WORCESTER University has bought the landmark County Furnishing showroom in Castle Street, it was revealed yesterday. Although the building isn't exactly a head-turner, it is one of the city's finest examples of Art Deco construction. Here, John Wilson pays tribute to six of Worcester's unsung architectural gems

  1. The Odeon Cinema, Foregate Street: The Northwick Cinema may be prettier, but it is trumped by the Odeon's bullish, modern design. Opened in 1950 when film was still the world's most glamorous industry, the building stands between its neighbours like a handsome broad-shouldered brute.
     
  2. Worcester Engine Works, Shrub Hill: Is there a better example of decayed Victorian magnificence in Worcester? The factory was built in 1864 to a design by Thomas Dickson. It has a façade of polychrome brick, with tall windows, big pediment, and a clock tower. A palace of industry, according to architecture blogger Philip Wilkinson.
     
  3. 61 Broad Street: You have to look up above the hubbub and shopfronts to admire what Nicholaus Pavsner described as "one of the collector's pieces at Worcester". It is a four-storey mid-Georgian brick house that is only one bay wide. There is a Venetian window on every floor and a delightful domed belvedere at the top.
     
  4. County Furnishings, Castle Street: Known as Austin House, the County Furnishings building was designed in the Arts Deco style by London architect John C S Soutar for Lord Herbert Austin, founder of the famous Austin Motors, which later became part of British Leyland and the Rover group. It was completed in 1939. Over the years, it was used by various car companies including H A Saunders, Mann Egerton and Rover. It stands on the site of the old county jail. Worcester University has bought the building.
     
  5. The Hopmarket: A riotous combination of red-brick and terracotta that is transformed by the light of a sunny day. Opened in 1900 as the Hop Market Hotel, it was built by Alfred B Rowe, of Henry Rowe and Sons. There is a touch of the Baroque about the entrance arch leading to what is now a courtyard of shops. Romanesque-arch windows and a corner belvedere complete the confection.
     
  6. Kays and Co, the Tything: These offices for the company that became synonymous with Worcester were built in 1907 by JW Simpson and Maxwell Ayrton. The most notable features are the simple but elegant windows, visually bound together by bands of pale stone amid the brickwork. For me, though, what catches the eye is the fabulous Arts and Crafts lettering over the main entrance. It speaks of a firm that celebrated style!
     
  • Do you agree? What are your favourite buildings in Worcester? Leave a comment on the end of this story, email me or tweet @JohnWilsonWN