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Building D: The Old Mill
Description
The brick-built Old Mill complex was the most important of the
buildings on the Royal Worcester Porcelain site and the only
one in the study area to be listed. This description
is only an outline one given the building’s obvious
importance and the fact that the only proposals for it are
presently associated with retention and refurbishment within
the present scheme:-
It consists of the processing floor wing, the attached engine
house, boiler house, coal stores and integral water tank. The
main western section is of three storeys and seven bays, the
bays articulated by boldly rusticated brick pilasters more
reminiscent of an early-18th century Baroque country mansion
than a mid-19th century industrial building. There is,
however, only a very simple flat cope at the wall heads with
only the slightest hint of a cornice.
In most bays there are paired windows at each level, many of
the upper ones blind; many windows have retained their
original cast-iron framed glazing. There are also some
primary arch-headed doorways at ground-floor level. The
window sills form continuous brick band courses between the
rusticated pilasters. On the south elevation the ground-floor
pairs have ached heads and the upper ones are all flat headed;
on the north elevation there are arch-headed windows at
first-floor level too. The top-lit roof is supported on timber
trusses.
Internally, the ground-floor has been somewhat altered but
there are still primary working floors complete with the
bone-grinding bins at first and second floor levels –
extremely rare survivals. The paddles in the bins are worked
by bevelled gearing from shafts powered from the adjacent
engine house to the east. Much of the apparatus, original and
later, survives in situ.
The engine house is a cross-wing towards the eastern end of
the complex, taller than the sections to either side. In the
gable ends there are single arch-headed recesses in the
brickwork containing the paired windows of the upper floor
levels. In the main eastern facade the central section is
recessed as if between broad panelled brick pilasters at
either end.
The windows are treated virtually as full-height ones,
interrupted only by the narrow bands of brickwork between the
flat heads of the lower pairs and the sills of those above.
The upper windows in each case have a semicircular arched
head. The verged glazing retains traces of coloured or
stained glass.
The engine house is topped by a brick cornice, plain on the
flanks and the rear but elaborately decorated with dentilled
brick work on the main east elevation. Under the central
recessed portion of the cornice there is even a series of
projecting vertical brick features, perhaps intended to echo
the triglyphs and metopes of Greek Doric architecture.
The original steam engine has been removed and had been
replaced by a more modern engine, but there are still traces
of the sockets in the brick work relating to the manner of its
design, as well as other related features.
To the east of the engine house is a low, single-storey,
block, clearly contemporary; it has two bays in its main
elevation articulated by plain brick pillars and decorated
with a dentilled cornice. In each bay is a segmental headed
window with cast-iron glazing. This was evidently the boiler
house, and its roof is made up of a large water tank. At its
north-western corner is the impressive stack, with a
base/plinth decorated with more dentilled brickwork and a tall
octagonal brick stack, slightly tapering and surviving almost
– but not quite – to full height.
The last portion of the original complex is another single
storey block, lower than the boiler house and running along
its south end and back westwards along part of the engine
house. This has a blank canted east wall, with dentilled
cornice and a three-bay south wall – two with segmental headed
windows and the third, at the east end, with a large and
remodelled doorway. This was presumably the coal store for
the steam engine.
Discussion
This is a remarkable survival within an industrial complex,
retaining all of its main components. In order of use these
are the coal storage area, water tank, boiler house, chimney,
engine house – presumably a fairly small beam engine – and the
processing floors with their bins and shafting. Obviously the
steam engine and the boilers have been removed, but their
original positions can be identified.
This was an expensive investment in the works, in place by
1863 but probably not built much earlier. The cost of the
machinery within is expressed in the flamboyant Baroque
architecture without, and the engine house itself was given
the typically rich treatment as a miniature cathedral of
industry. The survival of the crushing bins and shafting is
almost unique.
Building E: The China Goods Warehouse
Description
This two-storey range has a rather asymmetric footprint,
basically trapezoid in plan, widening towards the main east
gable to the fossilised lane through the works. Originally
there was an indent in the south-western angle of the
building, though this has been in-filled by a slightly later
extension.
It is brick-built with the red machine-made bricks laid mainly
to a simple English Bond and articulated by brick pilasters.
