North Warehouse At Fisons Horticultural Division Works

BRAMFORD PAPERMILL LANE TM 14 NW 7/80 North warehouse at Fisons Horticultural Division - Works. - II Warehouse, built as a factory for the manufacture of superphosphate fertilizers. C.1858-60, for Joseph Fison; the 2 uppermost of the 4 storeys were added in later C19. The main block is about 90 metres long, in about 24 bays, and spans about 25 metres. Attached to the east side at the south end is a parallel contemporary range of similar span but only about 25 metres in length. 4 storeys with a further floor within the roof space. Timber-framed with horizontal weacherboarding, apart from the west elevation (adjacent to a branch railway line), which is of tarred red brick up to 1st storey level for most of its length, with arcading at bay intervals. The arches have scone imposts and raised keystone; most are blind, with segmental-headed windows beneath the head. Segmental roofs, bituminous-felt clad. Most of the original windows in the timber-framed upper storeys are unaltered; in the side walls are small-pane hopper windows in pairs, each pair filling the width of one bay. In the gables are fixed small-pane sashes. The intermediate floors are of heavy lateral timber beams on circular storey-height cast-iron columns. On a site immediately to the south of this building the world's first complete superphosphate factory was established by Edward Packard between 1851 and 1854. Joseph Fison set up in competition on this site in 1858 and the two companies were amalgamated soon afterwards.

Listing NGR: TM1261547975