Heritage Now #10

CASEWORK

elevations which is causing extensive internal damp issues. But the initial scheme went too far, attempting to adapt the house for modern life, rather than celebrating its rich history. More harmful proposals include new window open ings, realigning Georgian partitions, removing plasterwork for the installation of a dry cavity membrane to the walls, realigning the stair and staircase hall ceiling, altering the historic roof structure to create a parapet and replacement of historic doors and fireplaces. The local conser vation officer has worked had to negotiate and address our objections and a lot of concessions were made by the applicant to allow the scheme to finally be approved. Vision King’s Lynn is a draft Town Investment Plan by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council to regenerate its historic riverfront and town centre. The plan involves underutilised buildings includ ing the Grade I listed Custom House – a building of exceptional national significance and widely regarded as the finest building in the region. Sitting on Purfleet Quay, it was built in 1683 to designs by Henry Bell and was the first classical building to be built in the town. It remains em blematic of the growth and status of King’s Lynn at the time and has been described in Pevsner as ‘one of the most perfect classical buildings in provincial England.’ THE CUSTOMS HOUSE, PURBECK DOCK, KING’S LYNN, NORFOLK

TOP: Former Ship Street Library, Brecon. Built in 1969 as the county library for Breconshire. It was designed by the County Architects Department under the direction of J. A. McRobbie. (Tyssil) BOTTOM: King’s Lynn Customs House, built as a merchants’ exchange in 1683, commissioned by Sir John Turner MP, a local wine merchant and three times town mayor. (CC-BY-SA-2.0/ Habiloid)

easily reinstated. Concessions made on both sides and sound proof glass panels will be installed in the classroom divisions, so that a sense of inter connectivity is maintained.

MANDINAM, LLANGADOG, CARMARTHENSHIRE

The Mandinam estate, Llangadog, near Llando very, means ‘place without blemish’. At its heart is a Grade II listed, double pile house, probably of the late-17th to early-18th century, which was gentrified in the 18th century, re-fronted in the 1830s and further extended and altered internally in the 1900s. The house needs extensive repair, including the removal of cement render to the

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HISTORIC BUILDINGS & PLACES