Eighteen sites across Halstead have been granted special status to protect their historical value.

The range of buildings and areas have been handed heritage asset status by Braintree District Council, giving them extra protection under planning rules.

All the sites, including Halstead Public Gardens and a set of air raid shelters, have strong links to the Courtauld family.

The family have a prominent place in Halstead’s history, and much of the way the town is shaped now is down to their heritage.

Councillor Lady Patricia Newton said: “It is good to see this list move forward.

“It also acts as a timely reminder as well of just how the Courtaulds, over goodness knows how many years, effectively built almost the whole district.

“They were great benefactors with social conscious appropriate to the time.”

Weavers Court, on the town’s High Street, has been included due to its association with the Courtauld family.

The site consists of several buildings associated with the Courtauld Factory, and was commissioned by the family to be built adjacent to Townsford Mill.

Halstead 21st Century Group previously campaigned to save the air raid shelters on Factory Lane East from development.

Now the 16 air raid shelters, built in 1939 by the Courtauld family for use by their workers, will largely be protected after being added to Braintree Council’s heritage list.

Although Lady Newton stated it does not “necessarily prejudice future development”.

Sitting in the centre of town since 1901, Halstead Public Gardens has also been given heritage status.

The gardens were laid out to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, and was partially funded by George Courtauld.

Also included is a set of five pairs of semi-detached houses constructed in the inter-war period on Vicarage Meadow, as well as St Andrew’s Church Hall which was paid for largely by Samuel Augustine Courtauld in 1924.

Halstead Homes of Rest, on Hedingham Road, is another site granted heritage status, including all 20 retirement homes built in 1923 under the auspices of Samuel Augustine Courtauld.

Built between 1925 and 1929, six groups of detached and terraced houses on Hedingham Road have been included.

Cottages on Box Mill Lane, the nurses home in Pretoria Road, and St Francis of Assisi Church have been included, as well as eight houses on Colchester Road. The Courtauld Sports Ground, set out on land donated by the Courtauld family in the Twenties has also been included.

A group of five houses on Mallows Field, two pairs of semi-detached houses on Sloe Hill, 34 Bridge Street, the Holy Trinity Parish Rooms, the Figeons Cottages and Jocks on Dyes Hall Road, High Barn Cottages, on High Barn Hall Road, Penny Pot Hall, and Pennypot Cottages have all been included in the latest list.

A pair of semi-detached houses, Dove Cottage and Partridge Cottage, Froyz Hall, built in 1932 for William Julien Courtauld conclude the list of Halstead sites. added to Braintree Council’s list of heritage site.