Quiet Shame
Back in September, during Open House weekend, I went to visit the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich - a curious building with a curious history. But I'm not talking about that today, I'm more concerned with something I learned that morning which has been troubling me ever since.Our group was shown round the barracks by the man in charge - always good to get the head honcho - and I took the opportunity to ask about the fate of the Rotunda.
For those of you who aren't aware of this very, very odd building, tucked away behind a screen of trees and a fence of barbed wire (the photos here are the best I could do back in the summer - there's just no way of really seeing it any more...), it's a weird tent-like structure, which started out as exactly that - a tent.
John Nash built it in 1814, in the grounds around Carlton House Gardens. It was the centrepiece of six tents created to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon (so what if it was all a bit previous...)
Everyone liked the tent so much that Nash decided that it was too good just to take down again, so he hit upon the idea of surrounding the tent walls with brick, and covering the canvas roof with a rather splendid, sweeping lead version to protect the original. I guess the equivalent would be if someone put a giant metal dome over the top of the O2.
The whole thing was moved to Woolwich in 1820, to become the Museum of Artillery - which it was for about 180 years. It even got a revamp in 1975.
When the Woolwich Arsenal was turned into what it is now, it was decided to create Firepower, and all the stuff was moved from the Rotunda to the new museum. They're still moving the last cannons, I understand. Here's one:
What one makes of Firepower is an individual matter. But the question of what happens to the Rotunda next is one that I'd never fully got to the bottom of.
It's completely closed, with high fences and the aforementioned trees, though it would have once had fantastic views - for miles around. I knew that the place had reverted to the MOD so I took the opportunity of asking our guide what would be happening.
Frankly, after he told me (he was completely, and typically militarily up-front about it) the rest of the weekend was a bit of a downer for me and I've been trying to get my head around it ever since.
When the final cannons go (and they may have gone by now, though I doubt it - they're big buggers) the place will 'have the lights turned off.' That, to you and me, means it will just be left, to moulder away. No access, no views, just a quiet rotting into the earth.
It's economics, of course, that dictate this. The guy told me it takes sixty-odd grand a year just to stop the place collapsing (it faces special architectural problems due to its 'unusual' construction) and he has other drains on his finances - not least huge amounts of military memorabilia that finds its way into his hands which he's supposed to lovingly curate.
I expressed my distress at this news, trying hard to lower my voice from the strangulated squeak it had become. He said that he would be interested in talking to anyone that could make a financial go of leasing it - after all - it's a liability - sixty grand a year before you do anything to it (and I'm not sure if they're even going to spend that when they finally go...)
I would SO love to see something happen to this - but what - and with what kind of cash? The place is listed (of course) but there's no real stick to beat the MOD with if they just let it moulder. It's out of the way - I can't even see what it could be used for - but hell - this is a John Nash building that is at the very least 'exotic.' Surely there's something...
Labels: Debates, Not-Quite-Greenwich, Places of Interest, Secret Greenwich, Woolwich
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
08:38
22 Comments:
Good you've picked up on this.
It's a grade 2* listed building; if their intention is literally to let it rot, it should be possible to lobby the Council's conservation officer or Enligh Heritage to take enforcement action.
Mind you, looking at what the council allowed to happen to Nash's little pavilion in the park, any old shite seems to suffice, if they do renovate it.
While possibly beyond their area, this sounds just like the perfect project for the Blackheath Preservation Trust to get their teeth into. Over the years they've championed the restoration of Vanbrugh Castle and most recently Boone's Chapel in Lee. As piquant a bit of Christopher Wren as you could hope to have.
Indeed, you are absolutely right to be so distressed about this appalling indifference to the fate of the Rotunda.
You can just about get a peak of it from the top of a 53 on its way to Woolwich and most guidebooks give it a mention.
The Lewisham and Greenwich boroughs are actually very poor in the number of listed buildings they have, so you think someone would care.
Nash epitomises the style and flourish of the Regency era and the rotunda is a small-but-perfectly-formed example of his work.
Your concern is very well founded.
