Historic building on Gas Street, Birmingham

Image: © Chris Allen Taken: 5 Mar 2020

This is now Gas Street Church but its history is much longer and very interesting. The lower, 2 bay section nearest the camera is an 1822 gas retort house. It was the second retort house in Birmingham's first gas works and the only one to survive from this era. The side wall was originally open with the roof supported on cast iron columns. It was filled in when the works ceased to be a gas works and was made available for other uses in the 1850s. The retort house is of early fireproof construction with cast and wrought iron roof trusses. The curved gable is on a later extension for a company that made iron roofs. it was later used as a brass works and then a mason's yard. The building's importance was only recognised in 1992 and it was subsequently listed Grade II* for the retort house and Grade II for other parts. This is a building of international importance and it is fortunate that its importance was recognised.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0