Latest news with #HertshtenProperties
Time Out
5 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
A new skyscraper is coming to the City of London – with a Roman basilica tourist attraction and views of one of London's most famous markets
One of the most fascinating things about London is how seamlessly the city's 2,000-year history blends in with its present. The capital may be constantly evolving for the better, but there's always hints of the past which peek through. 85 Gracechurch Street is a perfect example of this. Back in February, the ruins of the first Londinium basilica were discovered under an unremarkable road in the City. It was a huge find for archeologists, who have been working in the area for years, because the basilica would have been right next to the forum, the heart of Roman London. The site's discovery potentially offers researchers much deeper insights into how the city functioned two millennia ago – and, more than anything, it's just really cool. So cool, in fact, that the discoverers of the basilica are keen not to keep it to themselves. Planning permission was just approved by the City of London Corporation, giving Hertshten Properties the go-ahead to renovate 85 Gracechurch Street, the modern building currently sitting above the ancient ruins. The goal is to create modern office spaces and, of course, to 'uncover and showcase the remains'. The development will see the skyscraper reach 32 stories tall, and it will come complete with a huge public hall with access to the 19th-century Leadenhall Market. The market itself is sort of like a modern day forum, a few feet away from the Roman one. Some things really do never change. Of course, the most unique part of 85 Gracechurch Street will be in its basement. An 'immersive exhibition experience' will be constructed around the uncovered basilica, which will be open to anyone who wants to explore Roman London. As if that wasn't enough history, a public viewing gallery will also open on the building's fifth floor, offering visitors views of the Victorian Leadenhall Market. Basically, there's going to be a lot going on in this new building. Despite having 32 stories, 85 Gracechurch Street isn't even the City's tallest building that was approved this week. A huge, 45 storey tall skyscraper is set to go up on 63 St Mary's Axe, next to the Gherkin, in the coming years. It will also have access to the old Roman walls, and that's no accident. The chairman of the City of London Corporation Planning committee said that 'it has always been our ambition to connect the City's archaeological landmarks into a cohesive and compelling narrative – one that spans over 2,000 years of evolution, ambition, and identity,' adding '85 Gracechurch embodies the enduring spirit of the Square Mile: a place where heritage and progress go hand in hand.' Construction can now begin, but it'll likely be a little while before the building is actually operable, or the basilica is open to the public. Sorry, history lovers, you might just have wait to wait a little bit longer to get a glimpse.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Office plans amended after Roman basilica found in City of London
Revised plans for an office block in the City of London have been approved, after a Roman basilica was found beneath the site.A rethink of the 85 Gracechurch Street scheme was forced upon premises owner Hertshten Properties earlier this year following the planned as a 32-storey building, the block was reduced to 30 storeys and a public exhibition showcasing the near 2,000-year-old basilica will be created. The remains, which are believed to date to the late 70s or 80s AD, were discovered during investigations by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). The location of the ancient basilica was known by experts, though the extent of its preservation was a surprise, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Sophie Jackson, director of development at MOLA, said the proposal would add a "compelling, world-class display of the remains of the first basilica, right in the centre of the City".She said: "Finding substantial remains of the basilica is one of the most remarkable discoveries made in the City in recent years, and it has been described as the equivalent to discovering the Speaker's Chair in the Chamber of the House of Commons in 2,000 years' time." Fresh plans were submitted with the City of London Corporation in April, which also featured a public walkway providing views of the nearby Leadenhall will deliver an increase of about 27,000 square metres of office floorspace compared to the existing building, which will be Hertshten, chief executive of Hertshten Properties (UK) Limited, said the development embraced the City of London's revised plans were approved on 8 July.
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Roman London: Tower plans to be revised after basilica found
Ben Lynch Local Democracy Reporting Service Visulent AB The basement of the new tower is to be made into an exhibition space to display the Roman remains Plans to build a new tower block are to be revised to showcase a "monumental piece of London's history" after the remains of a Roman building were unearthed. Archaeologists found the remains of a Roman basilica - a 2,000-year-old public building where major political, economic and administrative decisions were made - underneath an office block at 85 Gracechurch Street, which is due to be demolished and rebuilt. The ongoing excavation has so far revealed sections of limestone wall that formed the base of the basilica. Site owner Hertshten Properties already has permission to build a 32-storey tower at the site, but the proposal will be revised to include the Roman display. The remains are to be presented as part of an immersive experience delivered in partnership with London Museum, with hopes of opening by 2029-2030. Hertshten Properties said it was excited to showcase "such a monumental piece of London's history". The exhibition would be a "world-class public experience" for visitors, the firm's chief executive Rob Hertshten added. Unearthing early Roman London under an office basement The developer said it also planned to reduce the height of the proposed tower to 30 storeys, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The building, which is opposite the historic Leadenhall Market, will include offices, retail outlets as well as cultural space. Tony Jolliffe Some walls of the basilica were revealed during a dig between filing cabinets at 85 Gracechurch Street Previous investigations at the site revealed the existence of the basilica, but it was only uncovered in recent excavations by the Museum of London Archaeology. Experts believe it was the first to be built in Roman London and dates back to the late 70s or 80s AD. The basilica would have formed part of a wider Roman forum - a political, judicial, commercial, and social hub for residents and visitors. Peter Marsden The basilica is likely to have looked like this building Sophie Jackson, the Museum of London Archaeology's director of development, said it was "one of the most significant discoveries made in the City in recent years". "It's like discovering the Speaker's Chair and chamber of the House of Commons, 2,000 years into the future," she said. Ms Jackson added that the structure was much better preserved than they expected it to be and that there were likely to be more discoveries at the site. "Excitingly, we've only just scratched the surface of this site's potential through our initial investigations," she said. Related internet links Museum of London Archaeology
