Building record 7203/23/1 - Cromwell Works, William Green & Sons (Grenson Shoe Factory)

The large Grensons shoe factory of circa 1890 is essentially L-shaped on plan and consists of four storeys. The longer arm of the L forms a ten bay frontage to Cromwell Road on the west, while the shorter arm presents five bays to Upper Queen Street on the north. The two ranges meet at an elaborate octagonal turret on the corner of the two streets. At the base of this turret the original office entrance (now a window) is set in a canted corner. The building is constructed of red brick, with details generally in limestone (confined mainly to the turret), blue brick and moulded brick.In the early 20th century the ground-plan of the factory was massively extended by the addition of north-lit sheds to the rear.

{1} Boot and Shoe Factory, Cromwell Road/ Queen Street. Large boot and shoe factory on corner of Cromwell Road and Queen Street. Elaborate frontage. Building still in use as a shoe factory. 'Grensons England's master shoemaker since 1866".Film 7, photo 13-15, 21.

{2} On the corner of Cromwell and Upper Queen Street is an elaborately fenestrated 4-storey factory, with a corner tower.

{3} Boot and shoe factory. c. 1890. For William Green. Red brick with stone dressings and slate roofs. L plan. 4 storeys. 10-window range at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors facing Cromwell Road and 5-window range facing Upper Queen Street with an impressive corner oriel turret rising through the upper 3 floors and roofed by a steep octagonal roof with lucarnes and an ogee dome with weathervane at the apex. This corner has sash windows with round-arched heads to 2nd floor and then sashes set in a rendered surround to 3rd floor. The main fronts have giant pilasters at intervals and the windows are cast-iron framed and probably original, except for the 1st floor which are mid C20 steel-framed replacements. The windows to all floors are under brick segmental arches except for the 3rd floor where the windows have a central brick mullion and flat stone lintels. The original corner office entrance is now blocked by a window but there is an entrance to its right and another on the far right end of the front where there are sashes and decoration above similar to the canted corner. The right end gable is blank but the left end gable has further cast-iron framed windows and a C20 2-storey extension with ground floor open arcade. Further extensions and north-light sheds to rear.
William Green had begun his shoemaking business by 1877 and by 1896 he had built this factory known as the Cromwell Works. By 1923 the factory was much extended and the firm had become William Green and Son, manufacturers of ‘Grenson’ footwear. The firm is now known as Grensons and is probably only rivalled by Crockett and Jones (q.v.) in Perry Street, Northampton, and Joseph Cheaney and Sons (q.v.) in Desborough as a firm still making footwear in a factory built by them over a century ago.
This factory is of special significance as the best example of the expansion of the boot and shoe industry to the towns surrounding Northampton at the end of the C19, marking probably the high point of the industry, and is the most substantial and amongst the best preserved of the factories in Rushden. Not only is the exterior impressive and well-detailed but the interior remains that of a functioning boot and shoe factory, built by the firm which still occupies it.

{6} Photographs of exterior and interior of factory prior to conversion.

{10} Grenson moved on from the site in 2013, and it is now proposed to convert the main building into apartments and replace the extensions with new housing. The CBA has generally welcomed the proposals. Both it and English Heritage have raised concerns for two ancillary buildings at the site, but the developers appear willing to negotiate regarding these elements.

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (checked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<2> Palmer M; Neaverson P., 1992, Industrial Landscapes of the East Midlands, p.93 (checked) (Book). SNN3691.

<3> DCMS, 2004, Listing Schedule, (checked) (Schedule). SNN104967.

<4> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site 36 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<5> Smith, I., 2014, Proposed Conversion Of Grensons Shoes Cromwell Road Works Rushden Northamptonshire Heritage Appraisal (Report). SNN110800.

<6> Archaeological Services, Durham University, 2015, Grenson Shoes, Cromwell Road Works, Rushden, Northamptonshire: photographic recording (Report). SNN110801.

<7> Morrison K.A.; Bond A., 2004, Built To Last? The Buildings of The Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Industry, p.15 (unchecked) (Book). SNN104903.

<8> Historic England, Undated, Grensons Shoes Ltd (formerly Cromwell Works), Upper Queen Street, Rushden, BF103748 (Archive). SNN114303.

<9> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, EHC01/044 (Archive). SNN113193.

<10> Price, C, 2015, Casefiles 17: Grenson Shoe Factory, p. 65 (Article). SNN115477.

Record last edited

Sep 25 2023 8:32AM