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Stratford Upon Avon’s Shakespeare Centre gets Grade II listing

Nationally important centre is listed alongside 20th century Lodge at Birmingham University.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Heritage and Tourism Minister John Penrose has today listed the Shakespeare Centre in Stratford Upon Avon, following expert advice from English Heritage and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

Designed by Laurence Williams and built in the early 1960s, the Centre is almost completely unaltered since its completion and continues to function in its original use.

“The Shakespeare Centre is a building of both national importance and special interest, with a number of attractive embellishments and features,” said Mr Penrose. “It clearly merits the extra protection against unsuitable alteration or development that listing provides.”

John Penrose has also today listed the early 20th century Lodge (pictured), Gates, Gate piers and Walling at the University of Birmingham at grade II, and declined to list the former Music School at Sherborne School for Boys.  Both decisions are also on the basis of advice from English Heritage.

Grade II listing means that the architectural merit of the building must be taken account of in any future applications to develop the site.

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Published 25 October 2010