News - Nine homes for Roman remains site (Southwell)

Nine luxury, three-storey homes could be built on a site in Southwell believed to contain Roman remains of national importance. 

 

New plans for the Church Street site, which contains the remains of a Roman villa and a Saxon burial ground, have been submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council.

It comes more than a year after previous plans for 29 homes, including apartments, were rejected on the grounds they were unsuitable for a site next to the minster and in the town’s conservation area.

The new application shows large homes, most with five bedrooms, and each with a garage. There appears to be no lower-cost housing included.

It said: “The site is sustainably located in Southwell and will enable the redundant Minster School land to be brought into an appropriate alternative use, delivering high-quality housing and positively contributing to and reinforcing the historic character of the area.”

Heritage groups in Southwell have been vehemently opposed to any kind of development on the site and wish to see it preserved as a heritage park.

They have submitted plans for a heritage park to the district council.

Mr Mike Kirton, on behalf of Southwell Heritage Park Campaign, said: “Our views are shared by the 3,000-plus people who signed the petition in 2011.

“The report from the archaeological survey has reinforced our views that this site should be saved from development and become a heritage park.

“This is one of the most important historical sites in the county and we have urged English Heritage to re-appraise the area covered by the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

“We hope the district council will take the new evidence into account when considering this latest application for nine substantial properties.”

The plans will also be considered by Southwell Town Council and Southwell Civic Society.

The chairman of the civic society, Mr Brendan Haigh, said: “This application has just come in and we giving urgent consideration to it.” 

 

From:  http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Nine-homes-for-Roman-remains-site

News - Defiant’ hidden treasure is building’s salvation (Doncaster)

IN recent decades, hundreds of historic buildings across Yorkshire have been swept away in the name of regeneration, their demise often unnoticed until it is too late.


During 2012, new glass and steel blocks have sprung up in Doncaster’s Waterdale, and initial blueprints had condemned an unprepossessing red brick building on the corner of the site for demolition.

The St James’ Leisure Centre was set to be flattened in 2013 as part of the town’s £300m Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) project, decades of neglect meant many would never have mourned its passing.

But behind its crumbling brickwork lies what experts have described as a “rare survival” from the period between the two World Wars – a suite of Turkish and Russian baths still in use.

Their unlikely presence has now saved the centre from the bulldozers, meaning it will stand defiant next to Doncaster Council’s gleaming new offices and a “new performance venue”.

According to English Heritage – the body which maintains sites and advises the Government – which has granted the St James’ Centre grade II listed status, there are just three other examples of similar Turkish baths in the country, – in Newcastle, Westminster and Islington.

Although council chiefs were initially keen to see the building razed, they have now been forced to welcome its listing and write it into their plans for the town’s cultural and sporting future.

Doncaster Council’s head of development Peter Dale had initially wanted to see the baths pulled down and a new complex built in their place because the current building, which also has a fully equipped fitness studio, “did not meet 21st century demands”.

He said: “A swimming pool and leisure centre was always part of the Civic and Cultural Quarter masterplan so we will look at incorporating the St James’ pool and health club into the scheme.”

The building was designed by the Doncaster borough’s then estates surveyor Mr RE Ford,

As well as the Turkish and Russian baths, English Heritage experts also pointed to the St James’ swimming pool, which many of the town’s older residents can remember being boarded over with a sprung maple wood floor for films and dances.

In their assessment of the building they said: “The St James’ Street Baths, is an inter-war public baths built in 1932.

“It retains much of its original plan, which clearly indicates that it was carefully designed as a multi-purpose recreational building to be used year-round.

“The swimming pool and associated areas such as the slipper baths and changing rooms, together with the basement Turkish and Russian baths suite, were accessed from the entrance on Waterdale.

“Additional interest is provided by the provision of facilities for winter time activities when the pool was boarded over.

“A completely separate entrance opened into a crush hall giving access to the pool hall for activities such as dances concerts and films. It had a stage and projector room, both of which survive.”

Doncaster’s elected mayor, Peter Davies, who is 68, and grew up in a village near the town, said he clearly remembered attending cinema shows in the pool hall and hearing others talking about going to events there.

Mr Davies added: “St James’ Pool and Health Club and its rare Turkish and Russian baths are being incorporated into a major regeneration scheme which is driving Doncaster forward but at the same time recognises our historical assets.

“The town is establishing itself as a hotspot for new investment and development and is becoming one of the most desirable places to live, work and visit.

“The Civic and Cultural Quarter is rejuvenating a large part of Doncaster’s town centre.

“New, 21st century landmarks are transforming the skyline in Waterdale but our proud heritage is also being preserved.

“Sir Nigel Gresley Square, named after one of our most influential historical figures, the new Civic Office and the state
-of-the art performance venue will help bring the vibrancy 
back.

Mr Davies added: “While the plans will see the imposing façade of the former girls’ school on the other side of the CCQ site restored with this wonderful frontage and prime site being perfect for a charming hotel.”

