The Old Power Station

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 02/12/2019

TQ 5846 NE 4/119

THE SLADE Nos 26 and 27, The Old Power Station

(Formerly listed as The Milne Museum, THE SLADE)

II Former electricity generating station, at time of survey a museum with exhibits of early electrical machinery from the South Eastern Electricity Board area. Built in 1902, the consulting engineer being Robert Hammond, an entrepreneur who was one of the early pioneers of the Brighton electricity generating scheme. Unusual Arts and Crafts style building influenced by Voysey.

Red brick in English bond with stone dressings, nipped slate roof, two storey offices with one storey engine room behind, the latter having been extended by two bays at a later date in matching style. Roof has three pebble-dashed gabled dormers with circular wooden louvres. Wooden modillion eaves cornice. Two crenellated drainpipes. Two slightly projecting chimneystacks, one with blank arch. First floor has left side hoist and right side three-light casement with top opening lights, fifteen panes in all. Ground floor has three four-light casements separated by stone architraves and with stone bands connecting tops and bottoms of all windows. Leaded lights. Narrow door up six steps with fifteen panels to top half and large fielded panel to bottom.

Left side elevation has first floor three-light casement with later glass louvres inserted in top; to the rear of this is the engine room extension, also in red brick, English bond. Gable end with pilasters, stone coping and ball finial. Blank arcading. First floor has two four-light casements with stone surrounds and linking bands and central two light window later blocked.

Right side elevation has two blocked window openings on first floor and three blocked window openings on ground floor and is of orange brick. Engine room on this side has been cement rendered, with one four-light casement, Manager's office has an iron fireplace with brackets and green tiled surround and another fireplace with plumed capitals, fluted columns and a curved feature to the centre with paterae and swags and cornice with a band of swags. Some five panelled doors.

The engine room, originally of five bays, was extended by two bays, the whole has blank arcading. Square pilasters to other side and lonic pilasters to sides of former switchboard panel. Roof of scientific king post form. The only surviving machinery from the building is an overhead crane.

Included as a fairly early and architecturally elaborate example of an electricity generating station.

Listing NGR: TQ5884246708