Entrance to Red House
The Red House Glass Cone lies in the heart of the Stourbridge glassmaking industry. Built at the end of the 18th Century the Cone was used for the manufacture of glass until 1936 and is now one of only four cones left in the United Kingdom. Reaching 100 feet into the sky, the Cone enclosed a furnace around which men made glass for 140 years.
Inside Red House Glass Cone
During the early 19th century a remarkable structure developed in Britian – the glass cone. This conical building not only acted as a chimney for the furnace used to make glass but was also where the glassmakers worked. Throughout Dudley and Stourbridge areas there were many cones, but the densest concentration was in Amblecote and Wordsley.
Canalside seating area
Today there are only four cones left standing in Britain and the Red House Glass Cone is the most complete example in Europe – the other three are located in Scotland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sheffield.
Inside the Courtyard Gallery
This covered, outdoor gallery has been created to provide an area for regular exhibitions by Glass West Midlands members – providing an opportunity to promote individual businesses and generate sales and commissions.
The Courtyard Gallery will also be where glass work, produced by students whilst taking part in educational programmes run by both the Cone and local schools, will be exhibited.
