1–7 Constitution Hill, Birmingham

1–7 Constitution Hill

Red Palace from Constitution Hill taken 2006

Red Palace from Hampton Street taken 2006

The former H.B. Sale factory (grid reference SP067876), at 1–7 Constitution Hill, Birmingham 19, England, at the acute junction with Hampton Street, is a Grade II listed building. The red brick and terracotta structure is extremely thin, with a tower at one end.

History

It was designed in 1895 and 1896 by William Doubleday and James R. Shaw for H. B. Sale, a die-sinker firm that as of 2012 occupies premises on Summer Lane within 100 metres of the original building. The original plans were for five stories, but only four were built. A fifth storey was added in the mid-20th century before planning laws were in force to protect the integrity of original structures and as a result, the fifth floor is not of the same architectural style of the 1895 building. The tower is original, built in 1896 as a memorial to Lord Roberts of Kandahar (1832–1914) who led a successful campaign in Afghanistan in 1879 before a career in India.^[1] Plans show three independent shops and offices at ground level. Each upper floor, measuring approximately 900 square feet (84 m²), was designed as a single workshop with an office in the tower. There was an engine room and dynamo in the basement.

The present owner also purchased the adjacent buildings numbers 9-11 Constitution Hill in the early 1990s in order to provide better access to the listed main body of the property.

Known locally as the 'Red Palace', the building as of 2007 was only occupied on the top two floors. The lower floors remained empty after the previous tenant, a Chinese restaurant trading as 'China Village', vacated in approximately 2002. The basement floor was used as the kitchens serving the main restaurant on the ground floor and function room on the first floor. The building fabric has been deteriorating for a number of years and needs a significant investment if the building is to survive long term.

The ground and first floor re-opened as a Syrian/Lebanese restaurant called 'Syriana' in April 2008.

References

• Pevsner Architectural Guides – Birmingham, Andy Foster, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10731-5
• Birmingham (City Building Series), Douglas Hickman, 1970, Studio Vista Limited
• The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter – An Architectural Survey of the Manufactories, John Cattell, Sheila Ely, Barry Jones, English Heritage, 2002, ISBN 1-873592-48-5
• Historic England. "Grade II (216993)". Images of England. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1-7 Constitution Hill, Birmingham.

Buildings and structures in Birmingham, England
Highrise (in height order)	Sutton Coldfield mast BT Tower 10 Holloway Circus Chamberlain Clock Tower Alpha Tower Orion Building Sentinels Rotunda 103 Colmore Row The Cube Five Ways Tower Hyatt Centre City Tower Two Snowhill One Snow Hill Plaza Quayside Tower Colmore Gate McLaren Building Metropolitan House Edgbaston House Colmore Plaza Jury's Inn
Civic	Baskerville House Central Police Station Chamberlain Clock Chamberlain Memorial Council House Edgbaston Waterworks Energy from Waste Plant Hall of Memory Library of Birmingham Moseley Road Baths Other baths Municipal Bank Town Hall Town Hall (Sutton Coldfield) Union Workhouse
Main railway stations	Moor Street New Street Snow Hill Curzon Street Other stations
Universities	Aston University Birmingham City University Birmingham School of Art Newman University University College Birmingham University of Birmingham Barber Institute
Hospitals	Current Children's City Good Hope Orthopaedic Queen Elizabeth Women's Defunct Accident General Old Queen Elizabeth Selly Oak Witton Isolation
Religious	Christian Ascension, Hall Green St Agatha, Sparkbrook St Agnes, Moseley St Alban, Highgate St Andrew, Handsworth St Anne, Moseley St Anne, Digbeth St Augustine, Edgbaston St Barnabas, Erdington St Bartholomew, Edgbaston St Benedict's, Bordesley Bishop Latimer, Winson Green St Catherine, Bristol Street St Chad's Cathedral St Cyprian, Hay Mills St David, Shenley Green St Edburgha, Yardley St Edward, Selly Park Erdington Abbey SS Faith & Laurence, Harborne St Francis, Bournville St Francis, Handsworth St Gabriel, Weoley Castle St George, Edgbaston Handsworth Cemetery Chapel Holy Trinity, Birchfield Holy Trinity & St Luke Holy Trinity, Sutton Coldfield St James, Handsworth St John, Ladywood St John, Perry Barr St John, Sparkhill St Laurence, Northfield St Lazar, Bournville St Martin, Bull Ring St Mark, Washwood Heath St Mary, Acocks Green St Mary, Handsworth St Mary, Moseley St Mary, Selly Oak St Mary's Convent Methodist Central Hall St Michael & All Angels, Bartley Green St Michael, Handsworth St Michael, Moor Street St Nicolas, Kings Norton Oratory St Paul, Birmingham St Paul, Lozells St Peter, Harborne SS Peter & Paul, Aston St Philip's Cathedral St Silas, Lozells Stechford Baptist Islamic Central Mosque Darul Barakaat Ghamkol Shariff Green Lane Jami Jewish Central Synagogue Singers Hill Sikh Guru Nanak, Handsworth Hindu Shree Geeta Bhawan
Houses	Anchorage, The Christopher Wray Lighting works Edgbaston Hall The Endwood Hay Hall Highbury Moat House Moor Hall Moseley Hall New Hall Manor Northfield Manor House Peddimore Hall Penns Hall Pype Hayes Hall Sheldon Hall Stratford House Winterbourne
Hotels	Grand Hotel Hyatt Regency Hotel Indigo Jurys Inn Radisson Blu Resorts World Birmingham Other hotels
Pubs	Adam & Eve Anchor Inn Antelope Bartons Arms Black Horse Brookhill Tavern Crown Lad in the Lane Old Crown Queen's Arms Red Lion (Handsworth; closed) Woodman
Complexes	Brindleyplace Bull Ring Friends' Institute International Convention Centre Mailbox Grand Central Longbridge plant Paradise Circus Swan Shopping Centre
Art and theatres	Alexandra Barber Institute Crescent Drum Hippodrome mac Rep Odeon, Kingstanding Old Rep Piccadilly Symphony Hall
Museums	Aston Hall Back to Backs Blakesley Hall Newman Bros Coffin Factory Sarehole Mill Selly Manor/ Minworth Greaves Soho House Weoley Castle
Sports venues	Alexander Stadium Edgbaston (cricket) Edgbaston Priory Club St Andrew's Villa Park
Other	1–7 Constitution Hill 17 & 19 Newhall Street Ashford & Son Assay Office Barclaycard Arena Birmingham Crematorium Bromford Viaduct Castle Bromwich Assembly Chinese Pagoda Fort Dunlop Gas Retort House Gas Street Studios Great Western Arcade Holliday Street Aqueduct ICC Millennium Point Perrott's Folly Perry Bridge Prison Proof House Ringway Centre Saracen's Head Selfridges St James's House Victoria Square House Victoria Law Courts Victoria Works
Demolished	Aston Hippodrome Bishop's House Bishop Ryder Church Bordesley Hall Central Goods railway station Central Library Christ Church Church of the Messiah The Crescent Fox Hollies Hall Heathfield Hall Highfield Island House Langley Hall St Mary's, Whittall St. Metchley Fort Pebble Mill Studios Post & Mail Building
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Coordinates: 52°29′11.83″N 1°54′5.23″W / 52.4866194°N 1.9014528°W / 52.4866194; -1.9014528