Downings Malthouse

Downings Malthouse is a large, late 19th-century malthouse dating to 1893, likely designed by Walter B Wood of Gloucester for G and WE Downing, maltsters. The building is constructed of red brick with narrow bands of contrasting brick, and has gabled slate roofs with coped parapets. It occupies an L-shaped plan, comprising two parallel ranges and a third range attached to the north side. A further short, end-gabled range is attached to the rear, facing High Orchard Street.

The front ranges are four storeys high, with the rear range being three storeys. The gabled fronts of the southern pair of ranges are symmetrical, each with three bays on the upper floors defined by recessed panels. The ground floor features a central semicircular-arched doorway, flanked by circular windows. The first floor has three windows with segmental arches, while the second floor features windows within the recessed panels. The third floor has windows in the side panels and, on the left-hand range, a weatherboarded hoist housing supported by cast-iron brackets; a similar housing was originally present on the front of the right-hand range. The east gable-end walls mirror this design but feature only two recessed panels and two windows on each floor.

The north range's front has two doorways on the ground floor and two blocked segmental-arched windows on the first floor. Above this are two large recessed panes framed by quoin strips, a central pilaster strip, and a gable parapet. A small gabled panel with inscribed date obscures the end of the ridge vent. On the north side of this range are four widely spaced segmental-arched windows, above which are ten recessed panels framed by pilaster strips. The range facing High Orchard Street was likely built as a warehouse, initially with three bays exhibiting symmetrical central loading doors on each floor (now blocked) and segmental-arched windows. A fourth bay was later added at the north end with similar windows, with brick sills. The interior was not inspected.