The Mount, Sheffield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Mount |
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| General information | |
| Type | Terraced houses (now offices) |
| Architectural style | neoclassical |
| Location | Glossop Road, Broomhill, Sheffield, England |
| Coordinates | 53°22′36″N 1°29′56″W / 53.3768°N 1.4989°W (grid reference SK3386) |
| Construction started | 1830 |
| Completed | 1832 |
| Owner | Aviva |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Flockton |
| Designations | Grade II* listed |
The Mount is a very important building in Sheffield, England. It is located on Glossop Road in the Broomhill area. This building is considered a Grade II* listed building, which means it has special historical or architectural importance. It stands about 1.3 miles west of the city center.
The Mount was built in a neoclassical style, which means it looks like buildings from ancient Greece or Rome. It started as a row of eight separate homes. However, since the 1950s, it has been used as office space for different companies. The building is also part of the Broomhill Conservation Area. This area was created in March 1977 to protect its special character.
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History of The Mount Building
The Mount was built by a local architect named William Flockton. Construction took place between 1830 and 1832. When it was first built, The Mount was in a very rural area. People even called it "Flockton's Folly" because they thought it was too far from town for anyone to want to live there.
However, Flockton had a clever idea. He was inspired by famous buildings like the Royal Crescent in Bath and Regent's Park in London. These places looked like huge country mansions but actually contained several separate homes. The Mount was designed the same way, with eight "genteel dwellings" or nice apartments. They were numbered 2 to 16, starting from Newbold Lane.
William Flockton was very confident about his design and the building's location. He described The Mount as "a handsome Ionic edifice." He also said it was "substantially built" and much better designed than other buildings nearby. The Mount quickly became a popular place to live. It offered great views of the Porter valley and attracted many important people from Sheffield society. The success of The Mount made Flockton a very respected architect. He even used its design as a basis for his larger and more famous building, Wesley College, which he built nearby in 1838.
Who Lived at The Mount?
Many interesting people have lived at The Mount over the years. The most famous resident was the poet and editor James Montgomery. He lived at number 4 from 1835 until he passed away in 1854.
Other notable residents included:
- Walton J. Hadfield, the City Surveyor, who lived at number 2 from 1926 to 1934.
- James Wilkinson, an iron and steel merchant, who lived at number 6 from 1837 to 1862.
- George Wostenholm, a cutlery manufacturer, who lived at number 8 between 1837 and 1841.
- George Wilson, a snuff manufacturer, lived in numbers 14 and 16 from 1857 to 1867. He needed two houses because his family was so large!
The Mount's Later Life
In the early 1900s, a department store called John Walsh Ltd. bought The Mount. They used apartments 10 to 16 as housing for their employees. During World War II, when Walsh's main store was destroyed in the Sheffield Blitz (a bombing raid) in December 1940, The Mount was used as a temporary shop. By the end of 1941, Walsh's moved back to the city center.
In 1958, The Mount was bought by the United Steel Companies to use as offices. They hired architects to convert the building and even added lifts. In 1967, it became the main office for British Steel Corporation in the region. Then, in 1978, an insurance company called Norwich Union purchased the building.
In July 2009, a Language school called A+ English rented the building. They did a lot of renovation work before opening in September 2009. The Mount has 1,385 square meters of space spread across three floors. It also has a basement car park. Today, The Mount is owned by Aviva, which is the parent company of Norwich Union.
Architecture of The Mount
The most eye-catching part of The Mount's design is its portico. This is a porch-like structure with six tall Ionic columns. These columns have a special scroll-like design at the top.
The building is very wide, with 17 sections or "bays." Most of these bays have sash windows, which are windows with two parts that slide up and down. The sections at each end of the building have pairs of Ionic columns, making them stand out.
