IT was once branded "Freddy's Folly" but now the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester has been listed to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The archive building was opened in 1993 by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and is the newest to be listed.

It was the brainchild of the then-leader of Hampshire County Council the late Freddy Emery-Wallis

The building on Sussex Street is one of six across the UK listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Historic England’s advice.

The others include a theatre, a church, markers on the M62, with the aim to reflect the important social, technical and cultural changes which have taken place over the past 70 years.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Duncan Wilson, chief executive, Historic England said: “These new listings celebrate the diversity and richness of our heritage overseen by Her Majesty during her 70-year reign, showing how the fabric of the nation has changed and developed. These sites cover the length and breadth of the country - from All Saints’ Church near Birmingham, which she opened in 1955 when she was newly crowned, to the high-tech Hampshire Record Office, completed in 1993.”

READ MORE: Right royal fun as Winchester care home residents get ready to party

Nigel Huddleston, Heritage Minister said "These historic sites provide a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how much life in the UK has changed during Her Majesty the Queen's 70-year reign. Listing them as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations is a fitting way to pay tribute to the longevity of her service."

The record office was designed by Hampshire County Council architect Sir Colin Stansfield Smith in collaboration with county archivist Rosemary Dunhill.

Local brick was used within the walls of its steel and concrete frame serving as a strong reference to the surrounding Winchester Conservation Area and the medieval City Wall remains, which ran near the building.

Sir Colin's design used new ‘thermal inertia’ building principles that allowed environmental control of archival strong rooms. These principles had yet to be fully adopted into UK archive design. In recognition of its architectural achievements, the archive was awarded a regional RIBA award in 1994.

The archive was formally opened by The Queen on November 19 1993, during which she unveiled a wall plaque on display in the main entrance. She was accompanied by Prince Philip who commented on how the building resembled a cruise liner.

Message from the editor Kimberley Barber

Thank you for reading this story. We really appreciate your support.

Please help us to continue bringing you all the trusted news from your area by sharing this story or by following our Facebook page.