| Abstract: |
Historic Building Record of series of redundant manufactory buildings variously to Levels 1, 2 and 3 as defined by HE. Each comprising a written account, and drawn and photographic records combined with associated archival research. The Harper’s Hill site is located within Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, c.1km NW of the city centre. Extending to a total area of c.1.48ha and centred on NGR SP 06275 87500, it is bordered by Regent Place to the north, James Street to the east, Brook Street and Graham Street / Newhall Street to the south and by properties fronting Vittoria Street to the west; Northwood Street bisects the site, aligned approximately east-west. The wider application site is fully built over, comprising street frontage ranges with related back-buildings and associated yards, extending to 15 discrete building units / complexes.
Following a brief synopsis of the historical development of the wider area and a more detailed review of the available historical sources pertaining to the site under consideration, the HBR report presents a detailed description and analysis of the site and its unlisted constituent buildings, structures and yards, commensurate with ‘Level 1’ through to ‘Level 3’ records as appropriate, according to their acknowledged relative significance, as defined by Historic England in ‘Understanding Historic Buildings: A Guide to Good Recording Practice’. Nos. 109 Northwood Street and 199 Newhall Street, both Grade II listed buildings, are reported elsewhere.
In summary, historical sources indicate that the Harper’s Hill site was developed largely within the grounds of the former ‘Harper's Hill House’ villa, erected in c.1775 on land released from the Colmore estate, and demolished about 100 years later in c.1875. The first developments were residential as opposed to industrial in nature, and were concentrated to the south of the villa’s southern bounding wall, flanking the north side of Graham Street and in the street block of Newhall Street/Brook Street/James Street, all of which are illustrated on Pigott-Smith’s map of 1828. The first purely industrial buildings had been erected by the time of Pigott-Smith’s second town plan of c.1855 to the west side of James Street, though major development did not occur until the later 19th century, after the demolition of ‘Harper's Hill House’ had freed up a large area for new building. Northwood Street was extended westwards from its junction with James Street, and a series of purpose-built industrial ranges erected in fairly rapid succession to both the north and south sides thereof. The northern part of the site had become essentially fully developed by the middle years of the 20th century, including the introduction of infill ranges and the covering over of yards, with the southern section experiencing development only after the clearance of early ‘court’ housing in the 1950s. With the exception of buildings fronting Graham Street to the south, the majority of the buildings gradually came under the common ownership of the firm of A.E. Harris & Co. (Birmingham) Ltd. during the second half of the 20th century. Later developments largely comprised the removal of earlier, outdated ranges and their replacement with larger, utilitarian structures, more suited to the accommodation of modern production machinery and processes. A total of eight broad ‘phases’ of development were identified, from the early-19th century through to the early-21st century.
The Harper’s Hill site can be seen to have included buildings of varied quality, date, architectural merit and historical significance. |