NBC News
14-02-2025
- Science
- NBC News
Archeologists discover London's first Roman basilica under office building
'It really is the heart of Roman London, where the big decisions that were made impacted the rest of London and also the wider Roman world in Britain,' Henderson-Schwartz added. Hannah Platts, a lecturer in ancient history and material culture at the University of London, said that the basilica's discovery was 'hugely significant' because it also revealed how the province of Britannia was integrated into the broader Roman Empire. 'What the discovery demonstrates is that the Romans were quick to instill in Britannia similar methods of governing that they used elsewhere in the Roman world,' she said. Archeologists and historians had long suspected the approximate location of the 2,000-year-old building through earlier investigations. But the full extent of what was hidden beneath the concrete floor was only uncovered when the building's owners, Hertshten Properties, approached MOLA to launch a new investigation. 'We knew that this was potentially the site of the first Roman Basilica, but what we didn't know was how well these remains had survived,' said Henderson-Schwartz. From there, the team undertook several small test pits, or open areas of excavation, to see what was hidden beneath the concrete floor. What they found were large sections of the Roman basilica still intact — walls 32 feet long and 13 feet deep made of flint and limestone transported from Kent. Among other artifacts, archaeologists uncovered bits of Roman pottery, brick, and tiles, including one roof tile with the name 'London' stamped into it and fingerprints of the Roman tile maker. 'You can literally put your fingers in their finger marks on the tile, so it's really a tangible connection to the early origins of the city,' Henderson-Schwartz added.
New York Times
14-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Remnants of a Roman Basilica Are Found Under a London Office Building
Archaeologists have unearthed the foundations of London's first public building. Excavating under the basement of a commercial building in the city's financial district, they encountered what they believe are the roughly 2,000-year-old remains of a basilica from Roman London. The basilica was part of London's Roman forum, or public square, and was 'effectively the first town hall,' said Sophie Jackson, a director at the Museum of London Archaeology. The archaeologists first found the remnants over the summer and completed their investigation a few weeks ago, Ms. Jackson said. They began work after planning permission was granted to demolish a commercial building at the site and replace it with a 32-story mixed-use office tower. They unearthed 'massive foundations and walls made of flint, ragstone and Roman tile,' the museum said in a statement announcing the discovery on Thursday. In some areas, these remnants were more than 33 feet long, three feet wide and 13 feet deep, the statement said. Their size and scope indicates that the basilica, which must have been the city's biggest structure at the time, was three stories high and built atop a hill, Ms. Jackson said in a phone interview on Thursday. She added that it was probably a place where administrative matters were resolved and money may have been stored. Archaeologists also believe that the site that was excavated was a designated area inside the basilica called a tribunal, where magistrates sat on a raised platform and made judgments on court cases and important decisions about the government, Ms. Jackson said. 'This was a clear symbol of Roman power and authority,' the museum said. Archaeologists had known of the existence of the basilica, but they did not know how much of it had survived underneath the streets of London, nor did they expect such a high level of preservation. The remains were found in the center of a bustling metropolis, in an area of London that essentially has the same function now as it did thousands of years ago under Roman rule. The Museum of London Archaeology said the basilica was 'once the beating heart of Roman London.' 'Trying to understand Roman London is a puzzle,' Ms. Jackson said, and 'most of the pieces have been lost.' The Romans conquered Britain in 43 A.D. and established London, then known as Londinium, about five years later. The city at that point was an industrial port with a quickly growing transportation network. Thirteen years into the founding of Londinium, British tribes led a rebellion against the Romans and destroyed most of the city. Roughly 15 years later, in the late 70s or 80s A.D., the Romans rebuilt the city, including the recently unearthed basilica. The Romans also built a bath house and an amphitheater in the same area around the same time. Ron Hertshten, the chief executive of Hertshten Properties, the company that is redeveloping the site, said that 'the discovery of the remains under our building has caused us to significantly revise our plans.' The company, he said, planned to incorporate the remains into a public display that would be open to the public. Archaeologists hope that the revelation of the remains will lead to more discoveries about Roman London. After the existing building is demolished, they will be able to do a full excavation, Ms. Jackson said. 'We'll find out so much about the origin of London and the lives of the first Londoners,' she said. The remains of the basilica are hardly the first significant archaeological discovery in London. In 2022, archaeologists dug up two extremely well-preserved Roman mosaics. In 2017, when Bloomberg completed a large office building in the City of London, it incorporated the 2,000-year-old Temple of Mithras, another relic of London's days under Roman rule that was first discovered in the 1950s, into its design. It was not even the first time that Roman ruins had been found on the same street. 'A Roman mystery has sent London citizens scurrying to the scene of recent excavations,' The New York Times reported in February 1926, when remnants of the forum were discovered during the construction of a Barclays Bank building on Gracechurch Street, about 350 feet from the site of the recent basilica discovery. 'Only two or three pieces of it will be preserved,' The Times reported. 'The remainder will once more be lost sight of, to offer no doubt a puzzle to future generations rearing habitations undreamed of by this one.'
