In 2025, three significant Midlands buildings, including two in Birmingham, have been officially granted listed status, securing their preservation for generations to come.
Among the 35 sites added to the National Heritage List for England are the Bournville Model Radio Sailing Boathouse and Boating Lake, King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls, and the Church of St Chad in Bromsgrove.
Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire, Co-CEOs of Historic England, emphasized the importance of safeguarding England’s diverse heritage: “These protected sites connect us to the people and events that have shaped our communities. From burial sites to wartime defences, and post-modernist buildings to Arts and Crafts gardens, each location tells a unique story of our shared past.”
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Bournville Model Radio Sailing Boathouse and Boating Lake (Grade II)
Built in 1933, the Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club’s boathouse and its distinctive teardrop-shaped concrete boating lake are vital pieces of Birmingham’s social history. This rare pre-war club facility represents the philanthropic spirit of the Cadbury family, renowned chocolatiers who prioritized the welfare of their employees.
The project provided meaningful employment for 64 long-term unemployed men, combining construction work with apprenticeships in carpentry and gardening. Today, with just 11 surviving model boating clubhouses from before World War II, the Bournville boathouse stands as an exceptionally rare example. It features its original timber-framed structure, tall doors, a pantile roof, exposed roof timbers, and even a mid-20th century boat measuring tank.
King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls (Grade II*)
Constructed in 1911 and designed by notable local architect P.B. Chatwin, this school is an exceptional example of neoclassical design. Unusually, it retains much of its original floor plan, fixtures, and fittings, despite still functioning as an active educational institution.
The school’s grand façade showcases full-height gabled entrance bays and a distinctive domed cupola. Inside, a soaring central hall with intricate plasterwork and ornamental leadwork highlights the exquisite craftsmanship, alongside decorative arches, corridors, and staircases.
Church of St Chad, Rubery (Grade II)
Replacing an earlier timber church, the Church of St Chad was built from 1956 to 1960 by Richard Twentyman, known for his modernist ecclesiastical designs. Opened by Princess Margaret, the church remains a community focal point.
Its simple, light-filled design reflects post-war aspirations for openness and innovation. Constructed of brick, concrete, slate, and topped with a copper roof, the church emphasizes natural light throughout. Inside and out, the quality of materials and design is evident, including sculptural works by Geoffrey Clarke, a renowned artist also celebrated for contributions to Coventry Cathedral.
Historic England invites anyone with memories or photographs of these buildings to contribute to their Missing Pieces Project, celebrating the stories that bring these heritage sites to life.