Register for Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey
15 & 16 Weighbridge Place, St Helier
This report has been prepared by Jersey Heritage as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the architectural, historical and archaeological significance of buildings and sites.
The assessment and recommendation are made in accordance with the existing criteria for assessment and designation of historic buildings. The report includes the views and advice offered by the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.
Author of report: Roger Hills BA(Hons) MA DipBldgCons (RICS) IHBC Head of Historic Buildings
Date of report: 15 February 2010
File ref: HE0507 & HE1656
Current status
BLI
Summary of interest (see assessment forms)
The buildings are shown on the Le Gros map of 1834, and probably date from the 1820s/early 1830s. This was a period of unprecedented growth of the town following the end of the wars with France, the introduction of steam packet connections with England, and the consequent growth in population and boom in St Helier’s local economy. By the 1820s, Commercial Buildings and the new North Pier - accessed by a series of newly constructed streets south of the Town Church - formed a new harbour area with an artificial plaza - the Weighbridge - which was the focus of Jersey mercantile activity for more than a century. Nos.15 & 16 have been an integral part of the streetscape from that earliest period.
No.15 was occupied by Customs from an unknown date until 1880. In that year it opened as the Weighbridge Coffee Tavern (owned by the teetotal Jersey Café Company who wished to present the working man with somewhere to relax other than inns and taverns). The premises had a large ‘bar’ room at ground floor, first floor refreshment rooms and games rooms, and second floor bedrooms to let. It later became known as the Weighbridge Café, and was bought by Ann Street Brewery in 1973.
No.15 is now 4-storey, 3-bay with a slated mansard roof with 2 dormers; a ridge chimney on the north gable is shared with No.16 (originally a pair of buildings with No.15). There is a rendered façade in imitation ashlar with 2-pane wooden sash windows with cambered heads to the upper sashes - echoed in the concave sash horns below. Centrally placed above the 2nd floor is a moulded rectangular panel, and above the 1st floor windows, the name "Weighbridge Cafe" is discernable, in very slight relief beneath the paint. The ground floor has a 19th century shop frontage with flanking wooden pilasters and a projecting cornice with brackets with drop finials; and the original left-hand doorway with a 4-panelled door and cambered-head overlight matching the fenestration. The remainder of the recessed shop frontage was re-modelled in the 20th century.
Historic photographs from c1880s show that No.15 was originally 3-storey, with an elaborate parapet and heavy cornice, pilasters to each side of the façade, and a pantile roof. An additional storey and slated mansard roof were added c.1900. An historic photograph from 1904 shows that No.15 substantially retains its c.1900 historic form and detailing - with the loss of the right-hand doorway and Victorian shop window.
No.16 began as separate 3-bay and 4-bay buildings, most likely with different original uses as the former was designed with a shop frontage and the latter with a more residential appearance. Archive photographs show that the use of the two premises was combined by the 1880s into the Weighbridge Hotel; later called the Finsbury Hotel. Sometime in the early 20th century, the two buildings were also physically combined with an additional storey.
No.16 is now a 4-storey building with a 7-bay frontage. It is plain rendered with synthetic slate roofs. The windows are 2-pane wooden sashes with sash horns and cambered heads to the upper sashes. The window apertures to the right-hand building are narrower than that of its neighbour - except for those on the top floor (being a later extension). There are two 19th century rain water cisterns which indicate the height of the original roof line. The ground floor is entirely reconstructed and now occupied by a modern bar frontage.
Historic photographs from the late 19th century and early 1900s show that the 3-bay building originally had a shopfront of similar detail to No.15 (and was originally a pair with No.15); and a steeply pitched pantile roof with small catslide dormers. The 4-bay building is shown with a pantile roof with parapet eaves; 12-pane sash windows with decorative render frames to the upper floors; and shuttered multi-pane windows at ground floor.
Advice offered by MRLAG (and others if stated)
The group discussed the properties at its meeting on 18 January 2010.
The group noted that Nos.15 and 16 were originally constructed in the 1820s/30s and were subject to remodelling in the late 19th and early 20th century. Members observed the photographic evidence supplied showing the buildings in the late 19th and early 20th century, in addition to those showing the current buildings.
Members discussed that No.15 is of interest with its c.1900 mansard and the survival of part of its 19th century shop frontage. It was suggested that No.15 may have begun with a relatively plain façade in the 1820s and that the pilasters were a later addition. In any case, it was observed that No.15 has substantially retained its character since the photograph taken in 1904.
Members discussed the interest of No.16 - whether its interest is limited to its general historic form and scale, which is in keeping with Weighbridge Place, and whether it otherwise lacks architectural interest. It was observed that No.16 retains its original pattern of fenestration and that the group value and context of the buildings is important. It was commented that these were some of the original hotels in Jersey and have defined the Weighbridge area for nearly 200 years.
The group took two separate votes. In relation to No.15: seven members voted to retain it as a BLI; one voted against registration and one member abstained. In the second vote, seven members were in favour of retaining both Nos.15 & 16 as BLI (No.16 principally for group value); two members voted against including No.16.
A detailed representation setting out the case against the registration of both buildings was submitted by MS Planning Ltd in November 2009 (see attached). In summary, the representation argues that each of the buildings would have been worthy of registration in their original form (shown on the historic photographs) but that Nos. 15 and 16 have been subject to damaging alterations that have eroded the architectural interest of the buildings to such an extent that registration is not justified.
Jersey Heritage recommendation
Nos.15 & 16 are of historical interest in that have been present on Weighbridge Place since the area was first laid out in the early 19th century, and both have a certain value in their contribution to the continuity of historic streetscape. Their past roles are also illustrative of aspects of Jersey’s social and economic history - such as the provision of hotels near to the harbour in the 19th century, and the teetotal movement.
It is clear that each of the buildings has been subject to physical alterations since they were constructed in the 1820/30s - the external changes shown both in historic photographs and in the building fabric. The key question is whether those alterations have eroded the architectural interest of the buildings, or now form part of that interest.
It is proposed that the alterations at No.15 now form part of its interest. The building retains its c.1900 historic form and detail - with distinctive elements of that period such as the mansard roof - as well as elements of the earlier 19th century building. It is therefore concluded that the architectural interest and historical interest of No.15 is sufficient to justify retention as a BLI. The criteria stating that buildings included in the Register are those which substantially retain their historic form and detail and so make a significant and positive contribution to the architectural and historical identity, character and amenity of Jersey. The application of the more stringent 20th century criteria referred to in the representation is only relevant for buildings post-1920.
With regards to No.16, it is proposed that the alterations to the building(s) have not made a positive contribution and have greatly eroded its architectural interest. The case for the continued registration of No.16 hinges on the importance of its group value with the other buildings in Weighbridge Place. The majority of MRLAG members advised that the group value and historical value of No.16 is enough to justify BLI. Jersey Heritage are of the opinion that the architectural value of No.16 has been so heavily compromised, that it falls short of registration as BLI (the streetscape being better protected by conservation area policies than the individual merits of the building). The building does not substantially retain its historic form and detail. The date of the extension works to No.16 has not been established but if it is post-1920 as claimed in the representation, then the building would also fail to satisfy those additional criteria.
In summary, Jersey Heritage recommends that:
· No.15 be retained as a BLI;
· No.16 is removed from the register.
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