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Summary

Description

Dating from the 18^th century and possibly incorporating earlier fabric. Three-storey, piend-roofed, pantile-roofed rubble building with some raised ashlar surrounds and quoins. South Elevation: slightly lower building (not included in this listing) adjoining to left, ground floor obscured, two large windows to right at first floor and four irregular openings close to the roof eaves at second floor. East (Adam Smith's Close) Elevation: ground floor with deep-set door to left of centre at ground, blank above with high boundary walls of Adam Smith's Close abutting to outer right and left. West Elevation: window in bay to right at first floor and to centre at second floor with a high boundary wall abutting to the outer left. North Elevation: only second floor with four windows close to eaves visible. All openings blocked. Red pantiles cover the roof with later rooflights to all pitches. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

The Adam Smith Heritage Centre is a rare surviving example of a rig building of a type once prevalent on rigs extending from the High Street to Sands Road. The rig areas behind the buildings fronting the High Street were commonly developed from the late-18^th and early-19^th century onwards, often with proto-industrial buildings, and there is evidence that a sawmill was located on this site by 1855. Many of the early rig buildings were demolished following the development of the Esplanade, in particular in the early to mid-20^th century, when the street developed from its original form as a small back lane fronting onto the beach. This building (now in use as a heritage centre) is a rare survivor of the urban fabric which predated this re-development.

Map evidence from the Moore's map of 1809 shows a building on the site of the heritage centre which extends across the full width of the rig to a similar extent of this building. In addition, there is a U-shaped courtyard plan building attached to the rear which is open to the sea at the north corner. By Wood's plan of 1824 the courtyard building has been infilled and there is a development across the whole of the rig. The 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1855 shows a building spanning the width of the rig to the east (where the present building remains) and a narrower infill development running back towards the sea.

Based on the map evidence it is likely that the building dates from the late-18^th or early-19^th century or incorporates fabric from the building shown on Moore's 1809 plan. This would be consistent with the period when the plots to the rear of rig systems began to be more intensively developed. The site has been subject to some change since this initial development, in particular with alterations to the area to the west of the current building. Consequently, whilst the extant building may not retain the precise form of the late-18^th century building on the site it is likely to retain fabric of this date and is characteristic of this period and type of rig development and a rare survival of its type.

(References and Notes updated 2011)

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2025. Previously listed as '20 THE ESPLANADE'.

References

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