WARRINGTON’S historic Academy building is up for sale with a price tag of £1.6 million.
Vacated last year the building, which is situated prominently on Bridgefoot had been up for lease but now the owners have put the freehold on the market.
Warrington Academy was active as a teaching establishment from 1756 to 1782 and was a prominent dissenting academy – a school or college set up by those who dissented from the established Church of England.
After hitting financial difficulties it was formally dissolved in 1786, the funds then remaining were applied to the founding of Manchester New College in Manchester, which was effectively the Warrington Academy’s successor, and in time this led to the formation of Harris Manchester College, Oxford.
In 1981, the listed Academy building on Bridge Street was lifted from its foundations and moved 19m to the North. It was subsequently demolished and rebuilt with no original features retained.
More recently it became to Northern HQ for publishing group Newsquest who moved out last year as part of cost-cutting measures.
The sale description reads: “The property comprises a part Grade II listed period constructed around 1757 which has been extended to provide office accommodation across ground and two upper floors with storage on the third floor. The original section of the building comprises a series of cellular offices whilst the more recent extension provides larger floor plates which are generally open plan in layout.”
One of only four statues of Oliver Cromwell stands in front of the academy.
The statue was made by the London sculptor John Bell and was originally displayed at the 1862 London Exhibition. It was presented to the town in 1899 by local councilor Frederick Monk to mark the 300th anniversary of Cromwell’s birth. There was opposition to the statue from the local Irish community.
In a letter to the council in January 1899 Monks stated:
“My dear Mr. Mayor, The tri-centenary of the birth of Oliver Cromwell occurs on the 26th April of this year and it occurs to me as a fitting opportunity to offer my fellow townshipmen a fine statue of a remarkable man, to be placed in the front of the Town Hall or in the Gardens behind, as the council may determine. I know there are different estimates of the character of this statesman, but I think all will admit the wisdom and courage with which he guided the affairs of state at a critical time in the history of the country, and how nobly he made sacrifices to preserve the religious and political liberties of her people. I shall be obliged if you will allow me to make the offer through you to the Council, and if accepted I will arrange to deliver it to you as early as convenient.”
The acceptance and erection of the statue was vigorously debated by the council!
4 Comments
“In 1981, the listed Academy building on Bridge Street was lifted from its foundations and moved 19m to the North. It was subsequently demolished and rebuilt with no original features retained.”
In which case can it still be classed as a listed building seeing as no original features were retained should it not have been classed as a new build?
Agreed EVIL SID. It’s yet another reminder of the heritage averse actions of our civic administrators over the years. No wonder one of the prominent members of WBC’s City of Culture bid has sought to redefine “Culture”, ahead of the bid submission. Increasingly our ‘contribution’ to heritage will be little more than a succession of plaques on walls as reminders of what once was there. Or the odd remnant or two in a glass case at the Heritage Hub.
now’s the chance to alleviate the traffic mess of the Wilson Patton traffic joining the Bridge Foot roundabout. Move Cromwell and widen the junction and knock down the derelict building on the corner. Simple ?
you wouldn’t happen to be linked to the owner of the ‘derelict building on the corner’ or part of the town centre redevelopment team would you GRAPLAD?