Double Century Works

1766/0/10011 HIGH STREET 21-NOV-01 Astwood Bank Double Century Works

II

Needle factory and attached house. c1810, with mid and late C19 and early and mid C20 additions and alterations. Brick with slate and concrete tile roofs. PLAN: Irregular and accretional L-shaped plan on corner plot, aligned north-east - south-west with house part in south-east corner. EXTERIOR: High Street frontage has to left, early C20 single storey range, 4 bays. To its right, C19 range, 2 storeys, 8 bays, with doors in fifth and eighth bays. To right, projecting range in similar style, 10 bays, with off-centre elliptical arched cart entrance flanked by blocked windows. These ranges have round-arched cast iron casements and dentillated eaves. To right again, late C19 addition, 2 storeys, 3x2 bays, with steel casements. Parallel rear range, 4 bays, similar style and date, with late C20 addition, 2 storeys, at N end. Rear ranges to N, single storey, later C19, formerly used as hardening shops. Rear ranges to south enclose polygonal courtyard. N side, early C19, raised later C19, 2 storeys, with round arched windows. Wooden external stairs and enclosure to left. East side has wooden infill, mid C20, joining rear ranges to the house. House, 3 storeys, 3x2 bays, has gabled and hipped roofs. Central doorcase with fanlight and late C20 door. Flanking windows on ground floor and above, have flat arches with stepped keystones. Left window covered by late C20 addition. Central first floor window has cornice. All these windows have late C20 glazing. Factory building adjoining to left, mid C19, 3 storeys; 3x5 bays, has late C20 glazing in original segment arched and round arched openings. C20 door in south-west gable. INTERIOR: Not inspected. HISTORY: Needle- making was a long-established industrial specialism of the Reddich area, with small works and larger factories producing a range of needle products, both domestic and industrial. In the C19, works were of sufficient scale to warrant the introduction of steam power. Double Century Works was owned by the Butler family and their descendants, the Smiths until 1956, needle manufacture on the site having apparently commenced in the late C17. A multi-period needle factory with integral masters house, the earliest part dating to c.1810, representing historic specialist industrial processes concentrated in and around Redditch

Listing NGR: SP0416562340