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Note: the top picture shows what is now Torrington International. If you
go up the road and take the first right at the end of the building, you get
to Moorfields Road, shown in the lower picture, which is now one side of the
Imex Business Park. Originally they were all part of the same factory.
Listing: Car factory. c.1906. For Sunbeam Motor Car Company. One
of the earliest purpose-built car factories in England, also representing an
important local industry. It is also one of the first to use an open plan
design instead of the C19 courtyard plan. Cars were made here until 1935 and
commercial vehicles until 1960s.
Plaque: Moorfields Works, founded by John Marston and Thomas
Cureton. Manufactured Sunbeam Cars and aero engines, 1899-1935. Sponsored by
The Torrington Co. Ltd. The plaque has a Sunbeam marque plate on it.
Comment: this is a good example of a purpose built automotive
factory of the turn of the century and of historic interest for the
contribution of the vehicles built there to British motoring history,
including the building of world land speed record cars. In this area one
might also look at the boundary walls and fences of the St. John's Retail
Park, which hold large reproductions of the marque plates of such local
makers as Clyno, Guy and Briton, as well as Sunbeam; and large bronze-like
bas reliefs of Sunbeam world land speed record cars.
Details of Sunbeam vehicles can be found on the Museum section of this
web site, in the Transport Hall.
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