Construction Facts from Around the UK
Construction has been around as long as we have, with some of the earliest communities in history building shelter for themselves to live and work in. From The Pyramids to the Berg Khalif, construction has for a long time been something we used to show power and importance to others. From elaborate palaces, to functional factories, design and construction is an area steeped in history and interest. With competition in mind, lets take a look at some of the winners….
Some Interesting Construction Facts
1. England’s Oldest Continually Habited House
Saltford Manor House in Somerset was built in 1148 and is thought to be the oldest house in England which has been continually inhabited. A Grade II listed building, it was built in the 12th Century by the Earl of Gloucester. Whilst it has had some additions over the years, its original architecture is displayed by way of it’s windows and archway. Last sold in 2010 it reached an amazing £1.2 Million. Would you want to live in a house this old?
2. England’s Largest Private House
Wentworth Woodhouse is a sight to behold with over 300 rooms, it is thought to be the largest private house in England. Its beginnings were far more humble thought, build in the 17th Century it was a far more modest home, but over the centuries it has been extended by each family that lived there. It is 600 feet in length, that’s over twice as long as Buckingham Palace. Located in Yorkshire, if you get the chance, do go and visit. You won’t be disappointed.
3. The UK’s Longest Bridge
This all depends as to whether you would class a viaduct as a bridge or not? So for ease of argument, we list both the longest bridge and longest viaduct.
The Prince of Wales Bridge spans over 5,000 metres across the Severn Estuary and links England and Wales, previously a toll bridge it is the second Severn crossing, located further south than the original. Build to try and minimise the impact of strong winds and to manage the ever-increasing flow of traffic. It is a fairly new addition with its opening ceremony taking place in 1996.
The Bromford Viaduct is longer than The Price of Wales Bridge by some 600 metres and forms part of the M6 motorway Birmingham, it took 8 years to build and spans above the infamous spaghetti junction.
We will let you decide which one of the two wins the longest bridge title!
4. The UK’s Tallest Building
The Shard is currently the UK’s tallest building and probably one of the most famous in London. It opened in 2012 and reaches the dizzy height of 306m and was briefly the tallest building in Europe, holding the record for just one year.
You can visit the Shard which has viewing platforms and restaurants in which to enjoy the magnificent views across London. The lift travels at 6 metres a second, so it doesn’t take too long to get to the top.
5. How Many Homes in the UK?
There are over 29 million residential dwellings across the UK including houses and apartments. Yet it still isn’t sufficient to be able to house everyone going forwards. With less people living in each home it’s not only due to increasing population numbers, but also a change in the way we all live. The vast majority of people now own their own homes, it’s believed to be in the region of 70% (source: BBC). So, it’s unlikely we will see a decrease in the amount of construction over the next few years.
