Description

1.
5111 BROW LANE
Clayton/Yews Green BD14

The Towers
SE 1031 48/312

II

2.
Circa 1880-90. The Towers was built and designed by Julius Whitehead, the founder
of Clayton Fireclay Works, as his own residence. A substantial 2-storey rectangular
house on a prominent hillside dominating the works. Conventional fenestration but
the materials and decorative details proclaim Whitehead's products. The house is
built of double size, brown-red salt-glazed bricks with leaf decorated fireclay
plat bands and frieze below a pot bellied balustraded parapet. At each corner are
crenellated salt glaze brick and square turrets. The three window entrance front
has 2 light ground floor windows with similar decorated plaques to those on Ceramic
House but the mullions also have fireclay leaf decoration. To the right of the
doorway is a projecting rectangular bay with a 2 light window; alternate white
bricks to frieze, balustraded parapet with miniature turrets complementing those on
the roof. Fireclay leaf pattern sill band. Coloured glass to upper part of sashes.
The return garden front is of 4 windows with similar details and decoration. The
interior is unaltered with fireclay and tiles being used frequently in the decoration.
The drawing room fireplace is an early example of an underdrawn type with a suspended
glazed tile hood. The staircase has salt glazed treads the sides having fruit and
leaf decoration. About the house and grounds are numerous examples of decorative
salt glazed wares produced by the firm including urns, rustic seats and reclining
lions. A particularly unusual house in an otherwise stone built area.

Listing NGR: SE1081831283

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26426191

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990