Bryan Browning: Grant's Iron Foundry

     Another in my occasional series highlighting the work of that excellent local architect Bryan Browning (1755-1856): the great portal of the former Grant's Iron Foundry.  What a powerful piece of architecture it is, combining the English Baroque school of Vanbrugh and visionary French Neo-classicism of, say, Ledoux. Heady stuff. An heroic, Romantic celebration of industrial power.

     It was built in 1845, the contractors being Gregory & Tinkler.  A late example, then, of Georgian architecture.  For a while, at the end of the 19th century, it was part of Blashfield's terracotta works.  At some point in the 20th century it was painted grey and white, possibly when it was owned by Chas Grey. In the last few years it has been incorporated into a new residential development. Sad to say that this work has not been handled with quite enough sensitivity.