Description

726/0/10035 NORTH STREET
06-DEC-01 Royal Brierley Crystal Works

GV II

Glass crystal works, 1870 with late 19th and 20th century additions, built for Stevens and Williams. Of brick, with engineering brick dressings, and tile roof coverings.
PLAN: Irregular, accretional plan. The factory comprises of office, warehouse and workshop buildings that form an L-shaped plan, an associated manager's house and weigh house.
EXTERIORS: L-shaped range of connecting buildings is two-storeyed with dentilled cornice of engineering brick beneath eaves. Hipped roofs to all except right hand front range which has a pitched roof with brick-built gable ends. Principal elevation has round-headed windows, most retain original cast-iron frames and glazing bars with etched glass panes. Curving entrance porch and extension of 1925 with associated date-stamped rainwater goods, but some replacement windows. Right hand side elevation, facing onto railway, has rounded-headed window openings to first floor with cast iron frames and glazing bars. MANAGER'S HOUSE originally an L-shaped plan, with early C20 extension to right hand side elevation with moulded brick parapet and flat-roof. Two storeyed with basement accessed from rear. Hipped with dentilled eaves cornice. Front elevation is symmetrical with a 20th century flat-roofed porch projecting centrally, and original sash windows with stone lintels and sills. WEIGH HOUSE is of two storeys with hipped roof and a dentilled cornice below eaves. Front and side elevations have round-headed windows with cast-iron frames, dressings and sills of engineering brick to front and side elevations. Front elevation has chamfered brickwork to right hand corner to allow vehicles onto weigh machine (now removed).
INTERIORS: First floor of L-shaped range retains gearing and drives for engraving and cutting machinery in roof space. Interior of manager's house not inspected except basement which retains original wash tub and furnace, and a stone ledge around perimeter of room.
HISTORY: During the late 19th century, Stevens and Williams became renowned for the quality of their engraving, in particular intaglio work, on crystal ware. In 1919 the company were awarded a Royal Warrant by King George V, and the works were visited by the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, in June 1925. The patent for "Royal Brierley Crystal" was taken out in 1926 and subsequently became the company's brand name.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26669042

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

• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings