37-39, LUDGATE HILL (See details for further address information)

BIRMINGHAM

997/0/10462 LUDGATE HILL 29-APR-04 37-39 WATER STREET 53

GV II Office and workshops, formerly Brass Foundry. Late C19 with C20 alterations. Smooth orange brick with painted dressings and hipped roof with composition tile roof covering. PLAN: L-shaped complex with office range to Water Street frontage and lower attached workshop range to Water Street. EXTERIOR: Near-symmetrical 3 storey frontage range of 5 bays, with 2 bay return to Water Street which continues for a further 6 bays as 2 storeyed workshops. 3 wide ground floor openings with basket- arched heads, projecting keyblocks and rendered panels beneath C20 tripartite window frames. Main doorway to centre, with narrower semi-circular arched doorway to right, a further wide opening, and a second narrow doorway to the right-hand end bay. All openings set beneath continuous string course which rises as hood mould over arched heads to openings. Above, to first and second floors, paired sash windows within shallow arch-headed openings, the windows with glazing bars to the upper sashes. Both pairs of openings to each bay are set within a recessed panel with moulded brick surround, the bays delineated by shallow pilasters which rise from a broad painted storey band. 2, 3 storey return bays to Water Street similarly detailed, and a further 6 bay workshop range with shallow segmental arched heads to window openings to both floors, separated by the storey band extending from the taller range. Most openings retain small-paned cast iron workshop window frames with small integral pivot lights for ventilation. Ground floor openings at each end of workshop range altered. HISTORY: The site is identified as a brass foundry and fancy metal goods manufactory in the Goade Fire Insurance plan and is shown in its present form on the 1902 Ordinance Survey map. Forms a group with No.23 Ludgate Hill. A late C19 metal working factory made up of workshop and office ranges, displaying the distinctive architectural characteristics associated with late C19 manufactories in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, now recognised as an historic manufacturing district of international significance