105-109, Oxford Street and 16-18 Hollen Street

TQ 2981 SE 58/3

CITY OF WESTMINSTER OXFORD STREET W1 (south side) Nos. 105 to 109 (odd) (including Nos.16 to 18 Hollen Street)

1.5.86

II Built as a shop, factory and offices, now shop and offices. 1887-88 by Christopher and White for the hatter Henry Heath. Oxford Street front faced in beige terracotta, slate roof. A free Franco-Flemish Renaissance style. Five storeys and attic.

Slight asymmetry with four window wide wings flanking a two window wide centrepiece. Mid C20 shop front across ground floor, its fascia concealing a bas relief frieze representing the hat-making process, modelled by Benjamin Creswick (a Ruskin protege). Upper floors have mullioned-transomed casement windows in tiers, those in left wing grouped in two equal bays by plaster strips, those in right wing similarly articulated but as three bays with two window centre. The centrepiece has sharply bowed second floor oriels and those above are paired in arches, their lunettes decorated with portrait medallions of George IV and Queen Victoria; above the three narrow arched fourth floor windows of centrepiece rises a scroll sided gable crowned by an incurved pediment. The top tier windows of wings have arched heads and there is a dormered gable over the right hand wing. The gables have decorated finials in the form of beavers modelled by Creswick.

Rear elevation to Hollen street has a sober, well proportioned, industrial facade of stock brick with red brick dressings. Four storeys, six windows wide. Central steel lintel led entrance. Segmental arched industrial iron framed and glazing barred windows. Top two floors articulated as three pairs of bays by red pilasters. Stone eaves cornice. two stone bands between storeys inscribed "Henry Heath, Oxford Street" and "Hat Factory".

Listing NGR: TQ2951581290