Baltic Works

Baltic Works is a crucible steel works, dating from 1854, with later 19th and early 20th century additions and late 20th century alterations. The building is constructed of brick with ashlar dressings and corrugated asbestos roofs, featuring single brick ridge and gable stacks.

The exterior has a plinth and string course and extends across a 47-window range. The off-centre entrance bay has the first floor divided by plain pilasters, with three wooden-framed Venetian windows. Below, a segment-arched cart entrance features rusticated piers, voussoirs, a keystone, a pair of board doors, and is flanked by a segment-headed plain sash to the left and a door with a moulded segment-headed surround and overlight to the right. Rusticated pilasters flank the ground floor. To the right of the entrance bay are eight round-arched glazing bar windows with an impost band, and to the left are two similar windows. Below, three segment-headed plain sashes are to the right and two to the left.

An addition to the right features flanking pilasters, rusticated on the ground floor and topped with ball finials. It has a low plain parapet, three altered glazing bar windows with concrete lintels and impost bands set in recessed panels, and four reglazed windows with round-arched rubbed brick heads below. A bay to the right has two windows on each floor, those to the ground floor with round heads. A rounded corner addition, dated early 20th century, has a parapet and stepped flat gable, eight casements, and irregular fenestration on the ground floor.

The right return displays a two-story range of fireproof construction. A two-story workshop stands beyond, with a first-floor band. It has six round-arched windows with transoms, and a segment-arched window to the left below. A slightly lower block is flanked by rusticated pilasters with a string course and four round-arched openings with transoms. A single-story workshop stands beyond, flanked by rusticated pilasters, with an impost band and four segment-arched windows set in recesses. A granite and ashlar tablet commemorates the bombing of the works in 1916. Further windows and a pair of sliding doors follow, set in recesses, along with a small segment-arched window, two larger windows, and a further single-story block with a coped wall, segment-arched blank openings, and a coped wall.

A workshop with a lean-to roof and crucible stack occupies the centre of the site. The interior has not been inspected.

Baltic Works represents an integrated works with its own crucible steel making plant. The crucible steel process was a significant metallurgical advance that transformed steelmaking techniques and enabled the development of special and alloy steels.