Former Rag Room at Springfield Mill

Rag Room. Built in 1806 by William Balston for the sorting of the rags used in making paper.

PLAN: rectangular in plan of two storeys.

MATERIALS: yellow stock brick with a half-hipped slate roof.

EXTERIOR: the 14-bay west elevation is of stock brick laid in English bond on the ground floor and Flemish bond on the upper floor except for the final five southern bays which are of Flemish bond throughout suggesting this is a later extension. Fenestration is of continuous glazing of two-over-two timber sashes on the upper floor and 14 paired two-over-two timber sashes with flat arches on the ground floor. The south elevation, which is adjoined by a late-C19 office block, is of four bays with multi-paned windows set in segmental arched openings with Gault brick surrounds.

INTERIOR: the ground floor has boxed in iron columns. This was originally used for storage. The first floor was the Rag Room. The roof is of queen post construction of adzed oak beams. There is an overhead wheel which originally lifted rags from the ground floor.

The late-C19 office block adjoining the southern end of the former Rag Room is not of special interest and is not included in the listing.