The Red House Cone is a glass cone located in Wordsley in the West Midlands, adjacent to the Stourbridge Canal bridge on the A491 High Street. It is a 90-foot (27 m) high conical brick structure with a diameter of 60 feet (18 m), used for the production of glass. [1] It was used by the Stuart Crystal firm till 1936, [2] when the company moved to a new facility at Vine Street. [3] It is one of only four complete cones remaining in the United Kingdom. [4]
It is one of four such structures in the UK and is currently maintained as a museum by Dudley Council. (The other three cones are at Lemington, Catcliffe and Alloa). [5] At the site are 10 businesses including glass artists, pottery, jewellers, textiles fine art and demonstrations of glass blowing along with a Coffee House and gift shop. [6]
A 1-acre (4,000 m2) site, on which the cone stands, was sold by John and Ann Southwell and Rebecca Stokes to Richard Bradley, a wealthy glass-manufacturer, on 21 June 1788. The cone was built by Bradley in partnership with his brother-in-law, George Ensell, for the manufacture of window glass. [7] Ensell installed a moving lehr in the cone, which remains today and is the only surviving one in the world. [1]
The cone received Grade II* listed building status on 23 September 1966. [8] [9]
In April 2022, the Cone received a pledge of £1.5m from Dudley Council in order to restore the structure. [10]
The Red House Cone was featured in an episode of BBC Two's Great British Railway Journeys, in the episode Sarah Cordingley taught Michael Portillo how to make a lampwork bead. [11] [12]