Crockett & Jones

For Goodyear-welted English shoes, they are widely seen as strong value. The welted construction means the sole can be replaced rather than the whole shoe binned, so a well-cared-for pair lasts for years. Given the leather quality and the heritage of a maker established in 1879, most buyers feel the price is justified by how long the shoes stay in rotation.

Both are respected English makers and at a similar price you will not find a dramatic quality gap, so the real deciding factor is fit. The two brands cut their shoes on different lasts, which gives each a distinct shape on the foot. Crockett & Jones is family-run by a descendant of the founders, which appeals to buyers who value that continuity; the honest advice is to choose by which last suits your foot.

A versatile first pair sits in the Main Collection, the brand's core range, before you graduate to the dressier Hand Grade Collection or the rich Shell Cordovan Collection. Think about whether you want a loafer, a derby or an oxford, then match the last to your foot. The beauty of starting in the Main Collection is you get the full Goodyear-welted construction at the most accessible point in the lineup.

There are three lines for men: the Main Collection, the elevated Hand Grade Collection, and the Shell Cordovan Collection made from that prized horsehide leather. Women's footwear is offered as a more limited range of boots and low-heeled shoes. The Hand Grade pieces involve more finishing and refinement, while Shell Cordovan is about a specific, long-wearing leather.

Goodyear welting is the construction the company specialises in, and it is the reason these shoes are built to be resoled. The second generation, Harry Crockett and Frank Jones, modernised the factory in the 1890s using equipment produced by Charles Goodyear, raising output without sacrificing quality. It is a method prized for durability and for letting a good pair of shoes age gracefully over decades.

Every pair is made in Northampton, England, a town traditionally known for shoemaking, which is exactly why the founders set up there in 1879. The Perry Street factory dates back to the 1890s, with additions in 1910 and 1935, and it remains where all production, design and development happens. It is a genuinely single-site, made-in-England operation.

The company was established in 1879 by James Crockett and Charles Jones in Northampton, England, helped along by a grant from the Thomas White Trust. At the start they produced men's boots, before expanding their range over the following decades. By the 1930s, still a family business, the factory was turning out around 15,000 pairs a week.

Yes, it remains a family business. It is currently run by the great-grandson of co-founder Charles Jones, continuing a line that runs through Richard Jones, who joined in 1947 and became Managing Director in 1977, and his son Jonathan, who also joined in 1977. That continuity is a big part of the brand's identity.

It did. Daniel Craig wears various Crockett & Jones shoes across the James Bond films, which has become one of the brand's best-known cultural touchpoints. The brand also gets a knowing nod in the TV series Succession, when Tom Wambsgans introduces his assistant Greg Hirsch to it.

The whole point of Goodyear welting is longevity, so treat them accordingly: rotate pairs so the leather can rest, use shoe trees, and condition and polish regularly. Because the sole is welted rather than glued, you can have it replaced when it wears down rather than retiring the shoe. Looked after, a pair can serve you for many years.

Yes. In 1911 the company received the Diploma D'Onore in Turin for its wholecut Albert Slipper, an early mark of its standing among shoemakers. More than a century on, its reputation among footwear enthusiasts has only grown, with its leather, design and value frequently praised.