Former Baker'S Shoe Factory

WOLVERHAMPTON

SO9198SE CLEVELAND ROAD 895-1/14/210 (South side) Former Baker's Shoe Factory

GV II

Shoe factory, now divided into units. 1868, extended to rear c1900. Brick with stone dressings; hipped slate roof and brick stacks. Courtyard plan. 3-storeys; 8-bay range, first 2 and last 3 break forward. Some blue brick banding, 2nd floor sill course and top cornice. 1st 2 bays have giant arched recesses with rubbed brick Venetian arches and hood moulds; treatment continued to next 3 bays of 1st floor. 1st 3 windows to ground floor are large, one now entrance with those flanking with plate glass; 2 single-chamfered mullioned and transomed windows of 3 lights to right end flank entrance with segmental-pointed head and shafts, hood with oriel above. 1st floor has segmental-headed windows, the 1st 2 with small-paned iron glazing, the rest with horned sashes, but 7th bay has canted stone oriel of 1:2:1 lights. 2nd floor has paired windows with small-paned iron glazing, but end 3 windows have horned sashes. 4th bay has segmental-pointed cart entrance with double-chamfered arch, hood taken over panel above; dated foundation stone to right. Right return lateral stack. Left return to Vicarage Rd has 3 bays continuing facade treatment and further 10 bays with utilitarian treatment; small-paned iron glazing to windows and blocked basement openings. Extension of c1900 of 9 bays, with shaped gables facing Vicarage Road and of 5 bays to Powlett Street with shaped gable and central tripartite ashlar-faced entrance bay with clock tower. Courtyard has segmental-headed windows with small-paned iron glazing; cylindrical stack on square base now truncated at eaves level. A good example of a courtyard-plan factory with a finely detailed facade; an early example of a factory in this industry.

Listing NGR: SO9185698186