Monument record 1160/385/1 - 12 Duke Street

Shoe factory, built to an L-plan and opened in 1874 for Church & Co following their move from a workshop at 30 Maple Street. Now demolished.

{1} Church's original factory (formerly 24 Church Street) survives intact within the complex. Numbered two on the Goad plans, it is three storeyed and has an L-plan, consisting of a street range of seven closely-spaced bays fronting Duke Street to the south, with a five bay rear range projecting from its west end. The front elevation has pier-and-panel walling, with chamfered bricks to the bases of the panels. The building is relativley plain, with segmental brick heads to the openings, stone sill and a chamfered eaves cornice to the front, blue brick sills and a stepped eaves cornice to the rear. The chamferedf and stopped original entrance occupies the westernmost bay of the dront, beneath a former second-floor taking-in doorway. At either end of the street range there are single-flue stacks. To the rear, both the street and rear ranges have fewer windows on the second floor than on the lower floors; those which are visible retain cast iron frames.
Adjoining this factory to the east is another factory (formerly Isaac Powell's premises at 26 Duke St). (continued)

{2} The buildings surveyed originally formed part of a factory complex belonging to Church & Co, one of the main boot and shoe manufacturers in the town. The larger building, an L-shaped three-storey structure under a slate roof, was constructed in 1874 by Church & Co. as their first purpose built factory. Adjoining this was smaller three-storey building. Constructed shortly after by Isaac Powell, boot and shoe makers. Along with other adjoining buildings, this factory was absorbed by Church's by the end of the 19th century. Church's continued to expand their premises in Duke Street until 1956/57, when production moved to larger premises in the St James' district.
The survey showed that, although parts of the 1847 factory had been considerably altered from their original appearance, much of the form and fabric of the original building remained.

{4} This is a shoe factory, built to an L-plan in 1874 for Church & Co, and consisting of three storeys with a seven-bay front elevation. In the late-1880s a large new factory was built alongside on five storeys and a basement, with an eight-bay front [HER: 1160/385/2]. Various other buildings were added or absorbed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the buildings absorbed is a three-storey, four-bay shoe factory of circa 1875 [HER: 1160/385/3], and a four-storey warehouse of the late-1880s.

<1> Cadman, G. & Stevens, C., 2003, Former Church's Factory, 12 Duke Street, Northampton, (unchecked) (SMR Report Form). SNN103388.

<2> Zeepvat B., 2004, Historic Building Recording: Former Shoe Factory, 12 Duke Street, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN104862.

<3> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<4> Historic England, Undated, National Record of Industrial Monuments (NRIM): Index Cards, Recorded by GH Starmer, 09-Apr-1967, Record No.NN28 (Archive). SNN113469.

<5> Undated, Church's Shoe Factory, Northampton, BF103444 (Archive). SNN113671.

Record last edited

Jun 30 2022 3:58PM