History

A steelworks was established here in 1896 by John Summers & Sons, based in Stalybridge, near Manchester. They were attracted to this Deeside site due to the cheapness of the land, abundant water supply and good rail links to the ports of Liverpool and Birkenhead. The first galvanised steel sheets were produced in 1896 and by 1900 there were 30 rolling mills on the site. The steelworks continued to grow in subsequent decades and was later taken over by the British Steel Corporation; later owned by Corus, the focus on galvanising and finishing work.

The office and support building was constructed c.1950 at a time of great expansion of the steelworks. The Second World War had increased demand for steel sheeting and during the post war period of the 1950's the workforce rose to 10,000 on a site that was said to be over 8 miles wide and supported a fleet of 100 individually numbered cars and over 30 steam engines to haul ore around the site.

Exterior

Pair of office and support buildings in a modernist style influenced by the Festival of Britain and with a surrounding and integral contemporary designed garden and landscape.

Two long two storey buildings with lower entrance wings linked by a wide flat central entrance arch. Brown brick with red brick plinth. Windows a mixture of 6 and 9 light and are metal framed with raised cement surrounds. Hipped roof to the main ranges and flat roof to the lower entrance wings.

The left hand building is of 12 bays and the right 6 bays, both with continuous window ranges separated by cement panels and with overall surround except the outer windows which are separate. Main door in the ground floor of the left hand building with flanking windows and all set within a raised cement surround. To either side of the central entrance arch are symmetrical two bay entrance wings set back from and lower than the main wings with ground floor doors to their outer bays and each with a wide concrete balcony to the first floor with distinctive ballustrading and handrail.

Window arrangement in rear elevation echoes that to front providing continuous glazing along each elevation, providing a view overlooking the garden to the rear. 3 window range to the internal elevation of each lower entrance wing. Central entrance arch allows access to a small open courtyard with gateway and flanking walls to formal gardens and lawns to the rear. A pathway continues from this courtyard directly into this area. Attached to the side of the right hand wing is a further two storey flat roofed extension with wide vehicular doorway to the ground floor.

Interior

Not inspected but lower central wings contain original staircases and other detailing. Left hand building said to contain large canteen to the ground floor and private dining rooms and training rooms to the first floor. Right hand building containing a large open plan warehouse on the ground floor accessed by large doorway at right end, possibly a later alteration replacing original office space, and offices on the first floor.

Reasons for Listing

Included for its special architectural interest as a combined pair of early 1950's office and support buildings of characteristic post war modernist style with clear influences from the festival of Britain. They relate directly to the surrounding designed garden and landscape, a setting aimed at improving the welfare of the workers and their working environment.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)