Architecture

There isn't much terracotta to be found in Peterborough but the use of limestone in ornamentation is widespread and very effective. Matched with the cream coloured local brick it makes for attractive buildings such as this on Priestgate.

Wray's Buildings, Vicar Lane, Leeds were built c1900 of brick and terracotta in a neo-Jacobean style, with carved terracotta panels and Dutch gables. It is Grade II listed. This is the Sidney Street side of the building. In 1910 the shops on the Vicar Lane face were occupied by a butcher (No.64) and Robert Wray Ltd., confectioner (No.66).

The Patten Arms is situated across the road from Warrington Bank Quay Station and is named after local industrialist Thomas Patten who was instrumental in the development of copper smelting in the town. The use of cream brick is unusual in an area where red brick predominates The manufacturer of the bricks was probably one of those in the St Helens area. The resulting building is certainly eye-catching and impressive.

Ghost sign close to the station in Crewe. The brickwork around the window bays is an unusual feature too.

Polychromatic brickwork with stone detailing on the market hall in Crewe.

The Bolton School of Art and Design on Hilden Street was originally built in 1901 as Pupil Teachers'Centre. The architects were Bradshaw and Gass of Bolton. The building incorporates some fine terracotta ornamentation including a pair of shield-bearing lions (lions sejeant) which bear great similarity to those supplied by Dennis of Ruabon on the Co-op drapery building near the town centre.

An art school of 1880/1 designed by Silvanus Trevail and built by James Julian & Sons of Truro, remodelled and extended twice by Henry White FRIBA to provide a museum (1886/7) and a science school (1889). There are also mid-C20 additions and some later C20 alterations. It is listed Grade II.

The original cinema on this site in Southall was the Paragon Palace of 1912 which was taken over by the United Picture Theatres Ltd. chain in around 1928, with the view to demolish it and build a brand new cinema. Architect George Coles was appointed the circuit’s architect and UPT gave him the commission to design the first new cinema for the circuit (all the other cinemas were takeovers of older cinemas and theatres). The Palace Cinema was built in 1929 on an enlarged site of the former Paragon Palace Cinema, and it opened on 30th November 1929. Unfortunately, UPT overstretched their finances and the company were taken over by the Gaumont British Theatres Ltd. chain in April 1930 and they operated the Palace Cinema from July 1930. The cinema’s style in the form of a Chinese temple is unique in Britain. Its exotic tiled exterior with a red pagoda roof complete with dragons have long made the cinema a well-loved local landmark. Inside the building, the Chinese style continues, but a little more restrained. The terracotta faience and decorative features are the work of the Hathern Station Brick and Terra Cotta Company. It is listed Grade II*. After a number of owners and names it closed as the Liberty Cinema in 1982 and was converted to an indoor market. In 2001 it reopened as a three screen cinema but this failed in 2010 and was converted back to a market.

Corrugated iron is to the fore on these cattle sheds below Grin Low in Buxton. I particularly like the use of a fold down sheet to allow light and ventilation.

I spotted this narrow street whilst walking in central Glasgow. The Braithwaite water tank on top of the end building is a bonus.

I assume this to have been the harbourmaster's office at Brancaster Staithe. It overlooks the fishing quay.

Derelict homes at Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.

A very busy terracotta frontage on 27 West Street in Boston, Lincolnshire. I am surprised that the architect didn't manage to introduce even more varied details! :-o

Office buildings at the disused Newbridge limestone quarry at Pickering

Veitch's outfitting business was started in 1884 by Robert Veitch and his wife, Helen Binnie Peden at their house in Gladstone Place, Peebles, and one year later they moved into newly-built premises at 2 High Street. About 1887 the business extended into the adjoining shops, which had been formerly occupied by J. Laidlaw (butchers) and J. Mason (bootmakers) at 1 and 3 Northgate and twenty-three years later they took over premises at the rear, for a men's department. The upper-floor living-accommodation was also converted for business use at that time. The Veitch's 'logo' was originally drawn on the back of an envelope by a friend of R. B. Veitch whilst they were serving together during the First World War, and remained unchanged therafter. The business closed in 2008 and lay empty until January 2016 when Costa Coffee opened after several other proposals to re-open one of Peebles most historic buildings had failed to materialise.

This shop front in Kirkbymoorside dates from 1863 whilst the Kirk Forge operated here until around 1980. The lettered panels are cast iron. The building is listed Grade II.

The Midland Railway Institute on Railway Terrace, Derby, was opened in February 1894 as a cultural and educational centre for railway workers. At one time it contained a library of some 18,000 books, a concert hall with a stage and sitting for 500 people. In addition there were several other rooms set on one side for dining, meetings and games. In 1980 the Railway Institute had been leased off to the Post Office Social Club but that closed in 1994. Following the failure of plans to convert it to an arts centre, it was opened as a pub and party venue in 1996.

The chipboard curtains are up at the Station Hotel in Ellesmere Port.