TRUST TOPICS

Doncaster Civic Trust Newsletter ©

Issue No. 36 February 2009

Contents
Page 2
The Regent Square Lion
and its Pillar

Page 3
Winter Programme 2009
Local History Fair
Members’ News

Pages 4 & 5
A Journey on Foot from
Hexthorpe to Conisbrough
Eyesore Corner

Pages 6, 7, 8 & 9
Art Deco –
Putting Fun into Function

Pages 10 & 11
Planning Matters

Page 11
Buffet Supper 2008
The Guildhall, Frenchgate :
Page 12
The Back Page Doncaster’s Euston Arch?
Doncaster’s Euston Arch
See The Back Page
Doncaster Civic Trust : Registered Charity No. 508674 : Founded in 1946
Hon. Sec : E L Braim, 2 Lawn Road, Doncaster DN1 2JF Tel : 01302 367512

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The Regent Square Lion and its Pillar
One of Doncaster’s curiosities is the stone lion which stands on a
pillar of stone blocks in Regent Square. Although it is close to the
main road, on South Parade opposite The Salutation, it is obscured
by the bus shelters, the waiting passengers and, until recently, the
abundant landscaping.

Although not a very visible landmark, it is an important artifact.

Or, rather, two important artifacts, which were brought to Regent
Square and put together in 1902. The pillar is said to come from the
ruins of St Mary Magdalene’s Church which stood in the Market Place
from Norman times to the mid C16. Parts of this building were
incorporated in a new Town Hall, and only after its demolition in
1846 could the ancient masonry be removed.

The lion is reputed to have been a part of the Theatre which stood opposite the Woolpack Hotel
in the Market Place. It was originally the Doncaster crest, mounted in the centre of the pediment
at roof level. The building was erected in 1775 to the design of William Lindley, the architect who
enlarged the Mansion House in 1801. It was dilapidated by 1880, and demolished in 1900.

Margaret Herbert, the Grand Theatre champion, had drawn the Trust’s attention to the plight of
the Regent Square Lion and its Pillar, and she had also spoken to Doncaster Museum’s manager.

Far left: Broken leg (and previous repair?)

Left: Damage to face
Above: Weathering or frost damage

The Trust thinks that the lion carving is vulnerable to both vandalism and weathering. It is clear
that part of a foreleg has broken off, its mouth has suffered damage and the stonework is eroding
in places.

The Trust has offered to fund the removal of the Lion and Pillar from its present site, together
with its re-erection in the Museum’s secure gardens. We would also provide a plaque explaining
the artifacts’ history.

However, alternative solutions are being considered. One plan is for the Council to progress a
major restoration scheme for Regent Square, which might include a secure perimeter of new
railings. In this case the Lion and its Pillar could form an important feature in the improved park.
But this looks like a long-term proposal.

We cannot talk about it for too long. We think the lion needs care and attention fairly quickly.
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Winter Programme 2009
All events to take place at Hall Cross Upper School, Thorne Road

Thursday 19 February 2009 at 7.30 pm

Andrew Firth on “Signs of the Times” at Hall Cross School

Thursday 19 March 2009 at 7.30 pm

Julian Brandram on “Gardens Great and Small – Looking at Gardens Open to the Public”
at Hall Cross School

Local History Fair 22 November 2008

The Doncaster Local History Fair was held on the 22nd
November at the College for the Deaf on Leger Way.

As usual there were plenty of stands representing many

aspects of local history all across the Borough. There were
also speakers on the Sand House, the Sprotbrough area and
Brodsworth, although regrettably I was unable to hear them
this year.

As a Trust we were very pleased with our allocated space.

There was plenty of room for a double-sided display of our
photographs, which always attract a great deal of attention.

In addition we were close to the entrance and were one of the first stands to be seen by visitors.
The day was certainly successful for us as we sold a considerable number of publications as well as
gaining some new members.