It is already on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk register, with the condition described as fair and the building described as "part occupied" but with the ominous comment "Lead-sheet roof covering is failing".
http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/default.aspx?id=85&rt=1&pn=1&st=a&di=Greenwich&ctype=all&crit=
"Nash's little pavilion in the park" - what was this ?
It's called St Mary's Lodge - not really a pavilion, in fact, the small white building just before the herb garden, where they sell ice cream and teas. Not that you would guess it's an old building...
OK troops, let's mobilise for a major assault. Its a crying shame that Listed Status essentially means nothing.
Here's the relevant emails we should be using:
building-conservation@greenwich.gov.uk
london@english-heritage.org.uk
The Folly Fellowship: pr@follies.org.uk
Mobilise!
I contacted the Architectural Heritage Fund and this is what they said:
"Many thanks for this information. As the building appears on the current English Heritage 'Heritage at Risk' register, EH will be aware of the building's condition, as will the local conservation officer. The building's listed status ensures that it has legal protection and that the current owner is obliged to maintain the structure; however your interest may encourage the owner to demonstrate that it is being maintained.
The Heritage of London Trust has contributed to saving buildings on the site in the past, and the Blackheath Historic Buildings Trust appears still to be in existence, according to the Charity Commission; Firepower is also a charity with the powers to restore historic buildings. The Architectural Heritage Fund is not a campaigning organisation and I cannot offer much more advice, but would encourage you to contact these organisations in case there are existing plans to restore the building"
So it would appear that Firepower, even if they dont have any legal obligations (which the MoD DO) then there is certainly a strong case for their becoming involved in saving the building - seeing as the Rotunda is more or less its parent.
Fantastic work Mr Bowes!
I've been wondering whether an events company might be able to restore it and use it for weddings or something. Having said that they'd need a HELL of a lot of events on to make it pay...
But brilliant work - thanks!
I feel militant today.
I've emailed Firepower, the MoD, the Royal Artillery, Greenwich Council, English Heritage, the Folly Fellowship, Blackheath Preservation Trust, The Charlton Society and Heritage of London. I managed to get a telephone number of the Woolwich and District Antiquarian Society out of The Eltham Society and, if I have five minutes, will telephone them.
C'mon, Phantom Website Readers. In this age of electronic communication, it takes no more than a couple of minutes to fire off an Email to these people. If everyone did it, this wonderful building wouldnt be allowed to fall down despite its listed status.
and a very mealy mouthed reply from Greenwich Council, with bad grammar and showing all the signs of being "boilerplated" (ie a standard response)
"The Rotunda is a Grade II* listed building and makes a valuable and unique contribution to the history and setting of the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwic [yeah, we know that, so why is it being allowed to fall down?] The building has housed the reserve collection for the Firepower Museum which is located within the Royal Arsenal site. If the reserve collection is to be moved [Greenwich Council don't know that the Rotunda is nearly empty?] then the decision has been taken by the trust that runs the museum [so, Firepower then]. This will leave the building empty and both Greenwich Council and English Heritage will have concerns about this situation.
Nevertheless, I would emphasise that the building is owned by Defence Estates and all recent discussions we have had about the ongoing changes at Woolwich Barracks the future of the building has been continually highlighted. If the reserve collection is now to be removed this will increase the urgency to address the future use of this building. I can assure you that Greenwich Council will continue to press Defence Estates to come forward with an alternative use for the building. We will also emphasise the importance of maintaining the building in a weather-tight condition until that new use is established.
I hope that I have addressed the points you raise.
Steve Crow
Principal Conservation Officer
Here are some important people to also contact, guys.
steve.crow@greenwich.gov.uk (greenwich conservation officer)
mark.stevenson@english-heritage.org.uk, (local eh person)
malcolm.woods@english-heritage.org.uk, (another local eh person)
Peter.Guillery@english-heritage.org.uk, in charge of survey of woolwich
paul.tyler@greenwich.gov.uk (greenwich cllr with an interest in Woolwich history)
It's also just occurred to me - we need a legacy from the Olympics - how about the building brought back into use as something lovely? It would make a lovely 'dignitaries tent' for the event itself and a legacy for all of us afterwards...