Baths become hot property
DONCASTER’S Civic and Cultural Quarter scheme is being built on the site of the town’s former Waterdale surface car park and further education college which relocated to new buildings several years ago.

It includes a £22m civic building, which includes a new council chamber and offices, which council workers are currently moving into.

The St James’ Baths is not the only historical building to survive, and there are plans to save at least the facade of Doncaster’s former Girls’ School, which stands on the opposite corner of the CCQ site.

The baths, which reach temperatures of close to 100F “survive largely intact, retaining mosaic floor, wall tiling and the original drinking fountain” according to English Heritage.

From: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/main-section/defiant-hidden-treasure-is-building-s-salvation-1-5256531

News - Historic landmark given new lease of life (Sheffield)

Plans to preserve an important and unique part of Sheffield’s Victorian history have been given the green light after a 15-year battle with conservation authorities.


The Anglican Chapel in Sheffield’s General Cemetery is a Grade 2 listed building and known for its distinct gothic style and Victorian spire. Despite its position as an integral part of local history, the chapel has been allowed to fall into disrepair and has stood empty for a number of years.

Efforts to bring the chapel back into use have been on-going since 1997, but the latest proposal to convert the historic building into two domestic flats has finally been given the go ahead by Sheffield City Council.

Valerie Bayliss from the Sheffield Victorian Society said she was pleased to see an iconic monument being restored. She said: “The General Cemetery chapel has been empty for many years and has been subject to extensive vandalism. There have been several attempts to find a new use for it, and we are pleased that at last the essential repairs will be carried out and the building returned to use.”

The chapel, built in 1850, was designed by Sheffield architect William Flockton in a Victorian gothic style whilst other buildings in the cemetery are considered to be of a Classical or Egyptian style. The building is unique for its distinctive windows and entrance as well as the spire which was purposefully built too big so as to clearly visible.

Sheffield General Cemetery opened in 1836 and is one of the oldest public cemeteries in Britain. A number of figures from Sheffield’s industrialist past are buried there including steel manufacturer Mark First and the 19th century chartist Samuel Holberry, known for his role in the failed Sheffield Rising of 1840.

Two previous schemes to renovate the Anglican Chapel were turned down by planning officials after meeting strong local opposition. The latest proposal however is supported English Heritage and the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust who have looked after the cemetery since it closed to public burial in 1979.

The chapel will be converted into two flats with parking space for four cars. A council spokesman said that every effort would be made to preserve the building’s historical features.

Councillor Andrew Sangar said it was important to bring the chapel back into use but expressed concerns that the proposed plans did not go far enough.

He said: “In the past we have turned down numerous schemes to bring this building back into use and it needs to be done otherwise it will fall down. It is currently in a dreadful state of disrepair.

“In principal I support the idea to bring back old churches and old chapels into use. But I think we have missed an opportunity here.

“Given the history there and the little of it we have left to us today. This scheme does not go far enough to preserve an important and unique part of Sheffield’s history.”

From: http://postcodegazette.com/news/9002759371/historic-landmark-given-new-lease-of-life-AT-sheffield-sheffield-general-cemetery/

News - Cash boost for Brodsworth war research

A COUNTRY house in Doncaster has secured a grant worth nearly £100,000 which will help research for a wartime project.


The English Heritage has announced that following the £99,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, it will go towards a three year project examining the role that Brodsworth Hall played in the two World Wars.

Research is now underway and examining the social history of how Brodsworth Hall, and the people living in and around its estate, were affected by the wars.

The research will provide the basis for public displays within the Hall, its owners and staff during these years of conflict.

The project will also enable stories from the period to be explored and shared within the community, through a digital display developed with the involvement of local groups and children.

The first stage of the project, which will launch at Easter 2013, will be a trail throughout the Hall and events focussing on life during World War II.

An exhibition about World War I and the community’s support for those serving in both wars will launch at the same time, with events surrounding this to follow in 2014 to coincide with the centenary of the outbreak of World War I in 1914.

English Heritage intends to hold a series of reminiscence sessions over the autumn to gather such stories and record peoples’ memories, and David Alcock of Heritage Learning will be arranging these.

Anyone with stories relating to Brodsworth during either World War should contact David on brodsworthwar@english-heritage.org.uk or 01482 318961.

Alternatively contact Caroline and staff at Brodsworth Hall at Brodsworth Hall, Donaster, DN5 7XJ, or ring 01302 722598.

The Brodsworth Hall ‘In Time of War’ project is part of a series of independent exhibitions taking place at country houses throughout the region in 2013-14, co-ordinated by the Yorkshire Country House Partnership.

From: http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/community/cash-boost-for-brodsworth-war-research-1-5017939

Website - Protect our Place (Nationwide)

Civic Voice - the national charity for the civic movement – today announces the launch of the English Heritage sponsored ‘Protect our Place’ website.

Protect our Place (www.protectourplace.org.uk) is a research project to understand the different types of current community action taking place across England to protect and promote local heritage.

