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Roundhouse Tour

Wow, excellent, interesting photos. A great record of the exterior and interior and it's features. Thanks for posting. Think the tour was well worth the £8.

Hope you don't mind horsencart, but I shall move the thread to the Buildngs section of the forum. Be easier to find there. Viv.
 
I went in the afternoon tour, Horsencart must have been on the morning one. After his photos I will not repeat with mine. It was very interesting, and the poet "Spires" (if that is the correct spelling), who was leading the tour, seemed to be appreciated by the other members. It was explained that the idea of the Roundhouse is new to the National Trust. The scheme is being promoted by them and the Canal Trust, but will be administered by a separate small local Roundhouse Trust. which will have to stand on its own two feet an d is asking form ideas for how to run the scheme and ways to attract the public. At present the gatehouses are to be refurbished (they were not included in the tour as they "are really grim", and one has dangerous flooring) and rented out as offices to bring in income. The upstairs is hoped to be used by charitable organizations (preferably concerned with conservation), and the ground floor will hold a cafe with an appropriate theme (I suggested the achievements of the Birmingham corporation ) and a bicycle hire and promotion section. I did query whether the cafe might clash with the Fiddle & Bone (whose excellent beer I sampled for the first time before the tour started), but apparently in other places run by the National Trust where other cafes/etc were nearby, the total trade of both was good, and the other cafe increased trade, so was quite happy
 
Thanks for the feedback Mike. I did wonder whether they could offer accommodation or facilities for canal users. Eg those who are walking the canals and might like somewhere to stay overnight or for those on barging trips who want a proper bath etc! Doubtless they've considered that.

All the same it sounds promising to date. Viv.
 
Having been inside I don't think there would be enough space to accommodate people when the other facilities were installed
 
glad you enjoyed the tour mike and of course the beer which must be sampled lol
 
I was there the other day, didn't know you could do a tour, it was early 8 am, never seen so many people walking to work along the canal bank, will have to go back.
 
Yes, they said that they had had to make up a reserve list. I commented that I did not think it had been very well advertised, but apparently it was in the Ev mail. and in the National trust newsletter and they thought that was enough. As it is fully booked I suppose they were right. I asked if this was the first "Un-tour" organised by them, and they confirmed it was, at which i said I was sure any other new properties the Trust acquired could well benefit from one , as I was sure it would excite a lot of interest.
 
Will put in here a few of the photos I took showing particular details;
1. On the outside it can be seen that the building is surrounded at the base by arched brickwork, some filled in. It had been suggested that these were storage spaces, and undoubtedly some were used for this purpose, but they were probably used to give strength and stability to the structure, as arches are stronger than plain brickwork.
DSC_0021a__arched_brickwork.jpg


2. There is a brick carefully displayed (I'm sure deliberately) on the front wall of one of the gatehouses that shows the supplier of the bricks, presumably for the whole building
DSC_0028__brick_on_wall_of_gatehouse.jpg


Directories record that James Shelton ran a brick and tile firm on the opposite side of Sheepcote st to the Roundhouse somewhere between Nile St (part of which can be seen on the c 1889 map below) and St Vincent St from at least 1872-. They went into liquidation under the name of Shelton & Co Ltd in 1969. I was tempted to think ( from the map markings) that they might have had a quarry where the Engine shed is on the map, but ,apparently, the shed was built in 1858 . so Shelton's must have been on either the site marked in green or in orange. I think the orange site is most likely and this would agree with the liquidation address at 22 Sheepcote St, but, in either case, the Roundhouse did not have to go far for the bricks. The firm is stated to be a brick & tile merchant , which probably means they did not manufacture their own bricks, certainly not on that site, and the "signature " brick above must have been specially made by the brickmaker to advertise the firm .

map_c_1889_showing_corporation_wharf__with_roundhouse2C_and_probable_site_of_James_shelton.jpg
 
Carrying on.
3. This is thought to be the site of the smithy. Not much remains , except for the chimney on the far right-hand corner of the space, which has been sealed off.

DSC_0030a_probable_site_of_smithy.jpg


4. It can be seen where the original horse stall were as images on the ground

DSC_0052a__position_of_the_original_horse_stalls_can_be_seen.jpg


5. From the inside the lantern window, which presumably illuminated the yard at night. Nearest the glass in the base can just be seen sign of a hole, which would have been for the gas pipe leading to the lamp.

DSC_0063a__lantern_window.jpg


6. From the outside, it can be seen (not very clearly here) that the lantern window has an outer door which can be opened to let the lamplighter light it at night, the inner part possibly was glass sealed to give light to the inside, but it would have been dangerous to allow naked flames inside amongst the hay etc. Beside it is one of the original windows in the building. some of the windows over the canal were added later and the corporation had to pay the canal company for access to the light. To the right of the lamp window is the hoist (there were three, but one beam remains)used to lift oats/hay etc to the store on the top floor, and presumably down hen it was to be consumed.

7. Outside view of original window, with view of our poet guide

DSC_0072a__Original_window.jpg



8. Cobbled slope for access of horse to stable

DSC_0095a_cobbled_ramp_to_stables.jpg



7.
 
nice photos mike and good info to go with them...thanks...

john i did not notice that the tours were a sell out..

lyn
 
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