As usual, events of this sort can only work with the enthusiasm of its volunteer helpers. So a big
thank you this year to Sue, Malcolm, Jill, Kath, Mary, Tina, John and Archie for all the work you put
in on the day, as well as to Eric for his involvement in planning the event.

Peter Coote, Co-ordinator

Members’ News : Fred Hibbert

We were saddened to hear of the death of Fred Hibbert, who had been an
enthusiastic member of our Planning and Conservation Sub-committee for some
years until he removed to the Isle of Man to be near his family. Fred had kept in
touch, sending me press cuttings about Archibald Knox, a Manx artist contemporary
of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. In 2006 the Archibald Knox Society was founded in
Douglas, Isle of Man. His widow rang me to say that September’s Trust Topics had
arrived shortly after Fred had passed away.

Trust Topics is edited by:

Archie Sinclair, 43 Ellers Avenue, Bessacarr, Doncaster DN4 7DY
e-mail: sinclairs@e-malin.freeserve.co.uk
tel: 01302 538225
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 A Journey on Foot
from Hexthorpe Flatts to Conisbrough
Hugh Parkin 16 October 2008

Hugh Parkin’s trip down memory lane started by describing how he

used to catch a trolley bus from town to the gates of Hexthorpe
Flatts. Magnesian limestone had been quarried here for centuries and
although not of the highest quality, the stone was used for walls and
roofing slates, or stone tiles, in the surrounding area.

The quarries became unprofitable and were disused by 1850 when the Town Council decided to
change it into a public pleasure ground. They asked Joseph Paxton (of Chatsworth and later
Crystal Palace fame) to design a scheme. After meeting the committee he advised them against it
and nothing was done for a further 50 years. In 1902 the Council finally decided to make the
Flatts into a park, and this was opened the same year on August Bank Holiday, with a great crowd
of people enjoying themselves. By 1903 there was boating on the river Don, and by 1929 a café
had been built and a bandstand erected in one of the former quarries which had been named the
Dell. Apart from concerts with bands or choirs, plays were performed. In 1933, illuminations
were installed in the Dell.

Continuing westwards along the river takes you to the Horseshoe Tunnel and a railway line
started in 1910. It was completed in 1914 and included a bridge constructed of steel pillars filled
with limestone.

Further on is the bridge which carries the A1(M) motorway over the river. This was opened by
Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport, on 31 July 1961.

Across the river can be seen

St Dominic’s cave, of local
legend fame, and the heights
of Sprotbrough, on which the
Copley family built
Sprotbrough Hall in 1680.
The Hall has long since been
demolished, and only part of
the stable block remains.
Next is Engine Wood, named
after an engine that was used
for raising water from the
river up to the Hall.

Sprotbrough Bridge and the River Don

Sprotbrough Lock was constructed as part of the Don Navigation Scheme starting in the 1730’s.
From 1841 a water bus carried passengers from Doncaster to Swinton.

Until 1849, river crossing was by ferry boat, hence the house named “Ferry House” where,
reputedly, Sir Walter Scott stayed when he was writing Ivanhoe.

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The bridge and toll house were built in 1849 for Sir Joseph William Copley of Sprotbrough Hall.
Tolls collected here for passage over Sprotbrough Bridge were said to have been given by the
Copley family to the Doncaster Dispensary.

Sprotbrough Bridge
Toll House 1849

Further along the river was the hamlet of Levitt Hagg which has a history of its own. From the
18th century it was involved in the quarrying and burning of limestone (to create quicklime for
mortar and fertilizer). The building of small ships was also carried out. Recently, after years of
quarrying, the area has been turned into a landfill site.

Walking upstream you come across Farcliffe Wood, Sprotbrough

Flash Nature Reserve, Fellsight Flash, Cadeby Common and various
other quarries, some of which provided the stone to build York
Minster.

You then come to the Conisbrough Rainbow Bridge which was

completed in 1849, and the spectacular Conisbrough Viaduct, built in
1909. This has 21 arches and was built from 12 million Conisbrough
blue bricks. This line is now disused.

