Former Auxiliary Fire Service Drill Tower

A former Auxiliary Fire Service drill tower of around 1939.

MATERIALS AND PLAN: white-painted, concrete block work with metal stairs. The tower is entered on the ground floor on the north side. The east and west sides are separated by a spine wall.

EXTERIOR: the tower is formed of seven storeys and is octagonal. The five east-facing elevations alternate, having either window openings or balcony-like openings, all of which are covered by metal grilles. The tops of the window opening elevations have a stepped cornice and all elevations have timber, ladder rests. The three elevations to the western side are blind except at the top floor observation level. The tower has a flat roof which has three lightning-shaped conductors or antennae.

INTERIOR: on the ground floor there are three storerooms on the east side, separated by metal doors. To the west side there is a hallway which has two, decorative cast-iron, spiral staircases which rise to the first floor, where they terminate at slatted-timber, sliding doors. The first to the fifth floors have a landing area and a small cubicle behind each balcony opening. The landings are connected by pairs of metal ladders which have curved hand rails and rise up inside the east side of the tower. The west side of the tower is taken up by an open shaft which has a metal hoist mechanism fitted to its ceiling. This vertical space and the hoists and the metal frame which support them were most probably intended for drying the canvas hose pipes which were fitted to pre-war fire engines.  The upper floors have dry riser fittings for connecting the water supply to fire hoses and metal cleats for securing ropes. The top (sixth) floor is open plan and its window openings provide an all-round view. The ceiling has a rectangular access hatch to the flat roof.