Enterprise House

Cadw's description

Location

Within the Aber Park industrial estate on the north side of an access road leading west from the A5119.

History

Office building dated 1909 above the main door and on rainwater hoppers. The Aber Park area was developed in the 1890's for the production of 'vegetable parchment' paper and then at the beginning of the C20 was used by a German company for the production of natural fibres and from 1913 onwards, the synthetic fibre viscose rayon. The works ceased production at the outbreak of the first World War and were taken over by Courtaulds in 1917 who renamed the site the Aber Works and expanded and developed textile production across north-east Wales. The factory was used for the production of Rayon until 1957 when the works then bleached pulp and paper. At the end of the C20 the area was extensively redeveloped as a modern industrial, retail and leisure site. The office building belongs to pre-first World War phase of development at Aber Park.

Exterior

Office building in Renaissance Revival style. 2 storeys, double depth plan in distinctive local red brick with moulded stone eaves cornice. Hipped slate roof recessed behind parapet with 3 tall brick chimneys. Entrance front of 6 bays is symmetrically arranged with central doorway and advanced outer gables articulated by banded pilasters and stone cornice broken by full height arched recesses.

The central doorway is set in a raised brick surround with ornamental ogee arch, stone ball finials and central stone plaque. Double half glazed doors with timber tympanum with 'AD 1909' in raised lettering. Windows are small-pane cross-frame casements with projecting narrow cills. To the right of the door are 2 windows, the outermost comprising 2 narrow pairs. To the left of the door is a tall stair window with 2 narrow pairs to the left. Dividing each row of windows are rainwater and service pipes the hoppers of which have the date 1909 on them. Wide windows on each floor in advanced gables. Four flat roofed dormers to both the front and rear roof slopes all with small paned casements. Return elevations each symmetrically arranged with two pairs of windows to ground floor, and a single pair above, flanking rainwater goods. Further dormer to the right roof slope. Rear elevation is an 8-window range, the outer bays expressed as advanced gables, matching those of the front; central projecting bay window to the ground floor.

Interior

Entrance hall leads onto main half-turn stair to the first floor. Further quarter-turn secondary stair leads to the attic. The internal plan is based around the central spine wall with office rooms to the sides and rear and remains largely intact, however there has been much later refitting and insertion of paritions. Some original doors, door-frame and other joinery survive.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rare survival of the early twentieth century textile industry in Flint and for its exceptional design, the flamboyance and detailing reflecting the prestige and importance of the factory in this period.