Further along on the left is the view of the magnificent keep of

Conisbrough Castle (right).

And finally, after a short walk, you can cross the railway line and catch a train back to Doncaster.

Liz Brown

Eyesore
Corner
Revisited
The rash of unauthorised advertisements continues
to spread over the skin of the former Odeon
cinema. If this is allowed to continue, people might
begin to think it is considered acceptable on a
building in a conservation area.
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Art Deco – Putting Fun into Function
Professor Clyde Binfield - 20 November 2008

This was no ordinary slide show. Professor Binfield used a very carefully crafted commentary to
set out what Art Deco was; what it wasn’t; and how it came about.

The 1925 Paris exhibition Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes is
regarded as the start of the movement. The name Art Deco was taken up widely after 1968,
when the art historian Bevis Hillier wrote “Art Deco of the 20s and 30s”, making a snappy
abbreviation from the original French.

Art Deco was modern and it was an

international style, but it wasn’t
modernist.

The International Style or international

modernism (left) was rational,
philosophical and intellectual.

Villa Savoye, Poissy, France, 1931

Architect: Le Corbusier (photo Arcaid)

Art Deco was fleeting, irrational, commercial, stylish and contemporary (below right). Surfaces
played a big part, but the style was no mere veneer. It had the shock of the new, but the style can
still be placed in the development of design.

It was quite short-lived: from 1925 until 1939 and

the Second World War. Its origins lay not only
in Art Nouveau, where geometric patters had
been developed by some designers alongside the
more familiar whiplash curves, but also in the
Futurism, Expressionism and Cubism movements.
In 1921 Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened and
world-wide interest grew in Egyptian design
motifs. Anthropologists published studies of
other cultures and their art. The world was
changing, with aeroplanes, mass production and
machines. Everything seemed to be metal and
streamlined. The Breakwater Hotel, Ocean Drive, Miami Beach 1939
(photo Patricia Bayer)

At this point I was hoping that the Professor was going to show a Gresley A4 Pacific steam
locomotive, as we were in Doncaster, but no. He could have done.

Art Deco was no style for the Thought Police. Although it was the first truly international style,
because it was taken up so widely, there were no great Art Deco architects. Art Deco lacked the
rigour and strategy to be an intellectual art movement. Many leading architects were in Germany
in the 20s, and made their way to the United States, some via Britain, before the War. They took
with them the ethos of the Bauhaus and International Modernism and captured the American
architecture schools for their great architecture, not for Art Deco.

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At this point, Professor Binfield told us that his talk hadn’t yet begun – he was only giving us the
background.

The lecture (you couldn’t really call it just a talk) began with an
image of a building in Covent Garden. It looked like a grand
classical house of the 18th century, with a wealth of Baroque
elements.

We were told that it was, in fact, an office building with floors

of equal height, despite the carefully devised elevation. It was in
the “Wrenaissance” style, a name given to Edwardian Baroque,
where motifs and elements “culled and adapted from the
golden age of English architecture were part and parcel of the
movement”. It was actually the offices of Country Life
magazine, by Edwin Lutyens, 1904, shown left. It was a good,
naughty building by a good, naughty architect, said the speaker,
who pointed out details of the design which anticipated those
found in Art Deco. (photo Richard Fellows, Edwardian Architecture)

The next building was by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, his only

work in England, at Northampton. In 1916 he remodelled a
narrow terraced house at 78 Derngate as the first home of the
newly married Bassett-Lowkes. Mackintosh had little
significant architectural work in Glasgow after 1907, and had
moved to Walberswick on the Suffolk coast to paint, mostly
watercolour flower studies. We heard how the locals there
had mistaken him for a spy, with his strange (Scottish) accent
and his continual sketching. So the Mackintoshes relocated to
Chelsea.

