Wood's Minister's Chair

Here is one of Edgar Wood's Minister's Chairs.  He pioneered the use of black and white dashes which became a fashion of the period.

Mackintosh Chair

Edgar Wood was a furniture designer as well as an architect and artist.  This Mackintosh Chair (1900) currently being shown at the Storey Gallery, Lancaster has the same tall back as Wood's Ministers Chairs at the Edgar Wood Centre, Middleton (1899).

Heritage Skills Training

We are discussing heritage skills training and which one-day courses to run in the Middleton area this year.  These can be very useful for trades people to enhance their knowledge and skills.  We can also run day courses for home and property owners as well as surveyors and architects.   If you have any ideas or specific training needs, please email David at edgarwoodinitiative@gmail.com
Please note - we still have a few places left on these two free courses... Friday 16^th March - Lime Mortars and Repointing - ideal for house owners, amateurs and enthusiasts. One-day course. Monday 19^th March - Traditional Roofing - best for roofers, surveyors and building conservationists. Afternoon course. Email Kerrie at edgarwoodinitiative@gmail.com for details.

Conserving Edgar Wood Buildings

The Edgar Wood Initiative is funding the conservation of Edgar Wood buildings in Middleton. Wood was a radical architect who developed Art Deco and modern architecure from 1900 onwards. His buildings were often small and unassuming but packed with ideas and creativity.  An example is 36 Mellalieu Street, Middleton built for the local newspaper owner Fred Bagot.  Do you know of another building so resolutely modern in 1910?

Edgar Wood Initiative (full name: Edgar Wood & Middleton Townscape Heritage Initiative!) began in 2011 and will continue for another five years.  It's supported by

Heritage Lottery Fund  

Heritage Lottery Fund

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Middleton Heritage and Conservation Group, Friends of Edgar Wood Centre, Middleton Civic Association, Friends of Jubilee Park and Middleton Parish Church.  We are very grateful to these and all our supporters.

We are starting the new Edgar Wood Initiative blog...
Our office in Edgar Wood's Long Street Methodist School is lovely
(at least it was last summer)...

We have our logo too... 

(It's Edgar's drawing of Middleton church with his design for grand staircase)

What more could we want?

You!  Welcome!