The Seed Warehouse

HERTFORD

TL3212NE MAIDENHEAD YARD 817-1/17/110 (North side) The Seed Warehouse

GV II

Former warehouse for seed and grain storage, now offices and museum storage. Mid C19, repaired 1944 after war damage, converted to offices 1989-90 by Hale, Sutton, Thomas and Page, architects. Yellow stock brick, laid to English bond with red dressings, now part stuccoed. Welsh slated roofs. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attics. South range has curved triangular end facing The Wash, of yellow brick with red dressings and diaper patterns. The windows are recessed below red double-header course segmental arches, with doorway at apex which has double leaf doors with upper glazed panel in projecting bush-hammered sandstone surround with elliptical arch, and splayed cornice cap above. Long panel with red brickwork surround inscribed 'A McMullen & Co Ltd Seed Merchants' in gold lettering on a green ground, coved pebbledashed eaves cornice above. To right of entrance along Maindenhead Yard is former loading bay with battened doors ground and first floor, with attic slate hung, slate hip-roofed hoist chamber, projecting forward, carried on timber brackets and a perimeter steel girder. Roof with curved hipped end rises over main block with gabled end to left of entrance. North range irregular plan, part rebuilt early C20 and again after 1945. Yellow brick with shallow windows ground and first floor and loading bay with doors ground and first floors beneath slate hung gable-roofed hoist chamber carried on timber gallows brackets. East elevation faces the north spur of Maidenhead Yard, 6 bay centre with stuccoed projection at right with C20 glazed entrance doors and screen. North-west elevation,now stuccoed,faces River Lea; monopitch end at left, gabled end at right with 4 bay centre infilled between the two; 2 light timber casement windows ground floor, first floor and attics. INTERIOR: subdivided to office and storage uses; part cast-iron structure with columns approx 15cm diameter with bell capitals and eared flange connectors, and flanged base plates, part repaired in steel girders. Attics converted to office use with exposed strutted and trussed rafter roof. HISTORICAL NOTE: the seed merchants was founded by A McMullen after his retirement from the family's brewery. The offices

were located in No.18 The Wash (qv). The warehouse benefitted from its easy access to the River Lea. In 1972 the warehouse was acquired by Hertford Town Council for museum storage, and in 1989-90 a full refurbishment was carried out, providing improved storage and conservation facilities for Hertford Museum, and offices for the Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust.

Listing NGR: TL3255112647