Building record 3124/10/1 - 1-8 East Street

Built in 1892, the factory has three storeys and a simple rectangular plan. The south elevation is in an even orange brick and presents four window bays to East Street beneath a pedimented gable, but the longer west elevation has a more variable brick colour and irregular fenestration. The windows on both elevations have plain segmental heads and blue brick sills. Towards the southern end of the west elevation there is a broad taking-in bay, with large doorways on the first and second floors beneath a dormer gable incorporating the 1892 datestone. The second-floor doorway is clearly original, but the first-floor doorway has either been inserted or widened. The crane remains in situ. The former entrance appears to be indicated by the higher arch of the second window from the north. What may have been a large secondary entrance in the south gable is suggested by new brickwork around the two central windows. The roof has been re-laid with concrete tiles and the pedimented north gable has been pebbledashed. Adjoining the factory on the east side is a contemporary owner’s or manager’s house of two storeys; the brickwork and detailing match those of the factory. Summary from record 3124/10: Shoe factory built in 1892 for The Irchester Boot and Shoe Company. It was used during the First World War as a canning factory for Parsons, and afterwards again as a shoe factory for Craddock Brothers (later Craddock and Martin Ltd). The factory has since been converted into apartmenrts.

{1}History:
1883-4 Not shown (0S 1:2500, 39.16)
1892 Factory built (datestone)
1899 Factory and house marked (OS 1:2500)
1923 Small addition marked (OS 1:2500)
1940 Craddock & Martin Ltd, shoe manufacturers, East Street (Kelly’s Directory)
1972/3 ‘Works’, including house (OS 1:2500, SP 92/93 65)
2000 Converted into apartments

The East Street factory, dated 1892, and recently converted to apartments, has three storeys and a simple rectangular plan gabled north-south. The south elevation is in an even orange brick and presents four window bays to East Street beneath a pedimented gable, but the longer west elevation has a more variable brick colour and irregular fenestration. North of the taking-in bay the first floor has five windows, four of them arranged in pairs; the ground and first floors have four and three respectively. The windows on both elevations have plain segmental heads and blue brick sills. Towards the southern end of the west elevation there is a broad taking-in bay, with large doorways on the first and second floors beneath a dormer gable incorporating the 1892 datestone. The second-floor doorway is clearly original, but the first-floor doorway has either been inserted or widened. The crane remains in situ. The former entrance appears to be indicated by the higher arch of the second window from the north. Stone blocks visible on this elevation probably act as padstones for iron or steel beams supporting the upper floor. What may have been a large secondary entrance in the south gable is suggested by new brickwork around the two central windows. The roof has been re-laid with concrete tiles and the pedimented north gable has been pebbledashed.
Adjoining the factory on the east side is a contemporary owner’s or manager’s house of two storeys and three bays. It has a central-entry plan and end stacks; the brickwork and detailing match those of the factory.
During the recent domestic conversion both buildings were re-fenestrated, the east and north gables were pebbledashed and the roofs were re-laid with concrete tiles. The house entrance was repositioned and a porch added.

{2}{3} Site 158. Built in 1892 when used by the Irchester Boot and Shoe Co. It was used during WWI as a canning factory for Parsons, and afterwards as a shoe factory for Craddock Bros (later Craddock and Martin Ltd). A three storey shoe factory, now converted into flats, but retains the crane hoist adjacent to former loading doors.

{4} The factory has been converted into flats.

<1> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Irchester Site 3 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<2> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.

<3> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2011, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire (2nd Edition), p.39 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN107622.

<4> Info Terra Ltd; Blue Sky; Tele Atlas, Google Earth Imagery, GOOGLE.COM STREETVIEW DEC-2009 ACCESSED 25-MAR-2019 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112277.

<5> Historic England, Undated, Craddock Court (formerly Craddock and Martin Ltd), East Street, Irchester, BF103662 (Archive). SNN115758.

<6> Historic England, Undated, Northampton Boot and Shoe Industry Project, EHC01/044 (Archive). SNN113277.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 7:16PM