Cullercoats Radio Station, Brown's Point

1022/0/10030 17-AUG-01

Cullercoats NORMA CRESCENT (east of) Cullercoats Radio Station, Brown's Point

GV II

Wireless telegraphy station. 1906, by the De Forest Company for Marconi. Extended c1930 with a wireless station building for HM Coastguard. 1906 building of colourwashed brick with Welsh slate roof and cusped bargeboards. Rectangular plan. Segmental arches over two horned six/six-pane sashes to south elevation and one to north elevation, to left of later C20 door. Entry in west gable wall.

Wireless station of c1930 immediately to west. Rendered brick walls and Westmorland slate roofs with stack to rear left. Planned as two end blocks, each with a hipped almost pyramidal roof, flanking a central spine wing. Single storey. West elevation has two eight/fourteen-pane sashes in each end block, with transomed casement windows in the returns facing the central spine, which has main entrance set in hipped porch. Similar fenestration to other elevations; glazing-bar overlight over double doors in north elevation, projecting later C20 porch to south.

HISTORY: this is an exceptionally early and well-preserved example, grouping with a later and carefully-handled radio station, of a building associated with the initial development of radio telegraphy. It dates from 1906, thus marking the first phase of wireless telegraphy's major contribution towards the twentieth century's scientific-technical revolution. The early building survives in very close proximity to a larger station dating from c1930, that in its handling and sensitive use of materials - including Westmorland slate roofs - typifies the careful approach towards the architectural treatment of government-owned utility buildings of the inter-war period at its best.

Listing NGR: NZ3651671616