The websites main feature is the interactive map for groups to upload their projects onto, and discover other work both locally and nationally. It will be searchable via theme or location, and is free to all community groups working to protect or promote the historic environment. We urge all heritage volunteers not only to use the map and connect with the wider heritage network, but also to discover all of the resources available to them on the site.

Sarah Spurrier, Project Manager said ‘the website being up and running is extremely exciting. It now means that there is a resource out there for all community groups not only to celebrate their own projects and inform people about what they do, but also for networking, for new volunteers, and professionals. The website marks a new phase for community interaction, and can only strengthen the great work which is already being undertaken throughout England.’

Steve Graham, Chief Executive said, ‘This is a really great project which will really help to support community action in the historic environment. By working with a variety of partners and community groups, we hope to ensure the website benefits everyone in the heritage movement.’

From: http://www.protectourplace.org.uk/news/civic-voice-announces-the-launch-of-the-protect-our-place-website

News - Pit head baths set to be demolished (Kiveton

THE fight to keep Kiveton pit head baths has been lost after councillors approved its demolition.


The historic landmark on Colliery Road was paid for and built by miners in 1938, so they could shower before going home after work.

The Grade II listed building has been at the centre of controversy in recent years and since the pit closed in 1994, the building has fallen into serious disrepair.

At a planning meeting last week Rotherham Council’s planning commiittee considered an application by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) for the building demolition.

Councillors heard that there is considerable recurring cost to the tax payer in keeping the structure safe and that a viable alternative for the building has not been found.

They agreed to grant permission for the building to be demolished, subject to approval from the Secretary of State.

In 1999 Yorkshire Forward, the defunct development agency, applied for the de-listing of the Grade II building so that it could demolished to allow for open casting at the site, but permission was refused.

Several years later Kiveton Park and Wales Community Development Trust, working in partnership with Yorkshire Forward, took forward the development of the project to turn the baths into a multi-use community centre, but they never developed.

Then in 2005 the Guardian reported news of a £4 million revamp including business workspaces and a mining heritage centre - but again it never materialised.

In 2009, permission was granted for 18 apartments, an office and cafe, but the development was never pursued.

The report which went before the planning committee said that owing to the unsuccessful attempts to secure a future for the building there is no viable future use for it in the medium term.

A HCA spokesman said the pit head baths were transferred to them in August 2011, as part of the closure of Yorkshire Forward.

He said: “The HCA has continued the work of Yorkshire Forward to find a suitable long term use for the building and adjoining land, however we were unable to identify a viable alternative use for the building and there is no potential purchaser, but there is considerable recurring cost to the tax payer in keeping the structure safe.”

“Following discussions, both English Heritage and Rotherham Council agreed that the building could be demolished, subject to approval by the planning committee. The application for demolition was considered by the committee on 30th August and approved subject to confirmation by the Secretary of State.”

“All of the valuable fittings and contents of the baths will be catalogued and stored until a suitable alternative permanent location can be found and the HCA is in active discussions with local organisations about this.”

From: http://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/news/business/pit-head-baths-set-to-be-demolished-1-4917452

News - Restored works’ heritage visit (Sheffield)

A HISTORIC cutlery works in Sheffield which has been the focus of a major restoration project is being visited by the head of English Heritage next week.


The Grade II* listed Joel’s Yard, on Well Meadow Street, is set to be paid a visit by Baroness Andrews next Thursday after English Heritage donated £200,000 towards repairs at the site.

Joel’s Yard, once classed as a ‘building at risk’, has been taken over by a private developer and transformed into flats.

Repairs included reinstating a cobbled courtyard so the workshops are closer to their original state.

Another restoration project is also starting next door at North Yard, also a former cutlery factory which includes a crucible shop, forge and cutler’s smithy.

English Heritage has offered a grant of £300,000 towards the refurbishment which will see the creation of nine new homes.

From: http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/restored-works-heritage-visit-1-4767855

News - Castle scoops lottery cash (Conisbrough)

Conisbrough Castle has scooped a £900,000 lottery windfall to put it in the premier league of Yorkshire tourist attractions.


The Heritage Lottery Fund award will become a key part of a £1.1million project, to be run by Doncaster Council in partnership with English Heritage.

A new visitor centre housing educational and exhibition spaces will be created at the site’s historic Custodian Lodge, offering exciting interactive interpretation for visitors, new educational materials such as ‘Discovery Visit’ workshops for local schools, and training on historical investigation techniques for volunteers to get involved.

A programme of outreach work, learning and events will also be created and the site will benefit from improved access, signage and parking.

The 12th century Grade I listed castle – dating back 1,000 years and made famous by featuring in Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe - is one of South Yorkshire’s best surviving examples of medieval military architecture and one of the only surviving examples of its kind in Europe.

Mayor of Doncaster, Peter Davies said: “I am delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has supported this exciting project. Doncaster is the only place in Britain that is home to this type of unusually designed castle Keep, with the only similar kind existing in northern France. In its time, the castle was an advanced piece of design and even hosted royal visits, so I’m pleased the new visitor centre will celebrate its history. This investment will help transform the facilities and ensure visitors and our residents gain maximum enjoyment from its rich heritage.”

