There has been an unprecedented amount of traffic on my Twitter account this morning following the publication yesterday of a letter that Dan Cruickshank and I wrote to the Times about the failure of the heritage authorities to work effectively together to save the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. As readers of this blog will know, Historic England have taken a narrowly legalistic view of its responsibilities and have actually supported the application to turn the Bell Foundry into a boutique hotel. But if they are not going to fight to preserve and protect such an obviously important historic monument – a monument to long-standing and remarkably well preserved historic craft practices – who will ? Will Tower Hamlets have the guts to turn the application down ? Here is the text of our letter:-
Though it’d be sad not to celebrate ‘a swimming pool overlooking the local mosque’, you and Dan are surely right to fight this proposal. Is there a petition we can sign? I’ll be seeing my dear old tutor Kerry Downes next week and could no doubt obtain his signature… Having recently climbed the chapel tower of the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley and seen and heard its fine Whitechapel Foundry bells, i wonder if there’s an inventory?
Dear Edward, If you Google ‘Save the Whitechapel Bell Foundry’, it will say where to write. It would be great if Kerry did as well. He will understand its significance. Charles
Bravo
Spot on