Before the Library of Birmingham there was Baskerville Basin

Before construction of the Library of Birmingham was begun by Carillion in 2010, archaeologists were on site in the summer of 2009 digging up the former car park, revealing the former Baskerville Basin. Part of the canal network used to stretch into what is now Centenary Square, but was filled in during the 1930s to make way for a proposed Civic Centre. I saw the remains in August 2009.

For more on John Baskerville check out my post here: John Baskerville: creator of his own typeface.

Before Carillion could start building the Library of Birmingham in January 2010, archaeologists had to go on the site in the summer of 2009. For many years the land between Baskerville House and The REP had been used as a car park for the Council. Once the upper layers were dug up, they could start digging up the remains and see what was left below. Intact brick walls of Baskerville Basin were found on the site and many remains and finds. Towards the site of what is now Centenary Square used to be Gibson's Arm which was a private canal built during the 1810s. Baskerville Basin was filled in during 1938 before the proposed Civic Centre was to be built. While Baskerville House and the Hall of Memory were built, the rest of the proposals weren't indirectly due to the outbreak of World War Two.

A map printed in 1880, this section showing Baskerville Wharf between Cambridge Street and Broad Street. Old Wharf is below (that was later filled in as well).

dndimg alt="1880 map" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Baskerville and Old Wharf 1880.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I would assume that the original scanner took it from the Library of Birmingham's maps area.

Map below in the Birmingham History Galleries, BM & AG, of the location of Old Wharf. In the 18th Century where John Baskerville's house on what was Easy Row. Baskerville Wharf was located a little further to the north west of here.

dndimg alt="Baskerville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BHG BMAG John Baskerville (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Also see my post on the model of the proposed square we never got: The Centenary Square we never got in the 1940s. Had the plans gone ahead there could have been formal gardens on this site.

This model (seen below) is at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre.

dndimg alt="Civic Centre model" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model of proposed Civic Centre 1941 (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The following 8 photos were taken down the service road between Baskerville House and the site of the Library of Birmingham during August 2009. View towards the Hyatt Hotel and The REP.

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View towards The REP.

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Brick walls were sticking out of the ground. I wonder if they had to dig them up, so there would be room for the basement levels of the Library?

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

That side of The REP would get demolished during the construction of the Library.

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

At this point the only hoardings were in Centenary Square.

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This would be the only time that I saw the remains of the brick walls in the ground.

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This canal basin / arm used to link up to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. But now City Centre Gardens and the Civic Centre Towers are built over that end beyond Cambridge Street.

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

One more view including the Hyatt Hotel and Symphony Hall.

dndimg alt="Baskerville Basin remains" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Archaeology at the Library of Birmingham site (Aug 2009) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

I've got hundreds to thousands of photos of the Library of Birmingham, so any future post will have to be a small highlight of them. Such as during the construction or when it was first opened in 2013.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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