C O N T E X T 1 2 2 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 15 Chris Daniell is senior historic building advisor to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. numerous sales plots, as past experience has shown that the more intractable problems get forgotten, while the more profitable areas quickly get sold. By treating sites as an entity there is a greater likelihood that historic assets will be cared for and historic buildings renovated as part of the total scheme. Before sale there are many issues to address, such as if there are any former owners with rights to the site, contamination (whether pollutants or unexploded ordnance), and the cultural heritage or natural environment considerations. In the case of historic buildings becoming empty, the MoD has worked with English Heritage to secure the buildings and maintain them in windand-weather-tight condition. If planning permission is sought before sale, there are extensive consultations with the local planning authority and other bodies.The consultations and necessary reports can take months and give the impression that nothing is happening on some sites, although in truth a great deal of work is going on. Two case studies highlight the issues that occur on the MoD estate. The first is that of the Block Mills in Portsmouth Naval Base. It is one of the MoD’s most important buildings. Its importance lies in the fact that it was the home to one of the world’s first mechanised production lines – making wooden block pulleys for ships’ rigging. It also housed the navy’s first steam engine. It was one of the very earliest machine-based industrial buildings in the world to be purpose built, illustrative of both the first industrial revolution and the mechanisation of warfare. The building was started in 1802 by the inspector-general of naval works, Brigadier General Sir Samuel Bentham, and the production line was designed by Marc Brunel, father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Today its importance is recognised by being both a scheduled monument and Grade I listed building. The Block Mills has had a long and varied history. Its fame was such in the 19th century that it became a visitor attraction and it was one of the last buildings visited byVice-Admiral Nelson before he embarked on HMS Victory for the Battle of Trafalgar. During the second world war the north range was bombed. Hasty repairs were carried out and the building remained in continuous use until the 1960s, when it fell into disuse. By the end of the 20th century the building was decaying and it was added to the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register. In 2006 the MoD, in close liaison with English Heritage, undertook extensive restorations of the buildings.This work included completely removing the roof and the bowing walls of the North Range and replacing them, as well as replacing rotting structural timber in the South Range. The work was carried out to such a high standard that it won the Georgian Group Architectural Award in 2008 in the category ‘Restoration of a Georgian Building in a Rural Setting’. Now the restoration is complete, the building has been removed from the Buildings at Risk Register. It has found a new use as a store for the rigging of Nelson’s flagship, HMSVictory which is berthed nearby, a fitting use for such a historic building with direct links to the Georgian navy. The second case study is that of Tedworth House. The house has a long history and was substantially rebuilt twice in the 19th century. The second owner to redevelop Tedworth was Sir John Kelk who, with his architect John Johnson, also designed and built Alexandra Palace in London.Tedworth House was bought by the War Department in 1896. In 1899 it became the Army’s headquarters for Salisbury Plain and in 1905 became the official residence of the General Officer Commanding in Chief. During the first world war and after it became the officers’ mess and nurses’ accommodation. In the second world war, Tedworth House was loaned to the United States Army for use as a club for GIs run by the American Red Cross.After the war it reverted to nurses’ accommodation and from 1977 it reverted to being the garrison officers’ mess and officers’ club. As part of the MoD’s redevelopment of theTidworth Garrison a new officers’ mess was built.Tedworth House was no longer needed and there was a real possibility that it would lie empty for a long period of time. A buyer or leaseholder was sought, and in February 2011 Tedworth House was leased to the Help for Heroes charity on the understanding that it would be converted into a recovery centre. Since the lease was signed works have forged ahead and the first injured soldiers were welcomed during the summer of 2011. It was a very positive achievement for Tedworth House to be leased to a charity which cares for the building and also to be used once again as a home for soldiers. The murals in the Corsham Tunnels were designed by Olga Lehmann for the workers of the Bristol Aeroplane Company working underground. Originally begun in the 19th century, the Corsham Tunnels were requisitioned just before the second world war and used for engine manufacture. During the cold war they became the proposed national seat of government in time of nuclear war.
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