Welwyn Garden City Walking Tour
Welwyn Garden City Walking Tour
Geoffrey Hollis will lead a socially distanced tour of Welwyn Garden City to see how it has developed from a greenfield site, and we will also consider its future.
Saturday 24th July
11 am to 4pm. starting and finishing at Welwyn Garden City station
IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE BOOKING: PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE A SMART PHONE WITH THE ZOOM APP AND A RELIABLE MOBILE DATA CONNECTION (SEE BELOW).
Welwyn Garden City celebrated its centenary last year with the unveiling a statue of its founder Ebenezer Howard, who lived in the town as did its master planner Louis de Soissons.
The plan is to see the Shredded Wheat factory by de Soissons & Kenyon (1926) which is awaiting development, as well as the houses they designed for Ebenezer Howard and de Soissons in Guessens Road, and one of their churches. We will also look at Campus West – the leisure centre by Sheppard, Robson and Partners (1973), and visit the Daily Mail model village (1920-22) which includes steel frame housing by Adshead, Ramsey & Abercrombie.
Interior access is being arranged to the Shredded Wheat silos, houses and churches. Please be prepared to wear a face mask as part as COVID restrictions, or as a courtesy if restrictions have been lifted, during any interior visits.
LUNCH: Bring your own packed lunch or sandwiches can bought close to the station at Welwyn Garden City. Lunch will be in a local hall where coffee and tea will be available. Over lunch we hope to have the Chairman of the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust and a local councillor talk about the future of the town.
After the walk members will have the opportunity for two optional self-guided walks: 1. Templewood School (exterior only) Grade II*, one of the county’s best post war schools and some modernist houses in the Sherrards Wood area. 2. The Roche building (exterior only), 1937 by Otto Salvisberg, (grade II) for the pharmaceutical company which has recently been converted to luxury flats.
Geoffrey Hollis is an enthusiast for Modernism, with an active interest in the conservation of historic buildings and is Clocks Advisor to the Diocese of St Albans. He has also written about Louis de Soissons in the C20 Magazine 2019 page 27
Numbers will be limited to 25, so apply quickly to avoid disappointment.
Meet time/place: 11 am at Welwyn Garden City station (27 minutes from London Kings Cross)
Finish time/place: 4pm at Welwyn Garden City station
Members: £25. Non Members: £32.
Not a member yet? Join here and benefit from event ticket discounts. Looking to support our campaigning? Donate to our casework here.
Participants must bring a fully charged smart phone with a reliable internet data connection, headphones and have downloaded Zoom on their phones in advance of the tour. Remember to stay at least two metres apart from each other where required. Zoom joining information will be sent out to all participants with the confirmation email before the tour. Get in touch with kate@c20society.org.uk with any queries.
The Twentieth Century Society is a registered charity, no 1110244
Above: The Shredded Wheat factory, de Soissons & Kenyon (1923-26) Photograph: Cela Selley.
The Twentieth Century Society is an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building conservation) recognised CPD provider.