| Summary : Birmingham Union Workhouse was built between 1850 and 1852 to designs by J Bateman and G Drury. It was extended in around 1866, with some later additions, and a large infirmary was added in 1888 to designs by W H Ward. Later additions in the 20th century were made by the same architect. The buildings are of pale brick with courses of blue brick and white-painted stone sills and other dressings, the roofs are tiled. Some of the buildings have been demolished and the remaining ones are in use as part of City Hospital (2005). The building plan is H-shaped with a central through carriageway in a projecting porch, with rooms to either side on the ground floor, and cross wings to each end. The building is of two storeys with a pitched roof and the end cross-wings and porch have gables to the facade. The central, Perpendicular-style carriage archway is set in a projecting two-storey porch with canted sides to the ground floor, each with a pedestrian arch. The cross-wings have groups of three windows to the facade, separated by brick mullions. There is stone coping to the gables, which are finished with wrought iron finials. Rising from the roof adjacent to the cross-wings are Tudor-style chimney stacks of one flue in width and nine flues depth. The cross-wings have small, two-storey gabled projections to the north and south elevations. Some original fittings remain including one fireplace surround and a staircase.It was one of the largest of such institutions to be erected in the 1850s under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. The workhouse, designed by John Jones Bateman (1817-1903) was built in the corridor style with a central large open rectangular well. The whole of the workhouse, with the exception of the gatehouse known as the Archway of Tears, was demolished in the early 1990s. |
More information : Birmingham Union Workhouse was built between 1850 and 1852 to designs by J Bateman and G Drury. It was extended in around 1866, with some later additions, and a large infirmary was added in 1888 to designs by W H Ward. Later additions in the 20th century were made by the same architect. The buildings are of pale brick with courses of blue brick and white-painted stone cills and other dressings, the roofs are tiled. Some of the buildings have been demolished and the remaining ones are in use as part of City Hospital (2005). A surviving part of these buildings was assessed for listing in 2010 but failed to meet the required criteria.
The Archway of Tears represents the only remaining element of a large workhouse, which was regarded at the time of its opening on March 9th 1852 as one of the finest in Europe. It was one of the largest of such institutions to be erected in the 1850s under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. The workhouse, designed by John Jones Bateman (1817-1903) was built in the corridor style with a central large open rectangular well. The whole of the workhouse, with the exception of the gatehouse known as the Archway of Tears, was demolished in the early 1990s.
The gatehouse to the former Birmingham Union Workhouse is of red-brick construction with stone dressings and a tiled roof. The plan is H-shaped with a central through carriageway in a projecting porch, with rooms to either side on the ground floor, and cross wings to each end. The building is of two storeys with a pitched roof and the end cross-wings and porch have gables to the facade. The central, Perpendicular-style carriage archway is set in a projecting two-storey porch with canted sides to the ground floor, each with a pedestrian arch. To either side are single windows to the ground floor, and a pair of windows to the first floor. The cross-wings have groups of three windows to the facade, separated by brick mullions. The central window is double light, those to the sides are single. All lintels and sills are of stone with mouldings to the window lintels, and foliate carving to the spandrels of the central archway. There is stone coping to the gables, which are finished with wrought iron finials. Rising from the roof adjacent to the cross-wings are Tudor-style chimney stacks of one flue in width and nine flues depth. The cross-wings have small, two-storey gabled projections to the north and south elevations. Some original fittings remain including one fireplace surround and a staircase. (1)
The Principles of Selection for Listing Buildings (March 2010) state that much greater selectivity is required when considering buildings dating after 1840, due to the much larger numbers which were erected and which consequently survive. The English Heritage Selection Guides for Health and Welfare Buildings (2007) states that corridor-plan (circa 1840-70) workhouses need to meet more rigorous criteria, especially regarding their architectural quality, the degree of intactness, and group value with related structures. The total loss of all the other parts of the workhouse inevitably has had a considerably negative impact on the significance of the Archway of Tears. It has lost its original context and raison d'etre and whilst isolated survivals can warrant designation the historical and architectural significance for a building of this late period would need to be considerably greater than those for a building whose context remained. Architecturally, the building is competent, balanced and a distinctive local reminder of the city's workhouse. However, one cannot ignore that it was designed as part of an impressive whole and the loss of its entire original context means that much of its original architectural presence and power has been lost. In common with all workhouse entrances, this building will have been the site of myriad emotional separations, a point made more poignant by the sheer scale of the institution. However, both the Principles of Selection and Selection Guides make it clear that because of the degree of alteration and loss of original context this building does not meet the rigorous criteria for listing buildings of this date and type. It is, though, of clear local significance for its place in the social history of the area. (2)
The National Grid Reference for the building is: SP0479787950 (3) |