American Wharf
Heritage Statement
[pic]
Photo taken in 1941
American Wharf comprises of 4 building elements, a house noted as B under the ownersip of the applicant Dorepark, a large warehouse facing Albert Road North noted as A also under the ownership of Dorepark, Block C the oldest structure under the ownership of Itchen Marine and finally Block D a post war rebuilt building also under the ownership of Itchen Marine. The whole of American Wharf is listed II*. This report focuses on elements A and B.
The listing singles out the following physical elements that are relevant to buildings A and B:-
“In the 1920s the original C19 building had iron framed windows inserted to the South elevation only….the West front stuccoed since 1930’s. Roof, plain tiled to the South and pantiled to the West. West front incorporating a former domestic building of 3 storeys, 3 bays verticalsonly to 2nd floor windows and 6 panes to 1st floor windows. Ground floor has wide C20 inserted doors. To the South of this is the grain store, also with 3 floors with attics and 4 pivoting sashes and 2 gabled hoists with wooden doors to all floors. Cross shaped iron ties. South front has 5 iron framed windows and oval and cross shaped ties. Interior has cast iron columns of 1869 by the firm Blumfield and Dalby Southampton. Some original wooden posts still survive against the walls in both the 1781 and 1800-11 parts of the building….”
Unit C, dating back to 1781 as a corn mill and bakehouse, making ships biscuits for the Royal Navy who at the time were engaged in the War of American Independence. Unit A being developed later at around 1800 as a three storey warehouse, on earlier maps this space was divided into two, the line of the partition identified by the break in the floor construction East to West. Block B the mid C19 house/office probably replaced an earlier building, also Block D was rebuilt after war damage around 1948-1950.
The building Block A has archetypical form of a...