| Abstract: |
In February 2012, in advance of improvement works to Porthcurno Telegraph Museum an archive standard black and white photographic record was made of the grade 2 listed museum building, Eastern House, and an associated late 20th century Maintenance Block. A condition of planning and listed building consent, this recording work added to historical and architectural character information collected during a pre-planning historic building appraisal (Ratcliffe and Berry 2011). Purpose-built to a standard telegraph company design, Eastern House is a two-storey, fire-proofed, white-painted, cast-concrete and metal structure, under a flat, asphalt roof. Originally constructed in 1904, as a result of the arrival of new submarine cables at Porthcurno, and the site's later development as a training school, it was extended four times during its history, and there is clear evidence for this in the standing building. Externally, the building's appearance has remained generally unchanged since its final major extension in 1962, although all the windows are now Upvc and the two main museum doors are converted ground floor windows. It retains its polite architectural style and many external features. In addition, early photographs show roof ventilators and 2 chimneys, which have been subsequently removed. Inside, there is some evidence of internal spaces having been reconfigured, by the removal of some original concrete walling, blocking or conversion of original windows, and insertion of new doorways and partitions and false ceilings. However, original rooms survive, not least the large open space of the 1904 top-floor instrument room. Oringinal architectural features were also recorded in the simple interior of the rest of the building. The 1970s/80s Maintenance Block was found to be a modern structure of no architectural merit. |
