Ambitious plan to rebuild bombed Dutch House
IT stood in a prominent position in Bristol city centre for almost 300 years. And now it has been proposed that the time has come to rebuild the Dutch House on the corner of Castle Park.
The original black and white timber-framed building on the junction with High Street and Wine Street was destroyed in November 1940 following the first blitz on the city
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The area that is now Castle Park, before the Bristol blitz. The circle marks where Dutch House stood on the corner of Wine Street.
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The area as it is today
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Nigel Howe hopes to use apprentices to rebuild Dutch House
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Dutch House in all its former glory
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Dutch House after it was hit by German bombs in the Bristol blitz
But Nigel Howe, of Oak Frame Training Forum, believes that rebuilding the Dutch House on the site where the former Bank Of England building currently stands could be the ideal project for regenerating the site and giving apprentices the chance to hone their specialist building skills.
Plans for the redevelopment of the area came to a halt due to the recession and the agreement with the preferred developers Deeley Freed and freeholders Bristol City Council expired in December.
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Proposals made to redevelop the site back in 2006 were unpopular because they involved building on part of the green space.
Mr Howe believes he may have the solution for the site by turning back the clocks to the way it looked between 1676 and 1940.
The Oak Frame Training Forum is a national heritage training group offering special apprenticeships.
The first ten apprentices are currently going through the programme learning about traditional framing carpentry techniques. Mr Howe believes that rebuilding the Dutch House could be the ideal opportunity for the Bristol-based scheme to give the special apprentices the chance to work on a major project.
The timber framing apprenticeship is run alongside others to help train people in a range of heritage and traditional skills for building repairs and rebuilding old structures.
Mr Howe said: "I live in Bristol and we are involved in local projects and would like to set up a training centre in Bristol for these national apprenticeships.
"Bristol wants to be the Green Capital of Europe but rather than having a little eco house I would like us to rebuild the Dutch House and St Peter's Church on the edge of Castle Park.
"Until the Dutch House was destroyed it was the key landmark for Bristol city itself and there is something pretty special about rebuilding a fine oak timber building.
"It would last longer than a lot of modern buildings.
"This site is ripe for restoration. There is a building there ready to be demolished but if we are going to put something back lets put back something that was a wonderful structure."
Mr Howe is now looking for financial backing to see if he can make his idea a reality.
"This is a case of putting the idea out there and running with it.
"This could be a fine building but also could be our training centre but also for wattle and daub and other traditional building skills."
Stephen Wickham, the vice chairman of the Bristol Civic Society said: "We would express guarded enthusiasm for the project but would want to know more about it."
Bristol City Council confirmed that there are currently no plans for the development of the site, since the exclusivity agreement ran out in December.
A spokesman said the market at the moment cannot produce a "viable development scheme" and that the authority remained the "facilitator for any future development".
Comments
by gwilxj8
Saturday, June 16 2012, 6:09PM
“Rachykins - Are you sure it was the 3 Queens?
There was a Three Kings Inn in St Thomas Street, a photograph of which is contained in Reece Winstones "Bristol as it was" 1914 - 1900 (plate 71)”
by StCrev
Saturday, June 16 2012, 4:49PM
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
I BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR YEARS, I COULD ALMOST CRY!
But I would love to help build it, I want to get involved!”
by polyphase
Saturday, June 16 2012, 4:22PM
“It's not a bad idea. Maybe they should ask the Germans to chip in and help pay for it.”
by AnotherOther
Saturday, June 16 2012, 11:34AM
“This is a great idea. Good luck to all involved in this project.”
by Rachykins
Saturday, June 16 2012, 11:21AM
“On subject of Blitzed buildings, I am trying desperately to get hold of a picture if anyone can help. My Great-Grandmother was landlady of the Three queens in Thomas St (listed as being landlady between 1935-1938). The pub was bombed out during the blitz.
We've been looking for years for a picture of the pub but haven't been able to find one anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions at all on where we should look. Have even tried books of old bristol pubs with no luck.
Thanks!”
by Bristol1978
Saturday, June 16 2012, 11:14AM
“Good to hear someone with the potential ability to make it happen coming up with the same idea people have been voicing for a while, the entire area at that end of the park would look great if it was built to mirror what was once there and tie the Old City in with Broadmead and Redcliffe/Finzels Reach properly.
I'd also love to see Mary Le Port St and Cheese Market revived, perhaps as a much needed independent shopping area to compliment the popular covered market.
I think the St Peters church part could be an issue, i'm sure it was dedicated as a war memorial to the civilian dead as well as being grade II listed, would be nice to see it with windows and a roof back on though and open for public use, perhaps as a proper museum of Bristol highlighting its past, the castle, the blitz and everything that M Shed fails to deliver.”
by katachua
Saturday, June 16 2012, 11:01AM
“@Richard34
"This site has gone from very pleasant to very ugly over the past 18 years. Let's hope something is done sooner than later. Baring in mind that the King of England lived in Bristol Castle, we should have more to celebrate this fact. A Bristol Castle Museum will be good as well with route in to the underground passages and hourly guided tours. Instead this whole episode of our heritage is blocked up and has become myth and legend opposed to fact and pride."
Cue the usual suspects telling us that Bristol Castle is tarnished by slavery, despite being demolished in the 1640's...”
by max31268
Saturday, June 16 2012, 9:34AM
“Go for it! It sounds like a great idea. There will be problems/issues but don't let that hinder the project.”
by Richard34
Saturday, June 16 2012, 9:34AM
“This site has gone from very pleasant to very ugly over the past 18 years. Let's hope something is done sooner than later. Baring in mind that the King of England lived in Bristol Castle, we should have more to celebrate this fact. A Bristol Castle Museum will be good as well with route in to the underground passages and hourly guided tours. Instead this whole episode of our heritage is blocked up and has become myth and legend opposed to fact and pride.”
by max31268
Saturday, June 16 2012, 9:32AM
“Go for it! It sounds a great idea. No doubt there will be problems/issues etc but let that hinder the project…”