Each of the recessed brick panels between the pilasters is
topped by dentilled moulded brick cornices
The main eastern elevation is disfigured by an ugly modern
steel-framed and steel-clad lean-to along its full width, and
its ground-floor openings have been blocked. The facade is
articulated by pilasters into five bays, the central bay of
double width and topped by a raised coped gable (very) vaguely
reminiscent of churches of 13th century Lombardy. It is a fake
gable, purely for decoration, as the roofs behind run parallel
to it. The dentilled brick cornice of this central bay is
taken up in a semicircular arch up and over a roundel in the
gable; that gable is also topped by similarly detailed at the
base of its coping.
On this elevation there were originally six windows at each
floor level, one in each of the side bays and two in the
central bay. These have segmental brick heads and bold
projecting moulded brick sills and originally had cast-iron
glazing. One, on the ground floor, appears to have been
converted into a doorway before it was blocked.
The visible north side elevation is of eight bays in all,
including a narrow entrance bay just to the west of centre.
The window details are identical to those on the eastern
gable; to the east of the entrance bay a ground-floor window
has been blocked and replaced by a doorway and another, in the
second bay from the west, has been converted into a doorway,
its upper portion retained as a fanlight. There has been some
modernisation of first-floor windows.
The south elevation is now a party wall between this range and
the adjacent Finished Goods Warehouse (Building I). Because
of this, it has been considerably altered but survives better
on the ground floor than it does at first-floor level, where
original window openings have been removed and replaced by
inserted open doorways.
Because of the original shape of the building, its western
gable is much narrower than its eastern gable.
Architecturally, it is to all intents and purposes a
deliberate repetition of the central bay of that main facade.
The later infilling of the ‘cut-out’ in the south-western part
of the building obscures the external details in that area,
and the southern side elevation is obscured by the later
buildings to the south. That elevation has clearly been
considerably altered as well.
The slate-covered roof structure is in two separate parts
corresponding to the different parts of the building. The
wider eastern section is covered by a pair of parallel
four-bay hipped roofs at right-angles to the main coped gable
of the eastern facade to the old lane. The roof over the
narrower western section is of three bays and at right-angles
to the other section.
All of the trusses are of the same and rather unusual
composite design used elsewhere on other buildings within the
complex. The principal rafters are of sawn timber, their ends
are housed in cast-iron shoes. From the upper, or apex, shoe
a vertical wrought-iron suspension bolt drops to an
interlocking and bolted junction where the two further
sections of wrought-iron that make up the tie-beam meet the
feet of the pair of cast-iron cruciform-sectioned braces to
the rafters. The trusses carry a single tier of chocked
purlins.
Internally, the wider eastern section on the ground floor
level is a large store or workshop interrupted only by the
slender cast-iron columns that support the timber bridging
beams of the floor above. The narrower western portion
consists of a pair of full-width spaces. The first-floor
level is accessed by way of a bridge over the alley-way on the
north side and has a similar layout. In the wider section the
space is interrupted only by the cast-iron columns under the
valley between the two roof piles. There is an oddly angled
iron girder along the western side at this level associated
with the roof structure and also the odd footprint of the
building. The narrower western section is mainly a single
workshop open to the roof.
Discussion
Building E fronts onto to the fossilised lane running through
the porcelain factory and it is clear from the degree of
decoration to its gable end to the lane that this was then the
most important facade. This would suggest that the lane was
still then an important thoroughfare. Despite unsympathetic
modern accretions it is still a visually attractive building,
though one that has been considerably altered internally.
Its overall design, generally detailing, and the roof
structure is very similar to a distinct group of buildings on
the site, that include Buildings K2 (Binns Building East
Wing), Building R (China Decorating & Warehouse Range) and
probably once Building S (Spray Glazing Range) - all
presumably the work of the same architect in the same period,
probably in the 1870’s.
Building K1: Binns Building
North Wing
Description
The
northern ‘cross wing’ of the Binns Building was built soon
after the other two parallel ranges but in the same general
style. It is a tall three-storey brick-built range, situated
between the fossilised lane through the works and the canal,
with gables to each.
It
is seven bays long and three wide above a basement. The bays
are articulated by brick pilasters and the recessed panels in
between are topped by ornately moulded dentilled cornices.
The plinths of the pilasters are decorated with chamfered blue
engineering brick.
