Listing
Search the List

What is Listing?

Listing Guidance

Apply for Listing

Missing Pieces Project

Blue Plaque Scheme
Listing

Find out about listed buildings and other protected sites, and search the National Heritage List for England (NHLE).

Find out about listing

Terracotta tiles on the roof of Saintoft Lodge, Newton-on-Rawcliffe, Ryedale, North Yorkshire. Grade II listed © Historic England Archive DP371715
Advice
Climate Change

Heritage at Risk

Your Home

Technical Guidance

Planning

Caring for Heritage

Constructive Conservation
Advice

See our extensive range of expert advice to help you care for and protect historic places.

Get our advice

A contractor cutting bricks for the wall of the partially-restored wild and natural walled garden at Warley Place, Brentwood. Explore our technical advice section © Historic England Archive DP313199
Research
Our Research Strategy and Agenda

Research Governance

Latest Research

Research Methods

Current Research

Research Results

Support & Collaboration

Inclusive Heritage

Heritage Counts
Research

Discover and use our high-quality applied research to support the protection and management of the historic environment.

Discover our research

Archaeologist Dr David Neal discussing his illustration of the mosaic being excavated at Rutland Roman Villa with members of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services team View image DP264265 © Historic England
Images & Books
Find Photos

Search All Publications

Buy Books

The Historic England Archive
Images & Books

Historic England holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment.

Browse our collections

Children play with a doll and a pram on the cobbled Church Path in Queen Camel, Somerset, in April 1953. At the far end of the path is the tower of the Church of St Barnabas, which dates to the 14th century. Photographer: John Gay Image reference: AA091596 © Historic England Archive
Services & Skills
Education

Grants

Our Planning Services

Training & Skills

Archive Services

Heritage Action Zones

Levelling Up Places Service
Services & Skills

Find out about services offered by Historic England for funding, planning, education and research, as well as training and skill development.

Learn about our services

Heritage Apprentices in a training session on the Researching The Historic Environment module and training in Architectural Photography. Find out more about Heritage Apprenticeships © Historic England Archive DP347660
What's New
News

In Your Area

Historic England Blog

Latest Research

Heritage Online Debate

Statements

Stay up to Date
What's New

Read about our current news, projects and campaigns nationally and in your area.

Catch up with what's new

Two horsemen reading The Sportsman, 30 Oct 1902, Farnborough, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire. Part of the Alfred Newton and Sons collection. Source Historic England Archive. BB98/02592
About Us
What We Do

Who We Are

How We Are Funded

Contact Us

Careers

Volunteer with Historic England
About Us

Historic England is the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England's spectacular historic environment.

Find out more

Mountbatten House (formerly Gateway House), Basing View, Basingstoke, the former headquarters for the paper merchants Wiggins Teape by Arup Associates. Listed at Grade II. © Historic England
Sign in
Manage my account

Sign out

EMPIRE CINEMA

EMPIRE CINEMA, BLACKFRIARS ROAD

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1125906
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-1983
List Entry Name:: EMPIRE CINEMA
Statutory Address:: EMPIRE CINEMA, BLACKFRIARS ROAD

User submitted image — Uploaded by Historic England Archive This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

🏠 Buildings
🏰 Scheduled monuments
🌳 Parks and gardens
⚔️ Battlefields
⚓ Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Images of England Project

To view this image please use Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge.

Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.

Date:: 2005-04-21
Reference:: IOE01/13952/13
Rights:: © Mr Peter D. Dewar. Source: Historic England Archive

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1125906
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-1983
List Entry Name:: EMPIRE CINEMA
Statutory Address 1:: EMPIRE CINEMA, BLACKFRIARS ROAD

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: EMPIRE CINEMA, BLACKFRIARS ROAD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Cambridgeshire
District:: Fenland (District Authority)
Parish:: Wisbech
National Grid Reference:: TF 46328 09744

Details

WISBECH

1113/6/5 BLACKFRIARS ROAD 31-OCT-83 (North side) Empire Cinema

II*

Cinema. 1932. By Ward and Woolnough. Common brick and reconstituted Ketton stone. Jazz-Modern style. Stepped facade with strong horizontal lines emphasised by parapet and street canopy. Geometric patterned metal windows rising through two storeys of central bays with corner window to west. Main entrance, approached by steps, has original glass doors with sunburst patterned glazing bars. Canted 2-storey bay above surmounted by decorative feature and tall finial. INTERIOR. The complete, specially designed, decoration and fittings include, in the circulation areas, some doorways with polygonal heads and part-glazed doors with opal glass and sunburst wood inlay. First-floor cafe has wood inlaid bar front, counter and doors. Rhythm moulded ceiling cornices. Original light fittings here and elsewhere. Main auditorium has a wealth of striking decoration including bold proscenium arch, side entrance features, boxes, circle front, sound grilles and ceiling enrichments. A very complete and richly decorated cinema in an exceptionally unusual style for the provinces. Empire Theatre Wisbech Pamphlet, 1982.

Listing NGR: TF4632809744

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 48201
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Other
Empire Theatre Wisbech Pamphlet, (1982)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.