Halifax Coal Drops named one of the country's most endangered Victorian buildings
The Coal Drops on Berry Lane was once a local gem
Halifax Coal Drops has made the list of the Top 10 most endangered buildings, according to the Victorian Society.
Halifax Coal Drops were built for the Ovenden and Halifax Junction Railway Co. and are an important part of the town’s industrial history.
They comprise 15 wooden bunkers built into the hillside supported between stone piers.
Now owned by Calderdale Council, the Coal Drops have been fenced off to the public for 15 years after a piece of masonry fell from the roof.
They are now in a state of serious decline and without urgent attention could soon fall into irreparable ruin
Griff Rhys Jones said:
“Nowadays, we are moving away from fossil fuels, but the Halifax Coal Drops are a reminder of how long fossil fuels have been important to people’s lives and communities.
“A new plan for an improved footpath and cycleway, between the town centre, and the nearby Hebble Trail, going directly past the Coal Drops is a great opportunity to restore the coal drops and preserve them as a landmark, to be enjoyed by both locals and visitors.
“Funding for an initial structural survey is urgently needed to understand exactly what is needed to save this unique piece of industrial heritage.”
The Top 10 most endangered Victorian buildings in England and Wales:
Coal Drops, Halifax
Halifax Coal Drops were built for the Ovenden and Halifax Junction Railway Co. in 1874 and are an important part of the town's industrial history.
Horncliffe House, Lancashire
Horncliffe House was originally built in 1869 as a private dwelling for Henry Hoyle Hardman, a local mill owner and businessman,
Healings Flour Mill and Warehouses, Tewkesbury
Healings Flour Mill and Warehouses was designed by W.H. James of Tewkesbury for Samuel Healing and Son and was built circa 1865.
Icknield Street School, Birmingham
The Icknield Street School was designed by J.H. Chamberlain of Martin and Chamberlain in 1883 who created several of Birmingham's now listed or lost Victorian buildings.
Indoor Market, Burslem, Stoke on Trent
Burslem indoor market's gothic design and ironwork that was built in 1897 is reminiscent of King's Cross station in London.
Jones & Higgins Department Store, London
The Jones and Higgins Department store opened on the corner of Rye Lane and Peckham High Street in 1867 and formed a key part of a 'Golden Mile' of shops that rivalled Oxford Street. The clock tower was designed by Southwark architects Henry Jarvis & Sons.
Minley Home Farm, Hampshire
The Minley Home Farm was completed circa 1896 to the designs of Arthur Castings, associate to the renowned George Devey, who worked on other buildings in the estate.
Oldham Equitable Cooperative Society (Hill Stores), Oldham
Oldham Equitable Cooperative Society (Hill Stores) commissioned Thomas Taylor to build what would be one of the largest buildings in the area, it was then completed in 1900.
Church of St Helen, Biscathorpe, Lincolnshire
The Church of St Helen, Biscathorpe was rebuilt on the site of the old church in 1847 by W.A. Nicholson in a fanciful Gothic style.
Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff
Architects Oatley and Skinner of Bristol designed the hospital with its ornate interiors in 1902. It first opened in 1908 as 'Cardiff Lunatic Asylum', in the typical style for medical facilities.