Cllr. John Fahy is, apparently in charge of Olympics and Tourism in Greenwich.... john.fahy@greenwich.gov.uk - and of course council leader Chris roberts
Seriously, the Olympics idea is a great one. They are desperate for a token item of legacy, this would be a terrific box-ticking exercise.
I've emailed the Georgian Group, they're good on this (they objected to the Market hotel proposals, where EH waved it through).
The Charlton Group, the Woolwich Antiquarian Society and the Blackheath Society are all now involved and waving banners on the Rotunda's behalf.
Steve Crow, under close questioning via email by myself, has basically stamped his foot and pouted and insisted that the Rotunda isnt falling down, and has now removed the word "Dear..." from the start of his emails to me so is obviously feeling a little petulant in the face of informed progress.
Ultimately, the buck lies with the property wing of the MoD - "Defence Estates" who can be contacted at
DE OPERATIONS SOUTH
Building 400
1st Floor (IDL 49)
DE & S North Site
Monxton Road
Andover
SP11 8HT
and Firepower itself.
I think the Olympic legacy suggestion is a good one. I'm currently trying to find out from Greenwich Council how we as ratepayers can have some sort of say in how the legacy money is allocated, but am still awaiting a response.
Phantom - clearly the Rotunda isn't industrial but it is - er well - sort of hardware oriented. Greenwich Industrial History Society has a meeting in a couple of weeks time if anyone to come along a tell our (non blogging) members about the Rotunda, well, feel free. All the other Society officers are active in the Woolwich Antiquarians - and in the Severndroog Castle campaign (now, there's an organisation you should talk to).
I went down there today. I guess the first thing to mention is that I can't see any change in terms of access (in terms of how close you can get to the building) inasmuch as you can still get up to the outer fence and its gates, no different from the way it's been for the last few years.
Certainly the clearance of the ordnance is near complete - the only thing visible now is a monster cannon as long as a bus.
I did speak to 'one of the locals' and he was in fact encouragingly upbeat about the building's future prospects. The area around the rotunda is still an actively lived-in MoD estate, and the ultimate plan for the building, apparently, is to be turn it into a family centre, for the army wives and children living around it.
From all I was able to gather, it sounds a far cry from quietly leaving it to rot.
That's odd, Roger - I got it from the mouth of the man himself. Perhaps he's been thinking of ways to save it after all. Still worth keeping an eye on, I think.
As far as Greenwich Council Planning Department know (mind you, lets face it, they demonstrated they actually know diddly squat by not realising that the Rotunda is actually empty!) Defence Estates have no plans for the building except to let it stand empty until such time as they can find someone to take it off their hands.
RogerW - we would be interested in finding out about your source of information on this subject.
No response from RogerW we see. Mary Mills informed me that nobody she has spoken to about the building had any idea that a "family centre" was among the options, so either RogerW has access to extremely privileged information, or......
Actually, The Phant (or it may have been someone else) mentioned something that hadnt occured to me, and which would make perfect sense if there is to be any "olympic legacy" in the area. Given that the Barracks are supposed to be hosting the shooting events (yes, I know, another can of worms) then the Rotunda would make the perfect (and logical) "dignitaries holding pen".
Erm :(
@ Russ: I did send you an email at 10, this morning, as a way of answering your question.
How? I went to your homepage and got found the email address from the 'contact me' page.
If you haven't received it blame supanet, not me.
And, hey, don't be so quick to jump on people.
No, no email from you. Try again! Suggest copying it into your email programme rather than using the link from that site, which has been known to have problems.
But if you have a comment to make, why not leave it here where everyone can see it?
It transpires that our "informant" is someone who isnt formally connected with Greenwich Council, Firepower, the MoD or English Heritage in any way that I can see. In fact, the only connection I can see is that they happen to work in the vicinity. So, of course, they know aaaaaaaaall about it.
Yeah, right.
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