Stench Pipe

The Stench Pipe, located in Thurrock, is a grade II listed structure likely built in the mid-18th century. It was part of the sewage system for the now-demolished Belhus Hall. The building features a tall octagonal chimney designed in a Tudor style, constructed from handmade bricks with occasional black brick accents. The chimney has moulding at both the top and bottom and stands on a chamfered rectangular plinth with three stages.

A brick-built culvert extends from the site of Belhus Hall to the base of the chimney on its south side, while an opening on the north side is adjacent to a rectilinear earth channel. The channel is lined with brick on the east and west sides of the chimney. The chimney likely served as a vent for foul air from sewage that was flushed into the culvert and then pumped along it. The sewage was probably deposited into the earth channel, where it settled before being spread onto nearby fields. Additionally, the chimney served as an eyecatcher, making it an unusually elaborate and ornamental example of a rare and interesting building type.