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"Irreplaceable" 19th century factory threatened

SAVE Britain's Heritage today called for the Newark Works on Lower Bristol Road in Bath to be immediately spot listed, and for plans for its demolition and replacement with a city academy, sponsored by James Dyson, to be shelved.

The main façade of the Newark Works is an imposing and handsome edifice, the creation of architect Thomas Fuller, dating from the 1850s. Although little known in the UK, Fuller became an important architect in North America, at the height of his career as Chief Architect to the Dominion of Canada (he was expelled from the RIBA in the 1850s for some misdemeanour). His key works in North America include New York State Capitol in Albany, NY, and Ottawa Parliament Buildings, both of which received critical acclaim. The Newark Works building consists of a grand classical central block three bays wide and three storeys high, in mellow golden ashlar Bath stone, while details such as quoins and voussiors are in a darker, rusticated stone. To either side of this block are wings with large windows, repeating the language of the central block.

The Newark Works was home to Stothert and Pitt, a firm started in the late 18th century as an ironmongers, which had strong links with Abraham Derby II in Coalbrookdale (Ironbridge), supplying castings for his iron foundry. Steam engines and cranes became their main business: their cranes can be found in most ports around the world. Innovations include the introduction of level luffing, which ensures that the load remains at a constant height as the angle of the jib is altered. Their engines powered the pumps used during the construction of the Box Tunnel and their trains plied the GWR route.

Adam Wilkinson, Secretary of SAVE, told Sapling.info:

"This is Fuller's best work in the UK and with its massive windows and careful detailing it is easily the most beautiful factory in Bath. It is shameful that it is threatened with demolition. The main façade could easily be incorporated into any new plans for the site. Its demolition is entirely unjustified - if this was in North America it would almost certainly be protected.

"Given the right brief, any architect with a smidgen of imagination could incorporate a new academy within the existing buildings and come up with a solution of which Bath would be proud, rather than one which will damage its record as a World Heritage Site. Progress doesn't have to mean the pointless destruction of precious and irreplaceable historic buildings."

Published on Sapling: September 2006

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