Simpsons Fold Warehouse

The Simpson’s Fold Warehouse is a pair of warehouses dating from the early 19th century, with 20th-century alterations. They are now used for storage by the Waterways Board. The buildings have an ashlar plinth to the basement and red brick above, with stone dressings and a slate roof to the main block, and a 20th-century tile roof to the infill block on the north side.

The south-facing entrance front has four storeys with an attic. It features four segmental-arch openings on the gable facade and seven on the side wall, some of which are obscured by an adjacent range. The lower two storeys of the side wall are painted white. The gable includes a tier of loading doors to the right of centre, along with platforms and rails. An inserted loading door is positioned on the first floor to the left; small-pane windows are also present, with some openings blocked. The attic storey has a central loading door flanked by lunette windows, with a pulley positioned above. Projecting bands are located at the first and second floor levels.

The rear elevation, facing the river, has the left gable of the main block featuring two tiers of loading doors with platforms on brackets, flanked by former sash windows, the lower halves of which have been bricked up. Segmental arches frame all the openings. Above both top doorways is an iron pulley under a segmental-arch canopy, with a lunette window above. A narrower central loading door is present on the gable, and stone sills are a consistent feature throughout.

The infill block to the right has five storeys, with central loading doors and stone platforms on brackets, flanked by 16-pane sashes. All openings have moulded brick segmental arches and reveals. A heavy stone modillion cornice is topped by a pedimented parapet, and a brick stack is present. The right return has seven openings, some of which are partially obscured by an adjacent building. The right four-window section breaks forward, while the left side has a tier of loading doors flanked by sashes, as seen on the north gable. A first-floor band runs round from the front of the building.

The interior of the buildings was not inspected. The plan of the buildings is shown on the 1847 Ordnance Survey map.