Perfection in all weathers
Jul 27 2007 Property Place
Marsya Lennox visits Broadway in Worcestershire to discover a little wartime spirit in times of crisis.
Broadway showed what it was made of at the height of last week's floods. The famous broad way that is its admired High Street became a raging torrent as water raced through at unprecedented levels.
"You could not walk across the road - it was too dangerous," says Eddie Vickers, clerk to Broadway Parish Council.
Broadway fared pretty well compared to some of its devastated neighbours, notably Evesham, but it was the worst weather event experienced in years, dampening a large number of properties, particularly those that are lower lying.
Members of St Michael's Church swung into action to offer shelter to about 50 people, among them stranded travellers whose journeys were halted by frightening water levels.
Staff from Russell's, a local restaurant, provided welcome comfort in the form of good hot soup - and the best was made of an astonishing summer occurrence.
"There is a good spirit in the village," says Eddie.
Locals had compared the community's reaction to last Friday's floods to the real "wartime spirit", as they rallied round to help wherever they could.
Broadway was recovering after a damp day or two, unlike less fortunate, riverside towns, but it is still counting the cost. Major worries include the serious influx of water into one of its most historic buildings - the 12th century church of St Eadburga - whose floor appears to have buckled under the weight of the water.
The parish council is working hard to compile as much information as possible on the number and location of properties affected.
"We are revisiting our emergency planning procedures," Eddie adds.
Locals are hoping to plan sandbag provision for use in such, even rare, events. And there are to be discussions with Environment Agency engineers over the possible reasons for the severity this month's local flooding.
A theory is emerging that Broadway's bypass, built ten years ago, might have exacerbated the situation, directing rainwater right down the High Street, affecting properties that might not have previously been hit.
"We will have to investigate," says Eddie. Parish councillor Anna Locker's Broadway home stands high and dry up the hill from the centre of the village.
"The water missed us and careered down the High Street," she explains.
She remembers flooding some years ago, "but nothing like this", and she is putting up friends at her home following more serious flooding in their local village, just to the west of Broadway. This month's events, the culmination of dreadful summer weather, are a reminder that there is more to Broadway that its reputation as a tourist target.
Even Nikolaus Pevsner, on his architectural tour of the country in the 1960s, was struck by the perfection of the village - in all weathers.
"Broadway is the show village of England," he wrote. "Visit it on a fine Saturday afternoon in the summer, and the cars and coaches and their milling-round inmates will have smothered all its delights, but come on a breezy spring or autumn weekday morning and you will agree that Broadway deserves its fame."
It will take more than a bit of rain to remove the golden glow of Broadway's Cotswold stone buildings, "Tudor, Stuart and Georgian happily mixed," according to Pevsner.
The architectural historian points out Broadway's "problem" - the wider perception that it may not be quite "real".
"Everybody over the years has been so full of goodwill, so tactful, so conformist to its beauties that the result has become almost too good to be true."
However, there have been rough edges. Only three years ago, the former Gordon Russell factory was seen as a bit of an eyesore with its disused industrial buildings, once the centre of major local employment.
The famous company had relocated to Worcester and a new role was needed for its old base.
Chase Homes acquired the site - and transformed it as smart homes, the Russells, with space for some interesting and worthy community "extras" - a new restaurant, office space, some social housing - and a much needed new supermarket.
Anna Locker is enthusiastic about the success of the scheme.
"A lot of thought was put into it and it blends in very well," she says.
Pevsner might have seen it as more predictable perfectio, but he would have been pleased that the Russell name lives on.
A particular admirer of the furniture designer, established here since 1919, he dedicated his Worcestershire Buildings of England edition to Sir Gordon Russell.
Broadway's obvious appeal among urban refugees is about more than buildings.
"The countryside is glorious," says Anna. "Of course, someone in Chipping Campden might think differently. We are all very proud of our own villages."
Well placed to judge the perennial appeal of Broadway as a place to live is Charlie Comber, of the Hayman-Joyce agency.
Although he just works in Broadway, he is struck by its fully-rounded community, well blessed with a full range of services, as well as real village spirit.
Charlie lists the things that keep Broadway ticking: police and fire services, doctors, dentist, optician, butcher, baker, deli, post office, bank and library.
"This is no dead 'retirement' place. There is a good mix of people and lots of things going on. It is not one of those empty villages that only light up on a Friday."
At Broadway's annual parish meeting earlier this year, there were all the signs of a living, breathing community.
As the village website points out: "Broadway is not a museum".
Usual parish concerns included verges - and the local youth - even CCTV cameras for the High Street.
Crime was down in what was already a "low crime area". There have been new swings in the play area, improvements to the skateboard park.
Even parking restrictions in the central bays have been lessened recently, allowing visitors longer - a move hailed as a "considerable success".
As Pevsner suggested in his guide to this architectural showpiece: "A walk through Broadway should be taken seriously and done at leisure."
Preferably in the sunshine.
