Stamford Gateway – history and modernity

Bringing a historic town square into the 21st century at the same time as respecting its sensitive surroundings is no simple task. Yet that’s exactly what the Lincolnshire market town of Stamford has achieved.

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Stamford unveiled its redesigned Red Lion Square and Sheepmarket with a pageant in 2007

Red Lion Square, Stamford by Letts Wheeler Architects © Catherine Hammant

Stamford is one of England’s finest stone-built towns. It contains many medieval and Georgian buildings, more than 600 of which are listed. But over the years, its central Sheep Market and Red Lion Square had fallen into neglect, eventually just used for car parking.

CABE Space helped Stamford Vision, the local town partnership, to organise an international design competition to revive the square. On our suggestion, architect Edward Cullinan agreed to chair the competition. CABE enabler Justine Leech was on the judging panel.

Catherine Hammant, the co-ordinator of Stamford Vision, says: ‘We had a vision but not the design know-how to produce the top-quality spaces the town deserved. The design competition produced nearly 40 applications. Without the support of CABE, we would have had less interest and a lower standard of applicant.’ The competition winner paired Nottingham-based architect Letts Wheeler and artist Wolfgang Buttress.

CABE Space helped to shape the design process. We helped to involve local people by running workshops and events and smoothed the way for the scheme by communicating its value to the Department for Transport, council officers and funding bodies, as well as English Heritage. Finally, our advice helped Stamford Vision to become a community-interest company set up for the benefit of local people. This, in turn, gave it the clout to succeed.

‘The design is simple, straightforward and flexible,’ says Catherine. ‘It has a modern appearance but it’s in keeping with the area. It looks like it could always have been there and that’s probably the right response for this project.’

The Gateway officially opened with a pageant in September 2007. Retailers have redecorated their shop fronts and local people run events on the new squares, ranging from an artists’ market and morris dancing to hip hop. It’s a happy marriage of historic and contemporary design and culture.