Locally grown peas were brought to the Pearoom by horse and cart with peas from further afield being delivered by rail for sorting and then exporting. In the

1970s, with the help of Government grants, fundraising activities, hard work by many volunteers and leadership by the Heckington Village Trust, the Pearoom was converted into a heritage, craft and tourism centre for the village. It was operated by the Village Trust, a team of dedicated volunteers, until a licence was granted by the trust for North Kesteven District Council. Thus North Kesteven District Council began a relationship with craft makers and designers.

When the lease expired a decision of what to do with the craft centre needed to be taken. The chosen option was to develop the old Hubbard and Phillips Seed Warehouse in Sleaford, which was disused and in poor condition.

From Small Seeds...

The History and Origins of The National Centre for Craft & Design

The Pearoom in Heckington was built in 1870 by the Great Northern Railway Company and shortly afterwards was leased to the internationally renowned seed firm of Charles Sharpe of Sleaford. Sharpe used it as a pea-sorting warehouse right up until 1961.

The Pearoom information provided by Pat Banister keeper of Heckington Village Trust Archives.

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The steel framed four-storey building was of normal brick construction with

wooden floors designed to accommodate the substantial floor loadings from the processed seed. The roof was of a flat construction with a brick parapet running the full four sides of the building.

Two pea cleaning machines of differing sizes were installed and at a later date the original extract pipe work was replaced by cyclones to enable the dust extract to be collected at the base of the building. At times, upwards of 300/400 tons of peas were stored in sacks throughout the various floors – and it is said one particular gentleman used to carry 16 stone sacks between floors.

As trade reduced the business closed in 1972 and was subsequently used as a storage area by A. Hatcher and Sons. North Kesteven District Council took on a 125 year lease on Navigation Yard which included the Hubbard and Phillips Seed Warehouse for a regeneration project which would see a new home for the Pearoom.

Architects, Frank Shaw Associates, were appointed and produced an exciting and innovative scheme which would see the architectural heritage of the main building maintained while new sections were added. The main contractor was Clegg Construction of Nottingham, working alongside Peter Roe of Thornton Firkin and Alan Bothamley of Civil Engineers Bothamley Ellington Partnership.

The four-storey building had one floor removed to create a double height main gallery at first floor level with the original exposed steel beams. A small mezzanine floor space, now a learning zone is the only reminder of the floor that was removed. On the roof of the original building a roof gallery was added restoring the building to four floors. This gallery is flanked by two viewing galleries which provide a superb view of Sleaford’s roofscape to the west and along the Sleaford Navigation to Haverholme Lock and beyond to the east. A new extension has been added to provide the lift, staircase and a craft workshop on the fourth floor to the north and a fire escape has been added to the south.

“It used to be a Seed Warehouse. It still is”

In 1938 building work began on the Hubbard and Phillips Seed Warehouse, located in Navigation Yard, Sleaford, and was completed in 1939. The yard, including the old Sleaford Navigation Office, now Navigation House, was bought by seed merchants Messrs. Hubbard & Phillips, who operated from the 1890s.

Hubbard and Phillips Seed Warehouse

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The approach taken by Frank Shaw Associates has been sympathetic and reflects the industrial heritage of the old building. Visitors will be impressed with the original exposed steel work combined with the use of modern materials such as the stainless steel architraves and lighting panels in the main gallery to reflect the building’s past.

The Substantial Building

The four-storey arts and exhibition centre was handed over from the main contractor in early July 2003 and then followed an active period of necessary fit out for the official opening by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal on 7th October.

The refurbishment started on 17th June 2002

Councillor Mrs Marion Brighton, OBE, The Princess Royal and Geoff Wright

Navigation House

The redevelopment of the Hub formed one of the major projects of the seven

years Sleaford Pride Regeneration,that began in 1996. This substantial project cost £2.4 million and started on 17th June 2002. The result was the largest dedicated contemporary craft exhibition gallery in England recognised as a national development by the Arts Council of England in 2003. Some say the Hub was taken from the Hubbards family name to commemorate the building’s origins. The Hub was a significant part of the very successful Sleaford Pride project led by Project Officer, Geoff Wright - it was the “Hub” of Sleaford Pride. In 2011, the Hub in Sleaford will launch as The National Centre for Craft & Design and the use of the term “Hub” will cease.

