Steps at Shrewsbury's Flaxmill Maltings to close for repairs
Steps at an historic site in Shrewsbury are being closed to the public next week to enable repairs.
Restoration work will take place at Shrewsbury's Flaxmill Maltings after its owners, Historic England, received cash from the Government's Heritage Stimulus Fund.
This includes repairs and improvements to the steps at the rear of the 18th century building at Spring Gardens that link Wingfield Close and the railway underpass to Greenfields and Herongate.
Historic England says the works will make accessing the site, and other local amenities, easier and safer for the public and will also preserve the existing heritage.
There will be no public access to the steps from next Monday to February 28. They will reopen for public use by Tuesday, March 1.
Nick Hill, national conservation projects manager of Historic England, said: “These works to the steps by the railway line are part of our efforts to bring the home of the world’s first iron framed building back to life.
"The steps really do need some attention and Historic England’s contractors, Croft Building and Conservation, will be re-surfacing the existing concrete steps and repairing and repainting the adjoining brick walls.
"A handrail will be fitted to both sides of the steps and non-slip treads with white nosings will be fitted to improve safety and accessibility.
"Later this year some lighting will also be installed, although that is not part of the works taking place this month.”
Built in 1797, the Flaxmill Maltings had two centuries of use, first as a flax mill, then a maltings and also as a training centre and barracks during World War II.
The saw-tooth roofed Main Mill was the first iron-framed building in the world and its pioneering iron frame was the template on which today’s skyscrapers were based.
The restoration of the Grade I listed Main Mill and the Grade II Kiln at the Flaxmill Maltings is taking place, supported by a £20.7 million grant through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, combined with the additional funding from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership via its Growth Deal with Government, and from project partners Historic England, Shropshire Council and the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings.