West Bromwich Town Hall (photo: David Jerred Miles).
Northcot Brick supplies bespoke brick blends for historic buildings and conservation projects across Britain.
Drawing on its 100 years of experience, its team of master brickmakers uses traditional hand-throwing and kiln-firing methods, along with sophisticated weathering techniques, to match existing regional brick types and complex specials.
Its ability to replicate Victorian brick detailing has played a central part in the recent award-winning restoration of West Bromwich Town Hall and Library.
The restoration of a Grade II listed heritage asset
Originally designed by Alexander & Henman in 1874-75 (with the library by Weller and Proud), the Town Hall and Library is a symbol of the town’s heritage and a fine example of Italian Gothic architecture.
West Bromwich Town Hall tower, an iconic symbol (photo: David Jerred Miles).
However, after 150 years of exposure to the elements, the Grade II-listed buildings had fallen into disrepair, with leaking roofs, rotten windows and crumbling brick and stonework. Without urgent intervention, the buildings were unlikely to remain in use.
A £6.9m restoration programme was carried out for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council by main contractor Morgan Sindall. The project was funded by the Government’s Towns Fund programme and delivered under the Construction West Midlands II framework. Contract administration was carried out by the Council’s Urban Design & Building Services.
The aim was to preserve the building’s fine architectural features whilst adapting it for community use to help revitalise the town’s main cultural quarter.
Meticulous repair and replacement
West Bromwich Town Hall (photo: Bluesky UAV).
As Lead Designers and Conservation Architects, APEC Architects assessed the extensive restoration work required and developed a detailed plan for each element, working alongside Henley Restoration & Remedials, Midland Masonry, NRA Roofing, and a wide range of heritage craftspeople.
Work ranged from the repair or replacement of historic stonework carvings (including a roof finial recreated from a 100-year-old photograph), the slate roof, detailed timberwork, and leadwork on the cupola dome, to 200 timber framed stained-glass windows.
Brick detailing on the restored main tower (photo: David Jerred Miles).
Almost all areas of the existing brickwork required some degree of repair or replacement, and some of the high-level masonry on the main chimney and tower was in such poor condition that it posed a risk to its structural integrity.
Brickwork at height (photo: David Jerred Miles).
Extensive repointing and renewal were carried out at height by Midland Masonry, and hundreds of isolated, severely damaged bricks on the main facades were cut out and replaced.
Brickwork restoration – bespoke brick matching
Northcot created two brick blends in imperial sizes: machine-made Regency Orange and handmade Brickfield Orange.
These were selected to match the colour and texture variations of the existing brickwork, which had weathered differently across various parts of the building.
The replacement bricks were carefully matched to the fine-quality, thin-jointed brickwork on the principal elevation and the highly variable, lower-quality concealed brickwork at the rear.
The meticulous repair and replacement (photo: APEC Architects).
Recreating ornate brick features
Ornate brick detailing (photo: David Jerred Miles).
Over time, much of the ornate brickwork and decorative detailing that characterise the Town Hall and Library had eroded to the point that their original shapes were virtually unrecognisable.
Where some of the original detail remained, the brick specials were carefully removed and sent to Northcot’s brickworks in the Cotswolds for templating and moulding to produce new matches.
Special bricks were created to match the decorative string courses, banding, arch details, embossed fleur-de-lis bricks, bullnose ledges, and dentil courses, along with additional custom specials for interior and exterior corners.
Northcot bespoke specials match the originals (Photo: APEC Architects).
During the course of the restoration, Northcot produced 16 different types of special bricks. Despite their challenging size and intricacy, they were made by hand as individual units in bespoke moulds and traditionally fired. They are now almost indistinguishable from the surviving Victorian originals.
An award-winning achievement
West Bromwich Town Hall, a community asset (photo: David Jerred Miles).
West Bromwich Town Hall and Library is widely recognised as an outstanding example of traditional conservation and craftsmanship, combined with sustainability and community investment. Overall, the project saved 219 tonnes of carbon and delivered £5.5m in social value for the local community.
Recent accolades include the 2024 Victorian Society’s West Midlands Conservation Award and a shortlisting in the 2025 Brick Awards in both the Refurbishment and Sustainability categories.
For more information about Northcot Brick, call 01386 700551, email sales@northcotbrick.co.uk, or visit the website www.northcotbrick.co.uk.
