An experienced Principal with a demonstrable history of working in the government administration and industry, Ross is skilled in senior leadership, management, urban planning and design, sustainability and project management.
He commenced his presentation by explaining that Historic England is the Government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment. They are a non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the DCMS.
He illustrated his talk with projects of particular interest to our local communities - Cleveland Pools in Bath for instance - Britain’s first lido - which won a restoration project of the year award following extensive involvement from HE, both in terms of funding but also technical expertise and in building partnership from the local group who wanted to do something with a dilapidated complex through to NLHF and their funding. He told us that HE
- advises government on policy and which parts of our heritage are nationally important (through Designation)
- advises local authorities on managing changes to the most important parts of the historic environment
- provides grants to reduce the amount of heritage at risk
- shares their expertise through training and guidance for people working in heritage, and giving practical conservation advice, eg to St. Peters in the city centre in castle Park
- provide access to their resources – including a huge archive of over 12 million items including photographs, drawings and reports on architectural and archaeological sites undertake research to support the care of our historic environment
- supports the English Heritage Trust in its care of over 400 historic properties owned by the nation and open to the public.
Bristol Templemeads station, a major Brunel work of 1839-41 described as “easily the most complete survivor of the early provincial termini, and an exceptionally important one” (Gomme, 1979) but now probably one of the last stations in a great city not to have been updated!
This sets out the chronological development of the complex.
The Bristol & Exeter House, from the 1850s by SC Fripp, relates to a period when there were no through trains and when the lines from the SW came in at a right angle to Brunel’s line. Its exuberant Jacobean/Tudor form sits well alongside the other buildings. Whilst not being Brunel, the Digby Wyatt work of the 1860s/70s, is Grade I listed- and impressive it is too!
Obviously there is the Main Shed, the Midland Shed which continues Brunel’s Engine and Passenger Sheds, the grand Joint Entrance, originally capped with an steep roof, which was lost in bombing and the Culverhouse work of the 1930s which is not without interest, forming most of the platforms in use today.
Planning is underway to possibly bring back into service several of these historic buildings as a terminus for an electrified line between London and Bristol whilst the existing through trains to the West of England would continue to use a greatly enhanced existing station.
A fine example of a recent listing are the iconic cranes at Prince’s Wharf have been listed at Grade II. They are an important link to Bristol’s maritime and industrial history and join other listed structures in the City Docks in helping to tell that story. Built by ‘crane makers of the world,’ internationally renowned Stothert and Pitt Ltd of Bath, the cranes are an important reminder of how trading at the docks helped Bristol prosper in the 19th and 20th centuries
A major responsibility of HE is to make recommendations to the SoS for him to decide on which properties should be added to the list for potential restoration or protection. The principles of selection are based on
Architectural and historic interest;
Group Value;
Fixtures and fittings and curtilage buildings;
Character and appearance of conservation areas
General principles Age & Rarity, less than 30years old,
Aesthetic merits,
Selectivity (represents a particular type)
This allows us to understand what is important or significant about an historic asset that allows its future management. The list has over 400,000 entries from piers, palaces to pigsties, to rockets, wrecks and rollercoasters and animal houses and artists studios to a skatepark. Listing does not exist in isolation and is only the first tool we have in our arsenal.
Annually, the Heritage at Risk Register (HAR) gives an insight to the critical health of England’s most valued historic places and those most at risk of being lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
Added to HAR in 2012, the Royal William Yard in Plymouth was designed by the engineer Sir John Rennie (Jnr). Constructed for the Royal Navy between 1825 and 1831 in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars as a factory and victualing depot for the ships of the fleet. It is one of the most remarkable and complete early the 19th century industrial complexes in the country; a unique English example of Neo-Classical planning.
In 2012 it was forlorn, vacant and at risk of dilapidation. Today it is a vibrant and beautiful complex largely due to HE investing time and money!
The Cumberland Basin – or Western Harbour – has been identified by Bristol City Council as a major development opportunity. This historic gateway into the city is rich in heritage and includes some 22 Listed Buildings as well as a Scheduled Monument. Within the setting of several highly graded assets, including Brunel’s Suspension Bridge (Grade I).
Today, dominated by the 1960s elevated road system, and the traffic which separates the city from the natural asset of the Avon Gorge. The Council has indicated that 2500 new homes could be built here. An EAS project is underway to review the listed buildings and scheduled monument designations and several unlisted structures.
The revised designations will give an updated assessment of the extent of significance in the area, which will help inform future development proposals.
Concurrently we are trying to understand the likely governance arrangements around this regeneration project, and the role that Historic England could helpfully play.
The Underfall Yard is an early 19th century industrial complex containing boat building businesses, a patent slip, hydraulic engine house, and sluicing mechanisms – the site is scheduled. Despite swift action by emergency services, the main boatbuilding shed and attached blacksmith’s shop and workshops were lost during the recnt fire and we are providing support to Bristol City Council and the Underfall Yard Trust to help return the yard to it's former self.
Many thanks Ross for a most interesting account of the work of English Heritage. It is good to know that the worK of past generations is being protected for many future generations to appreciate.