The Fires
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The following extracts are from: Broomfield:An Illustrated History of the House and Garden - Steven Brindle, Southgate District Civic Trust, 1994 Enfield Council would like to thank Steven Brindle and the Trust for their co-operation in allowing this material to be used on the Broomfield House website. In April 1984 an electrical fault started a fire on the ground floor which spread to the roof. The roof was destroyed and the first floor was partly damaged by water and the collapsing roof. Much of the ground floor was undamaged. Courageous efforts by firemen saved the Lanscoon murals and the magnificent Georgian staircase, which were removed to Southgate Town Hall for safe keeping, ready for restoration.
A temporary roof was erected over the house and this kept the remaining structure in a good state of preservation. The fire revealed more of the underlying timber-framed structure, exposing wattle and daub infilling, part of the original external painted walls and some late 16th century decoration on the internal timber framing, thus making a more detailed history of the building possible.
Initially, the London Borough of Enfield wanted to demolish the damaged building and erect a steel and glass replacement. Pressure from local and national heritage groups and from local residents persuaded the Council to commission a study from architects Donald Insall and Associates. Their report stated that this exceptional building could and should be restored.
Various uses for Broomfield House have been suggested since the fire, including a scheme for a theatre on the rear lawn. A proposal for the complete restoration of the house by the Council for use as a museum failed through lack of resources.
In 1991 the London Borough of Enfield decided to sell the house on the open market. This decision prompted the formation of the Broomfield Historic Buildings Trust which aimed to restore the building and ensure a suitable tenant and use for the house. A detailed report by the architects for the Trust indicated that the house could be restored, including reinstatement of the murals, the fine oak staircase and the panelling.
In late 1993 and early 1994 further fires seriously damaged much of the remaining fabric. Following advice from English Heritage the building was made safe, the remains were protected and archaeological and architectural features which could be salvaged were taken to safe storage.
A Task Force was established in October 1999 as a voluntary partnership between the council and several local groups committed to seeking the full restoration of Broomfield House and to finding a way to give the house a community based future.
Membership is made up of representatives from: The Task Force has considered a number of complex issues for the future success of the project. Factors considered have included the restoration package, house usage requirements, planning and heritage matters, legal operational matters, park usage and covenant limitations. |
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To reach the Fires Gallery, please click here
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