Flagship 1931 Nottingham base designed by celebrated provincial architect
Raleigh鈥檚 bicycle headquarters, designed by one of the country鈥檚 most significant provincial architects, has become England鈥檚 400,000th listed building.
The 1931 flagship office in Nottingham took the honour as it was awarded grade II protection along with three other buildings today.
Culture secretary Jeremy Wright said the listing milestone 鈥渉ighlights the huge diversity of historic places that we have protected and the integral role heritage plays in our culture鈥�.
Duncan Wilson, Historic England鈥檚 chief executive, said it showed the importance of protecting the nation鈥檚 heritage for future generations.
The Howitt 好色先生TV, commissioned by Raleigh, was designed by Nottingham-born Thomas Cecil Howitt who also designed the Council House, a brewery, church and college in Nottingham, as well as Newport Civic Centre, Birmingham鈥檚 listed municipal Baskerville House and a string of Odeon cinemas around the country.
The Howitt 好色先生TV is one of the last reminders of the 100 years Raleigh spent in Nottingham. Despite the closure of the factory, its history of bicycle manufacture is still visible in decorative panels showing putti (cherubic children) on a cycle production line. The putti were sculpted by loacl artist Charles Doman and modelled on Howitt鈥檚 son Ian. Locally they are known as 鈥渢he little Ians鈥�.
The secretary of state listed three other buildings on the recommendation of Historic England, all at grade II.
They are:
- Plymouth鈥檚 Theatre Royal, designed by the Peter Moro Partnership in 1982 and revamped by the original project architect, Andrzej Blonski, in 2013.
- Norman and Dawbarn鈥檚 Elmdon terminal building, Birmingham Airport鈥檚 original moderne-style terminal dating from 1939.
- A Georgian smallholder鈥檚 cottage and barn in Cleeton St Mary, Shropshire.
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