Bassett-Lowke knew of Mackintosh’s earlier work and wanted

something special, and he was not disappointed. The
geometric patterns in the hall at Derngate were original and
striking. The chevrons and triangles could have been designed
15 years later.
Front door, 78 Derngate

Three years later, Mackintosh designed the guest bedroom at

78 Derngate in a riot of blue and white stripes.

After the Bassett-Lowkes had George Bernard Shaw to stay, he

was asked, “How could you sleep in that bedroom?” “I shut
my eyes” was his reply.

A few years later in 1926, Bassett-Lowke wanted to build a

new detached house on a plot in the Northampton suburbs.
By this time, however, Mackintosh and his wife had made their
home in Port Vendres, southern France, so Bassett-Lowke
commissioned Peter Behrens, a German architect, to build him
“New Ways”.

Guest bedroom, 78 Derngate, 1919 (photo Colin Baxter)

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Although a renowned modernist, Behrens incorporated design elements of Art Deco.

New Ways, shown in Ideal Home Magazine January 1927 2006 photo showing its more traditional neighbours

We were shown Stockholm City Hall 1911-23 by Ragnar Ostberg, a powerful brick building with a
tower, and asked to compare it with Norwich City Hall 1932-38. Another Northern European
building was the Atlantis cinema in Bremen, 1931, with its glass block walling, “the Art Deco give-
away”, said our speaker. It had a dramatic rocket-like staircase. Art Deco was the style of
cinemas and theatres, entertainment and glamour.

We had seen examples from the United States, great buildings in New York, and a concentration
in Miami Beach, in Florida. Others were in Manila in the Philippines, Brazil in South America, and
Havana in Cuba.

The Professor then took us on an imaginary journey with visitors from Australia, itself home to
many Art Deco buildings, to London. We saw Claridge’s and The Savoy and their stylish interiors,
and then a series of 1930s buildings which visitors would use: For travelling: the Daimler Garage,
London Transport Headquarters (with sculpture by Epstein, Gill and Moore), Imperial Airways
Terminal and Victoria Coach Station; and for shopping: Heals (with “a truly smoochy staircase”),
Derry and Thoms and Harrods.

A trip out on the Western Avenue took us to the former Hoover Factory, by Wallis Gilbert and
Partners, 1933, (“where Egypt meets the Aztecs – and wins”), one of this country’s best known
Art Deco buildings, and now a Tesco. Fortunately the new signage is discreet, and the building still
says Hoover.

Back into the city to the

BBC’s Broadcasting House,
1932, with its curves,
geometric patterns and
sculpture by Eric Gill and
Gilbert Bayes.

Right: Broadcasting House, with in

foreground John Nash’s All Souls’
Church, Langham Place

Far right: Eric Gill’s Prospero and

Ariel carving above the main
entrance 1931

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Charles Holden, who designed many buildings for London Transport including their HQ, also
designed London University’s Senate House, 1932-37. Our speaker thought that its Aztec bulk
crushed the heart out of Bloomsbury. At 19 storeys high, it certainly dominates the elegant
London squares nearby.

And so to our final destination: Eltham Palace was acquired in 1305, and its Great Hall built in
1470. It was the boyhood home of Henry VIII but after the 16th century it was eclipsed by
Greenwich Palace and declined rapidly. It was used as a farm and its parkland was cleared and
reduced in size. The hall was saved from demolition in the 19th century but despite its
restoration in 1828, it was still used as a barn.

In the 1930s a lease was acquired by Stephen and

Virginia Courtauld, a wealthy couple whose family
had done well in funeral clothing and brewing.
They built a new house adjoining the hall.

Although English Heritage calls this “an ultra-

modern design”, this has to be just the interior.

The Professor suggested its exterior was “sub-

Wren and sub-Lutyens, definitely not English and
possibly Louis XIII or XIV”.
Entrance Hall, Eltham Palace (photo English Heritage)

The Courtaulds occupied their new house for only eight years, from 1936-44. It was then
occupied by Army educational units until 1992. English Heritage took it over in 1995 and opened
it to the public, restored or replicated to its Art Deco splendour, in 1999.

