Selfridges listed status upgraded as others protected for first time
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Iconic London department store Selfridges has been reclassified as a building of “more than special interest” after its listed status got an upgrade.
It is among the 423 buildings which have been awarded or updated in their listed status this year by Historic England.
Having previously been Grade II listed, the Oxford Street shop will now be classed as Grade II* meaning it is a “building of more than special interest”.
Announcing the change, Historic England said of the famous store: “Through elaborate window dressing, excellent customer service and clever advertising the department store became a social and cultural institution.”
The wreck of a ship suspected of liquor smuggling, a 19th-century railway station, and a church with an unusual ceiling are just some of the other historic places which appear on the National Heritage list for England this year.
More than 90% of buildings listed in England are Grade II, classifying them as of special interest and meaning efforts should be made to preserve them.
A well-preserved 18th century merchant ship believed to be involved in the smuggling of liquor and contraband has been protected for the first time as a scheduled monument.
The Old Brig wreck is located by Seasalter in Kent, an area of the coast known for historic smuggling activities.
Beauchamp Lifeboat Memorial, now protected with Grade II status, is situated in Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk and was unveiled in 1903 to memorialise the nine crew members who lost their lives during a rescue mission in 1901.
On a stormy night the was launched in response to distress signals coming from a ship towards Barber Sands.
Despite the severity of the storm, the crew managed to get the boat afloat and begin their mission. However, the boat capsized en route, trapping the crew beneath and taking nine lives.
The memorial’s broken mast, anchor, lifebuoy and laurel wreaths act as a reminder of the tragic loss of life at sea.
Retford Railway Station near Sheffield has also been listed at Grade II, and features a rare surviving example of original tiled finishes in its dining and refreshment rooms, dating back to the late 1900s.
During the Second World War, the station was repurposed as a canteen and rest room by the Women’s Voluntary Service, serving HM and Allied Forces over two million meals between 1940 and 1946.
Heritage minister Nigel Huddleston said: “I am delighted that these important sites have been listed this year.
“These significant additions to the list span the whole country – from Nottingham to Kent, Andover to Cumbria, and include something for everyone to enjoy.
“I am grateful that, thanks to these listings, these heritage sites will continue to enrich our communities for generations to come.”
