Description

HERTFORD

TL3212NE MAIDENHEAD YARD
817-1/17/110 (North side)
The Seed Warehouse

GV II

Former warehouse for seed and grain storage, now offices and
museum storage. Mid C19, repaired 1944 after war damage,
converted to offices 1989-90 by Hale, Sutton, Thomas and Page,
architects. Yellow stock brick, laid to English bond with red
dressings, now part stuccoed. Welsh slated roofs.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attics. South range has curved
triangular end facing The Wash, of yellow brick with red
dressings and diaper patterns. The windows are recessed below
red double-header course segmental arches, with doorway at
apex which has double leaf doors with upper glazed panel in
projecting bush-hammered sandstone surround with elliptical
arch, and splayed cornice cap above. Long panel with red
brickwork surround inscribed 'A McMullen & Co Ltd Seed
Merchants' in gold lettering on a green ground, coved
pebbledashed eaves cornice above. To right of entrance along
Maindenhead Yard is former loading bay with battened doors
ground and first floor, with attic slate hung, slate
hip-roofed hoist chamber, projecting forward, carried on
timber brackets and a perimeter steel girder. Roof with curved
hipped end rises over main block with gabled end to left of
entrance.
North range irregular plan, part rebuilt early C20 and again
after 1945. Yellow brick with shallow windows ground and first
floor and loading bay with doors ground and first floors
beneath slate hung gable-roofed hoist chamber carried on
timber gallows brackets.
East elevation faces the north spur of Maidenhead Yard, 6 bay
centre with stuccoed projection at right with C20 glazed
entrance doors and screen.
North-west elevation,now stuccoed,faces River Lea; monopitch
end at left, gabled end at right with 4 bay centre infilled
between the two; 2 light timber casement windows ground floor,
first floor and attics.
INTERIOR: subdivided to office and storage uses; part
cast-iron structure with columns approx 15cm diameter with
bell capitals and eared flange connectors, and flanged base
plates, part repaired in steel girders. Attics converted to
office use with exposed strutted and trussed rafter roof.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the seed merchants was founded by A McMullen
after his retirement from the family's brewery. The offices

were located in No.18 The Wash (qv). The warehouse benefitted
from its easy access to the River Lea. In 1972 the warehouse
was acquired by Hertford Town Council for museum storage, and
in 1989-90 a full refurbishment was carried out, providing
improved storage and conservation facilities for Hertford
Museum, and offices for the Hertfordshire Archaeological
Trust.

Listing NGR: TL3255112647

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26559145

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

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)