4.11 St. Vincents Quarter
Character
The St. Vincent’s quarter is located in the north west of the city
and rises from the Don Valley basin to the south west, affording
views to the northern hills and the dry ski slope. Its topography
has resulted in many of its streets being developed on steep gradients
with slopes up to 1:8 in some parts of the quarter.
The quarter retains much of the original 18th and 19th century
industrial street pattern, but has suffered Slum clearance and war
damage have removed most of the evidence of the original public
realm and built form within the quarter. Many of the cleared sites
are being used as car parking or service areas for adjacent businesses,
offering the opportunity for infill development. The area originally
consisted of a dense mix of traditional steelwork industries and
back to back terraces. Today, it remains predominately industrial
in character with a pocket of 20th century social and student housing
residential development in the southwestern corner.
St. Vincent’s retains a number of industrial buildings of significance.
This includes the Cementation Furnace in Doncaster Street and a
variety of cutlery workshops and residences throughout the quarter.
Otherwise, the remainder of the quarter contains a large proportion
of modern 20th century industrial buildings and residential units.
The St. Vincent’s Church at Solly Street is a landmark within the
quarter and on the city centre skyline. The church was once the
community focus for the Irish immigrants who settled in the city
in the 18th and 19th centuriesy. Unfortunately, the church buildings
are mostly vacant and its grounds are now utilised for car parking.
The distinct character areas of the St. Vincent’s Quarter are:
- Furnace Hill. This area comprises a network
of narrow streets and lanes, still densely built up with works
and commercial premises, which has a distinct character.
- Solly Street/Garden Street/Hollis Croft. The
central section of Solly Street contains St. Vincent’s Church
and the group of associated buildings, which dominate the area.
- Well Meadow Street. This street contains important
examples of Sheffield’s early industrial architecture. The two
surviving complexes comprise houses, workshops and crucible furnaces,
and are listed buildings.
Built form in the quarter varies. The Victorian industrial buildings
are generally 2-4 storeys in height and constructed mostly of brick
with stone detailing and Welsh slate roofs. The postwar developments
largely reflect a more modern industrial character. These are generally
1-4 storeys in height and constructed of red brick, cement or modern
cladding with industrial sheet metal flat roofing.
Residential development includes a range of public housing of flats
and maisonettes. There is also some terraced housing on the western
tip of the quarter at Broad Lane. The student accommodation on Solly
Street makes a positive contribution to the quarter’s environment,
despite its pastiche architectural style, as it is relatively well
maintained and provides colour to the otherwise bland streetscape.
The older Edward Street flats are a distinct structure within the
quarter, with their arched entranceways and the brick and stone
detailing of the facades with large sheltered interior green spaces.
The public realm is in a poor condition throughout the quarter
and consists mainly of tarmac and asphalt with stone kerbs still
evident in parts. There is no street furniture within this quarter
except basic street lighting, which is a reflection of its predominant
industrial land use. With the exception of the Edward Street flats
and the student housing on Solly Street, there is little evidence
of an effective public/private realm interface in the residential
area.
There is a lack of public space in the quarter. The pocket park
at Kenyon Street serves the entire residential area and is poorly
designed and maintained. The abundance of unofficial car parking
along the ridge at Solly Street currently detracts from the superb
panoramic views across the city.
The St. Vincent’s Quarter has a number of important city centre
gateway sites and routes. Hoyle Street, West Bar and the roundabouts
on Tenter Street are key vehicular entry points. Gibraltar Street,
Broad Lane and Tenter Street are major gateway routes.
The significant buildings in the St. Vincent’s Quarter are:
- St. Vincent’s Church and associated buildings
- Provincial House
- Cementation Furnace, Doncaster Street
- Kutrite Works
- 216 & 218 Solly Street
- 35 & 54 Well Meadow Street
- Scotland Street Chapel
- 52 - 56 Garden Street
- John Watts Cutlery Works
- JW Bartholomew premises, 46 Doncaster Street
- Stephenson Blake premises, Upper Allen Street
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