Artwork will bring history to life at island development

Redrow has enlisted the help of local artist Rosie Smith to bring history back to life at its stunning Knightstone Island development in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

The housebuilder has transformed three Grade II listed buildings – the Pavilion Theatre, Dr Fox’s Bath House and the Edwardian Swimming Baths – and built two new contemporary buildings alongside, to create a total of 87 apartments and two commercial units on the historic island, which is linked to the mainland by a causeway.

Original features such as ornate stone carvings, beautiful hand carved plasterwork and timber architraves and shutters have been restored and cleaned up, while some details previously thought to have been lost forever – such as external ‘cartouches’ (decorative textured plasterwork) around the outside of the towers, dormer windows in the Pavilion Theatre and clerestory lighting in the Edwardian Swimming Baths - have been reintroduced.

To complement the restoration work Redrow has commissioned ceramic artist, Rosie Smith, who is based in the Victorian seaside town, to create a large tile frieze for the external wall of a communal courtyard at the site.

Rosie, 58, who studied at Hornsey College of Art in London and Bristol University, has been involved in many community projects, throughout the region and has produced artwork for public buildings, hospitals and swimming pools.

Rosie has also illustrated and published a trilogy of books on the Somerset coast and worked alongside BBC TV’s Groundforce team on the creation of the Jill Dando Memorial Garden in Grove Park, Weston-super-Mare.

She said: “I always enjoy linking in with an area, incorporating local history and influences into a work.

“This is a special place since it occupies the site of the original Ladies’ Pool; later incorporated into the Edwardian development.

“I chose the image of a young woman swimming. The tile frieze will be approximately seven metres long with a repeating design of her moving through the water and then pulling herself out of the pool.

“The courtyard has lots of sharp angles so I wanted to introduce some softer flowing lines.

“The Art Noveau period is a strong influence in this work. I was also influenced by some beautiful drawings of ballet dancers and have tried to capture the same kind of spirit. The work is predominantly in sepia and washed with soft aqua blues and greens.”

The £20 million Redrow development has given a new lease of life to the previously neglected Knightstone Island, while remaining sympathetic to the importance of the landmark site and its original historic buildings.

Rosie said: “It’s wonderful to see something happening there at last. We had all watched it rotting away over the years. Sadly it had become inaccessible. You used to be able to walk around the outside of the island so I’m delighted that will happen again when everything is complete.”

The island has a long history but the modern structures date from the purchase and development of the island by the renowned Bristol physician Dr Edward Long Fox of Bristol in September 1830.

John Howe’s original bath house was opened in 1820 and then rebuilt by Dr Fox, in 1832. Eventually the island was purchased by Weston Urban District Council in 1896 and the magnificent Pavilion Theatre and Edwardian Swimming Baths were built and opened to the public in 1902.

Knightstone Island is a development of one, two and three-bedroom luxury new and refurbished apartments.

The former Pavilion Theatre and the Edwardian Swimming Baths, both listed buildings, have been transformed to house a total of 40 apartments. And Dr Fox’s, a two-storey listed building has been refurbished for commercial use on the ground floor with three apartments on the first floor.

The Beacon is a new building between the baths and the Pavilion, housing 32 apartments over five floors and Centre House, which houses 12 apartments, is a new building joining the baths and Dr Fox’s, creating a unique courtyard.

The final two-bedroom apartments are available at the Beacon from £240,000, at the Baths from £260,000 and at the Pavilion from £310,000. For more information, visit knightstoneisland.co.uk or redrow.co.uk.