Caroline Flint, MP for Don Valley also showed her support for the project: “This is great news for Conisbrough and for heritage tourism in Doncaster. The £900,000 funding has the potential to transform tourism at the Castle and play a role in the regeneration of Conisbrough town, which has not benefitted as much as it should have from this brilliant asset being on its doorstep”.

From: http://www.epworthbells.co.uk/community/castle-scoops-lottery-cash-1-4707507

News - Bid to preserve historic furnace (Wentworth)

VOLUNTEERS from a South Yorkshire history society have carried out a survey of a 300-year-old furnace and engine house as part of a project to rescue the historic structures.


South Yorkshire Industrial History Society is trying to save the Rockley complex on Wentworth Castle estate, Barnsley, one of the few early survivors from the county’s industrial revolution.

Now the society is set to announce its findings and plans for the site.

Society president Margaret Tylee said: “The last two harsh winters have taken their toll on the furnace and engine house.

“We have carried out the first comprehensive surveys of the site and its structures in order to understand them better and to find the best way to preserve them for the future.

“Lots of people visit the castle on the Wentworth estate and we’d love them to stop by and see the industrial heritage nearby which represents such an important part of South Yorkshire’s history.”

English Heritage has been working closely with the project, advising the society on the conservation of the two scheduled monuments.

The furnace was built between 1698 and 1704 to smelt local iron ore, while the engine house dates from 1813 and housed a pump to drain the mine nearby.

Volunteers are aiming to repair the monuments to save them for future generations.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/green-scene/bid-to-preserve-historic-furnace-1-4560643

Event - Explore Brodsworth Hall after dark this weekend

Normally off-limits to visitors outside daylight hours, Brodsworth Hall, near Doncaster, will be opening its doors to two evenings of after-hours visits as part of the Museums at Night initiative on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 May.

“As part of the national Museums at Night initiative, we’re going to open the Hall’s doors for just two evenings, allowing visitors to see the splendid chandeliers at their best during this twilight event, as well as exploring other parts of the house by flickering candlelight – it should be a wonderfully atmospheric event,” explains event manager, Jon Hogan.

The house will open from 6.30pm to 9.30pm each evening, providing visitors with an idea of what parts of the house would have been like before the modern electric lighting was installed. Brodsworth Hall was originally illuminated by oil lamps, although to avoid fire hazards during the event, these will be replaced by LED candles throughout the property.

Admission to the event is £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for concessions or £4.00 for children; English Heritage members get in free. Brodsworth Hall’s tearoom shop will be open during the event, serving a range of hot drinks and snacks, and the shop will also open with a fantastic range of nostalgic toys, books and jewellery, as well as English Heritage’s range of traditional jams, chutneys, wines and liqueurs.

For more information, please call 01302 722598 or visit English Heritage

From: http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/lifestyle/what-s-on/explore-brodsworth-hall-after-dark-this-weekend-1-4559263?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

News - Listed status for two petrol stations (Markham Moor)

Two petrol station canopies are to be given listed building status.


John Minnis, from English Heritage, told the Today programme that the futuristic designs hark back to a time when driving was still considered an adventure.

One, Markham Moor off the A1 is architecturally innovative, he says, using technology that was "cutting-edge" for the 1960s.

The other, on the A6 near Red Hill, is the last surviving forecourt designed for Mobil in the early 1970's.


From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9719000/9719285.stm

News - Furniture brings homely touches to Wroxeter's Roman Town House (Worksop/Wroxeter)

The Roman Town House at Wroxeter Roman City, built by Channel 4 for their series “Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day” has an altogether more homely feel now, thanks to the installation of some replica furniture in three of its rooms.


The Triclinium (dining room), bedroom and shop area now feature custom-built replica wooden furniture as part of an interpretation project to help the record number of visitors better understand how the Roman household would have operated.

“We opened the Town House to the public last year to coincide with Channel 4’s airing of ’Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day’, and decided that we wanted to give visitors a chance to see the property’s construction first and foremost – so many people had seen the building rise on their TV screens over the series that really the building itself was the story,” comments Mary Wycherley, English Heritage’s site manager for Wroxeter Roman City. “This year, we’re presenting a different side of the property, focusing more on how the different rooms in the house would have been used, with a few key pieces of furniture to help illustrate the story.”

The grandest furniture is in the Triclinium, where three couches and matching tables grace the floor. This room was the most elaborately decorated, with frescos on the wall and a mosaic floor, and the hand-crafted wooden furniture reflects the wealth of the house’s merchant owners – beautifully made from English oak – which would have been readily available around Wroxeter - by Worksop-based History in the Making When used, the couches would have been piled with cushions, but on display in the house, visitors can see the rope lattice that helped make the wooden benches rather more comfortable.