In
each of the north and eastern gable bays there are window
openings at all three main floor levels. These have segmental
brick heads and engineering brick sills and contain cast-iron
glazing, possibly original. There are no windows in the
panels on the south side elevation.
In
the eastern gable end, facing the canal, the southernmost
ground-floor window has been crudely converted into a
doorway. Beneath a concrete and steel structure associated
with the emergency fire escape is the entrance into the
basement and a visible basement window, plainly detailed.
In
the western gable end, facing the lane, there are original
doorways in the end bays with segmental arched heads and
three-light fanlights above the doors. In between there was,
originally, a wide window but that has been carefully blocked
in brick.
Both
gable ends have coped gables in which the intermediate bay
pilasters continue past the main ‘cornice’ level. The base of
the triangular copings are treated in the same decorative
manner as the cornices to the side panels. In the centre of
each gable is a brick-framed roundel containing an ornately
moulded cast-iron vent.
The
five-bay roof structure bears no direct relationship to the
seven-bay design of the wing’s side walls but is presumably
primary. It is supported on a series of timber bolted
king-post trusses, the tops of which are hidden by a high
ceiling. Apart from the stairs at the western end of the
range, there are, or were, large single full-length and width
workshops at each floor level, interrupted on the ground and
first floor levels by the intermediate columns supporting the
main floor beams.
Discussion
This
was the last part of the Binns Building complex to be
completed, for whilst the parallel ranges to the south are
shown on the 1884 Ordnance Survey map, this one is not. In
addition, whilst its detailing is generally similar, there are
some differences, including the use of engineering brick for
the window sills instead of moulded red brick. There seems to
be little doubt that it was built around the mid-1880’s and
could have been under construction when the map was being
surveyed. It appears to have provided additional workshops or
warehouse space on all three floors.
Building K2: Binns Building
West Wing
Description
The
West Wing of the Binns Building lies parallel to the
fossilised lane through the works and is contiguous with the
slightly lower East Wing (Building K3). To the north there is
a very short single-bay link to the slightly later North Wing
(Building K1), and the evidence of the decoration in this
range’s northern gable shows that it was built before that
range.
It
is a two-storey range of eight bays, built in machine-made red
brick laid mainly to an English Bond. The bays are
articulated by brick pilasters that have a vague decorative
hint of brick capitals. The recessed panels between are
topped by ornate dentilled cornices. On the external west
wall there are generally two windows at each level in each
bay. Each of the window openings has a segmental arched brick
heads and rounded brick sills. The window glazing is
generally not original and quite varied.
In
the northernmost bay of this wall there is a possibly primary
doorway and a small narrow window to its south. There is
another doorway towards the south end. The main entrance is
in the third bay from the north. This has double doors under
a segmental brick head and is flanked by a pair of tall
recessed brick panels.
The
gable ends are of three bays, the middle bay wider than the
outer ones. Each is topped by a coped gable in which the
decorative dentilled brickwork in the panel cornices is
repeated under the coping and the pilasters are taken up to it
as well. In the centre of the gables in a brick-framed glazed
roundel.
In
the south gable end there are four windows at ground-floor
level of the standard pattern seen in the side wall – two in
the central bay and one to each side. At first-floor level
there is just a pair of narrower but taller windows in the
central bay with semicircular heads.
The
roof slopes are slated. The roof is in two sections but of a
common pitch. The northern portion is fairly simple but its
trusses are hidden by the surviving ceilings; it also has
large skylights. The southern section has a low central
clerestory and decorative cast-iron trusses. Surviving at the
apex to either end of the clerestory section are two tall cowl
vents, probably original to the building.
The
ground-floor is divided up into various workshops and stores
and different sizes and dates. The main entrance doorways
lead into an ornately tiled lobby area at the foot of the
stairs up to the first-floor, reached through a second set of
double doors. The stairs have ornate cast-iron balusters at
first-floor level.
The
southern part of the first floor is a fairly impressive open
space, formerly the show room, and it is open to the most
remarkable element of the range - its roof. This has richly
decorated cast-iron trusses and a central clerestory at the
southern end. To either side of the clerestory the ceiling is
coved. The cornice has a continuous Greek Key decoration and
the framing at the base of the clerestory, a running floral
pattern.
