C O N T E X T 1 2 5 : J U LY 2 0 1 2 5 status to any roadside polygonal plan building, such as that adjoining the old main road at Higham, west of Bury St Edmunds, and omit mention of the many (particularly here in the eastern counties) simple rectangular toll-houses that are now being demolished or altered beyond recognition, as seen in the photos of Carlton toll-house, just north of Saxmundham in east Suffolk. Patrick Taylor In good company From Ian Hume, Essex There is an error in Elizabeth McCrone’s article (‘Moving with the times’, Context 124, May). The lower picture is captioned ‘The Falkirk wheel, the world’s first and only boat lift’. I was much involved on behalf of English Heritage in the work to the Anderton Boat lift (built 1875). Wikipedia lists 16 other boat lifts. The Anderton is the oldest and the smallest, capacitywise, at 250 tons, and almost the smallest, at 15.25 metres lift. The largest and highest is under construction in China, and will lift 3,000 tons by 113 metres. Ian Hume Letters Turnpikes and toll-houses From Patrick Taylor, Suffolk My initial excitement at receiving a Transport Heritage issue of Context (May) soon turned to disappointment when I found not a single mention of the turnpike roads or of tollhouses, their main surviving artefact and the subject of my own recently published researches, reviewed from time to time in your publication. Also unmentioned in your coverage, the Milestone Society is perhaps ahead of the game here.When the oil runs out there will be a wave of nostalgia for this early national transport system, but it may well be too late, as much more will be lost by then. Our listings in this area are particularly out of date and often misguided. They attribute toll-house ‘This is the right time for me to move on and try my hand at a new challenge outside government.’ Ruth Parsons announcing that she will stand down as chief executive of Historic Scotland after a turbulent 30 months in the job. ‘The proposed new building does not complement or enhance the existing building or its wider setting.We remain concerned about the long-term sustainability of the scheme and its relationship with the neighbouring Aston University Campus. ‘We think there is potential to deliver a convincing design solution for this site which responds to the townscape quality of the listed building.We continue to urge the design team to rethink the scheme.’ Design Council Cabe commenting on the proposed conversion of Birmingham’s Grade II-listed former central fire station to student accommodation and commercial uses. ‘In honour of Glasgow tradition, the Olympic flame will be used to burn down a listed building to make way for a nightclub.’ Comedian Frankie Boyle celebrates the Olympic torch relay on Twitter (@frankieboyle). ‘Itwould be a great crime to remove these figures of London and national life. Newton fitted in at Leicester Square as his first experiments were about light and film. Hogarth’s association is with the bawdy, drunken side of London. The square shouldn’t end up with a bland landscaping which doesn’t link to place or history.’ Historian Tristram Hunt MP protesting in the Evening Standard atWestminster City Council’s decision to remove busts ofWilliam Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir Isaac Newton and the surgeon John Hunter from Leicester Square during its refurbishment. The council explained that the statues,‘fairly weather-beaten and fragile’, had been taken into storage to be assessed.The busts were seriously damaged a few years ago when they were cleaned with hydrazine. Carlton toll-house in around 1993 (upper) and more recently: unlisted and unloved
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