Comments on: The Disappointment Of Historic England

By: Christopher Walker

Christopher Walker — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 09:03:10 +0000

“Historic England were fine with the Marquis of Lansdowne being demolished, now it is being restored as part of the Geoffrye Museum’s renovations…”

I work in Hoxton, and walk past this pub every day on my way to work. I would be interested to know if the author of this article has followed up this claim that the pub is being ‘restored’, as in reality the pub has been completely ruined as part of the development and is now little more than a pastiche with stuck on mouldings and plywood stallrisers…

By: Colin Eastaugh

Colin Eastaugh — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 17:32:03 +0000

Correspondence with Historic England concerning the Whitechapel Bell Foundry:

“The ‘Enhanced Advisory Services’ Historic England have provided for this case is our Extended Pre-Application Advice, you can read more about our other Enhance Advisory Services here. Historic England provide a pre application service for any proposals that would lead to an application for which we would be a statutory consultee. As the Bell Foundry is Grade II* Listed it meets this criteria and is eligible for our pre application service, the proposed scheme is also over 1000m2 in a conservation area- a criteria which would also meet our remit.”

Looking at the Historic England website, it certainly seems to be keen to work with property developers.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 11:48:40 +0000

Historic England’s decisions are not difficult to understand if you read planning policy and the conservation principles.

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 18:51:44 +0000

Keep up the good fight, and for highlighting what we need to be made aware of.

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 17:18:19 +0000

Dear GA & Cllr Miah:

Is there anything we citizens can do at the moment?

GA, you write “Until this information is forthcoming, I do not see how the planning meeting can go ahead or any just decision on the Whitechapel Bell Foundry is possible.”

Is there a way to support this view publicly? Write to the Tower Hamlets Council Development Committee that it must delay until the information is forthcoming?

By: Laura Williamson

Laura Williamson — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 18:48:54 +0000

What Paul Loften ably said, really. We are a small East Anglian market town with some venerable church bells. I know the Tower Captain and she has often talked about them being sent to Whitechapel for maintenance. One at least was originally cast there.

Thanks to Cllr Miah for their actions.

By: David

David — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 18:16:31 +0000

Historic Tossers

By: Su C

Su C — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 14:54:29 +0000

This particular issue breaks my heart. Thank you to all who are fighting to preserve this fascinating heritage business, and for working to unearth (what appears to be) corrupt motivations.

By: David Steers

David Steers — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:27:16 +0000

Well done for keeping this under the spotlight

By: Paul Loften

Paul Loften — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:22:50 +0000

This is very interesting. I look forward to their reply as to how they reached an opinion that the repair and supply of large bells in no longer viable. Bells are in daily use in churches throughout the world. The clapper strikes against the metal and brass is a soft metal that gets worn very easily. Brass and Bronze is 3 on the Mohs scale which would rank it as one of the softest metals . The clapper strikes in one spot over the years and I would say that once the spot has worn the bell is no longer viable and needs to be replaced. There are churches with bells in daily use all over the world, how many I don’t know but probably hundreds of thousands but very few foundries that can supply and repair them. I would say that exactly the opposite is the case and that there is a huge market.
Once the craft of making and repairing the bells has gone and the equipment and skills have vanished it would be impossible to replace.