Monument record MDO47488 - Arthur Bray's Boatyard, Poole

A foundry built by 1890, extended in the early 20th century and used as a boatyard by 2006. It is a rectangular on plan and is orientated approximately north west ¿ south east. It comprises a front range that faces onto West Quay Road and two parallel ranges with hipped roofs attached to the rear (west). The roadside (east) elevation of the building is constructed of brick which is painted white, with a two-span gable ended roof. There is decorative stepped brickwork to the gables rising to recessed, plain panels at the apex of each gable. To the ground floor are four window openings with cambered-heads and cast iron frames. One of the left hand openings has been altered to a doorway. At first floor, each gable has a symmetrical arrangement of windows consisting of a large round-headed window to the centre, flanked by smaller round-headed windows. The cast iron frames of two of the smaller windows in the left gable have been replaced.

Documentary research indicates that the foundry, known as the Dorset Foundry, was established by W. J. Tarrant. It appears to have been on this site since at least 1890, as it features on the 1890 Ordnance Survey map; no buildings are shown in this location on the mid 19th century tithe map. The foundry building has been extended to both the west and east in the early 20th century, but most of the western half which is shown on historic maps has since been demolished. It is not known when the foundry closed.

Aerial photographs show that the foundry building is rectangular on plan and is orientated approximately north west ¿ south east. It comprises a front range that faces onto West Quay Road and two parallel ranges with hipped roofs attached to the rear (west). A photograph provided by the applicant shows the roadside (east) elevation of the building. It is constructed of brick which is painted white, with a two-span gable ended roof. There is decorative stepped brickwork to the gables rising to recessed, plain panels at the apex of each gable. To the ground floor are four window openings with cambered-heads and cast iron frames. One of the left hand openings has been altered to a doorway. At first floor, each gable has a symmetrical arrangement of windows consisting of a large round-headed window to the centre, flanked by smaller round-headed windows. The cast iron frames of two of the smaller windows in the left gable have been replaced.

The exact date of this building is not known, but as already mentioned, it appears on the 1890 map. After 1840, because of the greatly increased number of buildings erected and the much larger numbers that have survived, progressively greater selection is necessary to identify the best examples of particular building types. As set out in the English Heritage Selection Guide (2007) for industrial buildings, key considerations will be architectural quality and intactness, and that evidence for the function of buildings can be determined from the historic fabric. Although originally a foundry, Arthur Bray¿s Boatyard is now essentially a light industrial complex and marina. The former foundry building is not considered to contain any specific plant relating to its former use and it is of modest architectural quality. In addition the building does not survive in its original form, nor is it original purpose evident. Although this former building of the Dorset Foundry does not, therefore, meet the statutory listing criteria, it does, however, have local historic interest for its association with iron manufacturing in Poole during the late 19th century. <1>

<1> English Heritage, English Heritage Listing File, Adviser's report on case 163006, in file 502776/001 (Scheduling record). SDO17502.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1510454 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jun 6 2024 5:09PM