Former Clay's Printing Works

Former Clay's Printing Works, 1, 2 and 3, Paris Gardens

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1385748
Date first listed:
17-Sept-1998
List Entry Name:
Former Clay's Printing Works
Statutory Address:
Former Clay's Printing Works, 1, 2 and 3, Paris Gardens
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Date:
2001-09-06
Reference:
IOE01/04556/32
Rights:
© Mr David March. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1385748
Date first listed:
17-Sept-1998
List Entry Name:
Former Clay's Printing Works
Statutory Address 1:
Former Clay's Printing Works, 1, 2 and 3, Paris Gardens

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
Former Clay's Printing Works, 1, 2 and 3, Paris Gardens

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Greater London Authority
District:
Southwark (London Borough)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 31521 80311

Details

TQ3180
636-1/1/557

SOUTHWARK
PARIS GARDENS (west side)
Nos.1, 2 and 3, Former Clay's Printing Works

II
Printing works, now offices. 1909. By G.F Collinson, architect, and Alexander Drew, engineer. Reinforced concrete, utilising the Kahn system.

EXTERIOR: five storeys over basement, the top floor set back. Originally of 13 bays, symmetrically arranged about an entrance range, with an additional goods bay to the south. The central tower which rises to six storeys, projects slightly from the rest of the elevation, as do the bays, formerly capped by low domes, at either end.

The divisions of the building are marked by piers, each with an octagonal chimney or vent breaking the skyline, and a protruding iron ring at the second floor level. At third floor level, the five bays between the central tower and the end bays are treated as a glazed loggia of which the deep coved cornice of the two bays to either side of the tower shelters the only group of round-arched windows. On the lower three floors, each bay contains a tripartite rectangular window with a flat metal frame. The last bay to the south also has tripartite windows at second- and third-floor levels, but the ground floor has a wide goods entrance surmounted, at the first floor level, by a large semicircular window with four vertical divisions. Entrance aedicule to centre range has primitive attached columns.

INTERIOR: not inspected.

The style is eclectic, with references both to Chicago School commercial design, and the work of W.R Lethaby; a hint of Tudor detailing intermingled with the Arts and Crafts touches. An early example of the Kahn system of reinforced concrete construction, invented in the United States and introduced to Britain in the Edwardian period. The Kahn system is second in importance only to the Hennebique concrete reinforcement system, which was first used in this country at the end of the 1890s. Quite apart from this technical interest, the structure has considerable architectural merit; the designer has endowed a straightforward and utilitarian pier and spandrel system with grandeur and powerful scale.

Listing NGR: TQ3152180311

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
471158
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Former Clay's Printing Works

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 24-Jun-2026 at 08:44:21.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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