National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included Fison’s Fertiliser Factory in Bramford on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

Fison’s Fertiliser Factory (Grade II, 1858-60, architect unknown) was built as a factory for the production of superphosphate fertiliser by Joseph Fison (alongside those of Edward Packard & Co and Chapman Brothers) in the mid-19th century, but the buildings known as the North Warehouse are now the only structures remaining on the site of one of the major British brands of the Victorian era.

Since the site closed in 2003, redevelopment plans have been approved but no progression has been made and the building – which still maintains many of its original features including external weatherboarding, cast iron pillars supporting heavy timber beams, and wooden floors – is continuing to deteriorate. Large holes are appearing more and more frequently in the roof and walls and almost all the windows are partially or completely smashed. Urgent work is needed in the short-term to secure these buildings, which have been the victim of at least three fires in the last two years, while a long-term redevelopment plan is sought.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “It’s a sad site to see what such an important part of Victorian industrial history has been reduced to. Fison’s Fertiliser Factory is in a very sorry state but action can still be taken to secure and revitalise the North Warehouse buildings. There is currently a petition in place which we encourage people to sign, and hope that increased publicity will mean the redevelopment does not suffer any more delay.”

Pictures are here.

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All of the buildings on this year’s list have been neglected for up to fifty years and have now reached a critical point of dereliction: only urgent action to repair and renovate the buildings can save them from being lost forever.

The 2017 list includes two Victorian cemetery chapels designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the architect behind London’s Natural History Museum; a former glassworks in the Midlands which produced glass for the clock faces of Big Ben; an Edwardian seaside pavilion which enjoyed life as a tearoom, theatre and snooker club before being shut up and abandoned; and a huge former railway warehouse left derelict for almost fifty years.

Griff Rhys Jones, The Victorian Society Vice President, said: “The Victorian Society’s Top 10 Endangered Buildings campaign is now in its tenth year and over the years we have seen what a difference it can make to the future of Victorian and Edwardian buildings in peril. All of the buildings on this year’s list have local, even national, importance in terms of their history and/or architecture. To have let them fall into their current state is deplorable, but there is still time to save them for future generations to enjoy.

“Many of the buildings have committed community groups rallying behind them, but I know from experience that funding can be difficult to secure. We need local authorities and private investors to recognise the potential of these buildings and take steps to secure and revitalise them before it’s too late.”

The Victorian Society Director, Christopher Costelloe, said: “We’re very proud of the continued success of the Top 10 list over the last decade. Out of the 100 buildings that have appeared on the list since 2007, only four have been completely demolished and over a quarter have been saved by being sensitively redeveloped and are now thriving back in the community. Many others are on their way towards salvation with dedicated community groups banding together to raise money and awareness to keep the buildings they love safe from insensitive redevelopment or dereliction.”

The full 2017 Top Ten, in no particular order, are:

•The Great Northern Railway Warehouse, Derby (Grade II, 1877-8, Kirk & Randall of Sleaford) This large railway warehouse bordering a roundabout on the outskirts of Derby has been left derelict for almost 50 years. It was built in 1877 by Kirk and Randall as part of the Great Northern Railway at Friargate Station. Planning permission was granted for the site to be redeveloped into a large-scale shopping and accommodation complex in 2011, with the warehouse functioning as a new supermarket, but due to economic downturn these plans have stalled. This grand building is the frequent target of arson attacks and is at the tipping point of salvation, with emergency action needed to secure it for the future. Pictures are here.

•Fison’s Fertiliser Factory, Bramford, Suffolk (Grade II, 1858-60, architect unknown) Originally built as a fertiliser factory in the mid 19th century, the buildings known as the North Warehouse are the only structures remaining on the site of one of the major British brands of the Victorian era. Since the site closed in 2003, redevelopment plans have been approved but no progression has been made and the building, which still maintains many of its original features, is continuing to deteriorate. Urgent work is needed in the short-term to secure this building, which has been the victim of at least three fires in the last two years, while a long-term redevelopment plan is sought. Pictures are here.

•The New Tiger’s Head, London (unlisted, 1890s, architect unknown) Comparatively little is known about this 19th century former pub on the borders of Greenwich and Lewisham. It faces its brother, the Old Tiger’s Head, on the other side of the road, which unlike its later incarnation is still a thriving watering hole. Having been left empty and deteriorating for a number of years, it is currently on sale for a hefty £2.5 million; meanwhile the council have contacted the private owner to request emergency repairs. But a sensitive new use, either commercial or residential, is the only long-term solution to regenerate this fine building. Pictures are here.

