In 2019, 501 Conservation Areas were listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, 14 of which are located in our local City of Nottingham. With the protections afforded Conservation Areas as places of defined special historical interest it seems contradictory that so many fall into states of such disrepair. Because of this, I would like to present what I enjoy about the Lace Market Conservation Area presently at risk in Nottingham to raise awareness for why it should be appreciated, preserved and sustained for future generations of our city to appreciate. The Lace Market Conservation Area is also the home of Anarchitecture’s headquarters.
A Very Brief History of the Lace Market
The area we now know as the Lace Market was part of the pre-conquest Saxon burh of Nottingham and has been a key part of Nottingham’s heritage ever since its foundation as a settlement. By the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lace Market was an important residential area for the affluent inhabitants of the town, characterised by grand houses often enriched by extensive grounds. With the emergence of the lace trade as an internationally thriving industry at the turn of the 19th century, in addition to the extension of Nottingham’s borough and suburbs, wealthy industrialists flocked to the area in order to build new warehouses and showrooms of the very highest architectural merit. The resulting character of the Lace Market is distinguished by these beautiful and imposing Victorian brick buildings densely bordering narrow, winding streets.
Present Day
Despite the multitude of towering student housing blocks that have appeared across Nottingham in recent years, the Lace Market has retained an impressively high number of buildings, over 119 of which are listed, originating from its rich history and development as a centre of the city’s lace industry. The area also remains at the heart of Nottingham’s Creative Quarter. This has created a palpable connection between our own experiences, senses and activities with those of past communities of the area.
Furthermore, the aesthetic qualities of the Lace Market’s built heritage are undeniable. Each building was clearly intended to display the importance of its owner, resulting in a display of the best Victorian styles, materials and manufacturers –and often the product of the most popular architects of the time.
My Favourite Elements
One such architect and perhaps the most celebrated in Nottingham during the Victorian period is Thomas Chambers Hine, who is responsible for most of my favourite buildings within the Lace Market Conservation Area, including the Birkin Building and the Adams Building which is now part of Nottingham College.
Going Forward
The Heritage at Risk Register 2019 records the Lace Market as being in a Very Bad condition, though it is improving. We hope that this trend will be supported by the Heart of Nottingham Heritage Action Zone project, which aims to conserve, enhance and promote the city’s heritage whilst supporting community regeneration.