We enjoyed a tour of the lavish interior, with its streamlined lighting, built-in furniture, pink
leather chairs, aluminium coved ceilings and fine woods, like bird’s eye maple. We saw an electric
fire set in a marble surround of black and white marble in a Greek Key design; and a bathroom in
yellow “Vitrolite” from Pilkington’s glass – possibly from Kirk Sandall?

Our speaker pointed out the bathroom’s bidet; “bidet fixe” was his comment, a pun on the French
idée fixe, meaning an obsession. I felt that I needed to know where that came from.

It was a wonderful evening, full of history, design, wisdom and entertainment. It was a pleasure to
hear such a well-considered and modulated presentation.

And the bidet fixe? The late Osbert Lancaster, cartoonist, artist, writer and all-round genius, had a
mother-in-law obsessed with hygiene to such an extent that she travelled abroad not only with
her own sheets but also her bidet, an elaborate Victorian model, decorated with hand-painted
violets and lilies of the valley. Once Osbert, much to his embarrassment, had to carry this
receptacle the length of the Blue Train after it had been mislaid on the Calais quayside. His wife
Karen attempted to ease the situation by explaining: “You must realise, darling, that my poor dear
mother suffers from a bidet-fixe.”

Osbert Lancaster, writing about his mother-in-law in his memoir With an Eye to the Future (1967):

Archie Sinclair
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Planning Matters
The Planning and Conservation sub-committee meets every month to consider whether to object
or comment on applications relating to conservation areas, listed buildings and major projects.
There has been a decline in the overall number of planning applications in recent months, no
doubt due to the economic downturn. Consequently our objections have been few, but we have
been fully occupied with other conservation matters, including some reviews of designated
conservation areas.
In September we expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed alterations to both the ground floor
and first floor of Edwards, the pub on Hall Gate. The frontage of Edwards was not old but it made
a positive contribution to the street. By contrast we felt the proposed alterations would detract
from the appearance of the Conservation area.
Also in September we studied the outline proposals for the Civic and Cultural Quarter. We were
concerned that some of the development was too high, notably residential development of 5
storeys close to St Peter’s Church and a proposed 4 storey hotel on the Civic Theatre site. Both
should be 3 storeys. In addition, we felt that the whole plan lacked sufficient greenery. This could
be remedied with avenues of trees. We also felt there was insufficient space between the tall
buildings.
We also commented on an application for changes to 8, Market Place, in Thorne’s conservation
area. One of the proposals was to replace the windows in the upper floors and we requested that
these should be sash windows to match the adjoining property. The two buildings together form
one architectural unit.
We looked at a number of proposals for new development but only objected to one: a proposal
to build 143 dwellings off Littleworth Lane, Old Rossington. According to the Unitary
Development Plan, this land is designated as a countryside policy area not housing.
Doncaster MBC is reviewing all its designated conservation areas. These areas usually contain a
mix of listed and unlisted buildings. The main advantage of the designation is that it helps to
protect the character of these conservation areas by ensuring that no building can be demolished
without consent. Trust Topics has previously reported our comments on the review of the
Market Place and High Street conservation areas, undertaken by consultants.

Since September the Trust’s views have been sought by Doncaster MBC on reviews of two
further areas, St. George’s and Newton.

St. George’s Conservation Area is an important part of the town with the fine Victorian Gothic
Minster at its heart.
It also includes a number of other key buildings
including the old college, the former Old Crown pub
and the Clergy House, also known as Doctor Miller‘s
house after the musician and antiquarian who once
lived there. Our main comment on this report was to
state that we felt that the Memorial Hall, shown left,
situated behind the church, contributed to the
character of the area and should not be undervalued.
This important area is now receiving attention: some
time ago we also commented on the Minster Quarter
Regeneration plans.
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Less well known is Newton, a tiny hamlet hidden away between the suburbia of Sprotbrough Road
and the River Don. It has considerable character and, after a visit, we agreed that we were happy
with the detailed report. Some re-drawing of the eastern boundary of the conservation area will
have to be made due to some changes in the features of the landscape, but all the buildings will
remain within the designated area.

