Silverwell House

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 27/02/2015

SD7109SE 797-1/17/46

BOLTON, SILVERWELL LANE, Silverwell House

(Formerly listed as Silverwell House, BRADSHAWGATE (East side (off).

Previously listed as: Former NCC's quarters, SILVERWELL STREET))

26/04/74

II

House. 1790, for John Pilkington, a cotton manufacturer. Brick, painted to former front elevation, with slate roof.

EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 3-window range, with central entrance. Pedimented doorcase to this entrance (now disused), with 12-pane sash window over. Flanking full-height canted bays with sash windows. Rear elevation has irregular fenestration, and main doorway to left of centre, a 6-panelled door in moulded wood architrave with flat entablature. Subsidiary doorway inserted and in added porch to left. Round arched stair windows above the main doorway, and a similar round arched window at an intermediate height to secondary stairs to left. 12-pane sash windows in attic storey, other windows 4-pane sashes or renewed in original openings. All windows have flat arched brick heads and stone sills. Moulded eaves cornice. End wall stacks.

INTERIOR: not inspected.

HISTORY: the front of the building was largely contained within a drill hall at the time of Listing. When the hall was built in 1887 for the 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Lancashire Division of the Royal Artillery, the house itself became the armoury, stores, canteen lecture hall, offices etc. The architect of the drill hall, and hence of the modifications to the house, was Captain Marshall Robinson. The drill hall was thought locally to be the largest covered drill shed in Britain when it was built, but it was extensively reconstructed during the C20 and was excluded from the Listing of the house. In the latter half of the C20 the drill hall (including the house) was used as a Sorting Office and Sports Centre. The Sports Centre was demolished during the late C20/early C21 leaving just the house extant and utilised as offices.

(Bolton Journal, August 6th, 1887: Bolton; Bolton and District Civic Trust: Buildings of Bolton: Bolton: 1983-).”

Listing NGR: SD7192609099