The Tapestries, Old Windsor

The Tapestries, Old Windsor

A tapestry factory and twelve joined workers cottages, built to the designs of Patrick James Byrne in 1881–1882 under the patronage of Prince Leopold and his wife Princess Helen. The factory ceased production in 1890 and the buildings were then converted to alms houses and subsequently to flats.

The buildings are in a vernacular revival style, constructed of red brick laid in Flemish bond with tile hanging at first-floor level and a plain tiled roof, incorporating applied timber decoration. They form an open quadrangle facing west towards Straight Road. The composition is two storeys throughout, with the former factory hall at the centre of the eastern range. To either side of the hall are joined terraces of three cottages. Facing the road are further terraces of three cottages positioned to either side of the quadrangle. The central recessed range and projecting lateral wings, with their tall garden walls, are joined by angled arched gateways.

The western road front is symmetrical, with brickwork to the ground floor and tile hanging to the first floor. The factory hall, positioned at the centre of the eastern side of the open quadrangle, has three bays and a higher ridge than the lateral cottages. The central bay projects slightly and features a central doorway with a Tudor arched head and stone surround; the original double doors have been removed. Above is a window of seven mullioned lights. The timber-framed gable above this bay has a coved jetty. At either side of the central bay are small single-light windows, which appear to have been inserted when the hall was converted to accommodation around 1980. The bays to either side were originally lit by canted bay windows with mullions and transoms extending through the full height of the building, but these have been replaced by windows with tiled panels inserted between new floors. At the centre of the ridge above the hall stands a clock turret with a circular clock face, clapboard walling and a domed octagonal bell cote topped with a weather vane.

The groups of three cottages at either side are similar in character. Each central cottage has a projecting gabled bay with a four-light window at ground-floor level, a jettied first floor and jettied gable with applied timber framing. The flanking cottages have similar four-light ground-floor windows with two-light windows to the first floor.

The two groups of three cottages joined to the central range have their flanks and high garden walls facing the courtyard and their fronts facing the road. On their courtyard faces are square bays with four lights at ground-floor level, flanked by a two-bay veranda. At first-floor level of each is a balcony with splat balusters and turned posts, which support a jettied gable with applied timber framing. The street fronts feature gabled bays at right and left with canted bay windows and jettied, framed gables. Wide porches giving entrance to two houses have Tudor arches, and each range has a single-storey angled bay with a hipped roof. Terracotta plaques on the northern and southern ranges record 'Leopold Cottages' and 'Helen Cottages' respectively.

The rear faces of all cottages are simpler, with plain brick walling and horned sash windows. The two angled arches joining the central range to those at the sides have Tudor arches and a stepped overthrow, each bearing a central square panel with moulded surround inscribed with the initials 'VRI' for Victoria Regina Imperatrix and the date 'AD 1882'. Ridge stacks survive to their full height across the building.

The interior was not inspected. The central factory hall was originally one tall single-storey space but was remodelled and divided to form eight flats around 1980. Photographs indicate that the majority of original fittings have been removed, although at least one fire surround and some four-panel doors appear to be original.