Planning and Conservation Sub-committee

Buffet Supper December 2008

After the previous year’s less-than-cheery event, the Trust decided to things differently. Although
we chose to return to St Peter’s in Chequer Road, for its excellent parking and access, we were
determined that all efforts had to be made to bring the venue up to a comfortable temperature.
And, in spite of the cold weather on the night, there was a warm welcome for members in the
hall. We also decided that we would have a shorter talk, and keep it “in house”, to keep down
the time (and the cost!). Eric Braim had offered a collection of slides of Doncaster’s demolished
buildings which he had taken mostly in the 1960’s. I added some of my own, and put together a
virtual tour of the town centre with 50 images. We sped through these and got on to the main
business of the evening – the buffet. Our usual team of Tina, the two Sues and their husbands,
Malc and Colin, John and helpers Mary and Mairaid did a fantastic job, and members rallied round
at the end to put the room back in order. So, thanks to everyone for their efforts, and special
thanks to the Church for responding to our plea (via John) for more heat.

Before: Tina takes stock of her desserts After: The proof of the pudding….

Below: The main attraction of the evening – the buffet!

John caught red-handed

Many hands make light work

Archie Sinclair
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The Back Page – Doncaster’s Euston Arch?
Last September we received a fascinating letter from a local resident. He was appealing to us for
help in finding the demolished Guildhall’s portico columns.

Doncaster’s Guildhall of 1848 was

one of the lost buildings featured in
the talk at the Buffet Supper in
December. It was an imposing neo-
classical building in blackened
sandstone with Corinthian columns
and stood on the Great North Road
in Frenchgate. After the new Police
HQ and Courts were built in 1968,
the old Guildhall was demolished,
and on its site a new extension was
constructed for Marks & Spencer,
linked to its Baxtergate premises.
Frenchgate, looking north, with the Guildhall dominating the street
The letter writer said that when Doncaster MBC opened up the Sandy Lane tip to start the
developments at Lakeside in the early 1990’s he saw the segments of the Guildhall’s portico
columns. He informed Doncaster Museum, and there were suggestions that the columns could be
erected at the entrance to Sandall Beat or at Cusworth Hall, but nothing ever materialized. The
columns have disappeared but, he said, they were last reported by locals in Hyde Park to have
been used in the construction of the roads around Lakeside as it was developed.

He wondered if they were stolen, or did Doncaster MBC sell them? Or do they now occupy a
position in a councillor’s, or ex-councillor’s, garden? He appealed to the Doncaster Civic Trust
for “anything constructive as to where to start the search, or any information whatsoever”.

The writer was hoping that the Trust had some inside knowledge about the columns, but actually
we don’t. Sorry. The writer knows much more than we do. In short, he has first-hand
knowledge that the segments were in or on the Sandy Lane tip, and second-hand knowledge that
the sections of stone were used in the engineering works at Lakeside. Confirmation of their
Lakeside resting place could only come from Doncaster MBC’s engineers or their contractors.

But the mystery of the whereabouts of parts of a

neo-classical landmark is not a new one. Readers
may remember London’s Euston Arch, a
monument destroyed in the modernisation of the
station in 1961. Some of the stones ended up in
Bromley, in the garden of the demolition
contractor. Then, in 1994, the broadcaster and
architectural historian Dan Cruickshank
discovered that about 60 per cent of them had
been used to plug a large hole in the bed of the
Prescott Channel, a canal in the East End. The
stone is Yorkshire gritstone and reputed to be in
good condition. There is now a campaign to re-
erect the Arch using all available original material.
Euston Arch 1837 Architect: Philip Hardwick

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