•Chapels at Ince-in-Makerfield, near Wigan (Grade II & Grade II, 1855, Alfred Waterhouse) In 1855, Alfred Waterhouse, architect of the Natural History Museum, won a competition for a commission to design two chapels for the cemetery at Ince-in-Makerfield, a small town near Wigan. Despite being listed in the late 1980’s, these fine chapels have been left empty and without a use for many years now, and are steeply falling into disrepair. The council are currently looking at costing some temporary, short-term repair works, but the long term future for these two beautiful chapels remains decidedly bleak. Pictures are here.

•Cannington Shaw no.7 Bottle Shop, St Helens, Merseyside (Grade II, 1886, architect unknown) The Bottle Shop is all that now remains of what was once claimed to be the largest bottle making factory in the country. The abandoned building has gradually been surrounded by a new development and now lies forgotten in the middle of a Tesco carpark. Its plight has been featured on regional television and in the local press, and English Heritage have highlighted its international importance in the field of glass-making, and yet it continues to deteriorate with its survival as an important heritage asset in doubt. Pictures are here.

•The Leas Pavilion, Folkestone, Kent (Grade II, 1902 and 1928, Reginald Pope) Originally built as an Edwardian tearoom on the coast of Folkestone in Kent, the Leas Pavilion has enjoyed a colourful history as a successful theatre and then snooker club. Sadly, in 2007 it closed its doors and has remained empty and neglected ever since. Planning permission for an apartment block that would be built over the top of the Pavilion, which was built below ground level, was granted in 2015 but no work has started other than some urgent works for the building’s immediate safety. An active local group continues to campaign for its survival, but its situation as a building at risk remains critical. Pictures are here.

•Buckley’s Brewery Maltings, Llanelli, Wales (Grade II, 1852-6, Rev James Buckley) These maltings once formed part of the 19th century development and expansion of Buckley’s Brewery, one of the first breweries in the world to produced canned beer. They have been left empty and without a use since the brewery closed and moved to Cardiff in 1998, and those two decades of neglect show in the poor state of the building. A planning application of conversion to residential apartments was approved in 2014 but no progress has been made, and further delay is a luxury these endangered buildings can no longer afford. Pictures are here.

• Chance’s Glassworks, Smethwick, West Midlands (Grade II, 1824, The Chance Brothers) Chance’s Glassworks is arguably one of the most important industrial sites in the West Midlands. The clock faces of Big Ben and other glass in the Palace of Westminster were produced here, as well as some 2300 Victorian lighthouse lanterns used around the world. Despite this strong international history the buildings have been left to deteriorate to a shocking degree; the site is currently held by a skip hire company, a totally unsuitable operation for such a historically important site. A more sensitive approach must be urgently adopted to preserve the significant heritage of this scheduled ancient monument with its collection of listed buildings. Pictures are here.

•Feversham Street First School, Bradford, West Yorkshire (Grade II*, 1873, Lockwood and Mawson) Since closing as a school in 1993, this striking Gothic Revival building in Bradford was used mainly for commercial purposes but now appears to be closed and abandoned. Despite its obvious potential, there have been no substantial planning applications within the last two decades. Surely a new, permanent use for this building – the only Grade II* on this year’s list – could be quite easily found? Pictures are here.

•St Andrew’s Church, Huddersfield (Grade II, 1870, W. H. Crossland) The only church on this year’s list, St Andrew’s makes a rather sad sight as it is surrounded by new developments on the site of an A-road approaching the centre of Huddersfield. It is up for sale for a new commercial use, but as it continues to stay empty and derelict it is becoming increasingly vulnerable to damage from vandals, nesting birds and general decay. Such a fine Crossland church deserves a sensitive regeneration – rather than its current use as a Costa Coffee billboard – but time is rapidly running out to save its 19th century character and detail from being lost forever. Pictures are here.

The Society has published an updated campaigning guide https://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/about/campaigning-guide/ to encourage people to fight for the buildings they are concerned about which have not made the Top Ten list.

Update on last year’s 2016 Top Ten list which can be viewed here:

There have been positive developments for some of 2016’s Top Ten. Earlier this year, we welcomed the news that North East Lincolnshire Council had purchased Victoria Mills for £1 bringing the building into public ownership. Once current works are completed it is not yet known what the building will be used for, thought it could “improve the borough’s maritime heritage offer”, the council have said. Works are underway at Red Barns in Redcar, former home of Gertrude Bell, to separate the property into dwellings as the planning permission. Some restorative works have been done to the roof to prevent further damage. The RBPT are continuing to work with the owners and the Local Authority to secure the future of this important building.

