Boundary Works is an early 19th century pottery works also known as California Works and was formerly occupied by Leo Samuels Ltd.
The Boundary Works
In 1818 the Duke of Sutherland leased a plot of land on the south side of Church Street in Longton to Jacob Marsh, for a term of ninety-nine years at an annual rent of £3.48
Jacob Marsh came from a long line of potters and had moved from Burslem to set up his business in Lane Delph in 1806. During this time he had obviously been sufficiently successful to embark on building his own new factory designed specifically to his requirements. Within a year of taking the lease of this land just inside the boundary of Longton, he had built the appropriately named Boundary Works. He and then his son were to occupy the works for almost twenty years.
Marsh's factory was designed on a courtyard plan. Its most noticeable feature was its extended, oblong shape which allowed the maximum street frontage, and thereby maximum space for the presentational aspect of the works.
The brick and tile facade was symmetrical, with eight bays either side of a larger central bay which formed the main entrance to the works. The outer six bays on each side were of two storeys, while the middle section rose to three storeys with a tapered roof and central gable. The central bay had a key-stoned arch, Venetian window above and Diocletian window underneath the gable.
The other stone-lintelled and silled windows were evenly spaced, and each storey was marked by stone string-coursing; matching dormer windows were provided on the third storey. There was brick dentilling under the eaves along the entire length of the frontage, and a date stone above the central lunar window as a final touch.
Behind this front range the works were less symmetrical or orderly, though they did surround a courtyard. The layout of the factory was arranged in standard fashion, with the manufacturing process beginning at the rear of the site and ending at the front, with cross-movement in between. The marl house was situated appropriately nearest to the marl bank, with the slip house next to it. Source - "Potworks - The Industrial Architecture of the Staffordshire Potteries" Source Website: (
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Area: Longton
Street: King Street
Heritage No.79 A
Grade II
Date Listed: 19 April 1972
Building: Former Boundary Works (Leo Samuels Ltd)
Location: STOKE ON TRENT SJ94SW KING STREET, Longton
Description: Pottery works. 1819, Brick with plain tiled roofs.
Boundary Works (Formerly Listed as: KING STREET, Longton Former Boundary Works (Leo Samuels Ltd))
Pottery works. Dated 1819, with later additions and modifications.
Brick with plain tiled roofs. Entrance range of 3 storeys, 5 bays with central projecting bay with segmentally-arched way to rear with Palladian style window over, and Diocletian window above. Pediment with heavy modillion cornice and date stone.
Flat-arched windows in flanking sections, with continuous sill bands. Lower ranges of 2 storeys and 6 bays to left and right.
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A photograph showing the back of the works: (
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