The three couches sit against the walls of the room, with wooden tables between them that would have been laden with oil-burning lamps and sumptuous banquets when the owners welcomed guests for dinner.

The town house’s bedroom furniture is typically simple, with a wooden bed frame and an oak chest for the occupant’s belongings. “As visitors see, this is a room with no windows, which made it suitably dark for sleeping during the summer months, but also reduced draughts to make sure the sleeping space was as warm as it could be,” adds Mary. “Occasionally, braziers would be brought in by servants to warm the room before the house’s owners retired for the evening, but they would not be been left burning whilst the room was occupied, as the lack of ventilation would have quickly caused a deadly build-up of carbon monoxide.”

A counter has also been installed in the shop area of the house. At its peak, Wroxeter would have been occupied by around 5000 citizens, and the shop would have provided a good income for its owners, set on a busy street.

English Heritage’s historians have additionally installed interpretation panels, which are strategically located around the house to help visitors better understand the building’s purpose and the lives of its occupants.

The Roman Town House is part of Wroxeter Roman City, and is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Admission prices are £5.00 for adults, £4.50 for concessions and £3.00 for children, with a family ticket (two adults and up to three children) available for £13.00.

For more information, please call 01743 761330 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/wroxeter

From: http://www.cisionwire.com/english-heritage/r/furniture-brings-homely-touches-to-wroxeter-s-roman-town-house,c9253847

News - Campaigners plead for time in fight to save the Maltings (Beeston)

BEESTON Maltings looks set to be demolished, but campaigners are still working to save it.


They say the building will be razed on May 7 and are asking for more time to explore all options for the site.

Barbara Selwood, of Beeston and District Civic Society, said people should have their say over plans to demolish the building.

An application for demolition has been registered with Broxtowe Borough Council.

The council has said it cannot refuse permission to demolish the building, which has stood for 133 years. It was closed in 2001.

Mrs Selwood said: "It feels as if a lot of this is being rushed and we would like more time to get councillors and members of the public on our side.

"We have done what we can and we want to make sure everyone has the chance to raise an objection if they want to see the Maltings kept in their current form. I don't want the building left to rot, but I want to see all the alternatives explored – it's important the building has a use."

She said she was considering lobbying for an article four direction for the site – which would give the Maltings more protection against development.

The orders, which have to be sent from councils and confirmed by the Government, are intended to protect high quality architecture and preserve heritage.

The East Midlands Association of Civic and Heritage Societies (EMACHS) has also criticised the plans.

Advisor Ian Wells said: "They stand proudly opposite the Victoria Hotel – two fine Victorian structures together.

"These buildings form a group at the west end of Beeston Station and they contribute together very well to the streetscape, and indeed to the view as seen from a train– they contribute importantly to the railway setting.

"Although the Maltings was refused listing by English Heritage, the building still remains of immense local importance – there is potential for a discreet and sympathetic enabling development elsewhere on the site.

"The Maltings, adapted sensitively for new use if necessary, must stay."

Mr Wells said EMACHS would want the developer to keep the 'helter-skelter' feature on the north side of the building.

David Jones, a spokesman for Heineken, previously told the Post that the Maltings had been redundant for many years and that demolition was the best way to end the constant safety and security problems associated with the building.

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Campaigners-plead-time-fight-save-Maltings/story-15848163-detail/story.html

News - Beeston's 'Treasured' Maltings buildings under threat once again

BEESTON will lose a "treasured part of its heritage" if plans to demolish the old Maltings buildings go ahead, it has been claimed.


Broxtowe Borough Council is being asked to approve plans to demolish the 133-year-old buildings in Dovecote Lane, next to Beeston Station.

The site has been earmarked for demolition in the past, but recent attempts to build homes at the site have been opposed by people in the town and subsequently withdrawn.

Barbara Selwood, of the Beeston and District Civic Society, said that any plans to demolish the building would be extremely unpopular.

She said: "I am really shocked about the plans – we have fought to save the Maltings before and I am sure the society will come together to fight the plans again.

"The buildings have a strong part to play in Beeston – they really are a treasured part of its heritage and I am keen to see them stay.

"I would like to see the building brought back into use."

The Maltings were closed in 2001, and at the time of its closure was one of the few traditional floor maltings left in the country, where grain was spread across large floors to germinate over days.

It produced malted barley used by breweries in Notts and further afield.

In 2009, plans submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council to demolish the site to make way for 55 new homes were withdrawn, and the Beeston and District Civic Society attempted to get the buildings listed by English Heritage.

This bid was unsuccessful, and a recent attempt to include the building within a conservation area – which would give the it greater protection against alteration and demolition – also failed. David Jones, a spokesman for current site owners Heineken – which has applied for permission to demolish the building – said: "The maltings at Dovecote Lane have been redundant for many years.

"Over the last decade, the four-storey building has become unsafe and unsightly and the building has been a target for many acts of theft and vandalism, which have used up valuable police time.

"We believe that demolition offers the most viable way to end the constant safety and security problems associated with the building."

