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View Full Version : Avoncroft, Worcestershire, May '09



boxfrenzy
10-06-2009, 04:01 PM
It seems never a day goes by when a piece of Britain's past is demolished to make way for something new. As more roads are built, or out of town shopping centres appear, a little bit more of history disappears. If only there were a way of keeping these buildings for generations to see for real, rather than a film or picture...

Luckily there is. Today sees me at Avoncroft Museum for building, in Worcestershire. In 1964, a listed Tudor house was to be demolished to make room for a new development. At the very last minute the timbers were rescued and restored. These characters have now rescued 24 important buildings from destruction. Brick by brick, they have been carefully numbered and labelled and rebuilt here. What a great idea.

This 50' church spire was added to a church in Smethwick, outside Birmingham in 1961.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3611305332_2342a6712b.jpg

It is made out of fibreglass. The church was demolished 31 years later.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3611304350_547a5467be.jpg

Tong Castle, in Shropshire, was demolished in 1954 for the new M54. The Ice house, originally built around 1765 was rebuilt at Avoncroft.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/3611305580_34bb4e8554.jpg

Ice from fishponds would be taken here in the winter and the ice house filled up.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3611306548_7a2c78ff51.jpg

There are quite a few icehouses left around the country. apparently there is a book about the remaining ones but I have never seen it and don't know what it is called.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3610493363_6ee114bcac.jpg

This Toll house was built in 1822. It had windows all the way round so travellers could be seen from every direction. It was originally in Little Malvern.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3633/3610494553_8617205c31.jpg

This church is from Bringsty Common, Herefordshire. My ninja-like exploring partners for the day celebrate dodging security after abseiling off a bridge, pole vaulting a 20' electric fence then hiding for six hours in some bushes. Or something like that.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3599/3610494767_d92d74093a.jpg

It was built in 1891, and holds services and wedding blessings through the year.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3611307830_41e38c0534.jpg

Eagle eyed sixth form readers may just be able to spot the word bowels.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3611307548_cf159f24fc.jpg

How great that this Victorian mission church was saved?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3611308492_9269ec9d70.jpg

My favourite is this. Windmills are great. Sadly you couldn't go up today. I like the cat on the weathervane.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2444/3611310356_80386e6625.jpg

Danzey Green Windmill came from Warwickshire. The earliest recorded mill on that site was in 1560. Many timbers of the buck are original and is roundhouse underneath.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3610497391_01ec573d88.jpg

It was built in the mid-19th century and is often in full sail. It turns to face the wind. Factoid: My mom can remember it in it's derelict state in the early 1960's.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3402/3611309670_4bccacd3ae.jpg

The Chain Shop was originally from Colley Gate, Cradley Heath in the Black Country. At the end of the nineteenth century 90% of all the chain workshops in England and Wales were in the five chain making towns of Cradley, Cradley Heath, Old Hill, Quarry Bank and Netherton. Noah Hingley's iron works built the anchor and chain for the Titanic, just down the road from where this place was. Black country folk say that the anchor was the only thing that worked properly on the ship.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3611310642_04ca8a567b.jpg

This was 85 Moat Lane, in Yardley, Birmingham.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3315/3611312010_c06890e48e.jpg

This is a Arcon Mark V design, and was built in 1946 to rehouse the many homeless after the destruction of the housing stock.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2426/3610498789_181d2a8e10.jpg

17 of the surviving prefabs in Birmingham have been listed as buildings of historic and architectural interest.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3611310982_7ec7dbd85e.jpg

evilnoodle
10-06-2009, 07:11 PM
That would be a very interesting day out.

KingElvis
10-06-2009, 09:10 PM
Nice as usual mate with some very interesting photos.

Thanks.

access granted
10-06-2009, 09:40 PM
interesting report there mate, lovely pics. particularly like the one of the grass with the windmill behind :thumb

Muse
11-06-2009, 02:02 PM
What a fantastic place, top report and photos :thumb

BB
11-06-2009, 02:15 PM
Lovely pics :thumb

Really like the selective colour shot :)

wolfism
11-06-2009, 05:53 PM
Very thought-provoking with well-chosen photos: I knew there was a museum of building/ architecture in Denmark, hadn't realised there was one in the UK. I've come across a couple of buildings with glassfibre domes/ pinnacles - you feel slightly cheated when you climb up several storeys to discover plastic ...