‘‘It will be a very grand room. The original herringbone parquet floor is still there - that will be lovely for dancing on’’
and other construction quirks. Work in the basements - which previously stored the town’s treasury, a wine merchant’s vintage reserve and wartime secrets - has revealed a rich tapestry of building materials and fixtures.
Hand-cut stone flags, bisected beams, bricked-up fireplaces and gaslight mantles will be even more apparent when museum-like labels have been added.
“The basement is on the same level as the floor of the adjacent church. It’s only about 20 yards from the nave,” says Steve, an experienced builder.
Long Live the Queen
By Dave Doyle
The ‘Queen of Villages’ will reclaim her throne when an ambitious project returns her neglected hall to its palatial former glory.
History-mad restorers hope visitors will flock to Wath Upon Dearne after ex- council offices are reborn as a heritage centre, business hub, events space and much more. Originally a private manor house, an imposing Georgian white building is set to become a very public amenity with the involvement of a charitable trust.
Rotherham Council has finally agreed to sell Wath Hall to registered charity Wath Hall Ltd, after years of negotiation. Its four directors - Alex Fleming, Steve Bradwell, Alan Sherriff and Tim Binns - have been battling since 2015 to save the building, which had become surplus to council requirements and was
facing ‘vandalism’ by speculative commercial developers.
They have recruited volunteers, written funding bids, raised thousands of pounds and negotiated short-term leases to allow works to begin. Each director brings decades of practical, business and project management experience to the project. Each is putting his skills to the test, as they work together to give the grand, white building back to the village it once served.
They hope that the project will be complete in just five years, setting a benchmark for similar schemes around the region. The partially- renovated hall previously hosted a photography contest and an art exhibition in 2016. The following
40
aroundtownmagazine.co.uk
year it hosted a book launch after 15-year-old author Patrick Binns penned a history of the building. That was followed by another art exhibition and a craft fair. Future plans include creating underground exhibits for curious tourists to see the hall’s medieval foundations, vaulted strong room
“Most people don’t realise what this big, white building is sitting on top of. It would be a great school trip, once we’ve labelled everything.” The crypt-like, subterranean spaces might even find new life as a cosy little restaurant if the directors have their way.
The ground floor has already housed small exhibits and work on the upper and lower levels is now well underway. Upstairs, modern partition walls and false ceilings are to be removed to restore a grand old council chamber spanning the hall’s depth.
Steve’s apprentices unveiled hardwood floors and 1920s art deco mouldings that will be restored to their former glory.
“It will be a very grand room. The original herringbone parquet
Johnson family take tea on the North Terrace 1890
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