The plans will be discussed at a future meeting of the development control committee at Broxtowe Borough Council.

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Beeston-s-Treasured-Maltings-buildings-threat/story-15644055-detail/story.html

News - Industrial heritage saved by Lotto cash (Barnsley)

RESTORATION work is to take place at a world famous piece of South Yorkshire’s industrial heritage – after the project received £425,000 of National Lottery funding.

The Newcomen Beam Engine at Elsecar is viewed as one of the most important inventions of the industrial revolution, heralding a breakthrough in the creation of mechanical power from steam.

The two-year restoration project, to be run by Barnsley Council, will see the world-famous beam engine, shaft and engine house restored to full working order.

Fiona Spiers, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Currently, Elsecar Heritage Centre attracts 225,000 people a year and the importance of its unique industrial heritage is not as widely understood or as accessible to the public as it could be.

“This project, in addition to saving the Newcomen engine for future generations, will see greatly improved interpretation at the site and activities for visitors in addition to training and volunteer opportunities for people so they can get involved in protecting this wonderful place.”

The engine, which pumped water out of the Elsecar New Colliery from 1795 to 1923 and remained in working order until the 1950s, is one of the top 10 key industrial sites on English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk Register due to its ‘outstanding importance to England’s industrial past’.

Barnsley Council leader Coun Stephen Houghton said: “This is fantastic news for Elsecar and for Barnsley.

“We are proud of our rich industrial heritage, of iron and coal production going back centuries. Elsecar, with its ironworks, canal, railway and this important beam engine, has the potential to be a first class visitor attraction.”

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/industrial-heritage-saved-by-lotto-cash-1-4361330

South Yorkshire, industrial heritage, Elsecar, Newcomen Beam Engine, Barnsley Council, Elsecar New Colliery, Elsecar Heritage Centre, English Heritage, Heritage at Risk,

News - Shocking sprees of region’s heritage criminals (South Yorkshire)

INTERNATIONALLY important heritage sites are being ravaged by a rising tide of crime and vandalism, with Yorkshire one of the worst hit areas in the country, according to shocking statistics released today.

English Heritage said the “worrying” rate of attacks on the region’s historical assets had been revealed for the first time after it commissioned the first ever survey of so-called heritage crime across the country.

The study shows that Yorkshire, along with the north east and north west of England, tops the table of destruction, with more than a fifth of historic sites suffering some kind of attack over the last year.

London suffers the lowest level of heritage crime, and English Heritage bosses said their figures showed a “strong link” between the problem and levels of deprivation in communities in the depressed North.

Experts said heritage crime encompassed everything from low-level anti-social behaviour and criminal damage to metal thefts and the deliberate raiding of archaeological sites undergoing painstaking work.

Henry Owen-John, a planning director at English Heritage said: “This is the first time we have carried out a comprehensive analysis of the threat crime poses to our precious and vulnerable heritage.

“The figures for the North are alarming, particularly for metal theft. Damage done to a listed building or an archaeological site can often not be put right and centuries of history will be lost forever.

“These places have an obviously high value to society. Their particular vulnerability warrants every effort to ensure they are still around for future generations to enjoy just as much as we enjoy them now.”

English Heritage’s study forms part of its recently-launched Heritage Crime Initiative, sparked after high-profile vandalism attacks on major Yorkshire assets such as Clifford’s Tower in York.

Councils and other interested bodies are being urged to sign up to the project and attacks on other assets, such as English Heritage-owned Monk Bretton Priory, in Barnsley, have added further urgency.

Staff were forced to close the site last summer. after it was repeatedly targeted by vandals who stole items from the Grade-I listed, 13th century building.

Bishops’ House in Sheffield has also suffered crime, including attempted arson, which led to the installation of CCTV and plans for a fence around the half-timbered structure, which dates to 1500.

Sheffield Council, which owns Bishops’ House, is currently discussing signing up to the Heritage Crime initiative, along with South Yorkshire’s other three councils.

The county’s principal archaeologist, Dinah Saich, said she found the English Heritage figures “surprising and disappointing”.

She added: “These figures show just how important it is to protect these sites. Metal theft is a huge problem, and Sheffield’s old post office in Fitzalan Square has been totally ruined by such attacks.

“But archaeological sites are also under attack from what we call treasure hunters.

“The problem is that a lot of heritage crime currently goes unreported, because people in charge of buildings and sites, and the public who may see it happening, often think that nobody will be interested.

“Until now it has been very difficult to put a figure on it, but now we can see how many sites are damaged and in the case of archaeology, the extent of the loss of items that are totally irreplaceable.”

The Association of Chief Police officers has signed up to the Heritage Crime Initiative and lead officer Richard Crompton, Lincolnshire’s Chief Constable, said it was now being taken “very seriously”.

From: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/main-section/shocking-sprees-of-region-s-heritage-criminals-1-4360768

TV - Workshops in Sheffield heritage show (Sheffield)

HISTORIC workshops in Sheffield have been hailed as a ‘one-off’ by TV presenter Jules Hudson , who was speaking after visiting the 135-year-old Portland Works on Randall Street, near Bramall Lane.

