Building record 7203/40/1 - Boot & Shoe Sock & Cork Sock Factory (Alfred Lilley & Sons, H.T. Mackness), Beech Road

This curriers and leather dressers factory in Beech Road, is a simple but architecturally accomplished design in red brown brick, with vestigal detailing in pre-cast concrete and blue brick, dates from 1956-7. It consists of a two storeyed entrance front, facing Beech road to the north, with three north-lit sheds to the rear and a flat-roofed single-storey ranges along the east side, enfolding a tapering square-section boiler-house stack.The parapeted and flat-roofed front range has a central entrance flanked by large windows. On the first floor there is a single long window. Much of the front range was probably devoted to manufacturing, with a small part reserved for offices. The northern north-lit shed appears to derive borrowed light from the front range, as it lacks the glazed north slope of the other two. The flat-roofed range along the eastern side contains what appears to be the works entrance as well as large hatches for the reception and despatch of goods.

{1} The present factory, a simple but architecturally accomplished design in brown brick, with vestigial detailing in pre-cast concrete and blue brick, probably dates from the late 1930s. It consists of a two-storeyed entrance front, facing Beech Road to the north, with three north-lit sheds to the rear and a flat-roofed single-storey range along the east side, enfolding a tapering square-section boiler-house stack.
In 1922 Alfred Lilley & Sons curriers and leather dressers are listed in this location in earlier buildings. By 1929 H T Mackness boot and shoe sock & cork sock manufacturers were listed here and were still present by 1999.

{3} The current buildings were constructed 1956-7 following the destruction of the earlier three-storey factory by fire. H T Mackness continued to trade there until 2002 when it was forced to close due to the demise of the shoe trade. Sold to a footwear wholesale firm but now believed to be empty.

<1> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site 31 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<2> Historic England, Undated, PH T Mackness Ltd, Beech Road, Rushden, BF103679 (Archive). SNN113911.

<3> Northamptonshire HER, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, John Mackness website comment 28/04/26 (Oral Report). SNN115011.

Record last edited

Apr 29 2026 12:31PM