Buttercross Works

Situation
Overlooking The Leys to the south-west of St Mary's Church.

Physical structure
This was a large two-storey factory built for The Witney Blanket Company and erected by the Unit Construction Company in 1920 [1]. It was destroyed by fire not once but twice, the first taking place in 1939. The factory was rebuilt but in the late 1960s suffered an arson attack, after which it was rebuilt for a second time [2].

Owners

Rear of the Buttercross Works.

The Witney Blanket Company was set up in Witney around 1885. Mr A.A. Barrell bought the business from Fred Clapper and Sons in 1895, turned it into a limited company and started the mail order operation. In 1913 he moved to premises at 39/41 Market Square (near the Buttercross) and by the end of the First World War business had increased so much that he and his sons decided to expand and move into the new factory overlooking The Leys, which became known as the Buttercross Works. The mail order side of the business closed in 1976 in the face of rising postal costs and a takeover by a rival firm, the bedding factory closing shortly after this [3]. The building is now a discount goods shop.

What was the site used for?
The Company supplied blankets, bedding, clothes and footwear through the post. Many of their blankets were made in Yorkshire but were finished here and marketed under the Witney label [4]. By the 1930s they had built additional premises on The Leys site and were also manufacturing quilts, feather beds and had a blanket cleaning service [5].

Clare Sumner