Great Western Arcade

Last updated

Great Western Arcade, Temple Row entrance Great Western Arcade Temple Row.jpg
Great Western Arcade, Temple Row entrance
Great Western Arcade Great Western Arcade inside.jpg
Great Western Arcade

The Great Western Arcade (grid reference SP070871 ) is a covered Grade II listed [1] [2] Victorian shopping arcade lying between Colmore Row and Temple Row in Birmingham City Centre, England.

Contents

It was built (1875-6) over the Great Western Railway line cutting at the London end of Snow Hill station. The cutting was covered in 1874. Originally the broad gauge Paddington line ran through a tunnel which stopped at Temple Row and then an open cutting to Snow Hill station. The cutting was roofed over in 1874 and the Great Western Arcade built on top, the line of the new 'tunnel' being offset slightly to the north of the centre of the arcade. The extended tunnel has a length of 596 yards (545 m). The arcade was designed by W. H. Ward of Paradise Street, Birmingham.

The arcade has entrances at each end: the one at Temple Row is ornate, unlike the modern reworking at Colmore Row, opposite the entrance to the station. The arcade's roof was originally a glazed semi-circular barrel vault with a glazed central dome, similar to that of the Gallerio Vittoria Emmanuele in Milan which was constructed at the same time. It was destroyed during World War II and has been replaced. The arcade, containing shops on both sides, has a clock which strikes the quarters on a set of five exposed bells.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham New Street railway station</span> Largest station in Birmingham, England

Birmingham New Street, also known as New Street station, is the largest and busiest of the three main railway stations in Birmingham city centre, England, and a central hub of the British railway system. It is a major destination for Avanti West Coast services from London Euston, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via the West Coast Main Line, the CrossCountry network, and for local and suburban services within the West Midlands; this includes those on the Cross-City Line between Lichfield Trent Valley, Redditch and Bromsgrove, and the Chase Line to Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley. The three-letter station code is BHM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Snow Hill railway station</span> Railway station in Birmingham, England

Birmingham Snow Hill, also known as Snow Hill station, is a railway station in Birmingham City Centre. It is one of the three main city-centre stations in Birmingham, along with Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Moor Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewellery Quarter station</span> Railway station in Birmingham, England

Jewellery Quarter station is a combined railway station and tram stop, situated in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England. The station is served by West Midlands Trains, Chiltern Railways, and Midland Metro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Moor Street railway station</span> Railway station in Birmingham, England

Birmingham Moor Street, also known as Moor Street station, is one of three main railway stations in the city centre of Birmingham, England, along with Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottingham Victoria railway station</span> Former railway station in Nottingham, England

Nottingham Victoria railway station was a Great Central Railway and Great Northern Railway railway station in Nottingham, England. It was designed by the architect Albert Edward Lambert, who also designed the rebuild of the Nottingham Midland station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeoville Thomason</span>

Henry Richard Yeoville Yardley Thomason was a British architect active in Birmingham. He was born in Edinburgh to a Birmingham family, and set up his own practice in Birmingham 1853–54.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corporation Street, Birmingham</span>

Corporation Street is a main shopping street in Birmingham city centre, England. It runs from the law courts at its northern end to the centre of New Street at its southern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Paul's Square</span>

St Paul's Square is a Georgian square in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, England, named after the church in its centre. It is the last remaining Georgian Square in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Foregate Street railway station</span> Railway station in Worcester, Worcestershire, England

Worcester Foregate Street railway station, opened by the Great Western Railway in 1860 serves the city of Worcester, Worcestershire, England. It is one of the two stations serving the city, with the other station, Worcester Shrub Hill, being located to the east. A third station, Worcestershire Parkway, is located just outside the city to the south-east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Library and Baths, Balsall Heath</span>

The Public Library and Baths on Moseley Road, Balsall Heath, form one of many pairings of baths and libraries in Birmingham, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmund Street</span>

Edmund Street is a street located in Birmingham, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolverhampton Low Level railway station</span> Disused railway station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Wolverhampton Low Level was a railway station on Sun Street, in Springfield, Wolverhampton, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colmore Row</span>

Colmore Row is a street in Birmingham City Centre in the centre of Birmingham, England, running from Victoria Square to just beyond Snow Hill station. It is traditionally the city's most prestigious business address.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowhill</span> Hotel, residential, office and retail in Birmingham, England

Snowhill is a mixed-use development in the Colmore business district, known historically as Snow Hill, in Central Birmingham, England. The area, between Snow Hill Queensway and Birmingham Snow Hill station, is being redeveloped by the Ballymore Group. The £500 million phased scheme has been partly completed on the site of a former surface car park adjacent to the railway station and West Midlands Metro terminus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham city centre</span> City in the West Midlands, England

Birmingham City Centre, also known as Central Birmingham and often known locally as town, is the central business district of Birmingham, England. Following the removal of the Inner Ring Road, the city centre is now defined as being the area within the Middle Ring Road. The city centre is undergoing massive redevelopment with the Big City Plan, which means there are now nine emerging districts and the city centre is approximately five times bigger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennetts Hill</span>

Bennetts Hill is a street in the Core area of Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom. It runs from New Street, uphill to Colmore Row, crossing Waterloo Street in the process. It is within the Colmore Row conservation area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Hotel, Birmingham</span> Grade II* listed Victorian hotel in the city centre of Birmingham, England

The Grand Hotel is a Grade II* listed Victorian five star hotel in the city centre of Birmingham, England. The hotel occupies the greater part of a block bounded by Colmore Row, Church Street, Barwick Street and Livery Street and overlooks St Philip's Cathedral and churchyard. Designed by architect Thomson Plevins, construction began in 1875 and the hotel opened in 1879. Extensions and extensive interior renovations were undertaken by prominent Birmingham architecture firm Martin & Chamberlain from 1890 to 1895. Interior renovations included the building of the Grosvenor Room with Louis XIV style decoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snow Hill tunnel (Birmingham)</span>

Snow Hill Tunnel is a railway tunnel underneath Birmingham city-centre. It runs for 635 yards, linking Birmingham Moor Street station at its southern end, with Birmingham Snow Hill station at its northern end. It is a vital link in the cross-city Snow Hill Lines.

<i>History of Snow Hill</i> Mural in Birmingham, UK

History of Snow Hill is a mural in Birmingham, England about Birmingham Snow Hill station.

Colmore is a surname. Notable people called Colmore include:

References

  1. Historic England. "Great Western Arcade (Grade II) (1211434)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  2. Historic England. "Photograph and details from listed building text (1211434)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 28 June 2006.

Sources

Coordinates: 52°28′54.78″N1°53′49.75″W / 52.4818833°N 1.8971528°W / 52.4818833; -1.8971528