A major heritage project has helped revitalise three buildings in the Market Place Conservation Area in Mansfield.
The Dial building in Market Place, 20-22 Leeming Street, and the iconic Brunts Chambers Building at 34-42 Leeming Street and 2-6 Toothill Lane, and have all benefitted from funding the Mansfield Townscape Heritage Project.
The project, which has been managed by the Mansfield District Council’s Regeneration team, has been backed by £849,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund made possible by players of the National Lottery.
The council also pledged £75,000 towards the project and Nottinghamshire County Council put forward £45,000.
The aim of scheme was to support property owners in a part of the town centre to repair their buildings in sympathy with their historical significance. Originally meant as a five-year project, it was extended after the Covid pandemic stalled its progress between 2020 and 2022.
Cllr Stuart Richardson, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, said: “This project is now drawing to a close but it has brought tremendous benefits to the town since 2018, not least the superb renovations of some shop fronts in Leeming Street and in the Market Place.
“We would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for helping to make a difference to our community.”
Liz Bates, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “The Mansfield Townscape Heritage Project has revitalised key parts of the conservation area, promoting pride of place, connecting people to the past and boosting economic prosperity. As we celebrate awarding a total of £2bn of National Lottery and other funding to projects across the Midlands & East of England, we continue to invest in places like Mansfield to benefit heritage and communities today and in the future.”
Cara De Angelis, Conservation Architect at Guy Taylor Associates, represented Valencia Estates, owner of 20-22 Leeming Street, in bidding for £115,422 in funding from the project.
She said the project had enhanced the heritage significance of buildings, along with the character and appearance of the Market Place Conservation Area.
The financial support she helped to secure has enabled a £164,880 reinstatement of traditionally detailed shopfronts along with the restoration of sash windows to the upper floors.
The work also included repairs to brickwork and the replacement of a rusted and leaking downpipe, helping to prevent further deterioration of the fabric.
The installation of secondary glazing was another important aspect of the work, supporting refurbishment of the upper floors and creating quieter and more energy efficient spaces for future use.
Cara said: “The two shopfronts have been replaced with a design that replicates details from a previous, more traditional frontage from the 1930s.
“This includes the reinstatement of missing features such as the console brackets, pilasters, overhanging fascia and traditionally detailed windows, doors and stall riser.
“The bright ‘old gold’ paint colour was also selected so as to be a close match to this earlier design, which brightens and invigorates the streetscape.
“The Townscape Heritage Project has enabled various properties to once again, contribute positively to the historic streetscapes of Mansfield and we have enjoyed being part of this process, working with a wide team of stakeholders, who all play a part in making these projects a success.”
Guy Taylor Associates also worked on another project to receive funding: The Dial building in the Market Place where the project put £62,421 towards the £89,000 worth of restoration works.
The work included:
• Removal of existing signage and redundant fixtures/fittings;
• Replacement of all windows and doors;
• Replacement of ground floor render with a lime based alternative which is more sympathetic to the building’s traditional construction;
• Redecoration of the whole façade, in accordance with historic photographs;
• Restoration of The Dial and Mansfield Brewery hanging sign to retain the historic connection as the building transfers to its new use as a commercial and residential property.
Jack Townsend, owner of the property, said: "It has been my pleasure as a local Mansfield lad to restore this building. It was going to rack and ruin and was an eyesore but now brightens up the Market Place. Thank you to the The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Mansfield Townscape Heritage Project."
At the Brunts Chambers buildings, the Townscape Heritage Project put £306,624 towards restoration works with The Brunts Charity funding the remaining £220,000.
The works oversighted via Halsall Lloyd Partnership Nottinghamshire, using Vaughandale Construction Ltd as its primary contractor, included restoring eight shopfronts and 32 sash windows, over two floors, to their original Victorian character, alongside overall refurbishment of the front façade using materials in keeping with the Grade II listed building.
These have included new leadworks and reinstating and exposing the original granite pilasters between the shops. Both 36/38 Leeming Street shop fronts have been reconfigured back to their original shop design, enhancing the property profiles, and bringing them back to how they were designed to look when built in 1915.
At 6 Toothill Lane, brickwork was repointed, rotting roof timbers replaced, sash windows restored, masonry and stonework cleaned and cast iron gutters and downpipes repaired.
The Brunts Charity was founded in 1711 by Samuel Brunts to provide low-cost homes, grants and pensions to the older generation of Mansfield and District. The chambers provide a central base for its offices and Trustee Board meetings and generates retail and accommodation rental income to support its charitable activities.
Paul Williams, the charity’s Chief Executive, said: “This Townscape Heritage project came at the opportune time as our trustees already had a strategic plan to invest and ensure the charity’s infrastructure was fit-for-purpose going forward.
“In addition to the generous grants provided by the Townscape Heritage Project, Brunts Charity has additionally invested in excess of £1m on this Grade II Listed town asset.
“This work has included the entire replacement of its roofs, lead works, repointing 17 chimneys, refurbishing the rear elevation sash windows over two floors and adding three new residential flats above 38/40 Leeming Street.
“It has now brought this wonderful building back to life for generations to enjoy going forward and all trustees, staff and partners involved in this special project can be very proud of their contributions, achieving what now is an outstanding heritage icon within Mansfield town centre.”
Community engagement activities
The Mansfield Townscape Heritage Project has also enabled a series of community engagement activities to spotlight the importance of architectural heritage and restoration.
These have included a children's art competition, school pupils creating a colourful mural in Leeming Street and a town centre treasure map activity, a lime mortar workshop in August and a Heritage Skills Fair on 6 September.
For more information visit the project website (link opens in new window).