Historic walk aims to fuel restoration of gasworks site
VIEW ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIES ON VILLAGE TOUR
VISITORS will be able to take a tour around an old abandoned gasworks building thanks to a conservation group.
The Grade Ii-listed Gasworks building in Sudbury has been unused since the 1930s but the group is hoping to restore it and use it as community building using National Lottery money.
It originally used to make gas from coal.
Now members of the Sudbury Gasworks Restoration Trust have organised the Sudbury: Walking History Talk and Tea and will allow visitors to see the old building and other historic ones in the Derbyshire Dales village.
It will be a chance to show off some of the architectural histories of the village, including a rare glimpse inside the renovation works at Sudbury Gasworks, said a spokesman for the trust.
The group was founded in 2013 with the aim of turning the former gasworks in Main Road into a community hub.
The tour will take place at 2pm this Saturday and tickets will cost £5 per person, with all funds going towards the restoration work.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, each group will be limited to six people and social distancing should be adhered to at all times.
Attendees are also encouraged to wear suitable footwear due to uneven ground.
A trust spokesperson said: “Sudbury Gasworks is a Grade Ii–listed architecturally significant building in Sudbury village, built in 1874 attributed to country house architect, George Devey. The original purpose of the gasworks was to manufacture gas from coal. The gasholder was dismantled in the 1930s and the building now stands empty, with noticeable deterioration.
“Sudbury Gasworks Restoration Trust intend to rescue, preserve, and refurbish this ‘at risk’ building to provide a modern community resource and preserve its wider social heritage, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“The tour will be split into four key areas of interest in the village, with each group moving between locations, including All Saints
Church, the Village Street, Sudbury Hall and Sudbury Gasworks.
“Representatives from Sudbury Gasworks Restoration Trust will show attendees around the site and talk to them about the funding they have received to restore and develop the building as a hub for the community. Each group will also have the opportunity to have refreshments as part of the tour, and all additional donations will go towards the Sudbury Gasworks restoration project.”
Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite and there will also be a plant sale to raise money for the trust.