The Argent Centre (Former Argent Works)
The Argent Centre, 60, Frederick Street, Birmingham, B1 3HS
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1290277
- Date first listed:
- 08-Jul-1982
- List Entry Name:
- The Argent Centre (Former Argent Works)
- Statutory Address:
- The Argent Centre, 60, Frederick Street, Birmingham, B1 3HS
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2000-08-20
- Reference:
- IOE01/01020/16
- Rights:
- © Mr D.R. Smith. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1290277
- Date first listed:
- 08-Jul-1982
- List Entry Name:
- The Argent Centre (Former Argent Works)
- Statutory Address 1:
- The Argent Centre, 60, Frederick Street, Birmingham, B1 3HS
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- The Argent Centre, 60, Frederick Street, Birmingham, B1 3HS
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Birmingham (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SP 06085 87418
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 30/04/2018
SP 0687 SW
28/8
Hockley B1
FREDERICK STREET
No 60, The Argent Centre (Former Argent Works)
(Formerly listed as Premises occupied by Gallen Kamp (Argent works))
II*
Corner site with Legge Lane. The former Argent Works of 1862-63, architect J G Bland. A large three and four storey L-plan works enclosing single storey shed on two sides. Built as a pen manufacturing for Q E Wiley who also installed a Turkish Baths in the four storey block at the end of the Frederick Street range.
Red brick with stone and gault and buff brick dressings, banding and chequerwork achieving a lively polychromy. The arcaded elevations take their inspiration from Florentine-Lombard early Renaissance palazzi with corner towers to the nine bay Legge Lane front and the Hamman providing a similar emphasis to the end of the 22 bay Frederick Street range. The ground floor is slightly battered, its carcaded windows with polychrome voussoirs. A billet mould string course forms the base of the principal two storey arcade containing two light windows divided by colonettes, those on second floor with stone plate tracery in the arches. Stone machicolated main cornice with low parapet, originally pierced and later heightened in plain brick nearly to the eaves of the tower belvederes. The latter had tiled spires which have been truncated. The Hamman block has plain sash windows in the narrower bays of its arcade corresponding to those in corner towers and with the same arcaded lights to its belvedere storey. The pedimented doorway to Legge Lane is c1900 insertion. Modern waggon entrance to Frederick Street. Segmental arched doorway to former Hamman contained in right hand of three large ground floor arches. The fireproof construction is of some interest, the floors consisting of flat hollow brick arches with wrought iron tie rods linked to right L iron skewbacks, the floors are paved with brick internally and the flat roof was asphalted. The chimney stack rising to the rear of the former Hamman is square and tapered with polychrome banding to the cap. This stack served the engine of the manufactory, excess steam being used for the baths.
The Argent Works are the large in the inner jewellery quarter area and Legge Lane elevation dominates Newhall Hill.
For details of construction see "The Building News" 21 Aug 1863, p 650.
Listing NGR: SP0609387387
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 217083
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Building News in 21 August, (1863), 650
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 17-Jun-2026 at 11:18:12.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.