Terrys Of York Factory

Terry's of York Factory

Factory built between 1924 and 1930 by architects J.G Davies and L.E Wade for Terry's of York chocolate manufacturers. The building employs steel frame construction with red brick laid in English bond, complemented by sandstone ashlar dressings and a concrete and ashlar roof.

The factory is five storeys high and extends 500 feet in length, with its entrance front facing the central road that runs through the site. The entrance block is constructed of ashlar and projects slightly, with quoin strips of alternating red brick and sandstone flanking either side. The main entrance features double large doors for vehicular access, with smaller personal doors on either side separated by Tuscan order columns. Antae project to the sides, with a plain frieze and cornice above. This doorway and a row of small-paned windows occupy two full storeys. The second and third floors display symmetrically arranged one and two light mullioned and transomed windows with cornices, and a vestigial pediment crowns the centre window on the second floor. The fourth floor contains paired mullion and transom windows at the centre, flanked by glazed oculi in keyed ashlar surrounds. On either side, windows on all floors are mullioned and transomed, those on the first floor having cornices and those on the top floor featuring triple keyed lintels. Slightly projecting bays appear on either side midway between the centre and end blocks.

The end blocks also project and feature mullioned and transomed windows flanked by transomed single lights, all with cornices except the top floor, which has a glazed oculus in keyed surround flanked by transomed single lights with keyed lintels. Outside these projecting end blocks, tiers of single lights run the full height in ashlar strips, with alternating quoin strips at the corners. The ashlar parapet steps above the projecting bays. The left return towards Bishopthorpe Road mirrors the front arrangement, with single light tiers in ashlar strips flanking a projecting bay.

The rear elevation is plainer, with ranks of metal framed windows throughout, fitted with ashlar sills and lintels. At ground level, an extension connects the factory to further buildings at the rear which were formerly separate structures.

Interior

The ground floor remains in use and was not fully examined. The entrance leads to a hallway with free-standing and engaged pillars. The first and upper floors are now empty. Staircases positioned near each end of the building provide access, with toilet facilities on half landings. Open floor spaces have walls half-tiled with white tiles and black banding. Steel pillars run down the centre length of each floor, and the boxed steel frame construction remains visible. Wooden loading bay doors occupy the rear of each floor. The roof houses heating systems and related equipment.

Manufacturing Process

Goods were loaded at the top floor, with manufacturing processes cascading downwards through the building. Blended beans were roasted, cracked and winnowed, then processed through a nibbing machine to extract the nib of the bean, the part used for chocolate making. The nibs were ground to produce cocoa mass, to which other ingredients such as sugar or milk were added as required. This mixture formed a paste that was refined several times. The next process was conching, where the mass was stirred for many hours at constant temperature to produce smooth cream. In the enrober department, chocolate was applied to various fillings, and the results were then foiled, packaged and despatched. These processes, once carried out throughout the factory building, are now more compactly completed on the ground floor of the factory and in the 1970 building opposite.

History

Terry's of York began as a confectionary business owned by Bayldon and Berry in 1767 on a site near Bootham Bar. Joseph Terry, connected by marriage to Berry and trained as an apothecary, joined the firm, which relocated in 1824 to St Helen's Square. By 1830, Terry was sole owner and gradually developed the chocolate side of the business. New factory premises were built at Clementhorpe in 1862 to provide better transport links, but continued expansion necessitated the new premises at Bishopthorpe Road.

This building forms part of a complex consisting of headquarters offices, factory, clocktower, Time office block and liquor factory, all constructed at the same time. The complex presents a unified architectural style that reflects the strength and importance of Terry's chocolate firm's corporate image. The buildings hold strong historic interest as the most complete surviving expression of the confectionary business's importance in York, and confirm on a national scale York's high status in this industry.