Ministry Of Defence Number L168 (Engine House And Mechanics' Shop)

ROYAL GUNPOWDER FACTORY TL3700 MOD Building No L168 3/10016 (Engine House and Mechanics' Shop) at TL3772 0105 GV II*

Mechanic's Shop and Engine House. 1857. Flemish bond yellow brick with hipped slate roof. Single-storeyed rectangular plan with engine house housed in tower to north east; engine house extended c1859 by flat-roofed Motor Room; in c1881 the Mechanic's Shop was extended to the south and the west by a further 2 bays, the remodelling probably including the replacement of original walls. Brick dentil cornices and brick corner pilasters, paired to Mechanic's Shop. North elevation of Mechanic's Shop has late C19 segmental red brick arches over double doors with overlight to right and over four 16/16-pane sashes. Similar fenestration and arches to other elevations. Engine House has semi-circular gauged brick arch with plain imposts and keystone to tall blocked window opening to south; similar arches to 3 small windows to upper stage of west elevation and to doorway and lunette window to south, the latter having bracketted sill inscribed "Erected 1857". Motor Room has concrete lintels over mid C20 door and window. Interior of 1857 structure: octagonal cast-iron columns with ornate capitals; north-east column has rounded section probably originally for swing jib. A matrix of pierced iron joists probably doubled as strengthening-ties and for locating beams for brackets for line shafting and pulleys. Iron roof trusses with decorative compression members. Late C19 king-post roof to southern extension. A plan of 1856 shows foundations for a 30-horsepower Compound Steam Engine. Sited to north of its contemporary boiler house, L176 (qv). The engine drove six incorporating mills in Building L169 (demolished), the first of the steam-powered incorporating mills to have been built on the site, which lay immediately to the south and has left the scar of its gabled roof against the south wall of the Engine House; a concrete floor overlies the "shaft alley" which housed drive shafts etc which transmitted power to the incorporating mills and may have survived. (RCHME report, 1993).

Listing NGR: TL3771801050