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Golden Lion Cannon Hill

The thing is Lyn, if they are not going to restore it, are they actually going to watch it fall down so there is nothing left but a pile of rubble?

phil as both of us are realists i would say thats possible..
 
Lyn

Well rather than see the building disappear you would think that they would donate it to the Avoncroft Museum of Historical Buildings or even The Black Country Living Museum as I'm sure they would be glad of it and I don't suppose it would be a great problem for them to arrange funding to move it.

I would be very sorry to see Birmingham loose it, but I see it as the lesser of the two evils.
 
totally agree phil...i had already thought of the black country museum and avoncroft... not sure about the bcm im pretty sure their buildings have to come from that area (but could be wrong) i visited the avoncroft museum earlier this year and that would be just the most perfect place for the golden lion as they have historical buildings from all over the place and plenty of space to put it as well..i was going to wait for the council to get back to me with their report but i think i will suggest it right now...as its been left to decay for so long i cant see as it would be any skin off their noses...

lyn
 
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I'm not a fan of Eric Pickles, though at least he is (fairly) straight forward in what he thinks, so was pleasantly surprised to read the following. It seems that deliberately allowing a building to deteriorate , as has apparently happened with the Golden lion, may be taken into consideration when deciding the future of a building. Admittedly the Smithfield case here is a bit different in that they wanted to "develop " it rather than let it disappear, but even so, it is a slightly positive turn of events

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...d-market-redevelopment-plans-support-campaign
 
Still no reply to the email I sent to Eric Davis three weeks ago. Perhaps he's a slow reader?
 
I'm doing a course in English Lit. that's based around stately homes and as a sideline came across this article. I thought what is happening the the old Golden Lion would upset the author [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Peter Burman, [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Director, Centre for Conservation Studies, loAAS, University of York and another author who he quotes, [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]John Ruskin. Maybe this article will be of interest/inspiration to some on this forum[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
"A Question of Ethics":- https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/ethics/conservation_ethics.htm
 
I'm doing a course in English Lit. that's based around stately homes and as a sideline came across this article. I thought what is happening the the old Golden Lion would upset the author Peter Burman, Director, Centre for Conservation Studies, loAAS, University of York and another author who he quotes, John Ruskin. Maybe this article will be of interest/inspiration to some on this forum
"A Question of Ethics":- https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/ethics/conservation_ethics.htm
The problem with that approach is that the Golden Lion is unlikely to be of interest to anyone with that attitude to authenticity. Would someone that supports the view "The instant you make any kind of intervention to a building you change it, however subtly; if you take off 18th century handmade pan tiles and replace them with new beautiful hand-made pan tiles you have, nevertheless, replaced the original or earlier ones with something different. This applies equally to historic houses, great or small, as it does to churches and chapels." even bother with a building that isn't in the place it was built?
 
hi folks not heard anything yet from phil davis since his last email to me in june..(see post 49) so just like he does not think i have forgotton all about the golden lion i have just emailed him again for any updates he may have...will keep you informed..

lyn
 
had this reply to the email i sent councillor phil davis last week..looks like the survey on the gold lion will be very soon....


Dear Linda

I've checked with the council and I'm told that our Property Services section will have the survey underway soon.

Once I have further information I will be in touch

Regards

Phil

Cllr Philip Davis
Heritage Champion BCC
 
Hello, I really do think this building should be saved before it is burned down or rots away.

It REALLY needs to be restored and moved back to Digbeth where it belongs. Digbeth already has the Old Crown and it's a real attraction to overseas visitors as the oldest pub in Brum, and it's very popular with locals these days. Digbeth will hopefully develop further when the Metro line comes down here, and with the large development on the High Street which is currently a car park. The funding should be sought from English Heritage and Lottery Fund to move this and restore to a public house/bar/cafe/accommodation.

It is a pipe dream but imagine if Stratford House was relocated (again) to Digbeth High STreet, three old timber houses in the original heart of the city/town. Let me know if you want a letter of support for Golden Lion.
 
hello alfred and thanks for your support...i agree with all you have said but my own personal feeling is that if the council had any feelings for the golden lion they would have done something about it many years ago instead of letting it get into the state that we see it in today...i am still waiting to hear from them about the proposed survey of the building and will keep you all updated on that...

lyn
 
Might be a pipe dream as you say Alfred. But that set me thinking. If the Council had imagination, then the whole process of moving it back to Digbeth could be capitalised on. Re-creating a little more of that period in Digbeth would be such a boost, especially as it already attracts visitors to see the Crown. Imagine if the local community/colleges etc got involved and helped to re-build it brick by brick, timber by timber using the traditional methods. And get other people/visitors involved in the process throughout by coming to see it develop, finding out about the skills and the methods used, watching it rise before their eyes - a sort of 'medieval/Tudor building site' (but obviously with more h & s!). What I'm saying is it could be turned into an attraction, with local craftsmen involved, with visitors to witness a unique re-building etc etc. times have changed dramatically since it was first moved to the Park and places with a range of period alteration have added interest value these days. It would be a first too, I don't know of any other building which has been re-built and re-located twice. Yes, I know, I know, pie in the sky. Oh well, another opportunity lost. (Although if it's going to fall down anyway, why not pick up the pieces and re-build it? Couldn't heritage lottery funding be found? You do wonder if all possibilities have been explored for a building with this amount of history) Viv.


