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The Victorian Society's 2021 Top 10 Endangered Buildings
13/12/2021
Neglected, At Risk, In Danger of Demolition. We reveal 2021’s Top 10 Most Endangered Buildings.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff, Grade 2 Listed, Oatley and Skinner, 1902-1908
The hospital first opened in 1908 as ‘Cardiff Lunatic Asylum', in the typical style for medical facilities – with a spine of central administrative blocks, and to each side, five-storey ward blocks.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Church of St Helen, Biscathorpe, Lincolnshire, Grade II* Listed, W. A. Nicholson, 1847
The Church of St Helen, Biscathorpe stands nearly alone, its former village having long since disappeared. Rebuilt on the site of the old church in 1847 by W. A. Nicholson in a fanciful Gothic style - more than fifty grotesque faces perched high on the steeple peer down onto visitors.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Oldham Equitable Cooperative Society (Hill Stores), Oldham, Grade 2 listed, Thomas Taylor, 1900
Oldham Equitable Cooperative Society (Hill Stores) commissioned Thomas Taylor to build what would be one of the largest buildings in the area, and it was completed in 1900.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Minley Home Farm, Hampshire, Unlisted, Arthur Castings, 1896
Minley Home Farm was once part of the sprawling Minley Manor Estate. It was completed circa 1896 to the designs of Arthur Castings, associate to the renowned George Devey, who worked on other buildings in the estate. The model farmstead was designed to reflect farming changes during the agricultural depression when arable land was converted to livestock use after cheap imports from America caused wheat prices to plummet.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Jones & Higgins Department Store, London, Unlisted, Henry Jarvis & Sons, 1894
The Jones and Higgins Department store opened on the corner of Rye Lane and Peckham High Street in 1867 and formed a key part of a ‘Golden Mile’ of shops that rivalled Oxford Street. The clock tower was designed by Southwark architects Henry Jarvis & Sons, who also built Dulwich Hospital and the Walworth Town Hall. They took their inspiration for the building’s façade from the Clock Tower in St. Mark’s Square, Venice.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Indoor Market, Burslem, Stoke on Trent, Unlisted, Architect Unknown, (1897)
The market tells the story of Burslem’s rise and subsequent decline, with its ghost signs and fading advertisements from the Victorian era that still adorn several closed shops attached to the market hall. Burslem indoor market’s gothic design and ironwork is reminiscent of King’s Cross station in London.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Icknield Street School, Birmingham, Grade II* Listed, by J.H. Chamberlain of Martin and Chamberlain, 1883
Icknield Street School is in urgent need of repairs. Despite being partly in use on the ground floor as a Hindu temple, its upper storeys are vacant. Water leaks from the slate roofs and gutters are now causing damage to both roof and walls
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Healings Flour Mill and Warehouses, Tewkesbury, Grade II, by W H James of Tewkesbury for Samuel Healing and Son, 1865-6
At its peak in 1892, Healings Flour Mill was considered to be the largest and most advanced flour mill in the country, capable of producing 25 sacks of flour an hour. Operations ceased in 2006, and the complex of buildings is now derelict.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Horncliffe House, Lancashire, Grade-II listed, Architect Unknown, 1869
Horncliffe House’s ornate exterior is almost all that remains of this once grand residence. Originally built as a private dwelling for Henry Hoyle Hardman, a local mill owner and businessman, the building went through several uses, including an old people’s home and hotel, before closing in 2007. In 2008, an application to convert it back to a single dwelling was rejected, and the house was subsequently abandoned. A fire in 2019 devasted the interior, which by then was already seriously dilapidated.
Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2021: Coal Drops, Halifax, Grade II, Architect unknown, 1874
Halifax Coal Drops were built for the Ovenden and Halifax Junction Railway Co. and are an important part of the town’s industrial history. They comprise 15 wooden bunkers built into the hillside supported between stone piers. Trains would stop over the top and unload coal into the bunkers, and local traders would back their horse-drawn carts into the spaces beneath to load their coal for distribution.
Remembering Geoff Brandwood
It is with enormous sadness that the Victorian Society announces the sudden death of Dr Geoff Brandwood.
We are sure that members will share our sorrow at this news.
The Victorian Society is Updating - Joining the fight to save Victorian and Edwardian Heritage is even easier
Please stand by while we upgrade our systems. UPDATE: Joining the Victorian Society is easier than ever. Click here to join now.
Andrew Saint: London 1870-1914: a City at its Zenith - Book Sale Now on
The book covers the development of the British capital at a time when, in the author's view, it reached its highest position on the world stage, using original illustrations, maps, and photographs
Book your place now for our online talk series: Building the Victorian and Edwardian terraced house
We are happy to announce that our online talk series, ‘Building the Victorian and Edwardian terraced house’ will begin on the 2nd November 2021. Get the 6 events in the series for the price of 5 or book individually.
Want to save a threatened historic building? Nominate it for our top ten endangered list 2021
The Victorian Society is seeking nominations for its 2021 Top Ten Endangered Buildings Campaign.
The annual event highlights buildings that are in dire need of repairs or are at risk of being lost completely.
Victorian Society and Georgian Group unite to oppose demolition of listed buildings which tell the story of Manchester’s past
29/07/2021
The Victorian Society and The Georgian Group have joined forces to campaign against the partial demolition of grade II listed buildings at 47 Piccadilly - an extremely rare survival illustrating Manchester’s development. 47 Piccadilly was built as a house in 1776 but in the 19th century was converted to commercial use by the Midlands Railway Company, which added a warehouse to the existing townhouse during its time at the premises from 1878 to the late 1910s. In the later 20th century, the buildings were used as shops and beauty salons, but for decades have been left to decay.
Victorian Society saddened by the loss of Liverpool’s World Heritage status
21/07/2021
The Victorian Society is disappointed to learn of UNESCO’s decision to remove the World Heritage Status of Liverpool’s docks in their latest session on the 20th July 2021.The decision erodes the UK’s reputation for being world leaders on heritage protection.
Victorian Society calls for better protection of UK's World Heritage sites
13/07/2021
The Victorian Society is urging the Government to better protect our World Heritage Sites (WHS) following UNESCO’s recommendation to remove Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City from the list of World Heritage Sites. The Government should urgently assure UNESCO of plans to better protect world heritage, and Liverpool in particular, before a final decision on the future of the world heritage site is made in the next few weeks.
Victorian Society listing success for lodge and gateway in park associated with David Bowie
23/06/2021
The lodge and gateway to Croydon Road Recreation Ground, Beckenham, have been granted Grade II listed status following a Victorian Society listing application. The gate lodge and gateway join the park’s listed ‘David Bowie’ Bandstand to form a fine late Victorian ensemble.
