Fire Station (Building Number 1/77)

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