NHER 46728 (Building record) - St Nicholas Works, Cowper Road

Agricultural engineering works. Built in 1846 for J.W. Gidney and Son. Flemish bond red brick, the north side and east end are roughcast. Corrugated iron roofs with gabled ends.
Plan: Long rectangular plan; 2 storeys at the east end and single storey at the west end. The west end is divided into 2 sections inside but it is not certain whether there are partition walls inside the 2 storey east range.
Exterior: 12-bay south elevation; 6 bays to right 2 storey and 6 bays to left 1 storey. The bays are divided by brick pilasters. Segmental-leaded window openings, smaller on first floor, all with original cast-iron windows, the glazing bars with floral crosses at their intersections. Segmentally headed doorway in bay 8 from left (in 2 storey section) with plank door with elaborately scrolled cast-iron strap hinges. The north elevation has similar windows and there are the same cast-iron windows on the east end either side of a wide doorway with a loading doorway above, now boarded over; the ground floor window to right has been blocked. At the west end there is a small round window with a cast-iron frame in the apex of the gable and a wide sliding door below.
Interior: Not inspected but the roof of the single storey range was seen to have the original cast-iron trusses with pierced spandrels to the braces under the collars. The roof structure of the 2-storey range is probably also original but the floor is now supported on rigid steel joists.
Historical Note: Jeremiah William Gidney's firm was founded in the 18th century and it made wire fencing and farm implements. His son, W.T. Gidney, by 1864 was using the building as an iron and brass foundry and he was a whitesmith as well as a coal merchant. In the late 19th century the business passed to John Roots who already had a large works at South Green, where he operated a steam threshing machine and made agricultural implements. In 1910 he built a roller skating rink in a corner of the yard of the St Nicholas works. In 1919 the premises were rented to Balding Bros. who eventually bought it in 1934 and it is still used as an agricultural engineering works. Source: Norfolk Heritage Trust.
M. Dennis (NLA), 13 September 2006.

There is a petrol pump set within the north-east corner of the building, fronting onto Cowper Road. This is thought to be just post war, 1946 being the earliest known reference to the "American Footballer" Wayne pump. The alcove was made to fit the pump so presumably originally there was a window to match the other side of the door, either that or the building is not as old as it looks. These pumps tended to rust badly but this one appears to be in good condition, and is unusual that it is in situ (S1).
D. Gurney (HES), 2 February 2012.