Downings Malthouse Extension

Downings Malthouse Extension is a large, late 19th-century malthouse built between 1899 and 1901 as an extension to the original Downing’s Malthouse (listed separately) on the east side of Merchants’ Road in Gloucester. It was designed by Walter B Wood of Gloucester, for G and WE Downing, maltsters, and has undergone various alterations in the 20th century.

The building is constructed primarily of red brick with white brick and stone detailing, featuring a cast-iron colonnade and internal iron columns, all set beneath slate roofs behind stone coped gables and parapets. The plan comprises a pair of parallel, end-gabled blocks arranged on a north-south axis. A narrow gap between the blocks was later infilled with a structure faced with corrugated iron at its south end. The west side of the western block projects over Baker’s Quay, with its west wall supported by a colonnade above the canal’s revetment wall. A large cross range at the north end originally housed the kilns.

The malthouse is six storeys high, with a cellar and loft. Each gable-end wall features five bays, while the side walls have ten bays. The ground floor stores are distinguished by a raised ashlar band. Bays on the upper floors are framed by strip pilasters and quoin strips. Decorative details include deep, raking strips stepped on the undersides of the gable copings, a deep cornice with raised panels above the pilaster strips, and a narrow band of contrasting bricks at each floor level. A doorway with a cambered-arched head, stone panel, carved inscription "G & W.E DOWNING MALTSTERS", and surrounding panels “BUILT” and “1901” is located on the east block’s side facing Merchants' Road. Large windows with keystones are present in the office bays. Most other bays contain smaller windows, many of which have been infilled with brick.

On the west side, projecting over Baker’s Quay, the upper floors are supported by a colonnade of 13 cast-iron columns with moulded caps and bases. The north block is lower, with three storeys and is arranged with three bays to the east and fourteen bays to the north.

Original staircases remain within the interior. Kilns were originally present as depicted in original drawings, which are archived at Gloucester Records Office (D2460 Drawings 1-C).