Restoration Village

07 September, 2006 by The_Boss

BBC TWO Friday 8 September 2006 9.00-10.00pm

Presenter Griff Rhys Jones, with ruin detectives Marianne Sühr and Ptolemy Dean, calls upon viewers to save one of the nation's threatened architectural treasures in the North of England.

Howsham Mill, Howsham, North Yorkshire; Heugh Gun Battery, The Headland, Hartlepool; and Higherford Mill, Barrowford, Lancashire are all campaigning for the public vote.

Built in 1755, Howsham Mill was designed for both practical and ornamental purposes. Standing on an island, the square Grade II corn mill was constructed to use the fast-running water of the River Derwent, as well as to provide an attractive landscape feature, which could be glimpsed from Howsham Hall. Redundant since 1947, the building has recently become a focus for the local community, who are looking to create a community space and educational centre. The intention is that it will finance itself by generating electricity from its own restored water wheel.

Heugh Gun Battery was constructed in 1860. It's one of the last surviving Victorian coastal batteries in the UK, and was also the first such defensive emplacement to have engaged enemy ships during the First World War. The building is of considerable historical interest and a Scheduled National Monument. The Heugh Battery Trust was founded in 2000 to promote the history of the site, and local residents are keen to preserve the Battery for exhibitions, educational tours and community events.

Higherford Mill is one of the last surviving examples of a textile mill in Lancashire. Dating originally from 1824, it was partly rebuilt 20 years later to incorporate more modern machinery. Higherford Mill embodies the development of the cotton industry, from its water-powered days through to steam and, eventually, electricity. The Grade II listed building was a major source of employment and played a great role in the development of the village. After it closed in 1971, it was threatened with demolition. The Heritage Trust for the North West, who own the Mill and are trying to restore it, hope it will become a centre for creative enterprises, with workshops, exhibitions and special events, as well as being a community focus for local people.