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hi viv totally agree with you and heritage lottery has been mentioned by the council as an option..personally i cant see it being moved again back to digbeth which is where it should be anyway but if it was to be then another thought of mine is turn it into a little museum dedicated to the history of digbeth...
 
Hi Lyn. Yes there's no shortage of Digbeth history for a museum and there must be a suitable site. But as you say, unlikely to happen and will doubtless be regretted in the future.

Anyone know why it was moved to Cannon Hill Park in the early 1900s? Must have been quite costly to do, so there must have been a specific purpose in mind. Viv.


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OK Lyn. Pity, but at least it was rescued. Came across this lovely Keith Berry photo. Seems it was used as a cricket pavilion for a while. There are so few examples of this sort of building left in Birmingham. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1414231976.488837.jpg


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so sad to see it now viv...im sure i have been in it when it was refreshment place...i used to watch then boyfriend play sunday cricket so it could have been then..many moons ago lol
 
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Vivienne

The Golden Lion was moved to stop it being demolished when the road through Digbeth was upgraded. If it had remained it would have been in the middle of the city bound lane. In 1911 the building was dismantled and re-erected at Cannon Hill Park. Its move was funded by the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society. It seems that in those days we had societies that were willing to put their money where their mouths are.
 
Vivienne

The Golden Lion was moved to stop it being demolished when the road through Digbeth was upgraded. If it had remained it would have been in the middle of the city bound lane. In 1911 the building was dismantled and re-erected at Cannon Hill Park. Its move was funded by the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society. It seems that in those days we had societies that were willing to put their money where their mouths are.


well said phil...
 
When you do get a reply maybe express there are others who would love to see it moved back to Digbeth. Museum and coffee shop sounds good. Or a community centre/workshop. Endless ideas, I guess turning it back to a pub would be my own personal preference, two ancient inns next to each other. Bristol has many places like this and it really ads to the city. I think there is an underspend in Birmingham by Arts and Heritage funding, I'm sure I read that somewhere so something like this could be great way to spend some lottery funding.
 
Isn't it amazing that money can be found for a statue costing £100,000 but this building has basically rotted away to the point that it would cost millions just to bring it back up to standard let alone move it. Talking of which moving it back to Digbeth is a truly fantastic idea.
 
Isn't it amazing that money can be found for a statue costing £100,000 but this building has basically rotted away to the point that it would cost millions just to bring it back up to standard let alone move it. Talking of which moving it back to Digbeth is a truly fantastic idea.


not really amazing captblack its standard pratice now to put the new before the old...


alfred the council are well aware how we all feel about the golden lion but being a realist i doubt if it will make them sit up and listen..fingers crossed though

lyn
 
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Not sure I am right here, but I think I heard that the money was raised specifially for the statue (which I don't like) from the public and I think Ikon Gallery had some financial input. I don't think it was Council money (I jolly well hope it wasn't!!).
 
Apparently the money was raised from The Arts Council, Birmingham City Council and the Ikon Gallery. I wonder in what proportions the donations were made, I expect BCC topped the list. Not that I expect that many of the people of Birmingham would have wanted the money spent on the Golden Lion as we can't expect everybody to think as we do, but I'm sure that many of them would rather have seen the money spent elsewhere.
 
I don't really think the statue is relevant here. The money for that would have come from the arts budget. Restoration is usually Heritage or some such. I could think of quite a lot of stuff that should have been maintained by someone (occasionally the council) that should have had a much higher priority. The sort of places that are still in use to start with.
 
I don't really think the statue is relevant here. The money for that would have come from the arts budget. Restoration is usually Heritage or some such. I could think of quite a lot of stuff that should have been maintained by someone (occasionally the council) that should have had a much higher priority. The sort of places that are still in use to start with.
I agree with you WAM and fear it would be a diversion to use as an argument with the council.
 
thanks bernie...not surprised one little bit...our historical buildings are fast going again and there is nothing we can do to stop it..they are just not money spinners ...nothing has been learnt over the past 50 years im afraid..
 
had this reply to the email i sent councillor phil davis last week..looks like the survey on the gold lion will be very soon....


Dear Linda

I've checked with the council and I'm told that our Property Services section will have the survey underway soon.

Once I have further information I will be in touch

Regards

Phil

Cllr Philip Davis
Heritage Champion BCC


for those of you showing an interest in the golden lion it has now been a while (oct 2014) since i received the above email from phil davis..i have just emailed him asking for news on this surposed survey of the building...will keep you informed

lyn
 
Come on Lyn
Are you really expecting the council to stump a lot of cash to reinstate the Stanards of the lion when we are facing economics
Crisis within our city along with the library and a high rate of personal council workers being dismissed
It very highly unlikely to spend on the lion that's the old saying, you cannot have your cake and eat it
Best wishes Alan,,Astonian,''
 
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