Solicitors Office, Greaves Street, Oldham

This two-storey building is an outstanding example of Edgar Wood’s Arts and Craft, Art Nouveau style and was constructed in 1902 for the then Town Clerk, Hesketh Booth, whose initials can be seen incised above the door case while his initials and the date of 1902 appear on the rainwater hoppers at eaves level. For a highly functional building in a northern industrial town it has many uncharacteristic features including the flagged roof, the art nouveau sculpture above the door, the leaded lights and copper panels on the front door. Unusually for this part of Lancashire it was built in Cotswold Limestone ashlar, chosen for its extraordinary pitted and fissured surface texture. (Conventional wisdom had it that such stone would rapidly decay under the effect of acid rain – see also St Thomas, Werneth where Bath stone was originally specified).

Though the façade is stone, the rest of the building is of brick. The rear façade of the building is asymmetrical and appears to have been altered.

Reference    British Architect 11 May 5 July 1901 Page 328 and illustration.
Notes         This had been exhibited at Royal Academy