Summary
A C19 gas street lamp, situated at NGR SO76979 43682, manufactured by Hardy and Padmore of Worcester.
Reasons for Designation
The gas street lamp at the north end of Wyche Cutting Footpath is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Intactness: the lamp standard is intact, and remains lit by gas;
* Design quality: not withstanding its humble nature, the lamp has an elegant reeded design that is well cast, and a neatly-detailed Sugg Windsor lantern;
* Technological: it illustrates a technology which once transformed everyday existence;
* Historic interest: it is part of an extensive network of similar gas-lit street lamps which survive across Malvern.
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History
In 1851, permission was given for the building of a gas works at Sherrards Green in Malvern, the first to be built in the town. It opened in 1856, with the capacity to serve around 500 houses in the vicinity, as well as 200 street lamps. Further gas plants were opened around the town, and eventually all of Malvern, even remote locations, was provided with gas street lighting. In 1872, a lamplighter was paid 14s a week to light the lamps each evening. In total there were around 250 lamps, of which around 100 are still lit by gas, with a hand-wound clockwork mechanism to light them automatically. A further 125 have been converted to electric lighting; there are some replica lamp posts, and a few have been tapped off or lost entirely. The lamps were cast by a number of foundries, many of which were local, others much further afield, including Sheffield and Manchester. The lanterns were supplied by William Sugg & Company which was founded in London in 1837 to provide elements for gas lighting, and Foster and Pullen Ltd of Bradford.
Details
The lamp column is constructed from cast iron, with a Windsor lantern. The tapering lantern is set on four scrolled brackets on a tapering, reeded column which flares to a cushion ring. The plinth has a panel to each face, and stands on a square foot; it is cast with founder's mark. The ladder rest has reeded arms with moulded finials. The column carries stencilled number 31.
End of official list entry
