27-31, HYLTON STREET

BIRMINGHAM

997/0/10383 29-APR-04

HYLTON STREET 27-31

GV II

A pair of manufactories, now sub-divided for multiple occupation, Late C19 with late C20 alterations. Painted red brick with painted ashlar dressings. Tall ridge stacks and slated roof covering. PLAN: Symmetrical courtyard plan, formed behind frontage range by parallel workshop ranges and linking rear range enclosing rectangular yard. EXTERIOR: Symmetrical 5 bay front elevation of 5 bay set on a low blue brick plinth. Doorways to outer bays with rectangular overlights and shallow hoods. Bays 2 and 4 have tall windows with deep cambered and crested lintels interrupted by shallow hoods on moulded brackets. Late C20 replacement frames behing barred screens. Wide arched vehicle entry to centre gives access to rear courtyard.First floor window openings to centre 3 bays with plain wedge lintels. Outer openings above doorways are canted oriels with C20 replacement frames. Above deep cornice, added clerestorey workshop windows with replacement lights, arranged 5:2:4. Forms a group with No. 33 Hylton Street (q.v.) and Nos. 25 Hylton Street.(q.v.) These buildings form part of a continuous street frontage range made up entirely of manufactories, all small-scale and detailed in domestic style, reflecting the earlier C19 pattern of converting and extending houses to form workspaces and offices. These buildings, however are consciously designed and planned , purpose-built industrial buildings and , together with the parallel range of buildings to the west side of Vyse Street form a solid block of back- to- back manufactories, all with workshop ranges to the rear of frontage buildings. Eccentric plot shapes were fully utilised in this area, now the densest such survival in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter , now recognised as a manufacturing district of international significance.