Church's Historic Waterfront - Page 2

Darby · 23-08-2004, 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

With reference to the photo of Dr Harbinson's old surgery, I was in the area the other day and took photo's of that and the house that backs onto Rastricks, because they are both now empty and with the demolition planned for that area I thought that it would be a good idea to record them before the bulldozers got there. Tealeaf posted it in error.

Correct me if I am wrong but the former Antley Pub is on the same side of the road and is now a Muslim Girls School. I wonder if that will be coming down too? It would be nice if there was a plan of the areas to be demolished in that part of town.

And a nice photo it is too. I wasn't complaining in any shape or form, and good luck to you A-Bob, I don't know what they'll pull down next. Oak Tree? or turn it into a Mosque?

Has the world gone crazy? There won't be any heritage left in a couple of years, no wonder I don't want to come back to live in Accy, Church or Ossy...I wouldn't recognise them soon, and may get lost!!

As somebody else has said. Wouldn't it be better to sell existing houses to young couples at a cheap price and throw in a modernisation grant. At least the area would still look like Church and retain something of historical value.!

Acrylic-bob · 23-08-2004, 15:30

Here is the photo. I can't see Willow's tree though.

Darby: Yes, I agree that the £11,000,000 available for regeneration would be much better spent in improvement grants than squandered by HBC on an endless round of feasibility studies and Nigel Rix's Empire Building schemes. Hey, but we just live here, what do we know?

Tealeaf · 23-08-2004, 15:43

Just to let you know that there is an article in today's "Times"which compare the East Lancs Elevate Regeneration Schemes to the forced housing clearances of the Scottish Highlands in the 18 & 19th centuries. You can view it on line. Type in "Darwen" in search on it's site.

Acrylic-bob · 23-08-2004, 16:09

Thanks for that Tealeaf.

Two points stand out.
"Terrace houses that are built on hills tend to be stepped, each with a cornice or parapet lower or higher than it's neighbours. The Darwen houses are distinct because the roofs form a continuous slope the length of the terrace."

and

"They can at least take heart from nearby Nelson. Here a compulsory purchase order to bulldoze an area of similar traditional stone built terrace housing was challenged and the houses are now being refurbished."

I have the full article and can make it available if anyone is interested. PM me your email address.

Tealeaf · 23-08-2004, 16:37

OK...now that some of you have replied to the questions, I'll give you a couple of further clues. So far, Doug has been partially right on the height of the entrance & K.S.H. is going in the right direction for the building corner. However, everyone seems obsessed by the towpath.
What towpath? There are no towpaths on that side of the canal, and I doubt if the horse would have gone for a paddle while towing the barge. The towpath is on the opposite side of the canal, and we can see from Acyril's picture where serious wearing was done on the bridge structure by the tow rope on a full 90% left hand turn in the canal.
Talking about geometric angles...thats the clue to the second question, while the clue to the first is three-dimensional.

While you're having a think about it, who remembers the Banana Chimney just round the bend from the warehouse?

Acrylic-bob · 23-08-2004, 17:01

>>What towpath? There are no towpaths on that side of the canal<<

Ah, yes, well, actually, while it is not technically a towpath, in the sense that you could get a horse on it. There is actually a path of sorts on the opposite side of the canal to the official towpath which, as we have seen, you could get a horse on which runs from the yard at the rear of the Commercial Hotel to the yard at the rear of the warehouse. It is composed of flagstones built into the base of the building and is about 2-3 feet wide.

Doug · 23-08-2004, 17:18

Hi bob, This new pic is helpful, but would be more so if you could pull it back a bit so we see the whole building. Please.......

Acrylic-bob · 23-08-2004, 18:28

Here it is, as requested. This is the whole photo.

Doug · 23-08-2004, 18:43

Cheers bob; I was interested in seeing A. The Bank aside the warehouse and the pool and B. the location of the gib? if that's what it is.

JohnW · 23-08-2004, 19:17

Would the angle of the wall allow the vehicle being loaded to be angled across the corner to better facilitate the vehicle being centred under the descending load. There's a tree in the way, it's difficult to see just how much the wall goes in below the right angle. If it isn't very much, then I guess this wouldn't be the reason.

Acrylic-bob · 23-08-2004, 20:49

I think I may have a partial solution.

The space in the canal to the left of the building would accomodate two barges, moored with their prows against the wall of the building. The diagonal section of the wall together with the winch beam above would imply some sort of moveable walkway or gangplank, maybe one that was heavy enough to allow a cart to cross, which is why it would need a winch to move it.

Acrylic-bob · 23-08-2004, 21:28

Interestingly, the 1845 OS First edition map of the area shows a footpath crossing the site through a gap in the wall on bridge street, across the site of the warehouse yard and exiting via the flagged walk onto Maden street. Could the diagonal sectioning of the wall of the warehouse, together with the flagged walkway be an accomodation to allow this foot traffic?

Darby · 24-08-2004, 05:14

A really interesting thread this one. I can rmember playing on the Bridge on Bridge St. as a tot and watching the barges being loaded and unloaded. The photos you are posting A-Bob are first class, but bring a tear to my eye, just thinking of what it was and what it has become. It never was a place of beauty, but a working place and always had plenty of rats (seem hundreds of 'em).

But it cries out for heritage money and need to be put back in order...working order...with ropes, block & tackle, and (dare I say it) a Barge or two. This particular site IS CHURCH and stands for what Church was!

Anyway, I've wiped the tears away....carry on....great stuff!!

Acrylic-bob · 24-08-2004, 06:29

Ok, I think that I have got it. Goods In at the front of the building under the arch would be hoisted to whatever level and stored. There has to be some reason why the windows facing the canal are so large and level with the floor. The reason is because they were used for loading/unloading. the diagonal section of the corner is integral to the building and not a later addition so it was obviously intended to be there from the begining. And why put a lifting beam on a corner? It didnt make sense until I thought of it as a bracket beam which held a rotating rotating arm which could service two sides of the building. the diagonal section is to accomodate the thicker base which did not rotate. Sorry for the scrappy nature of the drawing, but trying to draw with a mouse is feindishly difficult.

Tealeaf · 24-08-2004, 08:10

OK A-B.....You've got it. If you have a hoist (comprising pivot, jib and block & tackle) directly against a wall it's maximum arc of operation is 180 degrees (it can lift or drop to it's left, right and straight ahead)...however, put it at a 45 o angle between 2 walls and the arc of operation increases to 270o. This means in the warehouse case that barges can be unloaded/loaded directly to/from the warehouse or on to/off a cart (or even from a cart to the canalfront of the warehouse)

Clever lot, these Georgians.....now what about the height of the arch?