Snapshots of Local History: Conversions and Connections – renewal for Cirencester’s historic buildings

With contributions from Cirencester Archaeological & Historical Society, Cirencester Civic Society, members & friends

Conversions and Connections – renewal for Cirencester’s historic buildings

Things seem to be definitely on the up for some of Cirencester’s significant if under-used or even empty historic buildings, as they are modernised or converted to fresh uses, plenty enough to celebrate this 50^th edition in the Snapshots series with an overview of recent and current examples. All is not doom and gloom.

The town centre has a number of large domestic houses, built on the grand scale for owners of influence in the 18^th or 19^th century. In more modern times these nearly all ceased to be private homes and were converted to office or other commercial uses, providing Cirencester with some distinctive addresses for solicitors, land and estate agents and others! Two good examples have been under wraps for some time, but The Mead House at nos 18-20 Thomas Street is now re-emerging and around the corner Dollar Street House will do the same in due course.

The mid-18^th century Mead House was the long-time home of the well-established Cripps family, perhaps especially associated with the banker and antiquarian Wilfred Cripps. The side wings were added around 1889, one of them as the family‘s private museum for Roman remains, long ago absorbed into the Corinium Museum. The other wing at one time served as a Club. It will become two substantial town houses.

Nos 30-32 Dollar Street is correctly described as ‘two splendid Georgian houses’. No 32 was built around 1820 for the lawyer Joseph Pitt (1759-1842), a significant local figure whose family name is best associated not only with banking as the Pitt, Bowly and Croome bank but with building developments creating the Pittville area of Cheltenham. Consisting of 5 and 6 bays, they create an impressive façade and will become three substantial town houses.

For both sites the future now lies in reversion to high-quality housing, harking back to their origins. Something similar is hoped for No 5 Dyer Street, early 19^th century and once known as Wellesley House, a name pretty much now forgotten. In the 20^th century its uses included well-known town Doctor Cossham’s home & surgery, then as a hotel of that same name. Later it provided offices for Cirencester Rural District Council until its re-organisation in 1974 and latterly for Cirencester Friendly Society. It is another example of a striking façade to the street. Proposals anticipate nine apartments with five new dwellings at the rear.

Further down at No 60 Dyer Street is Gloucester House, a fine late 18^th-century rebuilding of what was at one time the home of Mrs Rebecca Powell (1642-1722) who endowed the Yellow School, later Powells School in Gloucester Street. The restored mosaic panel in the pavement outside recalls one of its best-known 20^thcentury uses as ‘Ovens & Sons Showroom of Antique Furniture’. Plans for conversion to fifteen apartments have been announced. 

Building conversion from one use to another is nothing new of course, nor is political pressure to create more housing in our historic town centres a new phenomenon. Looking back, there is a clear pattern over time, responding to economic pressures on commercial and even former purpose-built industrial premises, their original function no longer relevant.

Good examples include the former Wilts & Glos Standard offices & printing works in Dyer Street, purpose-built in 1904; and around the corner at nos 50-52 Lewis Lane the joinery works of C.H. Uzzell, cabinet-maker. On a smaller scale is the former Watermoor post office in Queen Street and several of Cirencester’s former pubs, another story in itself.

On the larger scale and few years ago now, part but not all of the brewery-related maltings dating from 1893 in Cricklade Street became Homeberry House, and on the corner of Lewis Lane and Watermoor Road the former Cotswold Mill and Cirencester Water Works retains its imposing presence. Stratton Mill is another good example in the north of the town.

David & Linda Viner

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