The Stafford Old Library Trust are fighting for acquisition of the Grade II-listed building. Earlier this year an offer of £400,000 was sadly rejected by the owner. The sale notice has since been withdrawn, so the hope is the Carnegie Library (as it is also known) will re-emerge for sale at a much more reasonable price so the trust can raise the money for purchase to keep it as a community space. The long-term fate of Rylands Mill still hangs in the balance as we understand a buyer is yet to be found, though the asking price has dropped considerably from £2.5 million to £700,000. Discussions with the owner remain confidential, though planning or listed building consent has yet to be granted. In the meantime, the council are trying to ensure the site is secure by utilising statutory powers.

12/09/2017

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included The New Tiger’s Head in Greenwich on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

Comparatively little is known about the New Tiger’s Head, a derelict Victorian former pub on the border between Greenwich and Lewisham. A plaque on the inside of the double-arched doorway claims it was built in the 18th century, though the use of decorative terracotta on the façade suggests that much of it was rebuilt in the later 19th century. It is currently on sale for a hefty £2.5 million, and following discussions with both Lewisham and Greenwich councils some emergency works are taking place to secure the interiors from further damage.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “We are pleased to hear that the emergency works to secure the interiors are underway, but what this building needs sooner rather than later is a long-term plan for sensitive restoration. Whether commercial or residential, this well-situated and architecturally significant building has great potential for regeneration and we hope that inclusion in this year’s Top 10 will encourage potential buyers to come forward to save it.”

Pictures are here.

12/09/2017

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included St Andrew’s Church in Huddersfield on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

St Andrew’s (Grade II, 1870, W. H. Crossland) is the only church on this year’s Top 10 List and its situation as a historic building has become critical. This once grand Crossland church makes for a sad sight as it is surrounded by new developments on the site of an A-road approaching the centre of Huddersfield. Several tiles are missing from the vegetation-strewn roof, and it is surrounded by red wooden fencing, presumably to match the large Costa Coffee advertisement emblazoned at the foot of its east-facing window.

The redundant church is up for sale for a new commercial use, but as it continues to stay empty and derelict it is becoming increasingly vulnerable to damage from vandals, nesting birds and general decay. The church was abandoned with all its interiors intact – including font, pews and even organ – but over the years many of the stained glass windows have been smashed and a thick layer of decay now covers the interiors.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “Such a fine Crossland church deserves so much better than what has befallen it, left forgotten at the edge of a retail park. We are still hopeful for a sensitive regeneration but time is rapidly running out to save its 19th century character and detail from being lost forever.”

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included Cannington Shaw no.7 Bottle Shop in St Helens on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

Cannington Shaw no. 7 Bottle Shop is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade II-listed building, reflecting its outstanding historical importance as the only remains of what was once claimed to be the largest bottle-making factory in the country. It is one of only two surviving examples of a late 19th century glass furnace dedicated to making bottles that employed the Siemens-patented tank furnace. The Siemens technology revolutionised the production of glass, and was a major factor in St Helens’s emergence as a glass-manufacturing centre of international repute.

The Bottle Shop was erected in 1886 and remained in production until 1918, when it was thereafter used as a store and then as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War. Its architectural and historical significance is difficult to dispute, and yet it has found itself derelict and abandoned on the side of a Tesco carpark. The 2008 application for the superstore and other surrounding new developments (including the St Helens rugby league stadium) effectively ignored the existence of the adjacent historic monument, merely proposing the erection of a new fence around it.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “There is absolutely no doubt that the Cannington Shaw no.7 Bottle Shop deserves much better than it has been afforded these last decades. Such an important historic and architectural building should be lauded as one of the few surviving physical reminders of St Helens’s industrial heritage, and yet it is shut-up and ignored and is steeply falling into disrepair. But there is still time to turn this around, and revitalise the Bottle Shop to give it the recognition it deserves.”

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included Buckley’s Brewery Maltings in Llanelli, Wales on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

In the north of Llanelli, adjacent to a new housing development and an Aldi supermarket, Buckley’s Brewery Maltings (Grade II, 1852-6, Rev James Buckley) have lain empty and derelict for almost twenty years. They once formed part of the 19th century development and expansion of Buckley’s Brewery, one of the first breweries in the world to produce canned beer. Their charming position by the side of the river Lliedi would make an attractive housing complex, and a planning application of conversion to residential apartments was approved in 2014. But, sadly, no progress has been made and time is now swiftly running out for these buildings to be saved.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “It’s disappointing to see these listed buildings shut up and ignored whilst new commercial and residential developments have been erected all around. A sensitive restoration scheme would make these former maltings a highly desirable asset to Llanelli, and we hope their inclusion in this year’s Top 10 list highlights this to the current owners and action is taken without delay.”