And the presenter of Britain’s Heritage Heroes – a new show championing the work of people dedicated to saving historic places, products or skills – backed a campaign to save the mesters’ workshops from being transformed into flats.

The Grade II*-listed building, the birthplace of stainless steel cutlery, is currently up for sale. Campaigners have successfully blocked a bid to turn the building into apartments and have been given an extra four months to raise the remaining £250,000 needed to buy the complex.

Jules, who presents the show with veteran Countryfile presenter John Craven, said: “The country is awash with new flats that are proving difficult to sell and it’s not difficult to build flats quite frankly.

“There are lots of other brownfield sites in the city that can be used. I think it’s absolutely right to have the Portland Works campaign – it goes to the heart of what heritage heroes is all about.”

The presenters tried their hands at steelworking when they visited Portland Works as part of an episode on the Pennines.

And they were blown away by the building and the workers trying to keep their trades alive. Jules said: “It is interesting, it’s one of those places where many people may go past without realising what it is.

“Once you get inside, the whole place transforms. The idea of these people in there beavering away to continue these fantastic crafts and to try to keep the building alive is really exciting.

“Portland represents one of the key bits of Sheffield’s history. It is a one off.”

Portland Works was the first place in the world where stainless steel was produced and remains home to highly-skilled and creative tenants – small manufacturers, independent artists and crafts people.

The campaign to save it aims to raise £400,000 from offering shares, plus donations and loans, but only £150,000 has been raised so far. For details, visit www.portlandworks.co.uk

* Britain’s Heritage Heroes is on BBC2 on Thursday, at 6.30pm.

Portland Works were built in 1877.

The building was awarded Grade II-listed status by English Heritage in 1995 and upgraded to Grade II*-listed status in 2003.

Tenant RF Mosley & Co, a manufacturer of cutlery and silverware, was the first firm in the world to produce stainless steel cutlery and continued to operate on the site until the late 1950s.

The building is one of the city’s last remaining examples of a purpose-built light metal trades works. Many similar buildings and associated working class housing were demolished within the city centre throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Campaigners need £400,000 to buy the building and keep it open as little mesters’ workshops.

From: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/listings/talks-courses-and-workshops/workshops_in_sheffield_heritage_show_1_4218762

News - We can’t afford to ignore the past (Sheffield)

THERE are two ways in to Sheffield’s medieval past.

One is via a metal ladder through a disused trapdoor under a disabled access ramp in Castle Market ladies toilet.

The other is through a door by the spiral ramp delivery road at the back of the market.

A small metal plaque and a faded sign are all that tells the world that here once stood Sheffield Castle, one of the most important fortifications in medieval England. Tourist attraction it ain’t.

Yet amid the concrete and decay of the 1970s market that betrays the timeless spirit of its traders and shoppers, is limited access to a past that could help shape the city’s future.

The Castle Market building for all its nostalgic kitsch is as dated as loon pants, clackers and the Ford Capri and will soon be going the way of those 70s relics.

If the city is not very careful the remains of Sheffield Castle could go with them when the markets move to The Moor and Castle Market is demolished next year.

Although there are plans to excavate the site to find out what remains lie undiscovered the project will rely on Lottery funding and help from English Heritage. But there appears to be a growing public awareness of what’s at stake.

Sheffield is stirring. Finally.

“There can’t be many cities in the world that would allow this to happen to its history,” says activist, historian and professional Sheffielder Ron Clayton as he unlocks the door to the only accesible bit of Sheffield Castle remains.

In a room roughly 18ft square is a corner of a stone wall with some chunks of masonry from other areas of the site dropped on top.

That’s it. The only publicly accessible piece of Sheffield Castle. The roots and reason for the city’s existence in a single chamber next to pallets of toilet rolls and Nik-Naks.

“We should be able to do a bit better than this and awareness is growing,” adds 59-year-old Ron.

“People are interested and I don’t think you can make much sense of Sheffield’s history until you open up this area and let people see where it all started.

“It’s hard to visualise the castle now. All that has been left since the 18th century are the street names and a bit of stone work, cellars and vaults but the castle dominated Sheffield for about 400 years. The arguments over how big and important it was is neither here nor there. It’s where Sheffield grew up.”

“I would open up the whole area and have it as a feature for the city. We have to get the planning application and the funding right and we need the political ambition of a Bob Kerslake or a Jan Wilson to get the job done.

“The project to get this area properly excavated and displayed is a bigger project than the Heart Of The City that linked the railway station to the city centre. If we do it right it will make a huge difference to the reputation and perception of Sheffield around the world.

“I just want to help keep the flame burning because if we don’t it will be gone for ever. I want to have my ashes scattered here so that if the buggers don’t do anything about it I can come back and haunt them.”

The good news is that the buggers actually do want to do something and are widely in agreement with Ron.

Simon Ogden is the City Council’s city centre manager.