Most of the original cross-wall between the two halves of the
building at first-floor level has been removed and the gap
spanned by a RSJ. The northern portion is now all open, but
the evidence of the surviving pattern of moulded cornices in
the ceilings clearly shows that it had once been divided up
into three spaces. These were: a large landing at the head of
the stairs on the east side; and two heated rooms on the west
side.
Discussion
This
range was probably built in the early-1870’s, at the same time
as the adjacent East Wing (Building K3 - see below).
Despite its proximity to the kilns in the adjacent wing, it
was evidently a high status building, especially at
first-floor level where there were two heated rooms, an
elegant stair landing and a large showroom lit by an ornate
clerestory.
Building
K3: Binns Building East Wing
Description
The
East Wing of the Binns Building is built parallel to, and at
the same time, as the West Wing but, whilst externally it has
been relatively unaltered – apart from the loss of its
projecting kilns – internally it has effectively been gutted
and rebuilt. It is presently the Moulds Shop.
Built of red brick laid to an English Bond, like the West Wing
it is eight bays long but its external side wall, facing the
canal, is much plainer. There are no pilasters but there is a
decorative dentilled eaves cornice. The windows have
segmental brick heads.
The
end walls are of two bays and have stone-capped coped gables;
these have dentilled brickwork beneath them and roundels, but
there are no pilasters in these elevations.
The
roof is slated. In the slating there is no hint of the
positions of the former kilns that the range originally
housed, indicating that the whole roof has been completely
re-slated since they were removed. The roof trusses are the
unusual composite trusses used elsewhere in other buildings
within the complex.
The
principal rafters are of sawn timber, their ends are housed in
cast-iron shoes. From the upper, or apex, shoe a vertical
wrought-iron suspension bolt drops to an interlocking and
bolted junction where the two further sections of wrought-iron
that make up the tie-beam meet the feet of the pair of
cast-iron cruciform-sectioned braces to the rafters. The
trusses carry a single tier of chocked purlins.
The
timber floor is clearly inserted and the present internal
arrangements clearly post-date the removal of the original
kilns originally housed within this part of the complex.
Discussion
This
range was probably built in the early-1870’s, at the same time
as the adjacent West Wing. It is known from cartographic and
photographic evidence that it originally housed four large
bottle kilns but that these were removed in the mid-20th
century and the first-floor then added.
It
has the same type of unusual composite roof structure as
Buildings E (China Goods Warehouse), Building R (China
Decorating & Warehouse Range) and probably once Building S
(Spray Glazing Range) - all presumably the work of the same
architect in the same period, probably in the 1870’s.
Apart from the loss of its original kilns, the range is,
externally, relatively unaltered. Internally, it was
radically changed when the kilns were removed, lessening its
historical and architectural integrity.
Building M: The
Grinding & Polishing Shop (West)
Description
This
is a substantial brick-built two-storey range of eight bays
articulated, internally and externally, by brick pilasters.
Little of the exterior walls are visible because of the
buildings butting up against it. As such, only the
first-floor portion of the western gable end and the very top
of the eastern gable end are truly external. At ground-floor
level, most of the gable walls have been removed.
In
the gable ends there are four bays – the middle two set more
closely together than the outer ones. There were originally
windows in each bay with segmental blue engineering brick
heads; those at first-floor level in the west gable survive,
those in the east gable have been blocked, apart from one that
has been converted into a doorway.
Each
of the gable ends is topped by a simply decorated coped gable
hiding the main slated roof. The roof structure is supported
by sawn-timber bolted queen-post trusses, with braces from
both tie-beam and queen posts to the principal rafters. The
trusses support two tiers of chocked purlins.
The
interior consists mainly of large workshops on both floor
levels, the ground-floor one interrupted only by pairs of
columns supporting the floor beams. There are, however, few
surviving fixtures or fittings of historical significance.
Discussion
This
range clearly predates the much altered building butting
against its east gable (Building N, the Grinding & Polishing
Shop (East); the decoration of that range suggests an 1870’s
date, so this one must predate it and could be as early as the
1860’s.
It
has been considerable altered and is hemmed in by other
buildings. Internally it has been much altered but retains
its original roof structure – significantly a timber trussed
one. It may represent one of the first buildings of the
complex added as it was expanded southwards. |
