Plan to find future use for Shrewsbury's historic Rowley's House and Mansion

The study, on the future of Rowley's House and Mansion in Shrewsbury, will be carried out by Arrol Architects and TDR Heritage – both of which have been appointed by Shropshire Council.

The buildings have remained vacant and unused in recent years. During the summer the council carried out stabilisation work at Rowley’s House, along with repairs to the infill panels to the timber-framed parts of the building to make them safe.

The council said that detailed survey work is also being undertaken "to create a full picture of what further repairs and adaptions will be needed before the buildings can be brought back into use"

In a statement, Shropshire Council said that TDR will soon begin work on the conservation management plan which will inform Arrol Architects’ approach to the feasibility study.

The authority said it hopes the work will be completed by next spring.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for assets and housing, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve appointed Arrol Architects and TDR Heritage to help us in our work to secure the future of Rowley’s House – which is an iconic and much-loved building.

“A conservation management plan is essential when planning the conservation of a complex listed building such as Rowley’s.

“Arrol and TDR will engage with stakeholders over the coming months to look at how the building might be adapted for a new use whilst safeguarding its historic value.”

Rob Green, director of Arrol Architects, said: "Following the delivery of the Shrewsbury Castle conservation management plan, Arrol Architects and TDR Heritage are extremely pleased to be appointed to work on such an important and iconic building within the town in order to secure its long term future.”

Rowley’s House is a timber-framed three-storey building built for Roger Rowley, a wool merchant, in the late 1500s.

Rowley’s Mansion is a substantial extension which was built by Rowley’s son in 1618 and is believed to be the earliest surviving brick-built building in Shrewsbury.

The surrounding buildings were demolished in the early 1930s as part of slum clearance and road widening.

However, Rowley’s House was spared and acquired by the Corporation of Shrewsbury from Morris and Co in 1931 and extensively restored.

The House was used for housing archaeological material from the site of Viroconium Cornoviorum – the Roman city at Wroxeter.

The building opened to the public seven years later and became known as the Uriconium or Roman Museum. The buildings were first Listed in 1953 and are referenced in many publications relating to Shrewsbury.

In 1981 Rowley’s Mansion was also acquired from Morris and Co and following refurbishment was used to extend the Roman Museum, allowing it to house additional collections.

The buildings were transferred from the former Shrewsbury and Atcham Brough Council to the newly formed Shropshire Council in 2009. The Museum collections were transferred to the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery in the market square in 2014.

The buildings were used for a number of years by the University of Chester but in recent years they have remained vacant and unused.

Shropshire Council has been undertaking essential repairs and stabilisation work in recent months with a view to bringing the building back into use once detailed survey works and plans have been prepared.

There is also an ongoing application for the redevelopment of the neighbouring car park as a Travelodge, which is being considered by the council.