This attractive Grade II listed building was the old gas works for Warwick and Leamington. The building was erected in 1822: one of the first gas works in the world. The circular gas holders (or gasometers) were hidden inside the two octagonal towers (with false windows). The 1851 Board of Health map (see photo above) shows a Coal Shed, Retort House and a third Gasometer behind the main building, but these have all now been demolished. More recently the main building has been used as offices and was then disused for over ten years. It is now (2014) being redeveloped by the Waterloo Housing group in partnership with Warwick District Council. 11 two-bed affordable flats are being built. It is good to see this delightful building being put to good use again.
Source. Warwickshire County Record Office: Board of Health map 1851, reference
Comments
I have just noticed that the design of the 20th-century brick buildings opposite the gasworks are clearly inspired by the arches in the Georgian gasworks.
Apparently the Saltisford arm of the Grand Union Canal was used to bring coal to the gas works. This was mentioned in the delightful TV programme about Timothy West and Prunella Scales travelling by narrow boat from Birmingham to Braunston.
A blue plaque has now appeared on the front of the building (octagonal – which is a nice touch). It says: “A gasworks was opened here on Thursday 28th March 1822. Both this octagonal tower and the similar one situated at the opposite end of the frontage are the oldest known surviving gasworks buildings, and were used to house the two original gas holders.”
I drew the octagonal plaque (in a slightly better text layout 🙂 on behalf of the IGE for an earlier anniversary, Letters were shifted about by the foundry 🙁 I would have been about 40 years younger so I guess that was 1981 for unveiling on the 160th one in 1982?
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