Woodcock Street Baths

Woodcock Street Baths is a swimming pool, part of the Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre in Birmingham, England. The pool dates from 1902. It was originally a public baths; it is now part of Aston University and is operated by Sport Aston. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

Woodcock Street Baths
General information
StatusGrade II listed
Architectural styleEdwardian
LocationBirmingham
grid reference SP 078 876
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates52°29′9.1″N 1°53′12.5″W
Completed1902
Website
Swimming Pool

The pool is open to students and staff of the university, and to the public.[2]

History

It is one of the oldest operating pools in Britain.[2]

Woodcock Street Baths was originally opened in 1860. It was Birmingham's second public baths after the passage of the 1846 Public Baths and Wash-houses Act. In 1902 an additional pool, the First Class Pool, was built. In the 1920s the baths were reconstructed; the 1902 pool was a part that remained from the earlier building.[1][3]

It was taken over by Aston University in 1980. There was further redevelopment in 2011,[4] and in 2013 the sports centre was named after Sir Doug Ellis.[5]

Architecture

The pool retains most of the original features. The long rectangular hall has white tiled walls with blue and brown banding; along the sides are cubicles with terracotta arches. The roof is supported by elliptic girders that are pierced with quatrefoil shapes.[1]

References
  1. Historic England. "Former City of Birmingham Public Baths, now Aston University Sports Centre (1211513)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  2. "Swimming Pool" Aston University. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  3. "Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre, Birmingham" Historic Pools of Britain. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. "Woodcock Street Baths: Guided Tour & Swim" Birmingham Heritage Week. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. "Sir Doug Ellis had died" BirminghamLive, 11 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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