- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 5,647
- Reaction score
- 11,333
1. The History
Not too much history on this place. It was designed by William Gillbee Scott (1857-1930), who had conceived the Gower Street Memorial Chapel in London and located opposite John Lewis in the city centre. The foundation stones were laid in September 1892 and with construction completed by the end of 1893, the Citadel opened in January 1894 as the headquarters of the Salvation. and according to the application and cost £7,500 to build. The Castellated style red-brick building (complete with crenelated parapet with machicolations and a 3-stage square turret on stepped corbels) underwent some alterations in the 1950s. Internally, the key feature was its theatre-like auditorium with its ramped seating and gallery which could seat up to 1,800 people, along with its large central rooflight.
It was Grade II listed in December 1995 and four years later in 1999, the church moved its Sheffield headquarters to Sharrow in 1999 meaning the building has stood empty for just over 20 years.
The citadel become the location of protests in 2012 when 'Occupy Sheffield' took possession and renamed it 'The Citadel of Hope’ on the basis of a so-called ‘Section 6′ notice. There is also hope that the building can be repurposed. WMA Architects, on behalf of Tandem Properties, submitted full planning and listed building applications in October 2019 for work on The Citadel on Cross Burgess Street. Hence the interior of the four-storey building is set to be modernised to make it suitable for use as a food and drink establishment, while retaining its historic features.
2. The Explore
I’ve probably walked past this building and taken more externals of it than any other building. Ironically, I have never been inside. It’s occasionally popped up on here but access has been only occasional and fleeting. Hence finally being able to explore this once lockdown had eased was a big thing for me. Once in I had the place to myself bar a few of our feathered friends. The place is in pretty good nick and looks relatively dry. The façade of the building is one of the nicest in Sheffield and the main auditorium the main thing to see internally. I hope it does get repurposed successfully in a sympathetic manner, but it was really nice to see it after all these years.
3. The Pictures
Let’s kick off with a few external pics of the building’s wonderful façade:
2020-06-10_10-12-20 by HughieDW, on Flickr
CCurbex6 by HughieDW, on Flickr
2020-06-10_10-11-37 by HughieDW, on Flickr
SallyA03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Sally A 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And we’re in!
Sally A 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Not sure that would go that far these days:
Sally A 18 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Staircase up:
Sally A 19 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img6418 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This is the only bit stained glass I could find in the place:
img6419 by HughieDW, on Flickr
View of the stage in the morning light:
Sally A 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
View from the stage:
Sally A 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Looking back up at the gallery:
Sally A 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Sally A 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And that roof:
img6412bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Sound system:
img6406 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A few from higher up:
Sally A 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Sally A 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The staircase down:
Sally A 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img6414 by HughieDW, on Flickr
There’s not much in there but there is this old safe:
Sally A 17 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img6411 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img6410 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img6409bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
img6402 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Not too much history on this place. It was designed by William Gillbee Scott (1857-1930), who had conceived the Gower Street Memorial Chapel in London and located opposite John Lewis in the city centre. The foundation stones were laid in September 1892 and with construction completed by the end of 1893, the Citadel opened in January 1894 as the headquarters of the Salvation. and according to the application and cost £7,500 to build. The Castellated style red-brick building (complete with crenelated parapet with machicolations and a 3-stage square turret on stepped corbels) underwent some alterations in the 1950s. Internally, the key feature was its theatre-like auditorium with its ramped seating and gallery which could seat up to 1,800 people, along with its large central rooflight.
It was Grade II listed in December 1995 and four years later in 1999, the church moved its Sheffield headquarters to Sharrow in 1999 meaning the building has stood empty for just over 20 years.
The citadel become the location of protests in 2012 when 'Occupy Sheffield' took possession and renamed it 'The Citadel of Hope’ on the basis of a so-called ‘Section 6′ notice. There is also hope that the building can be repurposed. WMA Architects, on behalf of Tandem Properties, submitted full planning and listed building applications in October 2019 for work on The Citadel on Cross Burgess Street. Hence the interior of the four-storey building is set to be modernised to make it suitable for use as a food and drink establishment, while retaining its historic features.
2. The Explore
I’ve probably walked past this building and taken more externals of it than any other building. Ironically, I have never been inside. It’s occasionally popped up on here but access has been only occasional and fleeting. Hence finally being able to explore this once lockdown had eased was a big thing for me. Once in I had the place to myself bar a few of our feathered friends. The place is in pretty good nick and looks relatively dry. The façade of the building is one of the nicest in Sheffield and the main auditorium the main thing to see internally. I hope it does get repurposed successfully in a sympathetic manner, but it was really nice to see it after all these years.
3. The Pictures
Let’s kick off with a few external pics of the building’s wonderful façade:
2020-06-10_10-12-20 by HughieDW, on FlickrCCurbex6 by HughieDW, on Flickr2020-06-10_10-11-37 by HughieDW, on FlickrSallyA03 by HughieDW, on FlickrSally A 02 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd we’re in!
Sally A 03 by HughieDW, on FlickrNot sure that would go that far these days:
Sally A 18 by HughieDW, on FlickrStaircase up:
Sally A 19 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg6418 by HughieDW, on FlickrThis is the only bit stained glass I could find in the place:
img6419 by HughieDW, on FlickrView of the stage in the morning light:
Sally A 04 by HughieDW, on FlickrView from the stage:
Sally A 13 by HughieDW, on FlickrLooking back up at the gallery:
Sally A 11 by HughieDW, on FlickrSally A 12 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd that roof:
img6412bw by HughieDW, on FlickrSound system:
img6406 by HughieDW, on FlickrA few from higher up:
Sally A 08 by HughieDW, on FlickrSally A 10 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe staircase down:
Sally A 14 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg6414 by HughieDW, on FlickrThere’s not much in there but there is this old safe:
Sally A 17 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg6411 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg6410 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg6409bw by HughieDW, on Flickrimg6402 by HughieDW, on Flickr
