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This trio of listed gasholders were designed and built between 1879 and 1881 for the Gas, Light and Coke Company. They replaced an earlier group built by a former competitor, the Imperial, and even made use of the old tanks. The uprights of the holder cage are made of cast iron, designed to resemble classical columns; structurally the group is unique, because they are tied together or linked. Until our recent research, the history of the site and the structures were imperfectly understood, but it is now clear that the close spacing of three relatively small gasholders resulted from difficulties of building on a cramped inner city site, at a time of expanding demand for gas. Few gasholders of this quality and interest survive.
Major Projects has responsibility particularly for cases where the rescue of a structure is too complex an undertaking for the owner, or where EH have ownership of a site for a limited period to complete necessary work. Efforts are then made to ensure a viable future use, either returning the building to its original owners or finding a new sponsor. As with any large undertaking involving a historic building, the understanding of the building history and the archaeology of the fabric is an important first step in planning the project. HART have worked closely with Major Projects, both as part of project teams and in developing a more strategic approach to managing historic significance on the following conservation projects.