Building record 953/43/1 - Nos.31-35 High Street

Possible Former Parker & How Boot Factory. These small workshops are included at the rear of a complex of buildings on the north side of the High Street and are likely to have been in use by the leather trades. The street frontage is composed of three distinct units (No.31 -35 odd) all are three storyed, brick built and date from the mid 19th century. To the rear of No. 31 a three storeyed range has been added parallel to the house, it has the appearance of a small factory. Of buildings visible in the rear yard, one has a long east-facing first-floor window.

{1} Former boot and shoe factory. The current owners (who live on the premises and run a leather works in the workshops) claim that the site used to be owned by Parker & How who produced flying boots. The building is divided into two sections with a two storey 'domestic' frontage and a three storey factory or warehouse to the rear. In addition there are two ranges of single storey workshops to the rear. The rear of the property is accessed by a large carriage arch. The house to the west of the complex was reputedly lived in by the owner or manager of the factory.
The current owners moved into the property 25 years ago and the building had been converted for residential accommodation prior to this.
The entire building was used as a factory with a shoe shop on the ground floor of the two storey range on the frontage and office accommodation above this. The rear three storey range was used as the main body of the factory/warehouse.
It was not possible to inspect the interior of the property. The owner informed that the infill between the two storey and three storey elements is constructed of breeze block and not brick (suggesting a relatively late date) and the steel joists supporting the floors of the building go all the way through both ranges.

{3} This complex of buildings includes what appear to be workshops to the rear, which are likely to have been in leather trades uses. The street frontage is composed of three distinct units, all two-storeyed and brick-built. No. 31 is a mid-19th century three-bay house with a central entrance and end stacks. No. 35, further east, is a plainer three-bay house of similar plan, with a cogged eaves. Between the two, No. 33 is a single-bay yard entrance. To the rear of No. 35 a three storeyed range has been added parallel to the house (a straight joint marks the junction). To the south there is a second-floor window overlooking the house roof, but other windows must be on the north side (not seen). It has the appearance of a small factory. Of buildings visible in the rear yard, one has a long east-facing first-floor window. All these buildings appear to date from before 1884.

<1> Ballinger J., 2001, Former Boot And Shoe Factory, 35-37 High Street, Long Buckby, (checked) (Notes). SNN100802.

<2> Ballinger J., 2001, Former Boot And Shoe Factory, 35-7 High Street, Long Buckby, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN100803.

<3> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Long Buckby Site 8 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<4> Historic England, Undated, 31-35 High Street, Long Buckby, BF103870 (Archive). SNN113467.

Record last edited

May 19 2022 12:08PM