Nothing but fails this weekend, so thought I’d write up an older one from 2016. Although this visit was from last year the building is still there in pretty much the same state. The two external photos below were taken this morning as I passed the building again, whilst the others are from last year.
History
The building was designed by William Gillbee Scott (1857-1930) of 25 Bedford Row, London. A panel inscribed “SALVATION ARMY CITADEL” lies in the centre of the front. The interior, in keeping with the basic needs, is theatre-like with canted corners and ramped seating and a gallery with cross beams carried on cast-iron posts. The steel trussed roof has a large central rooflight. Built c.1890 by the Salvation Army, and altered c.1950, the building was used by the church for just over 100 years, until they relocated to new premises in 1999. Since then the building has been privately owned.
The building has been grade two listed since 1995. The report lists amongst its distinguishing features: ‘Narrower flanking bays have crenellated parapets and recesses with machicolations containing cross casements’.
(It’s hard to resist a good crenellated parapet, I’m sure you’ll agree.)
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1247367
For a few months between 2011 and 2012 the building was taken over by Occupy Sheffield and renamed ‘The Citadel of Hope’ as a community space. However, in spite of plans being muted to turn the building into a shopping arcade the citadel remains empty.
http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/business/now-citadel-is-occupied-1-4115887
https://occupywiki.org.uk/wiki/Sheffield/Citadel_of_Hope
The Explore
Entry and exit was fairly well concealed but also (un)reasonably conspicuous to reach given this is a fairly busy location in the centre of Sheffield, very close to John Lewis car park. Once in, in spite of the previous occupation there looked to be little change from the report by @Muninn in 2009 here: https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/old-citadel-sheffield-spring-09.t42005. As well as the building’s main space with the balcony, stage and seating I was also quite taken with the staircases. A number of other rooms are fairly bare, stripped back to brick as if work had begun on conversion but stalled in the early stages.
History
The building was designed by William Gillbee Scott (1857-1930) of 25 Bedford Row, London. A panel inscribed “SALVATION ARMY CITADEL” lies in the centre of the front. The interior, in keeping with the basic needs, is theatre-like with canted corners and ramped seating and a gallery with cross beams carried on cast-iron posts. The steel trussed roof has a large central rooflight. Built c.1890 by the Salvation Army, and altered c.1950, the building was used by the church for just over 100 years, until they relocated to new premises in 1999. Since then the building has been privately owned.
The building has been grade two listed since 1995. The report lists amongst its distinguishing features: ‘Narrower flanking bays have crenellated parapets and recesses with machicolations containing cross casements’.
(It’s hard to resist a good crenellated parapet, I’m sure you’ll agree.)
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1247367
For a few months between 2011 and 2012 the building was taken over by Occupy Sheffield and renamed ‘The Citadel of Hope’ as a community space. However, in spite of plans being muted to turn the building into a shopping arcade the citadel remains empty.
http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/business/now-citadel-is-occupied-1-4115887
https://occupywiki.org.uk/wiki/Sheffield/Citadel_of_Hope
The Explore
Entry and exit was fairly well concealed but also (un)reasonably conspicuous to reach given this is a fairly busy location in the centre of Sheffield, very close to John Lewis car park. Once in, in spite of the previous occupation there looked to be little change from the report by @Muninn in 2009 here: https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/old-citadel-sheffield-spring-09.t42005. As well as the building’s main space with the balcony, stage and seating I was also quite taken with the staircases. A number of other rooms are fairly bare, stripped back to brick as if work had begun on conversion but stalled in the early stages.
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