Ministry of Defence Building L148 (Group G Incorporating Mills) is a Grade II* listed building in the Epping Forest local planning authority area, England. First listed on 26 November 1993. Industrial.

Ministry of Defence Building L148 (Group G Incorporating Mills)

WRENN ID
old-trefoil-spindle
Grade
II*
Local Planning Authority
Epping Forest
Constituency
Epping Forest MP: Dr Neil Hudson (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
26 November 1993
Type
Industrial
Address
Ministry of Defence Building L148 (Group G Incorporating Mills), Waltham Abbey
OS grid reference
TL 376 012
Coordinates
51.69343, -0.00927
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Ministry of Defence Building L148, part of the Royal Gunpowder Factory, was constructed between 1888 and 1889 and later converted for cordite incorporation around 1898 to 1899. It features English bond yellow brickwork with hipped slate roofs on the Engine House and Boiler House. The cross wings have brick walls that separate the bays and rise as coped gables through the felt and slate roof. Mid-20th century replacement walling has been added to what were originally wood and canvas side walls.

The building has a T-plan layout, with a central Engine House and a Boiler House at the east end, flanked by cross wings for the gunpowder incorporating mills. It is a single storey structure, with the Engine House being taller. The Engine House and Boiler House have a chamfered brick plinth and a brick dentil cornice. The Boiler House consists of four bays, each defined by brick pilasters, originally featuring segmental brick arches over windows with blind rectangular panels below and an east doorway with a keyed semi-circular arch. The Engine House showcases rubbed red brick semi-circular arches over paired windows on the east and west elevations.

The interior is noted to have a roof structure and features similar to those of another building, L157, upon which it was modeled. An open verandah was located along the west front. Additionally, there was a coal yard on the south side of the Boiler House, and the building was served by a tramline to the west. It underwent repairs following an explosion in 1902.

Local climate

Ministry of Defence Building L148 (Group G Incorporating Mills) sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 97% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 98% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 31 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 63% of listed buildings. Of these, 14 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Ministry of Defence Building L149 (Group E Incorporating Mills) Grade II* 54 m
  2. Ministry of Defence Building L153 (Group D Incororating Mills) Grade II* 56 m
  3. Ministry of Defence Building L145 (Group F Incorporating Mills) Grade II 58 m
  4. Ministry of Defence Building L154 (Expense Magazine) Grade II 86 m
  5. Ministry of Defence Building L141 Grade II 99 m
  6. Ministry of Defence Building L157 (Group C Incorporating Mills) Grade I 126 m
  7. Cordite Press House known as L134 Grade II 144 m
  8. Ministry of Defence Building L136 at Tl 3764 0142 Grade II 144 m
  9. Ministry of Defence Building L135 at Tl 3766 0144 Grade II 159 m
  10. Ministry of Defence Building L133 at Tl 3674 0144 Grade II 163 m