a leeds revolution

Searching posts tagged temple works

Untitled But No Longer Unseen – how CEG and Leeds Arts University are bringing Harry Thubron’s forgotten mosaic back to life

June 28, 2021

The definition of public art, according to the Tate institution, is “art that is in the public realm, regardless of whether it is situated on public or private property”. In that sense, Harry Thubron’s 1964 mosaic hidden away on a wall in the car park of a dilapidated former warehouse in Holbeck, Leeds, is still very much public art, and the fact that it is unseen, unsung, and perhaps unloved, only adds to its interest and intrigue. But any doubts that may have persisted about whether this was public art can now be comprehensively dismissed, because CEG and Leeds Arts University are about to rescue it from disrepair and probable demise, and restore it ready for suitable reverence.

Yorkshire’s Next Generation of Textile Brilliance – the story of the Temple Weave

September 10, 2020

As we look back through history, we peel away the layers and everything is revealed. Except that the full harvest of some of the rudimentary practices from our industrial evolution aren’t always immediately evident to the 21st century eye. Intrigue should always play a part in how we imagine and discover all our yesterdays, and there is so much still to discover, otherwise our hunger for history would be satiated and we could firmly close the book on the past. And that is why a recent discovery at a famous Yorkshire mill has opened up a fascinating portal into this region’s rich textile heritage, whilst also enabling a journey into an arresting and innovative future.

“When impossible love becomes possible” – how Temple Works and the British Library may finally have found each other

July 08, 2020

The greatest love stories aren’t always about young love. We are all ships that pass in the night and life is a series of sliding doors moments. Some of the strongest and most perfect bonds are formed late in life; making up for years of separation that might be tinged with regret, but are a necessary chapter in the story and make for a flawless ending and a yearned-for outcome that you savour all the more.

Temple Works: A Timeline Of Ownership

May 28, 2020

It seems absurd that the magnificent Temple Works was to be auctioned off for the nominal figure of £1, and it is a myth that CEG paid this sum for the zenith in the architectural and historical compendium of the city of Leeds. Because of the eye-watering prospective cost of stabilising, weather-proofing, cleaning up and re-purposing Temple Works, this grand Egyptian edifice was indeed listed with a starting price of £1. What followed was a nationally-reported apprehension and a creeping anxiety that a purchaser could emerge triumphant with no realisation of the risks or expertise in managing them, nor pockets deep enough to scratch the surface of the barely-understood structural problems.

A chink of light for Temple Works

March 13, 2020

Since becoming custodians of Temple Works in early 2018, CEG have worked tirelessly to protect the building, understand more about it and find a suitable long term use which reflects its importance and its brilliance. This week the Government’s Budget announced funding towards what could be a possible use for the building, and a wholly appropriate one at that. The work contributing to reaching this point has been painstaking, patient and collaborative. A wealth of talented people are working towards this positive future for Temple Works, and this press release – reproduced in full below - released by CEG goes some way to explaining where things stand now.

A Beautiful Oddity: How and why there is an Egyptian Palace in Holbeck

February 13, 2020

The industrial revolution may have been one of the most ground-breaking evolutionary steps the developed world has ever seen, but it left little positive impression in terms of human welfare, environmental impact and the decorative dressing of the towns and cities it helped develop. It may have provided jobs and allowed for profound social reforms in terms of industry, community and a working economy but it also promoted gruesome and exploitative working conditions, particularly for women and children, spewed endless filth into rivers and atmospheres and proliferated the landscape with hastily-designed functional brick edifices to the financial disparity between mill owners and mill workers.

A Temple Of Sustainability Again: How CEG are helping work towards a carbon neutral Leeds

November 22, 2019

The Science is a problem; climate change is “An Inconvenient Truth”. And in a world that is slowly becoming a scientific problem beyond any recognisable scale, we need to be careful how we respond to it. We can’t just solve one problem by adding to a much bigger one. By building much needed homes and workplaces, we are using precious resources, but also, if delivered in an unconsidered way, we are potentially compounding the issue and locking in problems for years to come. But there are ways to control that, and developers like CEG are committed to finding these solutions, implementing them and helping others do the same.

Design Re-defined: the audacious brilliance of Temple Works

October 30, 2019

Words can inspire and energise, or they can hurt and reveal the truth. There are many individual words that have been used to describe the Temple Works building in South Leeds over the years; audacious, grandiose, extravagant, unique, innovative, perhaps even incongruous. Each word was appropriate in its own way, but not all of them still seem to apply. Today, you are more likely to use neglected, weathered, hazardous or forlorn. And yet it is still standing, as a landmark of a sort, and its inherent design qualities still exist as evidence of one of the most remarkable construction achievements to come out of the industrial revolution.

Temple: Change is coming

September 27, 2019

A new neighbourhood is coming to Leeds. Fresh ideas, new spaces and an injection of people, amenities and infrastructure. But crucially, building on the unique character and tradition of what is already there.

Walking In Footsteps To The Future

July 26, 2019

When we try to recall what the great industrialists of the 19th century did and how they operated, we rely mainly on historical records, some of which are vague, or partial, or indecipherable. Certainly there is no living memory to help us, and there is very little physical evidence too.

Education For All – how the Marshalls set about upskilling Holbeck

June 25, 2019

John Marshall was a different kind of mill owner. Not just in his ground-breaking implementation of productivity, engineering and raw material procurement practices, or his adoption of visionary design, construction and architectural techniques, but in his treatment of people.

Arup Demonstrate How Digital Technology Is Helping To Shape History

May 03, 2019

Arup is a global consultancy that addresses every aspect of the built environment, from initial planning and advisory services, through building design, structural engineering and a full range of specialist technical disciplines.

Climbing Society – the story of the Marshall Empire

April 25, 2019

A new revolution in Leeds is happening; a new wave of development bringing opportunities, growth and a revived momentum to the South Bank area of Leeds. Enabling work for CEG’s Globe Point and Globe Square developments has already started, with archaeological digs currently taking place on the site, which was the location of John Marshall’s first two flax mills that kick-started the industrial revolution in Leeds.

Drop-In Information Sessions For The Restoration Of Temple Works

March 12, 2019

Development company CEG group acquired the fascinating heritage asset Temple Works in January 2018. Since this time it has met a series of significant challenges in the process of fully understanding the building’s past development, present condition and potential for the future.

The Cost Of Living - A Year In The Life Of Temple Works

February 27, 2019

Temple Works has often been referred to as the ‘jewel in the crown of Leeds heritage’. It is a building of huge significance, arguably on a global scale. By the time the main mill building was constructed in 1840, John Marshall was retired from the business and died five years later. His empire had been exporting yarn across the world for over 40 years, and the construction of Temple Works, or Temple Mill as it was initially called, represented the zenith of the Marshall’s business.