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© Ms Ruth Povey
IoE Number:
380662
Location:
BRISTOL OLD STATION, TEMPLE MEADS, TEMPLE WAY (north east side)
BRISTOL, BRISTOL, BRISTOL
Photographer:
Ms Ruth Povey
Date Photographed:
30 June 2001
Date listed:
01 November 1966
Date of last amendment:
30 December 1994
Grade
I
The Images of England website consists of images of listed buildings based on the statutory list as it was in 2001 and does not incorporate subsequent amendments to the list. For the statutory list and information on the current listed status of individual buildings please go to The National Heritage List for England.
BRISTOL
ST5972 TEMPLE WAY
901-1/42/291 (North East side)
01/11/66 Bristol Old Station, Temple Meads
(Formerly Listed as:
TEMPLE WAY
Temple Meads Station)
GV I
Railway station. 1839-41. By IK Brunel. For the Great Western
Railway Company. Limestone ashlar, squared Pennant rubble with
a hipped slate roof.
Axially-planned with offices across the end facing the road,
the engine shed behind and the passenger shed to the SE now
linked with Temple Meads Station (qv). Tudor Revival style.
Offices are 3 storeys; 7-window range. A symmetrical front
missing the balancing right-hand Departures gateway is
articulated by diagonal buttresses, octagonal turrets with
blind panels and lozenges flanking a raised, crenellated
central section with panelled buttresses and a central
2-storey oriel window; ground and first floors have 2- and
3-light mullion and transom windows with label moulds and a
Tudor-arched doorway set within a half-blind 4-light window;
c1985 shop fronts between the inner buttresses and the
turrets; above a drip mould runs a long scroll inscribed GREAT
WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY INCORPORATED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT
MDCCCXXXV; the oriel base has quatrefoil panels, trefoil
panels with shields over the lower windows and an open work
crenellated parapet; above the upper windows is a drip with
heads and flowers, to a raised parapet with blind panels and a
central stepped gable containing scrolls and shields; a range
of linked round chimney shafts to the left gable.
To left, the 2-storey Arrivals gateway has flanking turrets, a
wide Tudor arch under round panel in square frame for a clock,
shields and a worn scroll, with Pennant wheel stops and
wrought-iron double gates; a lower connecting block has a
smaller gateway and blind lancet above. The Pennant rubble
engine shed behind has a turreted screen wall and crenellated
parapet, and a tunnel crossing beneath it at the end;
passenger shed has a central projecting Arrivals entrance
facing N with corner turrets and a gabled parapet and
4-centred doorways.
INTERIOR: the Director's doorway gives to a large open-well
staircase with crenellated octagonal newels and barleysugar
banisters, and a panelled ceiling with openwork vine-leaf
cornice and a central pendant of openwork mouchettes; the
Board Room is panelled with a large fireplace. The sheds are
built above a semicircular-vaulted undercroft: the engine shed
has cast-iron stanchions below the top-lit drawing office; the
fine aisled passenger shed has a cantilevered timber roof with
false hammer beams above an arcade of Tudor arches on
cast-iron columns.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the GWR line to London was completed in 1841
when the Bristol terminus opened. Arrivals and Departures were
on opposite sides, passengers passing through the undercroft
which held the waiting rooms. The engines were turned around
on turntables and moved from line to line in the engine shed.
The functional space of the station as designed by Brunel is
almost entirely intact, 'easily the most complete survivor of
the early provincial termini, and an exceptionally important
one.' (Gomme).
(Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural
History: Bristol: 1979-: 346; The Buildings of England:
Pevsner N: North Somerset and Bristol: London: 1958-: 421).