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included two 19th century cemetery chapels in Ince-in-Makerfield on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

On the road on the approach into Ince-in-Makerfield, a small town near Wigan, you pass Ince Cemetery. At the entrance is the old cemetery Lodge, Grade II-listed and charmingly restored. If only the same could be said for the two chapels found in the cemetery itself; also Grade II-listed, they were designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the architect of the Natural History Museum. Waterhouse won the commission as part of a competition and designed two small Gothic chapels, which unlike the adjoining Lodge, have been left empty and boarded up for many years. The council is currently looking at costing some temporary, short-term repair works, but the long term future for these beautiful chapels remains decidedly bleak.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “It was quite a discovery to find two chapels designed by Alfred Waterhouse in a Lancashire cemetery, but such a disappointment to see the state they’re in. Both were listed in the 1980s for their architectural and historical significance, but that could be lost forever if action is not taken directly. If restored, both chapels would be a charming addition to the cemetery and something for Ince-in-Makerfield to be proud of.”

The information on the chapels’ listings can be found here and here, and pictures can be found here. Please credit to The Victorian Society.

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included Leas Pavilion in Folkestone on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

The Grade II-listed Leas Pavilion on the Folkestone coast first opened as a high-class tearooms in 1902. Due to an “Ancient Lights” clause in the leases of the hotels on either side, no building could be erected more than 7ft above street level to ensure no daylight would be blocked from these buildings. A local architect, Reginald Pope, therefore designed a building below ground level.

The Pavilion has a striking terracotta frontage, made by the Doulton Company, finished with art nouveau styled windows. Up to 450 diners were accommodated on the best oak and walnut floor. The entertainments proved very popular and in 1906 a small stage was added and concert parties were introduced.

Later in the 20th century it was further converted into a theatre until its eventual closure in 1985 when it became a snooker hall. This then closed in 2007 and the building has remained empty ever since. Planning permission for an apartment block that would be built over the top of the Pavilion was granted in 2015, but no work has started other than some urgent works for the building’s immediate safety. An active local group continues to campaign for its survival, but its situation as a building at risk remains critical.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “This charming Edwardian pavilion on the Kent coast has marvellous potential as a community space, and it’s a crying shame that hasn’t been realised for so long. The community group currently campaigning for its restoration are doing a laudable job at generating local awareness and raising funds, but the long-term future of this building can only be safeguarded with a sensitive restoration to bring it back into the community where it belongs.”

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included The Great Northern Railway Warehouse in Derby on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

This large railway warehouse bordering a roundabout on the outskirts of Derby has been left derelict for an unbelievable 50 years. It was built in 1877 by Kirk and Randall as part of the Great Northern Railway at Friargate Station and was listed as Grade II in 1986. The sheer size of the building as well as its unusual shape make it stand out: it is twenty one bays long and three storeys high (though most of floors which separate them have since collapsed), and is a rectangle plan with a triangle office block with a mezzanine floor to the east.

Planning permission was granted for the site to be redeveloped into a large-scale shopping and accommodation complex in 2011, with the warehouse functioning as a new supermarket, but due to economic downturn these plans have stalled. This grand building is the frequent target of arson attacks and is at the tipping point of salvation, with emergency action needed to secure it for the future.

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “This large and distinctive Victorian warehouse could be repurposed into a focal point of Derby; instead it has steadily become a giant eyesore, with its architectural and historical interest eroding away. We hope that its inclusion in this year’s Top 10 list will re-inspire the owners to realise its obvious potential and revive it into a community space Derby can be proud of.”

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National architecture charity the The Victorian Society has included Feversham Street First School in Bradford and St Andrew’s Church in Huddersfield on its 2017 Top 10 Endangered Buildings list. The Top 10 campaign, now in its tenth year, recognises the plight of endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales in the hope that increased publicity will help save them.

Feversham Street First School in Bradford (Grade II*, 1873, Lockwood and Mawson) closed as a school in 1993, and since then this striking Gothic Revival building has been used mainly for commercial purposes. However it now appears to be closed and abandoned, and has been for some time. Unbelievably there have been no substantial planning applications for the building within the last two decades. Surely a new, permanent use for this fine building – the only Grade II* on this year’s list – could be quite easily found?

Christopher Costelloe, The Victorian Society Director, said: “It’s incredible that the Feversham Street First School building has been left ignored for so long, when it has such obvious potential for a fine regeneration.”

Pictures of Feversham Street First School can be found here.

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