Building record 7203/68/1 - Late C19th Factory Building, 5-7 Crabb Street

A boot and shoe factory (No.7 Crabb Street) that possibly has its origins in a workshop to the rear of No.5 Crabb Street.No.5 Crabb Street is a three-bay central-entry plan house with end stacks. The ground floor has been radically altered for use as a showroom, but stylistic details on the first floor suggest a date of circa 1870. The possible workshop is a two storey range, it has a blind back to the north west, but faces onto a yard behind the house.The factory probably dates from the late 1880s and occupies a corner site at one end of the kink in Crabb Street. It is a tall and well detailed building, and consists of three storeys and a basement on a simple rectangular plan. In the early 20th century additions were made on the north-west side of the factory. On the street front range a privy tower and office range were added in a single phase. Further additions possibly including north-lit ranges, were made to the rear.

{1} Factory, Crabb Street. Large factory building on corner of Crabb Street - designed in accordance with corner plot. Has three large storeys plus a basement. Appears to be in partial usage - perhaps as flats or offices. Film 12, photo 19,21.

{2} Former Boot and Shoe Factory being used, unmodified, as accommodation. Good example of type with relatively high quality materials (particularly the bricks) being used. Also a possibility that the factory grew from the workshops to the rear of what has become a separate property.

{3} Boot and shoe factory, now office and dwelling. C.1890. Red brick with blue brick dressings and slate hipped roof. Main range of 3 storeys and basement with lower range of 2 storeys, part with basement. Entrance and taking-in doors on south side. Front is of 3 storeys of a cast-iron framed window on each floor either side a taking-in door, the top one with a crane and hoist beam. Ground floor has door to right and blocked windows to left. All openings have brick segmental arches. Right side to main part of Crabb Street is similar with 6 cast-iron framed windows on each floor. A fine detail is the blue brick band which goes round the building on each floor above the top of the segmental arches. There is a prominent moulded brick eaves cornice. The left side, which is similar on the top floor, is abutted by an extension of c.1900. There is a narrow lower 2-window range of 2 storeys and basement, a former privy tower, which has a curving parapet top, then, to left, the 2-storey office range. This has a door under bracketed hood to far left, 2 carriage openings and an alleyway, and 3 C20 windows in original openings above, with a small window with hoodmould over the entrance door. Further ranges in yard to rear.
INTERIOR. Cast-iron columns support the timber ceiling beams on lower floors. Queen post roof construction.

{6} Two photos dated January 1998;

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

<2> Ellison M., 2003, 5-7 Crabb Street Rushden, (unchecked) (Slides). SNN102796.

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

<4> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site 53 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<5> Historic England, Undated, 29 Wellingborough Road, Rushden, BF103819 (Archive). SNN114144.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Rushden (Photographs). SNN114607.

Record last edited

Jan 25 2023 10:42AM