Guibal fanhouse at Skelton Shaft iron mine

Former Guibal fanhouse, 1870, for Bell Brothers' Skelton Shaft iron mine, adapted 1930 for a Sirocco fan for Dorman Long Limited.

MATERIALS: concrete with some brick detailing.

PLAN: the engine house forms the northern room of the building, with the large fan compartment adjacent to the south opening to the ventilation chimney on the east side. Extending to the south are the collapsed remains of the airlock building over the uncapped shaft.

DESCRIPTION: the fan compartment is sized to accommodate the original Guibal fan, extended upwards for a gabled roof (roof no longer extant). The adjacent engine compartment is slightly lower, with remains of a hipped, lean-to roof. All of its openings are at first floor level, the doorway being in the north wall, in line with the axis of the fan. This door is flanked by window openings, with a further window opening in each end wall, all openings having segmental heads with their joinery missing. On the north wall is the scar line of the original external staircase. The ventilation chimney stands to full height, retaining a simple stepped cornice which matches the stepped projecting eaves course to the engine compartment. The airlock building covering the shaft to the south of the fan compartment has largely collapsed, being outlined by substantial buttresses that still stand. The interior of the building was not inspected, although features in the walling (including some pieces of ironwork) can be observed which give an indication of the former arrangement of machinery.