Description

SO 8276
NEW ROAD .
954110004
Morton's Works (former Carpet
Manufacturing Company) II
Carpet making factory. 1869-70; by J G Bland, for James Morton and Sons; extended 1878,1897 and early C20. Red brick with blue brick string courses and stone dressings. Welsh slate roofs with crested ridge tiles and corbelled brick eaves cornices. Brick axial stacks to offices. PLAN: Built around a courtyard at the north end. On the west side a large 3-storeys 20-bay office building containing Offices, design rooms, stores and packing departments. NW corner 5-storey water tower and stair tower. On the north side 2-storey 9-bay yarn and pattern stores, later C19 2-storey 8-bay yarn stores, entrance gateway and caretaker's lodge on the NE comer. On the east side two large dyehouses and range of 2-storey ,warehouses at the south end. To the south of the courtyard the 3-storey range of stores and winding and finishing rooms, to the south of ,which stand the single storey north-light weaving sheds, seven original bays, extended by four bays in 1878 and later by six further bays. The engine house at 'the north east comer of the weaving sheds and the boiler house, chimney and drying rooms at the centre of the courtyard have been demolished. Italianate and simplified Gothic. EXTERIOR: West elevation facing New Road: 19 bays of weaving shed, each bay ,with 2-light window and circular window in gable above; to left large 3-storey 20~bay office range with corbelled stringcourses and sash windows with depressed 2-centred arches; 5- storey 2-bay ,water tower on north west, comer with three tall narrow lights to the top stage and pyramidal roof with ,weather vane and bracketed eaves cornice. North elevation facing Dixon Street: Stair tower on right against water tower has staggered stair windows and arcaded parapet on corbel table; 9 bays to left with depressed 2-centred arch windows with pilasters between; 8- bays range projects to left; carriageway and 2-storey gabled lodge on left. East elevation facing Green Street: Two ranges of dyehouses with blind arcades of depressed 2-centred arches and lantern roofs with louvred ventilators; range of2-storey warehouses to left (south) with depressed 2-centred arch indo'S. INTERIOR: Stair tower contains open-well stairs with iron balustrade and Teathed mahogany handrail. Original wooden trusses in the dyehouses replaced in concrete. but floors of blue brick with cast-iron drainage channel covers. The original weaving sheds have
cast-iron beams. NOTE: In 1890 James Morton and Sons amalgamated with Richard Smith and
Sons to form the Carpet Manufacturing Company. No longer a carpet factory the buildings are let as industrial units. SOURCE: Geff A D. The Development of the Carpet Works of Kidderminster 1735-1939; dissertation, University of Birmingham (Ironbridge Institute).

Listing NGR: SO8318976132

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26537400

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)