The origins in the Pearoom and the old Hubbard and Phillips Seed Warehouse will not be forgotten. When visitors arrive

at The National Centre for Craft & Design they will be greeted with the words “This used to be a seed warehouse. It still is”. Funding for the refurbishment was made available through European Funding, East Midlands Development Agency, Lincolnshire County Council, North Kesteven District Council and the Sleaford Pride Regeneration Partnership.

The Sleaford and District Civic Trust recognised the Hub for the quality of its building work and design. The Green Organisation has also awarded a Silver Green Apple Civic Pride Award to the centre. Both of these awards are given for projects that enhance the environment and give a sense of civic pride.

The final stage of the Navigation Yard project was the repair, restoration and re-use of Navigation House enabling visitors to learn about the history of Sleaford Navigation, and also the creation of craft workshops.

The transformation of the former Hubbard and Phillips Seed Warehouse to the Hub, included funding for commissioning art projects. Projects included the leather plaque in the entrance with gold leaf lettering by Tracey Routledge which states “This used to be a seed warehouse. It still is”. Exhibition benches produced by Electric Wig are still in use today. Sam Buxton, designer and producer of Mikroworld, produced a laser cut stainless steel piece, which is currently out on loan. Andreas Lang and Kathrine Bohme produced the courtyard piece, ‘The Sampler’, a structure of seats, tables and canopies.

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Since the opening of the Hub, many successful exhibitions have been curated.

Hub Exhibitions

What is Craft?Art of the STITCH Bathing Beauties

How Manga took over the worldGuitars made in Britain played all over the world Denim the fabric of our lives

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Claire Morgan About TimeMetro-Boulot-Dodo ‘Autumn’

Further Exhibitions FollowedArt of the STITCH – the Embroiders’ Guild’s sixth biennial open international exhibition featuring stitched work or work derived from stitch, presented with Coats Crafts UK.

Bathing Beauties – a Hub curated exhibition organised by lead artist, Michael Trainor that evolved from the Bathing Beauties project – www.bathingbeauties.org.uk This exhibition is on tour within the UK and overseas, and a current exhibition can be seen in Mablethorpe where there is an annual Bathing Beauties Festival.

Denim the fabric of our lives – another Hub curated exhibition, created in partnership with Val Beattie and Penny Alfrey - School of Art and Design, Loughborough University.

Guitars made in Britain played all over the world – an exhibition jointly curated by the Hub and distinguished musician, Gordon Giltrap. The show celebrated British guitars from the 1940s and featured performances from Gordon Giltrap and Newton Faulkner

How Manga took over the world – the unique graphic art form of Manga was explored through its manifestation in everyday life in the 21st Century. Curated by Urbis, Manchester.

And… More Recently

A Personal Collection of Vivienne Westwood Shoes – this show featured an opulent display of footwear by the doyenne of British fashion, Dame Vivienne Westwood, best known for the creation of punk fashion with Malcolm McLaren in the 1970s.

Claire Morgan About Time – Claire Morgan’s installations incorporated natural organisms and manmade materials, insects, leaves, fruit and seeds, but also glass shards and torn bits of polythene which were suspended in mid-air by their thousands, each entity attached to one thread.

Current Exhibitions Showing at the HubMetro-Boulot-Dodo ‘Autumn’ – FOUR SEASONS is a hugely ambitious series of cross-disciplinary work that looks to the seasons to reflect different stages of life. The Hub is collaborating with other Lincolnshire One Venues to stage ‘Autumn’.

Formula Fashion – innovative design inspired by motor sport.

What is Craft? The first exhibition ran from 13th October 2003 to 18th January 2004An exhibition of British Contemporary Craft at The Hub, with objects chosen by makers, artists, designers and commentators which included Alan Titchmarsh and TV Presenter, Jon Snow.

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And Finally… The FutureThe commitment and investment North Kesteven District Council has made to the arts has resulted in artsNK and The National Centre for Craft & Design being recognised by Arts Council England as exemplars. In 2010, the Arts Council announced that The National Centre for Craft & Design, artsNK and Design Factory would become a National Portfolio Organisation.

A new chapter will begin for the former seed warehouse in April 2012 when it embarks on the next part of its journey together with the two other organisations.