“We want to find out how much remains under the Castle Market and can’t do that until the building comes down,” said Simon.

“We have excavated the bits that are accessible and it seems evident that there are reasonable remains. We have to find out how extensive they are, how significant and what we can make of them.

“We also want to de-culvert the Sheaf where it meets the Don so the confluence of the rivers can be seen at the corner of Blonk Street. There would be a benefit for wildlife, water visible on both sides of the road, with green space and the castle ruins in a park.

“We have removed some of the traffic from Exchange Street and Exchange Square, eight lanes of traffic that is now on the ring road. That was all part of the plan for that area.

“We could create a square and new buildings to link the city to Victoria Quays.

“Work starts in June on the new market on The Moor which should be completed by October 2013 at a cost of around £18 million, the work is out to tender now. The markets will move after Christmas 2013.

“We are going to have to bid for funding from the Lottery and English Heritage for demolition, excavation and archaeological work on the Castle Market site.

“It depends what’s there as to how much it will cost, what land will be built on and what will be kept for other purposes.

“It will have to be done very carefully, it’s not a simple demolition job. It’s going to be complicated and expensive.”

That last sentence will set alarm bells ringing in these financially straitened times.

But what price a city’s past?

Fail this time to secure the remains of the castle and it’s gone for ever. Sheffield can’t afford for that to happen.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/lifestyle/features/we_can_t_afford_to_ignore_the_past_1_4202829

Article- A new look at world below city's streets (Nottingham)

Underneath the busy streets of Nottingham lies a warren of caves. Now, a unique project has brought long-forgotten caves into the public eye. Delia Monk reports...

STATUES, medieval symbols and even underground heating systems are just some of the things that have been seen in Nottingham's caves this year.

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Expert: Dr David Strange-Walker of Trent and Peak Archaeology by some of the caves at Rock Cemetery, in Mansfield Road, just one of many city caves where he and his team have used cutting-edge technology to create a 3D survey.

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Wonders: A full-size sandstone statue of a goddess figure in Thomas Herbert's Columns Cave. Far left: Medieval carved crosses in the malting cave beneath Broadway, in the Lace Market.

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Sand caves: A laser- scanned silhouette image of the caves in the Rock Cemetery, in Mansfield Road. The cemetery was an underground sand mine in the 19th century.

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The Nottingham Caves Survey, which started in February 2010, has now recorded and documented more than 70 caves in the city.

Many are private, belonging to the owners of the properties that sit above them, and have not been entered by anyone else for decades.

These are just some of the pictures of the discoveries to date, ahead of the project finishing in February. By then, Trent and Peak Archaeology, which is running the project and is part of York Archaeological Trust, will have entered and surveyed about 90 of Nottingham's 500-strong caves.

It has also released YouTube videos that have attracted more than 165,000 hits from 27 countries.

But project manager Dr David Strange-Walker hopes that the team may be able to extend their English Heritage funding for one year in a bid to enter as many of the caves as possible.

If successful, they would widen it into a community project and train local volunteers to try and record as much as they can.

The team of volunteers would approach cave owners and, if allowed in, take photos and draw a brief sketch.

The caves are being surveyed with a 3D laser scanner, producing a full measured record of them in three dimensions.

"We've been quite successful in bringing Nottingham's caves to a worldwide audience," said Dr Strange-Walker.

"Nottingham caves are pretty unique in Britain. There's nowhere else in Britain that has anything like this number or range of caves from medieval right up to the 20th century.

"The project has really started to put Nottingham back on the map for having caves again."

He has recorded a variety of caves over the course of the project.

Some of the finest are deemed to be those that belonged to Alderman Thomas Herbert, who cut a series of caves under his property in Park Terrace, in the Park.

These include Columns Cave, pictured on this page, which features numerous columns and statues of what appear to be Gods and Goddesses.

Dr Strange-Walker said it was also fascinating to visit his herbarium cave, which has a stove in it with a chimney poking out of the ground. The hot smoke would also run around the edge of the cave in concealed channels, providing extra warmth.

Dr Strange-Walker said he believed it had been used as a dark greenhouse for growing plants of some kind, or for entertaining friends in a warmer environment.

Through this study, the team discovered another previously-unknown cave under Mr Herbert's house. This was filled with rubble and rubbish and was split into two rooms, each about four by ten metres. Dr Strange-Walker said they appeared to have been used as wine cellars as they are lined with shelves and partitions.

The team are also hoping to enter another one of Mr Herbert's caves called Daniel in the Lion's Den, which has sandstone carvings depicting the biblical tale of Daniel.

 

By contrast to these Victorian-cut caves, the Rock Cemetery, in Mansfield Road, features an 18th-century underground sand mine.

Dr Strange-Walker said underground burial tunnels were built after the First World War but the catacombs were never brought into fruition and still lie empty today.

Meanwhile in the Lace Market, a medieval malting cave lies beneath the Propaganda nightclub in Broadway.

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/new-look-world-city-s-streets/story-14302665-detail/story.html