The ornate Grecian style malting - one of the most architecturally important still remaining in the town - is located next to the former Warwicks and Richardsons Brewery on Northgate which is itself poised to become part of a massive 2.43million pounds regeneration project.

The malting was built by Warwicks in 1864 as the first phase in the development of the Northgate site.

By the end of the 19th Century the firm's combined malting and brewing enterprise had grown to become the largest in Newark with (in 1890) a weekly output of around 1 750 barrels of beer (100 0 barrels annually).

The little malting on Northgate was last used in January 1966 - just over 100 years after it was built - and some of the equipment may still be seen inside left exactly where it had been on the last day of malting.

In 1990 the Advertiser reported that the malting constituted something of a time vault and the Newark Civic Trust looked for ways in which it might be turned into a malting museum as a permanent reminder of this once most important local industry.

So far the museum project has come to nothing and the Grade II listed building is now once more available on the open market.

With its distinctive styling ornate brickwork stone archways and roof cowls it is not going to be long before some far-sighted developer is attracted by its undoubted potential.

The story of how Warwicks' Grecian malting came to be built is worthy of note being bound up with the fortunes of one of Newark's most influential families.

The Warwick family's involvement in malting and brewing may be traced back to the middle years of the last century when William Warwick became manager of an existing brewery on the Town Wharf.

This brewery the first in Newark had been established in around 1766 by Samuel Sketchley a native of Burton-on-Trent. Sketchley had later entered partnership with prosperous Newark banker William Handley through whom William Warwick (one of Handley's bank clerks) first came into contact with the brewing trade.

He was put in as manager of the Town Wharf Brewery being succeeded by his son Richard. It was Richard who eventually bought the Sketchley-Handley brewery in 1856.

For a time Richard Warwick continued brewing at the Town Wharf site but as the business grew and the end of his lease drew near it became apparent that the wharf was no longer sufficient to contain Warwick's aspirations.

In 1863 Richard Warwick bought 1.5 acres of land on Northgate and began the process of transferring his business away from the Town Wharf.

His first step was to commission the fine Grecian style malting which was completed a year later in August 1864.

Built of bricks made locally by Cafferatas on Beacon Hill and incorporating ironwork by W. N. Nicholson and Sons of the Trent Ironworks the building was considered to be the finest kiln then available in Newark.

Over 80 of the workmen who had been involved in its construction were invited to a celebratory dinner at the Reindeer Inn on Northgate at which Mr Richard Warwick officiated.

The Advertiser carried a lengthy report of the proceedings noting that the meal constituted of a double celebration in that it also coincided with the 21st birthday of Mr Warwick's eldest son William Deeping Warwick.

Many speeches were given during the meal with Mr Baily (the architect) noting that from his point of view the construction of the kiln had proceeded most satisfactorily: "Every builder and every workman has done his work honestly and thoroughly.

I believe the work is a memento of a good building and is a credit to all the gentlemen who have been engaged on it." Central to the success of the kiln and of Warwick's subsequent brewery development in Northgate was its location.

The maltings were excellently situated close to both the Trent and (after 1873) railway sidings connecting with the Midland railway network.

Wagons could be shunted along sidings running parallel to the river turned through 90 degrees on small turntables and hauled by horses directly into the Warwicks yard.

In 1890 a visit to Warwicks maltings was made by Alfred Barnard who made it the subject of a chapter in his monumental work The noted breweries of Great Britain and Ireland.

Writing of the Grecian malting Barnard comments: "It is a handsome building and like the brewhouse lies alongside the railway having a cage steam lift for unloading barley.

Attached to the edifice are two kilns one larger than the other surmounted by cowls; the floors are laid with (perforated) Farnley tiles and heated by two chaffers (iron furnaces) enclosed in brick arches."

Today Warwicks Grecian maltings lies somewhat remote and not a little forlorn. Although listed for protection it is falling steadily into decay.

Its importance in architectural terms however is widely recognised and it requires only the attentions of a sympathetic new owner to revive its fortunes as one of Newark's undisputed landmark buildings.

ABOVE RIGHT: Large boby barrows (used for moving quantities of barley across the malting floor) still remain where they were last used in 1966.