St. John's Workhouse in Boston - RICS shortlists Lincolnshire Heritage Project

Local charity, the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire, has been short-listed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for the restoration of St John's Workhouse in Boston.

The short-listing announcement reads: "The RICS Awards celebrate the best building and conservation projects and the winners will take their place in a long line of impressive projects, which include the Royal Opera House in London and the Eden Project in Cornwall. A panel of RICS experts will visit each short-listed project from now until the end of February 2004. A winner from each category and the overall winner of the RICS Building of the Year will be presented with their awards at a gala ceremony to be held in London in May 2004."

David Start, Director of Heritage Lincolnshire, said: "We are delighted to have had our work recognised in this way. Sir Gilbert Scott's 1837 building, or at least all that now remains of the original complex, is an important part of Boston's history. When a building is in disrepair and in danger of being lost, we try to look at a range of possible uses that will ensure that it has a viable future. Historic buildings can present a complicated range of problems to the would-be repairer. Surprises and unexpected difficulties lie ahead, however carefully you approach the project. Perfection is something you aim for but seldom achieve, however expert your builders and technical advisors. The main area of difficulty is how best to retain as much as you can of the original structure and its features, whilst at the same time adapting it for a new, modern, purpose."

"The St John's workhouse is a building of national architectural importance. It represents a period of important local social history too. Prior to 1834, each parish had responsibility for looking after its own poor, which was a great drain on parish resources, and was, too often, managed inadequately. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1837 made provision for parishes to join together in a 'Union' and thus Union workhouses came into being. The Boston Union of 28 parishes was formed in 1836 and commissioned the building of St John's workhouse to house 350 paupers in 1837. The building was extended several times before workhouses were abolished in 1929 when it became an old people's home. It also served other functions, including HMS Arbella (for the Navy during the war), as a boy's school, a weights and measures office and a Civil Defence headquarters. Its final closure came in the1970s and most of the buildings were demolished in 1978 leaving Scott's grand gatehouse. This steadily fell into ruin until Heritage Lincolnshire restored and repaired the structure in 2001. The building, renamed Scott House is now owned by Lincolnshire County Council and operates as a resource centre for adults with physical disabilities. We await the decision of the judges with interest, but whatever the result, we already feel that our efforts have been recognised."