Building record 1160/475/1 - Mobbs Miller House, Christchurch Road

(Formerly Cooperative Boot And Shoe Factory) A boot and shoe factory which was built between 1922 and 1925 for the Co-operative Wholesale Society to the designs of the in-house architect L.G. Elkins. Designed in an early Georgian style, it is constructed from red brick with a darker brown brick centre block and ornaments and also stone dressings. To Christchurch Road and Ardington Road are two frontages ranges which adjoin north-light sheds to the rear and give a square plan. The road fronts have long two-storey ranges of windows of 8/8 sashes over 12/12 sashes alternating with giant rusticated pilasters with stone capitals. The main entrance has a columned frontispiece with Venetian window over set in an aedicule with shallow open pediment. Along the fronts are low walls withornamental iron railings and gates.The factory was used by the CWS until its acquisition by the last manufacturers, Mobbs Miller, in 1969, and then was in plastic unit sole and plastic heel production until the 1980's.This is the last great factory of the boot and shoe industry built at a time when the industry had already peaked and very few new factories were erected. The CWS had the great advantage of a large dependable customer base. The factory was carefully designed to blend into a suburban setting close to Abington Park with its finely detailed fronts giving the appearance of municipal offices or an educational establishment.

{1} Boot and shoe factory. 1922-5. By the in-house architect L.G. Elkins. For the Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd. Red brick with darker brown brick centre block and ornaments and also stone dressings. Parapeted roofs. Early Georgian style. 2 storeys, in small part with attic. North-light sheds to rear behind the 2 adjoining frontage ranges to Christchurch Road and Ardington Road complete a square plan. The road fronts have long 2-storey ranges of windows of 8/8 sashes over 12/12sashes alternating with giant rusticated pilasters with stone capitals. The main entrance has a columned frontispiece with Venetian window over set in an aedicule with shallow open pediment. Stone attic over. The 3 ground floor windows either side have round-arched heads with elaborate rusticated surrounds. The side entrance to Ardington Road has a 4-window range of 3 storeys with giant pilasters and the windows linked vertically by brackets and stone aprons. Along the front are low walls with ornamental iron railings and gates.

The factory was used by the CWS until its acquisition by the last manufacturers, Mobbs Miller, in 1969, and then was in plastic unit sole and plastic heel production until the 1980’s.
This is the last great factory of the boot and shoe industry built at a time when the industry had already peaked and very few new factories were erected. The CWS had the great advantage of a large dependable customer base. The factory was carefully designed to blend into a suburban setting close to Abington Park with its finely detailed fronts giving the appearance of municipal offices or an educational establishment.

{7} Production of specialised equipment or manufacture of precision parts was carried out at a number of places in Northampton including at the Co-operative Boot Factory, Ardington Road; Wellington Bomber components.

<1> DCMS, 2004, Listing Schedule, (checked) (Schedule). SNN104967.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site 105 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<3> Morrison K.A.; Bond A., 2004, Built To Last? The Buildings of The Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Industry, p.8+19+Fig.41 (unchecked) (Book). SNN104903.

<4> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 475 (Book). SNN111989.

<5> Historic England, Undated, Mobbs Miller House, Christchurch Road, Northampton, BF103623 (Archive). SNN113833.

<6> Perkins, P, Whittaker, R and Denton, A, 2022, A Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire, p. 65/ Site 287 (Book). SNN113793.

<7> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, p.343 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100276.

Record last edited

Jul 9 2025 8:47AM