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Latitude: 50.8017 / 50°48'6"N
Longitude: -1.1063 / 1°6'22"W
OS Eastings: 463072
OS Northings: 100622
OS Grid: SU630006
Mapcode National: GBR VNL.XR
Mapcode Global: FRA 86KZ.BSJ
Plus Code: 9C2WRV2V+MF
Entry Name: Fire Station (Building Number 1/77)
Listing Date: 13 August 1999
Grade: II*
Source: Historic England
Source ID: 1272306
English Heritage Legacy ID: 476688
ID on this website: 101272306
Location: Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1
County: City of Portsmouth
Electoral Ward/Division: Charles Dickens
Parish: Non Civil Parish
Built-Up Area: Portsmouth
Traditional County: Hampshire
Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Hampshire
Church of England Parish: St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth
Church of England Diocese: Portsmouth
Tagged with: Fire station
SU 6300 NW THE PARADE
HM Naval Base
Fire Station (Building No 1177)
774-1/29/245
GV II*
Water tower with timber store below, then fire station, part now police offices. 1843-44, by (pt RS Beatson RE, strengthened by Fox, Henderson 1843, enclosed 1847; water tank removed 1950. Cast-iron frame supporting roof of iron plates; corrugated iron cladding.
EXTERIOR: 2 stages, formerly with water tank on top. 3 x 13 bays. 2 tiers of columns with moulded caps and bases, lower ones bolted on to granite padstones, upper ones shorter, linked by segmental-arched beams with flat top flanges and pierced spandrels giving effect of double arcade. Oversailing bracketed gallery at top. Sides originally open, now infilled with corrugated iron and on west side having double board doors to fire- engine garages and tall over-lights with glazing bars. At south end, corrugated-iron lean-to. At north end, corrugated iron porch; 2 small- pane windows; cornice at level of lower columns capitals. Brick single- storey additions on east side.
INTERIOR: two rows of columns with segmental-arched long and cross beams, the latter braced by inverted T-section beams with parabolic flanges; diagonal wrought-iron ties. Stone flag floor. HISTORY: the tower replaced a wooden structure built by Samuel Bentham for his salt water fire main laid round the Yard in 1800. The water tank held 840 tons of salt water, and the space beneath the tank was used for seasoning timber. A notable early example of a free-standing iron frame, related to Beatson's other iron-framed buildings at Portsmouth, the Chain Testing shop and No.6 Boat Store (qqv).
(Sources: Coad J: Historic Architecture of HM Naval Base Portsmouth 1700- 1850: Portsmouth: 1981: 32, plate 26 ; The Buildings of England: Lloyd D: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Harmondsworth: 1985: 414 ; Evans D: The Buildings of the Steam Navy: 1994: 6).
Listing NGR: SU6310400676
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
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