane to provide safer access for pedestrians and cycles at this entrance.

There is also better directional signage throughout to help different users.

What people said

The improvements allow many more people to access the path and enjoy it for leisure and short trips.

What challenges arose, and how did we overcome them?

The old path we decided to reinstate through Temple Newsam estate would have been used by visitors to pass through the spectacular East Avenue on their approach to the House.

Shortly before work began, investigations by a local archaeology group revealed a surprise.

South Leeds Archaeology conducted a survey which showed there was a stable building along the former path, probably dating back to the mid-18th century.

Wheel Walk Cycle Trust commissioned CFA Archaeology to set up a watch during this time in case the construction workers unearthed any artefacts.

Diggers revealed brick foundation walls and sandstone foundations, some fragments of pottery and earthenware.

These items were sent to a local specialist for further examination and will eventually be stored at a local museum or archive.

What lessons were learnt?